The study of social interactions in mice is used as a model for normal and pathological cognitive and emotional processes. But extracting comprehensive behavioral information from videos of interacting mice is still a challenge. We describe a computerized method and software, MiceProfiler, that uses geometrical primitives to model and track two mice without requiring any specific tagging. The program monitors a comprehensive repertoire of behavioral states and their temporal evolution, allowing the identification of key elements that trigger social contact. Using MiceProfiler we studied the role of neuronal nicotinic receptors in the establishment of social interactions and risk-prone postures. We found that the duration and type of social interactions with a conspecific evolves differently over time in mice lacking neuronal nicotinic receptors (Chrnb2-/-, here called β2(-/-)), compared to C57BL/6J mice, and identified a new type of coordinated posture, called back-to-back posture, that we rarely observed in β2(-/-) mice.

The structure and function of spines and excitatory synapses are under the dynamic control of multiple signalling networks. Although tyrosine phosphorylation is involved, its regulation and importance are not well understood. Here we study the role of Pyk2, a non-receptor calcium-dependent protein-tyrosine kinase highly expressed in the hippocampus. Hippocampal-related learning and CA1 long-term potentiation are severely impaired in Pyk2-deficient mice and are associated with alterations in NMDA receptors, PSD-95 and dendritic spines. In cultured hippocampal neurons, Pyk2 has autophosphorylation-dependent and -independent roles in determining PSD-95 enrichment and spines density. Pyk2 levels are decreased in the hippocampus of individuals with Huntington and in the R6/1 mouse model of the disease. Normalizing Pyk2 levels in the hippocampus of R6/1 mice rescues memory deficits, spines pathology and PSD-95 localization. Our results reveal a role for Pyk2 in spine structure and synaptic function, and suggest that its deficit contributes to Huntington's disease cognitive impairments.

Background: DNA extraction from paraffin wax embedded tissue requires special protocols, and most described methods report an amplification success rate of 60-80%. Aims: To propose a simple and inexpensive protocol consisting of xylene/ethanol dewaxing, followed by a kit based extraction. Method: Xylene/ethanol dewaxing was followed by a long rehydration step and a kit based DNA extraction step. Results: This method produced a 100% amplification success rate for fragments of 121 to 227 bp for tamponated formalin fixed paraffin wax embedded tissue. Conclusion: This cost effective and non-laborious protocol can successfully extract DNA from tamponated formalin fixed paraffin wax embedded tissue and should facilitate the molecular analysis of a large number of archival specimens in retrospective studies.

Social animals establish flexible behaviors and integrated decision-making processes to adapt to social environments. Such behaviors are impaired in all major neuropsychiatric disorders and depend on the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We previously showed that nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and norepinephrine (NE) in the PFC are necessary for mice to show adapted social cognition. Here, we investigated how the cholinergic and NE systems converge within the PFC to modulate social behavior. We used a social interaction task (SIT) in C57BL/6 mice and mice lacking β2*nAChRs (β2−/− mice), making use of dedicated software to analyze >20 social sequences and pinpoint social decisions. We performed specific PFC NE depletions before SIT and measured monoamines and acetylcholine (ACh) levels in limbic corticostriatal circuitry. After PFC-NE depletion, C57BL/6 mice exhibited impoverished and more rigid social behavior and were 6-fold more aggressive than sham-lesioned animals, whereas β2−/− mice showed unimpaired social behavior. Our biochemical measures suggest a critical involvement of DA in SIT. In addition, we show that the balance between basal levels of monoamines and of ACh modulates aggressiveness and this modulation requires functional β2*nAChRs. These findings demonstrate the critical interplay between prefrontal NE and nAChRs for the development of adapted and nonaggressive social cognition.—Coura, R. S., Cressant, A., Xia, J., de Chaumont, F., Olivo-Marin, J. C., Pelloux, Y., Dalley, J. W., Granon, S. Nonaggressive and adapted social cognition is controlled by the interplay between noradrenergic and nicotinic receptor mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex.

