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Amir Hamzah K, Lipp OV, Ney LJ. Allopregnanolone and intrusive memories: A potential therapeutic target for PTSD treatment? Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 136:111168. [PMID: 39369808 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.111168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 09/22/2024] [Accepted: 10/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/08/2024]
Abstract
Significant amounts of research have been devoted to treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the understanding of its fear and stress-related symptoms. However, current interventions are only effective in 60 % of the patient population. Allopregnanolone has become a topic of interest for PTSD due to its influences on inhibitory neurotransmission and the physiological stress response. This review explores available literature that suggests that allopregnanolone has an influence on (a) chronic stress and anxiety-like symptoms, (b) fear conditioning and contextual fear, and (c) intrusive and emotional memories. A relationship between allopregnanolone and PTSD is suggested, postulating that allopregnanolone is a potential target for the treatment of PTSD. This very exciting prospect calls for the expansion of research investigating a direct relationship between allopregnanolone and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khalisa Amir Hamzah
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
| | - Ottmar V Lipp
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
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2
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Burwell SC, Yan H, Lim SS, Shields BC, Tadross MR. Natural phasic inhibition of dopamine neurons signals cognitive rigidity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.09.593320. [PMID: 38766037 PMCID: PMC11100816 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.09.593320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
When animals unexpectedly fail, their dopamine neurons undergo phasic inhibition that canonically drives extinction learning-a cognitive-flexibility mechanism for discarding outdated strategies. However, the existing evidence equates natural and artificial phasic inhibition, despite their spatiotemporal differences. Addressing this gap, we targeted a GABAA-receptor antagonist precisely to dopamine neurons, yielding three unexpected findings. First, this intervention blocked natural phasic inhibition selectively, leaving tonic activity unaffected. Second, blocking natural phasic inhibition accelerated extinction learning-opposite to canonical mechanisms. Third, our approach selectively benefitted perseverative mice, restoring rapid extinction without affecting new reward learning. Our findings reveal that extinction learning is rapid by default and slowed by natural phasic inhibition-challenging foundational learning theories, while delineating a synaptic mechanism and therapeutic target for cognitive rigidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha C.V. Burwell
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD
| | - Haidun Yan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, NC
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD
| | - Shaun S.X. Lim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, NC
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD
| | - Brenda C. Shields
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, NC
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD
| | - Michael R. Tadross
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, NC
- Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s (ASAP) Collaborative Research Network, Chevy Chase, MD
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Báldi R, Muthuswamy S, Loomba N, Patel S. Synaptic Organization-Function Relationships of Amygdala Interneurons Supporting Associative Learning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.18.599631. [PMID: 38948865 PMCID: PMC11212985 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.18.599631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Coordinated activity of basolateral amygdala (BLA) GABAergic interneurons (INs) and glutamatergic principal cells (PCs) is critical for associative learning, however the microcircuit organization-function relationships of distinct IN classes remain uncertain. Here, we show somatostatin (SOM) INs provide inhibition onto, and are excited by, local PCs, whereas vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) INs are driven by extrinsic afferents. Parvalbumin (PV) INs inhibit PCs and are activated by local and extrinsic inputs. Thus, SOM and VIP INs exhibit complementary roles in feedback and feedforward inhibition, respectively, while PV INs contribute to both microcircuit motifs. Functionally, each IN subtype reveals unique activity patterns across fear- and extinction learning with SOM and VIP INs showing most divergent characteristics, and PV INs display an intermediate phenotype parallelling synaptic data. Finally, SOM and PV INs dynamically track behavioral state transitions across learning. These data provide insight into the synaptic microcircuit organization-function relationships of distinct BLA IN classes.
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Davis LL, Hamner MB. Post-traumatic stress disorder: the role of the amygdala and potential therapeutic interventions - a review. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1356563. [PMID: 38903645 PMCID: PMC11187309 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1356563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder triggered by exposure to a life-threatening or sexually violent traumatic event, and is characterized by symptoms involving intrusive re-experiencing, persistent avoidance of associated stimuli, emotional and cognitive disturbances, and hyperarousal for long periods after the trauma has occurred. These debilitating symptoms induce occupational and social impairments that contribute to a significant clinical burden for PTSD patients, and substantial socioeconomic costs, reaching approximately $20,000 dollars per individual with PTSD each year in the US. Despite increased translational research focus in the field of PTSD, the development of novel, effective pharmacotherapies for its treatment remains an important unmet clinical need. Observations In this review, we summarize the evidence implicating dysfunctional activity of the amygdala in the pathophysiology of PTSD. We identify the transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) ion channels as promising drug targets given their distribution in the amygdala, and evidence from animal studies demonstrating their role in fear response modulation. We discuss the evidence-based pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy treatment approaches for PTSD. Discussion In view of the prevalence and economic burden associated with PTSD, further investigation is warranted into novel treatment approaches based on our knowledge of the involvement of brain circuitry and the role of the amygdala in PTSD, as well as the potential added value of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy to better manage PTSD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori L. Davis
- Mental Health Service, Birmingham VA Health Care System, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alabama College of Community Health Science, Tuscaloosa, AL, United States
