Publications

  1. Muscat, S.M., Butler, M.J., Bettes, M.N., DeMarsh, J.W., Scaria, E.A., Deems, N.P.,, Barrientos, R.M. Post-operative cognitive dysfunction is exacerbated by high-fat diet via TLR4 and prevented by dietary DHA supplementation. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2024, 116:385-401.
  2. Butler M.J., Mackey-Alfonso, S.E., Massa, N., Baskin, K.K., Barrientos, R.M. Neuroinflammatory, metabolic, and phagocytic response of BV2 microglia and hippoE neurons to palmitic acid is modulated with DHA. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 2023, 17.
  3. Gonzalez Olmo, B.M., Zhao, F., Bettes, M.N., DeMarsh, J., Askwith, C., Barrientos, R.M. Short-term high-fat diet consumption impairs long-term potentiation in the aged hippocampus via IL-1b signaling. Npj Science of Food, 2023, 7, 35.
  4. Otto-Dobos, L.D., Santos, J.C., Strehle, L.D., Grant, C.V., Simon, L.A., Oliver, B., Godbout, J.P., Sheridan, J.F., Barrientos, R.M., Glasper, E.R., Pyter, L.M. The role of microglia in 67NR mammary tumor-induced suppression of brain responses to immune challenges in female mice. Journal of Neurochemistry, 2023, in press.
  5. Muscat, S.M., Butler, M.J., Mackey-Alfonso, S.E., Barrientos, R.M. Young adult and aged female rats are vulnerable to amygdala-dependent, but not hippocampus-dependent, memory impairment following short-term high-fat diet. Brain Research Bulletin, 2023, 195, 145-156.
  6. Butler, M.J., Sengupta, S; Muscat, S.M, Amici, S. A., Deems, N.P., Dravid, P., Biltz, R.G., Mackey-Alfonso, S.M., Ijaz, H., Bettes, M.N., Godbout, J.P., Kapoor, A., Guerau-de-Arellano, M., Barrientos, R.M. CD8+ T cells contribute to diet-induced memory deficits in aged male rats. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2023, 109:235-250.
  7. Muscat, S.M., Deems, N.P., Butler, M.J., Scaria, E.A., Bettes, M.N., Cleary, S., Bockbrader, R.H., Maier, S.F., Barrientos, R.M. Selective TLR4 antagonism prevents and reverses morphine-induced persistent post-operative cognitive dysfunction, dysregulation of synaptic elements, and impaired BDNF signaling in aged male rats. Journal of Neuroscience, 2023, 43(1):155-172.
  8. Butler, M.J., Deems, N.P., Muscat, S.M., Butt, C.M., Belury, M.A., Barrientos, R.M. Dietary DHA prevents cognitive impairment and inflammatory gene expression in aged rats fed a diet enriched with refined carbohydrates. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2021, 98, 198-209.
  9. Muscat, S.M, Barrientos, R.M. The perfect cytokine storm: How peripheral immune challenges impact synaptic plasticity & cognitive function in aging. Brain Plasticity, 2021, 7, 47-60.
  10. Estfanous, S.*, Daily, K.P.*, Eltobgy, M.*, Deems, N.P., Anne, M.N., Krause, K., Badr, A., Hamilton, K., Hegazi, A., Khweek, A.A., Carafice, C., Kelani, H., Nimjee, S., Awad, H., Zhang, X., Cormet-Boyaka, E., Haffez, H., Soror, S., Mikhail, A., Nuovo, J., Barrientos, R.M., Gavrilin, M.A., and Amer, A.O. Elevated expression of the Mirc1/Mir17-92 in microglia of Alzheimer’s disease patients abrogates autophagy-mediated amyloid-β degradation. *Co-first authors. Frontiers in Immunology, 2021, 12, 2839-.
  11. *Gonzalez Olmo, B.M., *Butler, M.J., Barrientos, R.M. Evolution of the human diet and its impact on gut microbiota, immune responses, and brain health. Nutrients, 2021, 13, 196. *Co-first authors.
