Biology subjects

Van Dijck, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Van Dijck, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Protocol for calcium imaging of acute brain slices from Octopus vulgaris hatchlings during application of neurotransmitters

Octopus vulgaris and other cephalopods are of increasing interest as neurobiological model organisms. This protocol describes a method to record calcium activity from individual cells in acute brain slices from Octopus vulgaris hatchlings during exogenous application of neurotransmitters. Using this protocol, we characterized single-cell responses to specific neurotransmitters in the optic lobes, which process visual information. The approach is readily adaptable to other cephalopods and small invertebrate species. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=146 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/711860v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (39K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1a3da0forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@412424org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@abda7eorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@958ebf_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2025

Novel dopaminergic neurotransmission in the Octopus visual system

Octopus vulgaris, the common octopus, has a complex brain that evolved independently from that of vertebrates, raising the possibility that it may be built using novel circuit motifs or non-canonical neurochemistry. Through systematic characterization of octopus ligand-gated ion channel genes, we identified novel ionotropic receptors for two neurotransmitters, dopamine and acetylcholine, that play key roles in visual circuits. One of these, DopC1, encodes a dopamine-gated cation channel expressed in deeper layers of the optic lobe (inner granular layer and medulla). A second, AChRB1, encodes an acetylcholine-gated anion channel expressed in photoreceptors and dopaminergic outer granular layer neurons. Dopamine drives excitation, particularly in deeper, DopC1 enriched layers, and thereby may play an important role in feed-forward excitation, whereas acetylcholine evokes inhibition, possibly mediating negative feedback from deeper layers. The octopus visual system thus shows fundamental differences in both neurochemistry and wiring compared to mammals, implying distinct mechanisms of visual information processing.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

Sharp-wave ripple associated activity in the medial prefrontal cortex supports spatial rule switching

Previous studies have highlighted an important role for hippocampal sharp-wave ripples in spatial alternation learning, as well as modulating activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). However, no study so far has investigated the direct influence of hippocampal sharp-wave ripples on mPFC activity during spatial alternation learning. Long Evans rats were trained on a three-arm radial maze to perform a sequence of alternations. Three different alternation sequences needed to be learnt, and while learning a new sequence, the activity in the mPFC was inhibited either directly following sharp-wave ripples in the hippocampus (on-time condition) or with a randomized delay (delayed condition). In the on-time condition the behavioral performance was significantly worse compared to the same animals in the delayed inhibition condition, as measured by a lower correct alternation performance and more perseverative behavior. This indicates that the activity in the mPFC directly following hippocampal sharp-wave ripples is necessary for spatial rule switching.

neuroscience↗