化学遗传学技术在抑郁症神经环路研究中的应用

Application of chemogenetic technology in the study of neural circuits in depression

化学遗传学技术是一种通过改变受体特异性和亲和力来调节细胞活性与功能的受体-配体系统的技术,其通过特异性地调控神经元及神经环路精准调控神经。目前,该技术在神经环路研究中应用十分广泛。本文主要简述化学遗传学技术在抑郁症神经环路研究中的应用与进展,梳理该技术在腹侧被盖区、伏隔核、前额叶皮质、海马、外侧缰核等几个与抑郁症发生密切相关的脑区中的应用,讨论化学遗传学技术作为一种精准调控神经活动的技术在未来研究中的潜力和挑战,以期为化学遗传学技术在抑郁症神经环路研究提供可靠的思路和方向。

Chemogenetic technology is a receptor-ligand system that regulates cell viability and function by changing receptor specificity and affinity,and it achieves precise neuronal regulation by specifically regulating neurons and neural circuits.At present,this technique is widely used in the study of neural circuits.This article briefly describes the application and progress of chemogenetic technology in the study of depression neural circuits,reviews the application of chemogenetic technology in several brain regions closely related to depression,such as ventral tegmental area,nucleus accumbens,prefrontal cortex,hippocampus and lateral habenula,and discusses the potential and challenges of chemogenetic technology as a technology for precise regulation of neural activity in future research,in order to provide reliable ideas and directions for chemogenetic technology in the study of depression neural circuits.