  12. *Muscat, S., *Deems, N.P., D’Angelo, H.M., Kitt, M.M., Grace, P.M., Andersen, N., Silverman, S., Rice, K., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F., Barrientos, R.M. Post-operative cognitive dysfunction is made persistent with morphine treatment in aged rats. Neurobiology of Aging, 2021, 98, 214-224. *Co-first authors.
  13. Kwilasz, A.J., Todd, L.S., Duran-Malle, L.C., Schrama, A.E.W., Mitten, E.H., Larson, T.A., Clements, M.A., Harris, K.M., Litwiler, S., Wang, X., Van Dam, A.M., Maier, S.F., Rice, K.C., Watkins, L.R., Barrientos, R.M. Experimental autoimmune encephalopathy (EAE)-induced hippocampal neuroinflammation and memory deficits are prevented with the non-opioid TLR2/TLR4 antagonist (+)-naltrexone. Behavioural Brain Research, 2021, 387, 1-12; Article 112897.
  14. Muscat, S., Barrientos, R.M. Lifestyle modifications with anti-neuroinflammatory benefits in the aging population. Experimental Gerontology, 2020, 142:11144.
  15. Quach, T.T., Moutal, A., Khanna, R., Deems, N.P., Duchemin, A.M., Barrientos, R.M. Collapsin response mediator proteins: Novel targets for Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 2020, 77 (3), 949-960.
  16. Butler, M.J. and Barrientos, R.M. Reply to the Letter to the Editor: Regional differences in dietary use of immune-modulating catechins should be investigated regarding COVID-19. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2020, 89, 528.
  17. Butler M.J., Cole R.M., Deems N.P., Belury M.A., Barrientos R.M. Fatty food, fatty acids, and microglial priming in the adult and aged hippocampus and amygdala. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2020, 89, 145-159.
  18. Butler, M.J. and Barrientos, R.M. The impact of nutrition on COVID-19 susceptibility and long-term consequences. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2020, 87, 53-54.
  19. Barrientos, R.M., Strehle, L., Lahoud, A.A., Pyter, L.M. Mammary tumors suppress aging-induced neuroinflammation in female Balb/c mice. Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2020, 1-2, 1-8.
  20. Barrientos, R.M., Brunton, P.J., Lenz, K.M., Pyter, L., Spencer, S.J. Neuroimmunology of the female brain across the lifespan: Plasticity to pathology. Brain, Behavior & Immunity, 2019, 79, 39-55.
  21. Spencer, S.J., Basri, B., Sominsky, L., Soch, A., Ayala, M., Reineck, P., Gibson, B., Barrientos, R.M. High-fat diet worsens the impact of aging on microglial function and morphology in a region-specific manner. Neurobiology of Aging, 2019, 74, 121-134.
  22. Tanaka, N., Cortese, G.P., Barrientos, R.M., Maier, S.F., Patterson, S.L. Aging and an immune challenge interact to produce prolonged, but not permanent reductions in hippocampal L-LTP and mBDNF in a rodent model with features of delirium. eNeuro, 2018, 5(3) e0009-18, 2018, 1-11.
  23. Spencer, S.J., Korosi, A., Layé, S., Shukitt-Hale, B., Barrientos, R.M. Food for thought: How nutrition impacts cognition and emotion. Invited Review in npj Science of Food, 2017, 1(7): 1-8.
  24. Spencer, S.J., D’Angelo, H.M., Soch, A., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F., Barrientos, R.M. High-fat diet and aging interact to produce neuroinflammation and impair hippocampal- and amygdalar-dependent memory. Neurobiology of Aging, 2017, 58:88-101.
  25. Baartman, T.L., Swanepoel, T., Barrientos, R.M., Laburn, H.P., Mitchell, D., Harden, L.M. Divergent effects of brain interleukin-1ß in mediating fever, lethargy, anorexia and conditioned fear memory. Behavioural Brain Research, 2017, 324: 155-163.
  26. Barrientos, R.M., Kitt, M.M., D’Angelo, H.M., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F. Stable, long-term spatial memory in young and aged rats achieved with a 1 day Morris water maze protocol. Learning & Memory, 2016, 23: 699-702.
