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Vagus Nerve Manipulation and Microglial Plasticity in the Prenatal Brain

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Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 205))

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Abstract

The efferent and afferent effects of the vagus nerve on the developing brain have remained enigmatic. Here we review the evidence of such effects on microglial plasticity in the sheep model of human fetal development, one of the most recognized and deployed models of human fetal physiology. We show that vagotomy alters microglial phenotype and that this effect is hormetic under conditions of mild systemic inflammation, as may occur antepartum with chorioamnionitis. We present the methodology to assess not only biomarker-based microglial activation (Iba-1), but also the morphometric features of the microglia. Together, these assessments provide a more comprehensive toolbox of glial phenotypical characterizations, especially in the context of investigating the locoregional vagal control of glial function. The presented findings support the earlier discoveries in preclinical and clinical models of adult physiology whereby vagotomy appeared neuroprotective for Parkinson’s, explained, at least in part, by the effects on microglia. In addition, we present the approach to measure and the findings on regional cerebral blood flow changes in relation to vagus nerve manipulation. Together, the body of evidence underscores the importance of both the efferent and the afferent vagal pathways, via the vagus nerve, in the programming of microglial phenotype in the developing brain. The significance of these relationships for the development and treatment of early susceptibility to neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders in later life requires further studies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Who watches the watchers?

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotron, Western University, London, ON, Canada

    Marc Courchesne & Karen Nygard

  2. Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada

    Marc Courchesne

  3. Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Colin Wakefield

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Patrick Burns, Gilles Fecteau & Andre Desrochers

  5. CHU Ste-Justine Research Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Mingju Cao & Martin G. Frasch

  6. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Martin G. Frasch

  7. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Reproduction Research Centre (CRRA), Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Martin G. Frasch

  8. Center on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Martin G. Frasch

  9. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Martin G. Frasch

Authors
  1. Marc Courchesne
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  2. Colin Wakefield
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  3. Karen Nygard
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  4. Patrick Burns
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  5. Gilles Fecteau
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  6. Andre Desrochers
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  7. Mingju Cao
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  8. Martin G. Frasch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin G. Frasch .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Institute on Human Development and Disability, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Martin G. Frasch

  2. Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and The Center For Cognitive Aging And Memory, University of Florida, Gainsville, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Eric C. Porges

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Courchesne, M. et al. (2024). Vagus Nerve Manipulation and Microglial Plasticity in the Prenatal Brain. In: Frasch, M.G., Porges, E.C. (eds) Vagus Nerve Stimulation . Neuromethods, vol 205. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3465-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-3465-3_4

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-3464-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-3465-3

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