| | - Mark B. Hamner
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Stewart SH, Khoury JMB, Watt MC, Collins P, DeGrace S, Romero-Sanchiz P. Effects of sexual assault vs. other traumatic experiences on emotional and cannabis use outcomes in regular cannabis users with trauma histories: moderation by gender? Front Psychol 2024; 15:1386264. [PMID: 38882518 PMCID: PMC11178137 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1386264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction While sexual assault may have particularly adverse emotional effects compared with other forms of trauma, it remains unclear which emotional outcome dimensions are impacted, whether cannabis outcomes are similarly impacted, and whether gender differences exist in sexual assault's links with these outcomes. Methods N = 100 cannabis users with trauma histories (M age = 33.1) completed standardized measures of demographics, trauma exposure, posttraumatic stress (PTS) and depressive symptoms, hopelessness, and cannabis outcomes (frequency, medicinal prescription, motives, and craving). Results Sexual assault was experienced more often by women (83.9%) than men (31.8%). A series of 2 × 2 analyses of variance [gender: women (n = 56) vs. men (n = 44) × trauma type: sexual assault (n = 61) vs. other (n = 39)] and logistic regression revealed that sexual assault survivors scored higher than other trauma survivors on re-experiencing and hyperarousal PTS symptoms (DSM-5 Clusters B and E), cognitive depressive symptoms, hopelessness, cannabis use frequency, medicinal cannabis prescription, cannabis use to cope with psychological symptoms, and compulsivity craving; and lower on social and enhancement cannabis use motives. In terms of gender main effects, women scored higher than men on cannabis use to cope with negative emotions. In terms of interactions for PTS Cluster D symptoms (negative alterations in mood/cognitions), among men only, sexual assault survivors scored higher than other trauma survivors; and for cannabis enhancement motives and purposefulness cannabis craving, among sexual assault survivors only, women scored higher than men. Discussion Across many different trauma, women survivors' use of cannabis to cope with negative affect should be a specific therapeutic focus. Moreover, we identified specific emotional and cannabis use outcomes that should be of specific clinical concern among sexual assault survivors regardless of gender. Finally, in terms of gender differences of clinical interest among sexual assault survivors, while PTS Cluster D symptoms should be specific treatment targets in men, cannabis enhancement motives and purposefulness craving should be treatment targets in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry H Stewart
- Mood, Anxiety, and Addiction Comorbidity Lab, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Margo C Watt
- Department of Psychology, Saint Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS, Canada
| | - Pamela Collins
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Sarah DeGrace
- Mood, Anxiety, and Addiction Comorbidity Lab, Department of Psychiatry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Haris EM, Bryant RA, Korgaonkar MS. Structural covariance, topological organization, and volumetric features of amygdala subnuclei in posttraumatic stress disorder. Neuroimage Clin 2024; 42:103619. [PMID: 38744025 PMCID: PMC11108976 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The amygdala is divided into functional subnuclei which have been challenging to investigate due to functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) limitations in mapping small neural structures. Hence their role in the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains poorly understood. Examination of covariance of structural MRI measures could be an alternate approach to circumvent this issue. T1-weighted anatomical scans from a 3 T scanner from non-trauma-exposed controls (NEC; n = 71, 75 % female) and PTSD participants (n = 67, 69 % female) were parcellated into 105 brain regions. Pearson's r partial correlations were computed for three and nine bilateral amygdala subnuclei and every other brain region, corrected for age, sex, and total brain volume. Pairwise correlation comparisons were performed to examine subnuclei covariance profiles between-groups. Graph theory was employed to investigate subnuclei network topology. Volumetric measures were compared to investigate structural changes. We found differences between amygdala subnuclei in covariance with the hippocampus for both groups, and additionally with temporal brain regions for the PTSD group. Network topology demonstrated the importance of the right basal nucleus in facilitating network communication only in PTSD. There were no between-group differences for any of the three structural metrics. These findings are in line with previous work that has failed to find structural differences for amygdala subnuclei between PTSD and controls. However, differences between amygdala subnuclei covariance profiles observed in our study highlight the need to investigate amygdala subnuclei functional connectivity in PTSD using higher field strength fMRI for better spatial resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Haris
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Richard A Bryant
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia; School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mayuresh S Korgaonkar
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Department of Radiology, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
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Farias CP, Leite AKO, Schmidt BE, de Carvalho Myskiw J, Wyse ATS. The 5-HT2A, 5-HT5A, and 5-HT6 serotonergic receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex behave differently in extinction learning: Does social support play a role? Behav Brain Res 2024; 463:114922. [PMID: 38408524 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Studies on the social modulation of fear have revealed that in social species, individuals in a distressed state show better recovery from aversive experiences when accompanied - referred to as social buffering. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown, hindering the understanding of such an approach. Our previous data showed that the presence of a conspecific during the extinction task inhibited the retrieval of fear memory without affecting the extinction memory in the retention test. Here, we investigate the role of serotonergic receptors (5-HTRs), specifically 5-HT2A, 5-HT5A, and 5-HT6 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), In the retention of extinction after the extinction task, in the absence or presence of social support. Extinction training was conducted on 60-day-old male Wistar rats either alone or with a conspecific (a familiar cagemate, non-fearful). The antagonists for these receptors were administered directly into the mPFC immediately after the extinction training. The results indicate that blocking 5-HT5A (SB-699551-10 μg/side) and 5-HT6 (SB-271046A - 10 μg/side) receptors in the mPFC impairs the consolidation of CFC in the social support group. Interestingly, blocking 5-HT2A receptors (R65777 - 4 μg/side) in the mPFC led to impaired CFC specifically in the group undergoing extinction training alone. These findings contribute to a better understanding of brain mechanisms and neuromodulation associated with social support during an extinction protocol. They are consistent with previously published research, suggesting that the extinction of contextual fear conditioning with social support involves distinct neuromodulatory processes compared to when extinction training is conducted alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Penha Farias