  27. Sobesky, J.L., D’Angelo, H.M., Weber, M.D., Anderson, N.D., Frank, M.G., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F., Barrientos, R.M. Glucocorticoids mediate acute high-fat diet induction of neuroinflammatory priming, the NLRP3 inflammasome, and the danger signal HMGB1. eNeuro, 2016, 3(4): 1-17.
  28. Fonken, L.K., Kitt, M.M., Gaudet, A.D., Barrientos, R.M., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Diminished circadian rhythms in microglia may contribute to age-related neuroinflammatory sensitization. Neurobiology of Aging, 2016, 47: 102-112.
  29. Fonken, L.K., Frank, M.G., Kitt, M.M., D’Angelo, H.M., Norden, D.M., Weber, M.D. Barrientos, R.M., Godbout, J.P., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. The alarmin HMGB1 mediates age-induced priming of the neuroinflammatory and sickness response. Journal of Neuroscience, 2016, 36(30): 7945:7956.
  30. Barrientos, R.M., Kitt, M.M., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Neuroinflammation in the normal aging hippocampus.Special Issue: Hippocampal vulnerability: from molecules to diseases. Neuroscience, 2015, 309: 84-99.
  31. Barrientos, R.M., Thompson, V.M., Kitt, M.M., Amat, J., Hale, M.W., Frank, M.G., Crysdale, N.Y., Stamper, C.E., Hennessey, P.A., Watkins, L.R., Spencer, R.L., Lowry, C.A., Maier, S.F. Greater glucocorticoid receptor activation in hippocampus of aged rats sensitizes microglia. Neurobiology of Aging, 2015, 36(3): 1483-1595.
  32. Fonken, L.K., Frank, M.G., Kitt, M.M., Barrientos, R.M., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Microglia inflammatory responses are controlled by an intrinsic circadian clock. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2015, 45: 171-179.
  33. Stolyarova, A., Rodriguez, D., Thompson, A., Barrientos, R.M., Izquierdo, A. Reductions in frontocortical cytokine levels are associated with long-lasting alterations in reward valuation after methamphetamine. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2015, 40(5): 1234-1242.
  34. Barrientos, R.M., Thompson, V.M., Arnold, T.H., Frank, M.G., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. The role of hepatic & splenic macrophages in coli-induced memory impairments in aged rats. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2015, 43: 60-67.
  35. Sobesky, J.L., Barrientos, R.M., De May, H.S., Thompson, B.M., Weber, M.D., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. High-fat diet consumption disrupts memory and primes elevations in hippocampal IL-1β, an effect that can be prevented with dietary reversal or IL-1 receptor antagonism. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2014, 42: 22-32.
  36. Barrientos, R.M. Book Review: Immunosenescence: Psychosocial and Behavioral Determinants. Bosch, J.A., Phillips, A.C., Lord, J.M. (Eds.), Springer, 2013. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2014, 37: 267-268. (Invited Book Review)
  37. Barrientos, R.M., Hein, A.M., Frank, M.G., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Intracisternal interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) prevents post-operative cognitive decline and neuroinflammatory response in aged rats. Journal of Neuroscience, 2012, 32(42): 14641-14648.
  38. Barrientos, R.M. The role of microglia in neurogenesis: Exercise and aging as co-factors. Future Neurology, 2012, 7(6): 671-674. (Invited commentary-*not peer-reviewed)
  39. Frank, M.G., Barrientos, R.M., Thompson, B.M., Weber, M.D., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. IL-1RA injected ICM confers extended prophylaxis against LPS-induced neuroinflammatory and sickness responses. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 2012, 252(1-2): 33-39.
  40. Barrientos, R.M., Frank, M.G., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Age-related changes in neuroimmune-endocrine function: Implications for hippocampal-dependent cognition. Special Issue: “The neuroendocrine-immune axis in health and disease” for Hormones and Behavior, 2012, 62 (3): 219-227. (Invited Review)
  41. Chapman, T.R., Barrientos, R.M., Ahrendsen, J.T., Hoover, J.M., Maier, S.F., Patterson, S.L. Aging and infection reduce expression of specific BDNF mRNAs in hippocampus. Neurobiology of Aging, 2012, 33 (4): 832.e1-14.
