| First Author | Mechling AE | Year | 2016 |
| Journal | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | Volume | 113 |
| Issue | 41 | Pages | 11603-11608 |
| PubMed ID | 27671662 | Mgi Jnum | J:235275 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:5795869 | Doi | 10.1073/pnas.1601640113 |
| Citation | Mechling AE, et al. (2016) Deletion of the mu opioid receptor gene in mice reshapes the reward-aversion connectome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113(41):11603-11608 |
| abstractText | Connectome genetics seeks to uncover how genetic factors shape brain functional connectivity; however, the causal impact of a single gene's activity on whole-brain networks remains unknown. We tested whether the sole targeted deletion of the mu opioid receptor gene (Oprm1) alters the brain connectome in living mice. Hypothesis-free analysis of combined resting-state fMRI diffusion tractography showed pronounced modifications of functional connectivity with only minor changes in structural pathways. Fine-grained resting-state fMRI mapping, graph theory, and intergroup comparison revealed Oprm1-specific hubs and captured a unique Oprm1 gene-to-network signature. Strongest perturbations occurred in connectional patterns of pain/aversion-related nodes, including the mu receptor-enriched habenula node. Our data demonstrate that the main receptor for morphine predominantly shapes the so-called reward/aversion circuitry, with major influence on negative affect centers. |