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil
| | - Ana Karla Oliveira Leite
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil
| | - Bianca Estefani Schmidt
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil
| | - Jociane de Carvalho Myskiw
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil
| | - Angela T S Wyse
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Christou-Ergos M, Wiley KE, Leask J. The experience of traumatic events, psychological distress, and social support: links to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and trends with age in a group of older Australians. BMC Geriatr 2024; 24:302. [PMID: 38556872 PMCID: PMC10983690 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-024-04902-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vaccination is important to reduce disease-associated morbidity and mortality in an ageing global population. While older adults are more likely than younger adults to accept vaccines, some remain hesitant. We sought to understand how traumatic events, psychological distress and social support contribute to older adults' intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and whether these experiences change with age. METHODS We analysed survey data collected as part of the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study in a population of Australian adults aged 60 years and over. Data were derived from the COVID Insights study; a series of supplementary surveys about how participants experienced the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Higher intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine was associated with greater social support (adjusted odds ratio (aOR):1.08; 95%CI:1.06-1.11; p <.001) while lower intention was associated with personally experiencing a serious illness, injury or assault in the last 12 months (aOR:0.79; 95% CI:0.64-0.98; p =.03). Social support and the experience of traumatic events increased significantly with age, while psychological distress decreased. CONCLUSIONS There may be factors beyond disease-associated risks that play a role in vaccine acceptance with age. Older Australians on the younger end of the age spectrum may have specific needs to address their hesitancy that may be overlooked.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Christou-Ergos
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, Susan Wakil School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sydney, Room 135, RC Mills Building A26, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
| | - Kerrie E Wiley
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Julie Leask
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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MacCallum PE, Cooze JB, Ward J, Moore KA, Blundell J. Evaluating the effects of single, multiple, and delayed systemic rapamycin injections to contextual fear reconsolidation: Implications for the neurobiology of memory and the treatment of PTSD-like re-experiencing. Behav Brain Res 2024; 461:114855. [PMID: 38185381 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase is known to mediate the formation and persistence of aversive memories. Rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, administered around the time of reactivation blocks retrieval-induced mTOR activity and de novo protein synthesis in the brains of rodents, while correspondingly diminishing subsequent fear memory. The goal of the current experiments was to further explore rapamycin's effects on fear memory persistence. First, we examined whether mTOR blockade at different time-points after reactivation attenuates subsequent contextual fear memory. We show that rapamycin treatment 3 or 12 h post-reactivation disrupts memory persistence. Second, we examined whether consecutive days of reactivation paired with rapamycin had additive effects over a single pairing at disrupting a contextual fear memory. We show that additional reactivation-rapamycin pairings exacerbates the reconsolidation impairment. Finally, we examined if impaired reconsolidation of a contextual fear memory from rapamycin treatment had any after-effects on learning and recalling a new fear association. We show that rapamycin-impaired reconsolidation does not affect new learning or recall and protects against fear generalization. Our findings improve our understanding of mTOR- dependent fear memory processes, as well as provide insight into potentially novel treatment options for stress-related psychopathologies such as posttraumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Jane B Cooze
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Joshua Ward
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Kelsey Am Moore
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 232 Elizabeth Ave, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador A1B 3X9, Canada.
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Mitchell BJ, Coifman KG, Olatunji BO. Is disgust more resistant to extinction than fear? A meta-analytic review of laboratory paradigms. Behav Res Ther 2024; 174:104479. [PMID: 38301293 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2024.104479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Disgust can be acquired via evaluative conditioning; a process by which a neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus; CS) comes to be evaluated as disgusting due to its pairing with an inherently disgusting stimulus (unconditioned stimulus; US). Research has shown that conditioned disgust responses are resistant to extinction which may have implications for disorders (i.e., contamination-based obsessive-compulsive disorder, specific phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder) in which heightened disgust has been implicated. Importantly, extinction is the primary mechanism by which exposure therapies are thought to achieve symptom reduction for these disorders. Exposure therapies were originally modeled on fear extinction, whereas disgust extinction was largely overlooked until recently. Accordingly, differences in the degree to which learned disgust and fear can be attenuated via extinction learning remains unclear. The present investigation was a meta-analysis directly comparing the degree of extinction of conditioned disgust (n = 14) and conditioned fear (n = 14) in laboratory paradigms. Extinction was operationalized as the standardized mean difference (SMD) in evaluative ratings between the CS+ (the CS paired with the US) and CS- (the unpaired CS) after extinction training. Results of a subgroup analysis indicated that disgust (SMD = 0.52) was significantly more resistant to extinction than fear (SMD = 0.37). Additionally, a series of meta-regression analyses indicated that extinction was not influenced by important study characteristics (e.g., sex, age, number of conditioning and extinction trials). The findings suggest that extinction-based approaches may be less effective at attenuating learned disgust and research is needed to better optimize treatments for disgust-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Mitchell
- Department of Psychological Science, Kent State University, l, Kent, OH, United States.
