Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology

Dynorphin counteracts orexin in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus: cellular and behavioral evidence

This study shows that dynorphin in the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus counteracts orexin's effect on cocaine-seeking behavior by reducing glutamate release.

Discovery of novel representatives of bilaterian neuropeptide families and reconstruction of neuropeptide precursor evolution in ophiuroid echinoderms

The paper identifies novel neuropeptide precursors in brittle stars and analyzes their evolutionary changes over 270 million years.

Withdrawal-induced escalated oxycodone self-administration is mediated by kappa opioid receptor function

This study shows that extended oxycodone self-administration in rats leads to escalated drug use and dysregulation of KOR-mediated GABAergic signaling in the CeA, with distinct neuroadaptive effects compared to other drugs.

An ancient FMRFamide-related peptide-receptor pair induces defense behavior in a brachiopod larva

The paper identifies an ancient FMRFamide-related neuropeptide and its receptor that induce coordinated defensive behaviors in brachiopod larvae.

Differential gene expression in populations of sympathetic neurons purified from a neuropeptide Y reporter mouse

The paper identifies differentially expressed genes in purified sympathetic neurons from a neuropeptide Y reporter mouse using gene chip methodology and quantitative PCR.