  42. Barrientos, R.M., Frank, M.G., Crysdale, N.Y., Chapman, T. R., Ahrendsen, J., Campeau, S, Day, H.E.W., Watkins, L.R., Patterson, S.L., Maier, S.F. Little exercise, big effects: Reversing aging and infection-induced memory deficits, and underlying processes. Journal of Neuroscience, 2011, 31(32): 11578-11586.
  43. Hains, L.E., Loram, L.C., Taylor, F., Strand, K. Wieseler, J.L., Barrientos, R.M., Young, J.J., Frank, M.G., Sobesky, J., Martin, T.J., Eisenach, J.C., Maier, S.F., Johnson, J.D., Fleshner, M.R., & Watkins, L.R. Prior laparotomy or corticosterone potentiates lipopolysaccharide-induced fever and sickness behaviors. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 2011, 239 (1-2): 53-60.
  44. Barrientos, R.M.Voluntary exercise as an anti-neuroinflammatory therapeutic. Brain, Behavior & Immunity, 2011, 25 (6): 11061-1062. (Invited commentary)
  45. Cortese, G.P., Barrientos, R.M., Maier, S.F., Patterson, S.L. Aging and a peripheral immune challenge interact to reduce mBDNF and activation of TrkB, PLC gamma, and ERK in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes. Journal of Neuroscience, 2011, 31 (11): 4274-4279.
  46. Barrientos, R.M., Frank, M.G., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Memory impairments in healthy aging: Role of aging-induced microglial sensitization. Special Issue on Neuroimmunomodulation and Aging, Aging and Disease, 2010, 1 (3) 212-231. (Invited Review)
  47. Frank, M.G., Barrientos, R.M., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. Aging sensitizes rapidly isolated hippocampal microglia to LPS ex vivo. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 2010, 226 (1-2): 181-184.
  48. Chapman, T.R., Barrientos, R.M., Ahrendsen, J.T., Maier, S.F., Patterson, S.L. Synaptic correlates of increased cognitive vulnerability with aging: Peripheral immune challenge and aging interact to disrupt theta-burst L-LTP in hippocampal area CA1. Journal of Neuroscience, 2010, 30(22): 7598-7603.
  49. Frank, M.G., Barrientos, R.M., Hein A.M., Biedenkapp, J.C., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. IL-1RA blocks E. coli-induced suppression of Arc and long-term memory in aged F344 x BN F1 rats. Brain, Behavior & Immunity, 2010, 24(2): 254-262.
  50. Bilbo, S.D., Wieseler, J., Barrientos, R.M., Tsang, V., Watkins, L.R., & Maier, S.F. Neonatal bacterial infection alters fever to live and simulated infections in adulthood. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2010, 35(3): 369-381.
  51. Barrientos, R.M., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F. Characterization of the sickness response in young and aging rats following E. coli infection. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity, 2009, 23(4): 450-454.
  52. Barrientos, R.M., Frank, M.G., Hein, A.M., Higgins, E.A., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F. Time course of hippocampal IL-1 beta and memory consolidation impairments in aging rats following peripheral infection. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity, 2009, 23(1): 46-54.
  53. Bilbo SD, Barrientos, R.M., Eads AS, Northcutt A, Watkins LR, Rudy JW, Maier S.F. Early-life infection leads to altered BDNF and IL-1beta mRNA expression in rat hippocampus following learning in adulthood. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity, 2008, 22(4): 451-5.
  54. Hein, A.M., Stutzman, D.L., Bland, S.T., Barrientos, R.M., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F. Prostaglandins are necessary and sufficient to induce contextual fear learning impairments after interleukin-1 beta injections into the dorsal hippocampus. Neuroscience, 2007, 150(4): 754-63.
  55. Bland, S.T., Tamblyn, J.P., Barrientos, R.M., Greenwood, B.N., Watkins, L.R., Campeau, S., Day, H.E., Maier, S.F. Expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus after uncontrollable or controllable stress. Neuroscience, 2007, 144(4): 1219-1228.
  56. Barrientos, R.M., Higgins, E. A., Biedenkapp, J. C., Sprunger, D. B., Wright-Hardesty, K. J., Watkins, L. R., Rudy, J. W., Maier, S. F. Peripheral infection and aging interact to impair hippocampal memory consolidation. Neurobiology of Aging, 2006, 27(5): 723-732.