| | - Karin G Coifman
- Department of Psychological Science, Kent State University, l, Kent, OH, United States
| | - Bunmi O Olatunji
- Psychological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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Xiao H, Xi K, Wang K, Zhou Y, Dong B, Xie J, Xie Y, Zhang H, Ma G, Wang W, Feng D, Guo B, Wu S. Restoring the Function of Thalamocortical Circuit Through Correcting Thalamic Kv3.2 Channelopathy Normalizes Fear Extinction Impairments in a PTSD Mouse Model. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305939. [PMID: 38102998 PMCID: PMC10916658 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Impaired extinction of fear memory is one of the most common symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with limited therapeutic strategies due to the poor understanding of its underlying neural substrates. In this study, functional screening is performed and identified hyperactivity in the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus (MD) during fear extinction. Furthermore, the encoding patterns of the hyperactivated MD is investigated during persistent fear responses using multiple machine learning algorithms. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is also identified as a functional downstream region of the MD that mediates the extinction of fear memory. The thalamocortical circuit is comprehensively analyzed and found that the MD-ACC parvalbumin interneurons circuit is preferentially enhanced in PTSD mice, disrupting the local excitatory and inhibitory balance. It is found that decreased phosphorylation of the Kv3.2 channel contributed to the hyperactivated MD, primarily to the malfunctioning thalamocortical circuit. Using a lipid nanoparticle-based RNA therapy strategy, channelopathy is corrected via a methoxylated siRNA targeting the protein phosphatase 6 catalytic subunit and restored fear memory extinction in PTSD mice. These findings highlight the function of the thalamocortical circuit in PTSD-related impaired extinction of fear memory and provide therapeutic insights into Kv3.2-targeted RNA therapy for PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxiang Xiao
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Kaiwen Xi
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Kaifang Wang
- Department of AnesthesiologyTangdu HospitalFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Yongsheng Zhou
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
- Eastern Theater Air Force Hospital of PLANanjing210000China
| | - Baowen Dong
- Department of NeurosurgeryTangdu HospitalFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Jinyi Xie
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Yuqiao Xie
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Haifeng Zhang
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Guaiguai Ma
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Wenting Wang
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Dayun Feng
- Department of NeurosurgeryTangdu HospitalFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Baolin Guo
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
| | - Shengxi Wu
- Department of NeurobiologySchool of Basic MedicineFourth Military Medical UniversityXi'an710032China
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12
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Ritger AC, Parker RK, Trask S, Ferrara NC. Elevated fear states facilitate ventral hippocampal engagement of basolateral amygdala neuronal activity. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1347525. [PMID: 38420349 PMCID: PMC10899678 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1347525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Fear memory formation and retention rely on the activation of distributed neural circuits. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral hippocampus (VH) in particular are two regions that support contextual fear memory processes and share reciprocal connections. The VH → BLA pathway is critical for increases in fear after initial learning, in both fear renewal following extinction learning and during fear generalization. This raises the possibility that functional changes in VH projections to the BLA support increases in learned fear. In line with this, fear can also be increased with alterations to the original content of the memory via reconsolidation, as in fear elevation procedures. However, very little is known about the functional changes in the VH → BLA pathway supporting reconsolidation-related increases in fear. In this study, we used in vivo extracellular electrophysiology to examine the functional neuronal changes within the BLA and in the VH → BLA pathway as a result of fear elevation and standard fear retrieval procedures. Elevated fear expression was accompanied by higher BLA spontaneous firing compared to a standard fear retrieval condition. Across a range of stimulation frequencies, we also found that VH stimulation evoked higher BLA firing following fear elevation compared to standard retrieval. These results suggest that fear elevation is associated with an increased capacity of the VH to drive neuronal activity in the BLA, highlighting a potential circuit involved in strengthening existing fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra C. Ritger
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Rachel K. Parker
- Department of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sydney Trask
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Nicole C. Ferrara
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
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13
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Norred MA, Zuschlag ZD, Hamner MB. A Neuroanatomic and Pathophysiologic Framework for Novel Pharmacological Approaches to the Treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Drugs 2024; 84:149-164. [PMID: 38413493 DOI: 10.1007/s40265-023-01983-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating disorder inflicting high degrees of symptomatic and socioeconomic burdens. The development of PTSD results from a cascade of events with contributions from multiple processes and the underlying pathophysiology is complex, involving neurotransmitters, neurocircuitry, and neuroanatomical pathways. Presently, only two medications are US FDA-approved for the treatment of PTSD, both selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, the complex underlying pathophysiology suggests a number of alternative pathways and mechanisms that may be targets for potential drug development. Indeed, investigations and drug development are proceeding in a number of these alternative, non-serotonergic pathways in an effort to improve the management of PTSD. In this manuscript, the authors introduce novel and emerging treatments for PTSD, including drugs in various stages of development and clinical testing (BI 1358894, BNC-210, PRAX-114, JZP-150, LU AG06466, NYV-783, PH-94B, SRX246, TNX-102), established agents and known compounds being investigated for their utility in PTSD (brexpiprazole, cannabidiol, doxasoin, ganaxolone, intranasal neuropeptide Y, intranasal oxytocin, tianeptine oxalate, verucerfont), and emerging psychedelic interventions (ketamine, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy), with an aim to examine and integrate these agents into the underlying pathophysiological frameworks of trauma-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Norred
- Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Zachary D Zuschlag
- Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Mark B Hamner
- Behavioral Health Service, Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, 109 Bee Street, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
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14
