Genetic identification of the habenular pathway regulating the monoamines metabolism in the brain

啮齿类动物缰核亚核的特点是谷氨酸能、胆碱能和P物质能传递标志基因以及单胺能受体表达的异质性。在Dbx1CreERT2/+基因敲入小鼠品系中，出生前(胚胎12-16天)和出生后(出生后0-3天)注射他莫昔芬分别导致成体前脑细胞的普遍标记和成体缰核星形胶质细胞的特异性标记。电生理学研究表明，缰核损毁引起了海马theta振荡的损害，这种损害依赖于脑干中完整的5-羟色胺能中缝。这些结果提示缰核通过调节单胺能神经元的活动来影响不同的脑活动。

Habenular subnuclei in the rodents were characterized by the heterogeneity of the neurons in expression of marker genes for glutamatergic, cholinergic and substance P-ergic transmission and monoaminergic receptors. Tamoxifen injection to Dbx1CreERT2/+ knock-in mouse line before (embryonic days 12-16) and after birth (postnatal days 0-3) resulted in the ubiquitous labeling of the cells in the adult forebrain and specific labeling of the astrocytes in the adult habenula, respectively. Electrophysiological study revealed that the habenula lesion elicited the impairment of the hippocampal theta oscillation, which was dependent upon the intact serotonergic raphe in the brain stem. These results suggested that the habenula affected the diverse brain activity via modulation of neuronal activity in the monoaminergic neurons.