  57. Frank, M.G., Barrientos, R.M., Biedenkapp, J.C., Rudy, J. W., Watkins, L.R., Maier, S.F. mRNA up-regulation of MHCII and pivotal pro-inflammatory genes in normal brain aging. Neurobiology of Aging, 2006, 27(5): 717-722.
  58. Spataro, L.E., Sloane, E.M., Milligan, E.D., Wieseler-Frank, J., Schoeniger, D., Jekich, B.M.,Barrientos, R.M., Maier, S.F., & Watkins, L.R. Spinal gap junctions: Potential involvement in pain facilitation. Journal of Pain, 2004, 5 (7): 392-405.
  59. Barrientos, R.M., Sprunger, D.B., Campeau, S., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F. BDNF mRNA expression in hippocampus following contextual learning is blocked by intrahippocampal IL-1 beta administration. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 2004, 155 (1-2): 119-126.
  60. Chacur, M., Milligan, E.D., Sloane, E.M., Wieseler-Frank, J., Barrientos, R.M., Martin, D., Poole, S., Lomonte, B., Gutiérrez, J.M., Maier, S.F., Cury, Y., & Watkins, L.R. Snake venom phospholipase A2s (Asp49 and Lys49) induce mechanical allodynia upon peri-sciatic administration: Involvement of spinal cord glia, proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide. Pain, 2004, 108 (1): 180-191.
  61. Matus-Amat, P., Higgins, E.A., Barrientos, R.M., Rudy, J.W. The role of the dorsal hippocampus in the acquisition and retrieval of context memory representations. Journal of Neuroscience, 2004, 24(10): 2431-2439.
  62. Barrientos, R.M., Sprunger, D.B., Campeau, S., Higgins, E.A., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F.  BDNF mRNA downregulation produced by social isolation is blocked by an intrahippocampal injection of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). Neuroscience, 2003, 121 (4): 847-853.
  63. Barrientos, R.M., O’Reilly, R.C., & Rudy, J.W. Memory for context is impaired by injecting anisomycin into dorsal hippocampus following context exploration. Behavioural Brain Research, 2002, 134 (1-2): 299-306.
  64. Barrientos, R.M., Higgins, E.A., Sprunger, D.B., Watkins, L.R., Rudy, J.W., Maier, S.F. Memory for context is impaired by a post context exposure injection of interleukin-1 beta into dorsal hippocampus. Behavioural Brain Research, 2002, 134 (1-2): 291-298.
  65. Rudy, J.W., Barrientos, R.M., O’Reilly, R.C. The hippocampal formation supports conditioning to memory of a context. Behavioral Neuroscience, 2002, 116 (4): 530-538.
  66. Webster, E. L., Barrientos, R.M., Contoreggi, C., Isaac, M.G., Ligier, S., Gabry K.E., Chrousos, G. P., McCarthy, E.F, Rice, K.C., Gold, P.W., Sternberg, E. M. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) antagonist attenuates adjuvant-induced arthritis: role of CRH in peripheral inflammation. The Journal of Rheumatology, 2002, 29: 1252-1261.
  67. Frost, P., Barrientos, R.M., Makino, S, Wong, M.L., & Sternberg, E.M. IL-1 receptor type I gene expression in the amygdala of inflammatory susceptible Lewis and inflammatory resistant Fischer rats. Journal of Neuroimmunology, 2001, 121 (1-2): 32-39.
  68. Jafarian-Tehrani, M., Listwak, S., Barrientos, R.M., Michaud, A., Corvol, P., & Sternberg, E.M. Exclusion of angiotensin I-converting enzyme as a candidate gene involved in exudative inflammatory resistance in F344/N rats. Molecular Medicine, 2000, 6 (4): 319-331.
  69. *Listwak, S.J., *Barrientos, R.M., Koike, G., Ghosh, S., Gomez, M., Misiewicz, B. & Sternberg, E.M. Identification of a novel inflammation-protective locus in the Fischer rat. Mammalian Genome, 1999, 10 (4): 362-365. *Joint first authorship.