Mackenzie Lab

We are interested in understanding how the brain regulates behavior in different contexts. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) and dopamine/glutamate transmission from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) control affective, cognitive and motor functions. Their circuities are dysregulated in several severe neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Parkinson, anxiety, compulsion and addiction. Better treatment relies on improved knowledge of underlying neurocircuitry, both their anatomical composition and their physiological function. We work with these aspects by implementing molecular, histological, transgenic and optogenetic methodology. We connect selected neurons to whole-organism behavior, and explore the effect of context. Our research aims to experimentally decode brain complexity – in both health and disease.

New finding: Improving well-being and survival in the 6-OHDA lesion model of Parkinson´s disease in mice

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Improving well-being and survival in the 6-OHDA lesion model of Parkinson´s disease in mice: Literature review and step-by-step protocol

By implementing a 6-OHDA lesion protocol using a lower dose of toxin than commonly seen in the literature alongside careful post-operative care and decreased time post-injection, a fully recovered weight post-surgery and high survival rate was obtained. This was achieved despite full expression of the 6-OHDA-induced locomotor phenotype.  A step-by-step protocol was formulated. Validation using histological analysis confirmed toxin-induced degeneration of midbrain dopamine neurons with concomitant loss of dopaminergic projections in the lesioned hemisphere. Notably, while SNc dopamine neurons were drastically reduced, those located in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were less affected in a medialhigh survival to laterallow survival manner.

Read more at SWEBAGS News or find the complete publicatio at Adriane Guillaumin, Bianca Vicek & Åsa Wallén-Mackenzie, Improving well-being and survival in the 6-OHDA lesion model of Parkinson´s disease in mice: Literature review and step-by-step protocol, Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science, 2022, Volume 48, Number 1.

Last modified: 2022-12-28