The adeno-associated virus (AAV) has rapidly gained popularity in gene therapy since the establishment of the first AAV2 infectious clone, in 1982, due to some of their distinguishing characteristics such as lack of pathogenicity, wide range of infectivity, and ability to establish longterm transgene expression. Notably over the past decade, this virus has attracted considerable interest as a gene therapy vector, and about 85% of the currently available 2,041 PubMed references on adeno-associated viruses have been published during this time. The exponential progress of AAV-based vectors has been made possible by the advances in the knowledge of the virology and biology of this virus, which allows great improvement in AAV vectors construction and a better comprehension of their operation. Moreover, with the recent discovery of novel AAV serotypes, there is virtually one preferred serotype for nearly every organ or tissue to target. Thus, AAV-based vectors have been successfully overcoming the main gene therapy challenges such as transgene maintenance, safety and host immune response, and meeting the desirable vector system features of high level of safety combined with clinical efficacy and versatility in terms of potential applications. Consequently, AAV is increasingly becoming the vector of choice for a wide range of gene therapy approaches. This report will highlight the state of the art of AAV-based vectors studies and the advances on the use of AAV vectors for several gene therapy approaches.

nAChRs are crucial for decision-making, during integration of emotional and motivational features, both mediated by different NT pathways in the PFC. We review the knowledge recently gained on cognitive functions in mice and our current understanding of PFC NT modulation. The combination of these data is expected to provide new hypotheses concerning the role of AChRs in cognitive processes.

This study reports 2 years of the population dynamics and reproduction of a small mammal community using the removal method. The study was conducted in a rural area of the Atlantic Forest, in Sumidouro, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The population sizes, age structure and reproduction were studied for the four most common species in the study area. The overall diversity was 1.67 and ranged between 0.8 to 1.67. The species richness was 13 considering the whole study. The most abundant species were the rodents Nectomys squamipes (n = 133), Akodon cursor (n = 74), Oligoryzomys nigripes (n = 25) and the marsupials Didelphis aurita (n = 58) and Philander frenatus (n = 50). Seven other rodents were captured once: Necromys lasiurus, Akodon montensis, Sooretamys angouya, Oecomys catherine, Oxymycterus judex, Euryzygomatomys spinosus and Trinomys iheringi. There were higher peaks for diversity and species richness during the winter (dry) months, probably due to higher food availability. The marsupials had a seasonal reproduction with highest population sizes at the end of the rainy seasons. Nectomys squamipes reproduced mostly during rainy periods. Akodon cursor reproduced predominantly in the winter with the highest population peaks occurring during this season. The analysis of the population dynamics of the rodent species indicated that no species behaved as an agricultural pest, probably due to the heterogeneous landscape of high rotativity of vegetable cultivation. Rodent populations were more susceptible to the removal procedure than marsupial ones.Keywords: marsupials, rodents, diversity, long-term study. Populações de pequenos mamíferos em um agro-ecossistema no domínio da Mata Atlântica, sudeste do Brasil ResumoEste estudo reporta dois anos da dinâmica populacional e reprodução de uma comunidade de pequenos mamíferos através de método de remoção. O estudo foi realizado numa área rural na Mata Atlântica, em Sumidouro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Os tamanhos populacionais, a estrutura etária e a reprodução foram estudados para as quatro espécies mais comuns na área de estudo. A diversidade total foi de 1,67 e variou entre 0,8 e 1,67. A riqueza de espécies foi de 13, considerando-se o estudo todo. As espécies mais abundantes foram os roedores Nectomys squamipes (n = 133), Akodon cursor (n = 74) e Oligoryzomys nigripes (n = 25) e os marsupiais Didelphis aurita (n = 58) e Philander frenatus (n = 50 comportou como praga agrícola, provavelmente devido ao ambiente heterogêneo de alta rotatividade de cultivos de legumes. As populações dos roedores foram mais suscetíveis ao procedimento de remoção do que as dos marsupiais.Palavras-chave: marsupiais, roedores, diversidade, estudo de longo prazo.

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