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Shimoda R, Amaya Y, Okamoto M, Soya S, Soya M, Koizumi H, Nakamura K, Hiraga T, Torma F, Soya H. Accelerated Fear Extinction by Regular Light-Intensity Exercise: A Possible Role of Hippocampal BDNF-TrkB Signaling. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2024; 56:221-229. [PMID: 38214538 DOI: 10.1249/mss.0000000000003312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Growing concern exists worldwide about stress-related mental disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), often linked to hippocampal dysfunctions. Recognizing this connection, regular light-intensity exercise (LIE)-such as yoga, walking, or slow jogging-may offer a solution. Easily accessible even to vulnerable individuals, LIE has been found to enhance hippocampus-based cognitive functions through the stimulation of neurotrophic factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A prior study that demonstrated BDNF's role in extinguishing original fear memory further leads us to propose that a consistent LIE training might drive fear extinction learning, offering potential therapeutic benefits through BDNF signaling. METHODS Eleven-week-old Wistar rats underwent 4 wk of training under conditions of sedentary, LIE, or moderate-intensity exercise (MOE) after contextual or auditory fear conditioning. Subsequently, fear extinction tests were performed. We then administered intraperitoneal (i.p.) ANA-12, a selective antagonist of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), or a vehicle to explore the role of BDNF signaling in exercise-induced fear extinction among the LIE rats. Following the regular exercise training, further fear extinction tests were conducted, and hippocampal protein analysis was performed using Western blotting. RESULTS Both LIE and MOE over 4 wk accelerated hippocampus-associated contextual fear extinction compared with sedentary. In addition, 4 wk of LIE with i.p. administered vehicle increased hippocampal BDNF and TrkB protein levels. In contrast, i.p. ANA-12 administration fully blocked the LIE-enhanced protein levels and its effect on contextual fear extinction. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that LIE regimen promotes fear extinction learning, at least partially tied to hippocampal BDNF-TrkB signaling. This suggests that even regular light exercise could alleviate the excessive fear response in anxiety disorders and PTSD, providing hope for those affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Shimoda
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JAPAN
| | - Yuki Amaya
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JAPAN
| | | | - Shingo Soya
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JAPAN
| | - Mariko Soya
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, JAPAN
| | - Hikaru Koizumi
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JAPAN
| | - Kengo Nakamura
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JAPAN
| | - Taichi Hiraga
- Laboratory of Exercise Biochemistry and Neuroendocrinology, Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, JAPAN
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15
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Pearson-Leary J, Abramenko AP, Estela-Pro V, Feindt-Scott E, Yan J, Vigderman A, Luz S, Bangasser D, Ross R, Kubin L, Bhatnagar S. Differential recruitment of brain circuits during fear extinction in non-stressed compared to stress resilient animals. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2125. [PMID: 38267506 PMCID: PMC10808124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50830-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional fear responses in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be partly explained by an inability to effectively extinguish fear responses elicited by trauma-related cues. However, only a subset of individuals exposed to traumatic stress develop PTSD. Therefore, studying fear extinction deficits in animal models of individual differences could help identify neural substrates underlying vulnerability or resilience to the effects of stress. We used a rat model of social defeat in which rats segregate into passively and actively coping rats. In previous work, we showed that passively coping rats exhibit disruptions in social interaction whereas actively coping rats do not display behaviors differently from controls, indicating their resilience. Here, adult male rats exposed to 7 days of social defeat were tested for fear extinction, retention of extinction, and persistence of retention using contextual fear and ethologically-relevant fear tests. Passively coping rats exhibited elevated freezing in response to the previously extinguished context. Analyses of cFos expressing cells across select brain regions showed high correlations within dorsal hippocampal subregions, while passively coping rats had high correlations between the dorsal hippocampus CA1 and the central and basolateral subregions of the amygdala. Importantly, although control and actively coping rats showed similar levels of behavioral extinction, there was little similarity between activated structures, suggesting stress resilience in response to chronic social defeat involves an adaptive differential recruitment of brain circuits to successfully extinguish fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiah Pearson-Leary
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Valerie Estela-Pro
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Feindt-Scott
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jason Yan
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Abigail Vigderman
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sandra Luz
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Debra Bangasser
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Richard Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leszek Kubin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Seema Bhatnagar
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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16
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Battaglia S, Nazzi C, Thayer JF. Genetic differences associated with dopamine and serotonin release mediate fear-induced bradycardia in the human brain. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:24. [PMID: 38225222 PMCID: PMC10789820 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02737-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Fear-induced bradycardia, a transient heartbeat deceleration following exposure to threat, is a physiological index observable in humans, especially in fear conditioning experiments. While gaining interest in recent years, it is still currently underemployed in neuroscientific research compared to more popular physiological indices. Besides its use in research, it could also constitute a valuable resource in a clinical psychiatry setting, as many disorders are also characterized by altered heart rate responses. However, differences in fear-induced bradycardia may also be subtended by genetic interindividual differences, thus suggesting precaution when recommending its use in the clinical setting. Here, we discussed the first endeavors that aimed at clarifying the genetic underpinnings of heart rate variations, which suggest that individual genetic differences have a role in defining the characteristics of heart rate responses. Given this, translating heart rate measurements in the clinical setting must be implemented with caution. Future endeavors in this field will aim at identifying these differences even further, thus allowing for more precise clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Battaglia
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40127, Italy.
- Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, 10124, Italy.
