Neural networks that undergo acute insults display remarkable reorganization. This injury related plasticity is thought to permit recovery of function in the face of damage that cannot be reversed. Previously, an increase in the transmission strength at Schaffer collateral to CA1 pyramidal cell synapses was observed after long-term activity reduction in organotypic hippocampal slices. Here we report that, following acute preparation of adult rat hippocampal slices and surgical removal of area CA3, input to area CA1 was reduced and Schaffer collateral synapses underwent functional strengthening. This increase in synaptic strength was limited to Schaffer collateral inputs (no alteration to temporoammonic synapses) and acted to normalize postsynaptic discharge, supporting a homeostatic or compensatory response. Short-term plasticity was not altered, but an increase in immunohistochemical labeling of GluA1 subunits was observed in the stratum radiatum (but not stratum moleculare), suggesting increased numbers of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors and a postsynaptic locus of expression. Combined, these data support the idea that, in response to the reduction in presynaptic activity caused by removal of area CA3, Schaffer collateral synapses undergo a relatively rapid increase in functional efficacy likely supported by insertion of more AMPARs, which maintains postsynaptic excitability in CA1 pyramidal neurons. This novel fast compensatory plasticity exhibits properties that would allow it to maintain optimal network activity levels in the hippocampus, a brain structure lauded for its ongoing experience-dependent malleability.
PURPOSE Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) use during cancer care has increased in Western medical settings. Little is known about interest in and use of CIM approaches by oncology patients in Chile and South America. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients presenting for conventional outpatient or inpatient medical oncology care at the Clinica Alemana in Santiago, Chile, from March to June 2017 were asked to complete a survey about their interest in and use of CIM approaches. Goals included determining the prevalence of CIM use and exploring associations between CIM use and patient characteristics. Statistical analyses included a two-tailed t test for continuous variables, Fischer’s exact test for categorical variables, and logistic regression for association between CIM use and other variables. RESULTS Of 432 patients surveyed, 66.9% were diagnosed with breast cancer, 84.8% were women, the majority of patients (58.1%) were between age 40 and 60 years, and 51.5% (n = 221) reported CIM use. No association was found between CIM use and the sociodemographic variables of sex, age, education, or income. In all, 44.6% of patients with breast cancer reported CIM use compared with 64.8% of patients with other cancer types ( P > .001). Most commonly reported types of CIM used included herbals (49.1%), vitamins and minerals (40.8%), and prayer or meditation (40.4%). Most frequent reasons for CIM use were to “do everything possible” (72%) and to “improve my immune function” (67.8%). Most patients (43.4%) reported starting CIM use at the time of cancer diagnosis, with only 55.4% sharing information regarding CIM use with their medical team. CONCLUSION The majority of patients surveyed reported engaging in CIM use, with just over half the users communicating with their oncology team about their CIM use. Increased awareness of regional differences in CIM use may help increase communication regarding this subject and contribute to improved outcomes.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.