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NEUROBIOLOGY

Axonal dispatch of iron in neuronal signaling

The regulation of brain iron homeostasis, previously thought to be cell autonomous and modulated by local factors in the interstitial fluid, is reported by Wang et al. to be strongly influenced by axonal transport of iron in an activity-dependent and unidirectional manner between functionally associated regions. The supply of iron from the ventral hippocampus to the middle prefrontal cortex subserved an anxiolytic phenotype and mediated the neuropharmacological actions of diazepam and lithium chloride in rodent models.

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Fig. 1: Schematic illustration of neuronal activity-dependent iron transport and its psychiatric relevance.

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Correspondence to Peng Lei or Ashley I. Bush.

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A.I.B. is a shareholder in Prana Biotechnology Ltd., Cogstate Ltd., Brighton Biotech LLC, Grunbiotics Pty Ltd., Eucalyptus Pty Ltd., and Mesoblast Ltd. He is a paid consultant for, and has a profit share interest in, Collaborative Medicinal Development Pty Ltd.

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Lei, P., Ayton, S. & Bush, A.I. Axonal dispatch of iron in neuronal signaling. Nat Chem Biol 15, 1135–1136 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-019-0394-3

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