| | - Claudio Nazzi
- Department of Psychology, Center for Studies and Research in Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Bologna, Bologna, 40127, Italy
| | - Julian F Thayer
- Department of Psychological Science, 4334 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
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17
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Sep MSC, Geuze E, Joëls M. Impaired learning, memory, and extinction in posttraumatic stress disorder: translational meta-analysis of clinical and preclinical studies. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:376. [PMID: 38062029 PMCID: PMC10703817 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02660-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Current evidence-based treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are efficacious in only part of PTSD patients. Therefore, novel neurobiologically informed approaches are urgently needed. Clinical and translational neuroscience point to altered learning and memory processes as key in (models of) PTSD psychopathology. We extended this notion by clarifying at a meta-level (i) the role of information valence, i.e. neutral versus emotional/fearful, and (ii) comparability, as far as applicable, between clinical and preclinical phenotypes. We hypothesized that cross-species, neutral versus emotional/fearful information processing is, respectively, impaired and enhanced in PTSD. This preregistered meta-analysis involved a literature search on PTSD+Learning/Memory+Behavior, performed in PubMed. First, the effect of information valence was estimated with a random-effects meta-regression. The sources of variation were explored with a random forest-based analysis. The analyses included 92 clinical (N = 6732 humans) and 182 preclinical (N = 6834 animals) studies. A general impairment of learning, memory and extinction processes was observed in PTSD patients, regardless of information valence. Impaired neutral learning/memory and fear extinction were also present in animal models of PTSD. Yet, PTSD models enhanced fear/trauma memory in preclinical studies and PTSD impaired emotional memory in patients. Clinical data on fear/trauma memory was limited. Mnemonic phase and valence explained most variation in rodents but not humans. Impaired neutral learning/memory and fear extinction show stable cross-species PTSD phenotypes. These could be targeted for novel PTSD treatments, using information gained from neurobiological animal studies. We argue that apparent cross-species discrepancies in emotional/fearful memory deserve further in-depth study; until then, animal models targeting this phenotype should be applied with utmost care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milou S C Sep
- Brain Research and Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- GGZ inGeest Mental Health Care, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Neuroscience, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Sleep & Stress Program, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Public Health, Mental Health Program, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center location Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Elbert Geuze
- Brain Research and Innovation Centre, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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18
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Chang SH, Chang YM, Chen HY, Shaw FZ, Shyu BC. Time-course analysis of frontal gene expression profiles in the rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder and a comparison with the conditioned fear model. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 27:100569. [PMID: 37771408 PMCID: PMC10522909 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex disorder that involves physiological, emotional, and cognitive dysregulation that may occur after exposure to a life-threatening event. In contrast with the condition of learned fear with resilience to extinction, abnormal fear with impaired fear extinction and exaggeration are considered crucial factors for the pathological development of PTSD. The prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is considered a critical region of top-down control in fear regulation, which involves the modulation of fear expression and extinction. The pathological course of PTSD is usually chronic and persistent; a number of studies have indicated temporal progression in gene expression and phenotypes may be involved in PTSD pathology. In the current study, we use a well-established modified single-prolonged stress (SPS&FS) rat model to feature PTSD-like phenotypes and compared it with a footshock fear conditioning model (FS model); we collected the frontal tissue after extreme stress exposure or fear conditioning and extracted RNA for transcriptome-level gene sequencing. We compared the genetic profiling of the mPFC at early (<2 h after solely FS or SPS&FS exposure) and late (7 days after solely FS or SPS&FS exposure) stages in these two models. First, we identified temporal differences in the expressional patterns between these two models and found pathways such as protein synthesis factor eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (EIF2), transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-mediated oxidative stress response, and acute phase responding signaling enriched in the early stage in both models with significant p-values. Furthermore, in the late stage, the sirtuin signaling pathway was enriched in both models; other pathways such as STAT3, cAMP, lipid metabolism, Gα signaling, and increased fear were especially enriched in the late stage of the SPS&FS model. However, pathways such as VDR/RXR, GP6, and PPAR signaling were activated significantly in the FS model's late stage. Last, the network analysis revealed the temporal dynamics of psychological disorder, the endocrine system, and also genes related to increased fear in the two models. This study could help elucidate the genetic temporal alteration and stage-specific pathways in these two models, as well as a better understanding of the transcriptome-level differences between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Han Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Inflammation Core Facility, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Cheng Kung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Ming Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Huan-Yuan Chen
- Inflammation Core Facility, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Zen Shaw
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Bai-Chuang Shyu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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19
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Li M, Lv X, Li T, Cui C, Yang X, Peng X, Lei J, Yang J, Ren K, Luo G, Shi Y, Yao Y, Tian B, Zhang P. Basolateral Amygdala Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor Controls Formation and Elimination of Social Fear Memory. ACS Chem Neurosci 2023; 14:3674-3685. [PMID: 37718490 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) usually manifest persistence of the traumatic memory for a long time after the event, also known as resistance to extinction learning. Numerous studies have shown that the endocannabinoid system, specifically the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R), plays an important role in traumatic memory. However, the effect of basolateral amygdala (BLA) CB1R in social fear memory formation and elimination is still unclear. Here, we built a mouse model of social avoidance induced by acute social defeat stress to investigate the role of BLA CB1R in social fear memory formation and anxiety- and depression-like behavior. Anterograde knockout of CB1R in BLA neurons facilitates social fear memory formation and manifests an anxiolytic effect but does not influence sociability and social novelty. Retrograde knockout of CB1R in BLA promotes social fear memory formation and shows an anxiogenic effect but does not affect sociability and social novelty. Moreover, intracerebral injection of the CB1R antagonist AM251 in BLA during the memory reconsolidation time window eliminates social fear memory. Our findings suggest the CB1R of BLA can be used as a novel molecular target in social fear memory formation and elimination and potential PTSD therapy with memory retrieval and AM251.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Xinyuan Lv
