Jaideep Bains

The goal of my lab is to understand how neural circuits that regulate an organism’s internal state are also purposed to control behaviour and store information in response to challenges. Specifically, we use a combination of electrophysiology, behavioral analysis, functional imaging, and optogenetics to characterize neural circuits that decode stress to modify internal states and generate specific coping behaviors. Additionally, we seek to understand mechanisms that allow these circuits, or specific cell populations to store information related to the modality, intensity and temporal features of stress.

Stress and Synapses

We have made a number of contributions that reveal the consequences of stress on neuronal function and plasticity in the brain. In a collection of papers, we have revealed cellular and synaptic mechanisms that allow hypothalamic circuits to be recruited, primed and altered by stress.

Key Papers:

Altered chloride homeostasis removes synaptic inhibitory constraint of the stress axis, S.A. Hewitt, J.I. Wamsteeker, E.U. Kurz and J.S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, Apr;12(4):438-443, 2009. PMID: 15995701

Stress induced priming of glutamate synapses unmasks associative short-term plasticity, J.B. Kuzmiski, V.M. Marty, D.V. Baimoukhametova and J.S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, Oct;13(10):1257-1264, 2010. PMID: 20818385

Glucocorticoid feedback uncovers retrograde opioid signaling at hypothalamic synapses, J.I. Wamsteeker Cusulin, T. Füzesi, W. Inoue and J.S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, May;16(5):596-604, 2013. PMID: 23563581

Noradrenaline is a stress-associated metaplastic signal at GABA synapses, W. Inoue, D. V. Baimoukhametova, T. Füzesi, J.I. Wamsteeker Cusulin, K. Koblinger, P. J. Whelan, Q. J. Pittman and J. S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, May;16(5):605-12, 2013. PMID: 23563580

CRHPVN neurons and the control of behavior

We have discovered new roles for hypothalamic CRH neurons in a number of stress behaviors, including, coping behaviors after an acute stress and social investigation resulting in the transmission of stress from one individual to another. We have also demonstrated that these cells alter innate defensive behavior strategies based on prior experience.

Key Papers:

Hypothalamic CRH neurons orchestrate complex behaviors after stress. T. Fuzesi, N. Daviu, J.I.Cusulin, R. Bonin and J.S. Bains, Nature Communications, Jun 16;7:11937, 2016. PMID: 27306314

Social transmission and buffering of synaptic changes after stress. T-L Sterley, D.V. Baimoukhametova, T. Füzesi, A. A. Zurek, N. Daviu, N. P. Rasiah, D. Rosenegger, and J. S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, Jan 8, Mar;21(3):393-403, 2018. PMID: 29311741

CRHPVN neurons encode stress controllability and regulate defensive behavior selection, N. Daviu, T. Füzesi, D. Rosenegger, N. Rasiah, T-L Sterley, G. Peringod and J.S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, Mar 23 (3):398-401, 2020. PMID: 32066984

Astrocytes and Synaptic Plasticity

Astrocytes, a type of glia cell, actively participate in synaptic transmission. We have shown that astrocytes release ATP to promote AMPAR insertion and control postsynaptic efficacy at glutamatergic synapses in the brain. Recently, we have revealed that circulating stress hormones alter the delivery of energetic substrates from astrocytes to neurons resulting in a failure in the induction of synaptic plasticity.

Key Papers:

Norepinephrine triggers release of glial ATP to increase postsynaptic efficacy, G.R.J. Gordon, D.V. Baimoukhametova, S.A. Hewitt, W.R. Rajapaksha, T.E. Fisher and J.S. Bains, Nature Neuroscience, Aug;8(8):1078-1086, 2005. PMID: 15995701

Astrocyte mediated distributed plasticity at hypothalamic glutamate synapses, G.R.J. Gordon, K.J. Iremonger, S. Kantevari, G.C. Ellis-Davies, B.A. MacVicar and J.S. Bains, Neuron, Nov;64(3):391-403, 2009. PMID: 19914187

Stress gates an astrocytic energy reservoir to impair synaptic plasticity, C. Murphy-Royal, A. D. Johnston, A. K. Boyce, B. Diaz-Castro, A. Institoris, G. Peringod, O. Zhang, R. F. Stout, R. J. Thompson, D. C. Spray, B. S. Khakh, J. S. Bains, and G. R. Gordon, Nature Communications, April 24;11(1): 2014, 2020. PMID: 32332733

Administrative Assistant

Suporna Banik
suporna.banik@ucalgary.ca
403-210-9728