Brain Immune Cells Drive Compulsive Behavior
Neuroscience News • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers at the University of Louisville identified that calcium signaling within Hoxb8 microglia, a specialized brain immune cell, regulates anxiety and grooming behaviors linked to autism and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
- Mice lacking the Hoxb8 gene exhibit chronic anxiety and pathological over-grooming due to an inability to regulate calcium levels in microglia, resulting in continuous calcium signaling.
- Using optogenetics and a miniaturized microscope, scientists demonstrated that increasing calcium in Hoxb8 microglia triggers anxiety and grooming behaviors, while blocking calcium entry prevents these symptoms.
- The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, highlights calcium signaling in microglia as a potential target for future therapies and diagnostics for anxiety-related neuropsychiatric conditions.
- This research provides new insights into how brain immune cells influence behavioral circuits and may inform treatments for disorders affecting millions worldwide.