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Tongxia Li
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Chi Cui
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Xueke Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Peng
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Jie Lei
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Jian Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Kun Ren
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Gangan Luo
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Yulong Shi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Yibo Yao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Bo Tian
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
- Institute for Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
- Institute for Brain Research, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Neurological Diseases, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P. R. China
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20
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Chang SH, Chen HY, Shaw FZ, Shyu BC. Early- and late-phase changes of brain activity and early-phase neuromodulation in the posttraumatic stress disorder rat model. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 26:100554. [PMID: 37576348 PMCID: PMC10415797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex syndrome that may occur after life-threatening events. Fear memory abnormalities may play vital roles in the pathogenesis of PTSD. Previous work has found that fear memories are not rigid; the retrieval of fear memories may change over time. Furthermore, prior studies suggest that theta wave (4 Hz) activity is highly correlated with fear expression in an animal model. However, the relationship between pathological fear memory and potential brain wave features in PTSD remains largely uncharacterized. Here, we hypothesized that after traumatic stress exposure, the longitudinal dynamics of abnormal fears in PTSD animal models could be reflected by the measurement of local field potentials (LFPs). Using a well-established modified single-prolonged stress and footshock (SPS & FS) PTSD rat model, animals were restrained for 2 h and subsequently subjected to 20 min of forced swimming, then exposed to diethyl ether until they lost consciousness and placed in a conditioning chamber for fear conditioning. To characterize the temporal changes, we characterized freezing behavior brain wave features during the conditioning chamber re-exposure in the early (10 and 30 min; 2, 4, and 6 h) and late (day 1, 3, 7, and 14) phases after traumatic stress exposure. Our results indicate that SPS & FS rats showed co-morbid PTSD phenotypes including significantly higher levels of anxiety-, depression-, and anhedonia-like behaviors, and impaired fear extinction. Delta wave (0.5-4 Hz) suppression in the medial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and ventral hippocampus occurred 10 and 30 min after traumatic stress, followed by continuous delta wave activity from 2 h to day 14, correlating with fear levels. tDCS reduced delta activity and alleviated PTSD-like phenotypes in the SPS & FS group. In this study, profiling abnormal fears with brain wave correlates may improve our understanding of time-dependent pathological fear memory retrieval in PTSD and facilitate the development of effective intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Han Chang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
- Taiwan International Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, National Cheng Kung University and Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Huan-Yuan Chen
- Inflammation Core Facility, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Fu-Zen Shaw
- Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Bai-Chuang Shyu
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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21
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Cohen T, Shomron N. Can RNA Affect Memory Modulation? Implications for PTSD Understanding and Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12908. [PMID: 37629089 PMCID: PMC10454422 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Memories are a central aspect of our lives, but the mechanisms underlying their formation, consolidation, retrieval, and extinction remain poorly understood. In this review, we explore the molecular mechanisms of memory modulation and investigate the effects of RNA on these processes. Specifically, we examine the effects of time and location on gene expression alterations. We then discuss the potential for harnessing these alterations to modulate memories, particularly fear memories, to alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The current state of research suggests that transcriptional changes play a major role in memory modulation and targeting them through microRNAs may hold promise as a novel approach for treating memory-related disorders such as PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tehila Cohen
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Noam Shomron
- Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Edmond J Safra Center for Bioinformatics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Tel Aviv University Innovation Labs (TILabs), Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
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22
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Marazziti D, Carmassi C, Cappellato G, Chiarantini I, Massoni L, Mucci F, Arone A, Violi M, Palermo S, De Iorio G, Dell’Osso L. Novel Pharmacological Targets of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1731. [PMID: 37629588 PMCID: PMC10455314 DOI: 10.3390/life13081731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychopathological condition with a heterogeneous clinical picture that is complex and challenging to treat. Its multifaceted pathophysiology still remains an unresolved question and certainly contributes to this issue. The pharmacological treatment of PTSD is mainly empirical and centered on the serotonergic system. Since the therapeutic response to prescribed drugs targeting single symptoms is generally inconsistent, there is an urgent need for novel pathogenetic hypotheses, including different mediators and pathways. This paper was conceived as a narrative review with the aim of debating the current pharmacological treatment of PTSD and further highlighting prospective targets for future drugs. The authors accessed some of the main databases of scientific literature available and selected all the papers that fulfilled the purpose of the present work. The results showed that most of the current pharmacological treatments for PTSD are symptom-based and show only partial benefits; this largely reflects the limited knowledge of its neurobiology. Growing, albeit limited, data suggests that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, opioids, glutamate, cannabinoids, oxytocin, neuropeptide Y, and microRNA may play a role in the development of PTSD and could be targeted for novel treatments. Indeed, recent research indicates that examining different pathways might result in the development of novel and more efficient drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Marazziti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
- Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Carmassi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Gabriele Cappellato
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Ilaria Chiarantini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Leonardo Massoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Federico Mucci
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Alessandro Arone
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Miriam Violi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Stefania Palermo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Giovanni De Iorio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
| | - Liliana Dell’Osso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, 56100 Pisa, Italy (L.D.)
