A multiscale cerebral neurochemical connectome of the rat brain

PLoS Biol. 2017 Jul 3;15(7):e2002612. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002612. eCollection 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Understanding the rat neurochemical connectome is fundamental for exploring neuronal information processing. By using advanced data mining, supervised machine learning, and network analysis, this study integrates over 5 decades of neuroanatomical investigations into a multiscale, multilayer neurochemical connectome of the rat brain. This neurochemical connectivity database (ChemNetDB) is supported by comprehensive systematically-determined receptor distribution maps. The rat connectome has an onion-type structural organization and shares a number of structural features with mesoscale connectomes of mouse and macaque. Furthermore, we demonstrate that extremal values of graph theoretical measures (e.g., degree and betweenness) are associated with evolutionary-conserved deep brain structures such as amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, dorsal raphe, and lateral hypothalamus, which regulate primitive, yet fundamental functions, such as circadian rhythms, reward, aggression, anxiety, and fear. The ChemNetDB is a freely available resource for systems analysis of motor, sensory, emotional, and cognitive information processing.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Computer Simulation
  • Databases, Factual*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Nerve Net*
  • Rats

Grants and funding

Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung https://www.bmbf.de/ (grant number 01ZX1311A). Received by HRN, ACL and RS (see Spanagel et al. A systems medicine research approach for studying alcohol addiction. Addict Biol. 2013 Nov;18(6):883-96). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung http://www.sys-med.de/de/nachwuchsforschung/nachwuchsgruppen/neurocon/ (grant number 01ZX1503). Received by HRN. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. European Commission Horizon 2020 Program http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/ (grant number 668863-SyBil-AA). Received by HRN, MER and RS. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.