Biology subjects

Jovanovic, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Jovanovic, S..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Presynaptic GABAA Receptors Mediate Ethanol-Induced Suppression at a Central Auditory Synapse

Acute alcohol consumption impairs speech perception, particularly in noisy environments, but the synaptic mechanisms underlying this auditory deficit remain unknown. Here, we investigated how low-dose ethanol modulates the endbulb of Held synapse in the Mongolian gerbil cochlear nucleus, the first central relay of the auditory pathway. In vivo recordings showed that ethanol suppresses sound-evoked firing, an effect blocked by GABAA receptor antagonists. Direct presynaptic patch-clamp recordings revealed that ethanol potentiates GABAA currents at the endbulb of Held terminal but not at the postsynaptic spherical bushy cell. A high intra-terminal chloride concentration drives a GABA-mediated depolarization that activates low-threshold Kv1 potassium channels and shunts the presynaptic action potential. The reduced action potential amplitude limits calcium influx and glutamate release, effectively suppressing synaptic transmission. These findings identify ethanol-enhanced presynaptic shunting inhibition at the first central auditory synapse as a cellular mechanism for alcohol-induced auditory dysfunction.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2026

Exploring the value of thematic urban ecosystem accounts in Western Balkan Countries to inform urban greening actions

Urban ecological health is increasingly prioritized in Europe, as reflected in the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030, the Nature Restoration Regulation, and the amendment to the Regulation on Environmental-Economic Accounts. Translating this ambition into greening actions that halt and reverse urban ecological degradation requires standardized, spatially explicit indicators. This study explores the utility of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) framework for developing thematic urban ecosystem accounts as integrated metrics to inform urban greening in the Western Balkans. We constructed pilot accounts for the Western Balkans for 2018, with particular focus on Horizon-funded CROSS-REIS countries, where local accounts were also developed for representative municipalities (Kranj, Rijeka, Ni[s], Podgorica, Tirana). The accounts quantify ecosystem extent, four condition metrics (imperviousness, green space, tree cover, and PM concentration), and the service air filtration using PM deposition onto vegetation as a proxy. Results were benchmarked nationally against EU/EFTA/UK countries and locally against Italian municipalities of the National Biodiversity Future Centre project. The analysis reveals that urban ecosystems in the Western Balkans exist on a continuum with other European countries but exhibit a distinct, more homogeneous profile shaped by geography, climate, and policy legacies. The accounts identify ecological degradation hotspots (e.g., high soil sealing) and areas of high service-delivery capacity, supporting translation of spatial diagnosis into targeted greening priorities. Overall, the study shows that thematic urban ecosystem accounts offer a standardized, multi-scale evidence base to inform and monitor urban greening policies, supporting the Western Balkans environmental management needs on their path toward EU integration.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2021

The Cl- channel TMEM16A controls the generation of cochlear Ca2+ waves and promotes the refinement of auditory brainstem networks

Before hearing onset (postnatal day 12 in mice), inner hair cells (IHC) spontaneously fire action potentials thereby driving pre-sensory activity in the ascending auditory pathway. The rate of IHC action potential bursts is modulated by inner supporting cells (ISC) of Kollikers organ through the activity of the Ca2+ activated Cl- channel TMEM16A. Here we show that conditional deletion of Tmem16a in mice disrupts the generation of Ca2+ waves within Kollikers organ, reduces the burst firing activity and the frequency-selectivity of auditory brainstem neurons in the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), and also impairs the refinement of MNTB projections to the lateral superior olive (LSO). These results reveal the importance of the activity of Kollikers organ for the refinement of central auditory connectivity. In addition, our study suggests a mechanism for the generation of Ca2+ waves, which may also apply to other tissues expressing TMEM16A.

neuroscience↗