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23
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Yu Y, Li Y, Han D, Gong C, Wang L, Li B, Yao R, Zhu Y. Effect of Dexmedetomidine on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Patients Undergoing Emergency Trauma Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2318611. [PMID: 37326991 PMCID: PMC10276303 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.18611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common in people who have experienced trauma, especially those hospitalized for surgery. Dexmedetomidine may reduce or reverse the early consolidation and formation of conditioned fear memory and prevent the occurrence of postoperative PTSD. Objective To evaluate the effects of intraoperative and postoperative low-dose intravenous pumping dexmedetomidine on PTSD among patients with trauma undergoing emergency surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants This double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted from January 22 to October 20, 2022, with follow-up 1 month postoperatively, in patients with trauma undergoing emergency surgery at 4 hospital centers in Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 477 participants were screened. The observers were blinded to patient groupings, particularly for subjective measurements. Interventions Dexmedetomidine or placebo (normal saline) was administered at a maintenance dose of 0.1 μg/kg hourly from the start of anesthesia until the end of surgery and at the same rate after surgery from 9 pm to 7 am on days 1 to 3. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the difference in the incidence of PTSD 1 month after surgery in the 2 groups. This outcome was assessed with the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) (CAPS-5). The secondary outcomes were the pain score within 48 hours and 1 month postoperatively; incidence of postoperative delirium, nausea, and pruritus; subjective sleep quality; anxiety; and occurrence of adverse events. Results A total of 310 patients (154 in the normal saline group and 156 in the dexmedetomidine group) were included in the modified intention-to-treat analysis (mean [SD] age, 40.2 [10.3] years; 179 men [57.7%]). The incidence of PTSD was significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group than in the control group 1 month postoperatively (14.1% vs 24.0%; P = .03). The participants in the dexmedetomidine group had a significantly lower CAPS-5 score than those in the control group (17.3 [5.3] vs 18.9 [6.6]; mean difference, 1.65; 95% CI, 0.31-2.99; P = .02). After adjusting for potential confounders, the patients in the dexmedetomidine group were less likely to develop PTSD than those in the control group 1 month postoperatively (adjusted odds ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.27-0.94; P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial, the administration of intraoperative and postoperative dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of PTSD among patients with trauma. The findings of this trial support the use of dexmedetomidine in emergency trauma surgery. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Register Identifier: ChiCTR2200056162.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjia Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Suzhou Xiangcheng People’s Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Suzhou Xiangcheng People’s Hospital, Suzhou, China
| | - Dan Han
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Renci Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Chuhao Gong
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Renci Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Liwei Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Beiping Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou First People’s Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Rui Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou First People’s Hospital, Xuzhou, China
| | - Yangzi Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, Xuzhou, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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24
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Norbury A, Seeley SH, Perez-Rodriguez MM, Feder A. Functional neuroimaging of resilience to trauma: convergent evidence and challenges for future research. Psychol Med 2023; 53:3293-3305. [PMID: 37264949 PMCID: PMC11350638 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723001162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Resilience is broadly defined as the ability to adapt successfully following stressful life events. Here, we review functional MRI studies that investigated key psychological factors that have been consistently linked to resilience to severe adversity and trauma exposure. These domains include emotion regulation (including cognitive reappraisal), reward responsivity, and cognitive control. Further, we briefly review functional imaging evidence related to emerging areas of study that may potentially facilitate resilience: namely social cognition, active coping, and successful fear extinction. Finally, we also touch upon ongoing issues in neuroimaging study design that will need to be addressed to enable us to harness insight from such studies to improve treatments for - or, ideally, guard against the development of - debilitating post-traumatic stress syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes Norbury
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology and Mental Health Neuroscience Department, Applied Computational Psychiatry Lab, Max Planck Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Saren H. Seeley
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Adriana Feder
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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25
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Liu MN, Tian XY, Fang T, Wu N, Li H, Li J. Insights into the Involvement and Therapeutic Target Potential of the Dopamine System in the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:3708-3723. [PMID: 36933147 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03312-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a neuropsychiatric disease closely related to life-threatening events and psychological stress. Re-experiencing, hyperarousal, avoidance, and numbness are the hallmark symptoms of PTSD, but their underlying neurological processes have not been clearly elucidated. Therefore, the identification and development of drugs for PTSD that targets brain neuronal activities have stalled. Considering that the persistent fear memory induced by traumatic stimulation causes high alertness, high arousal, and cognitive impairment of PTSD symptoms. While the midbrain dopamine system can affect physiological processes such as aversive fear memory learning, consolidation, persistence, and extinction, by altering the functions of the dopaminergic neurons, our viewpoint is that the dopamine system plays a considerable role in the PTSD occurrence and acts as a potential therapeutic target of the disorder. This paper reviews recent findings on the structural and functional connections between ventral tegmental area neurons and the core synaptic circuits involved in PTSD, gene polymorphisms related to the dopamine system that confer susceptibility to clinical PTSD. Moreover, the progress of research on medications that target the dopamine system as PTSD therapies is also discussed. Our goal is to offer some hints for early detection and assist in identifying novel, efficient approaches for treating PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Nan Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Xiao-Yu Tian
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China.,Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Ting Fang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Ning Wu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Hong Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China.
| | - Jin Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China.
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26
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Inoue R, Ni X, Mori H. Blockade of D-serine signaling and adult hippocampal neurogenesis attenuates remote contextual fear memory following multiple memory retrievals in male mice. Front Neurosci 2023; 16:1030702. [PMID: 36685240 PMCID: PMC9845639 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1030702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The retrieval of fear memories induces two opposing processes, reconsolidation, and extinction. The memory reconsolidation is an active process that involves gene expression and updates an existing memory. It is hypothesized that blockade of reconsolidation by manipulating the neurobiological factors, which are mechanistically involved in the process, could weaken or disrupt the original fear memory. The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and hippocampal neurogenesis play crucial roles in hippocampus-dependent memory processes, including reconsolidation. Using contextual fear conditioning paradigm with multiple retrievals, we attempted to weaken the original contextual fear memory by repeatedly disrupting retrieval-induced reconsolidation via downregulation of NMDA receptor signaling and inhibition of neurogenesis. In the first experiment, prior to fear conditioning, NMDA receptor signaling was downregulated by the genetic reduction of its co-agonist, D-serine, and the neurogenesis was dampened by focal X-ray irradiation on the hippocampus. We found that simultaneous D-serine reduction and neurogenesis dampening resulted in a progressive decrease in freezing following each retrieval, leading to an attenuation of remote contextual fear memory on day 28. In the second experiment using the same behavioral protocols, after conditioning, pharmacological approaches were conducted to simultaneously block D-serine signaling and neurogenesis, resulting in a similar suppressive effect on the remote fear memory. The present findings provide insights for understanding the role of D-serine-mediated NMDA receptor signaling and neurogenesis in memory retrieval and the maintenance of remote fear memory, and improving the efficacy of exposure-based therapy for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Inoue
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan,Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Xiance Ni
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan,Graduate School of Innovative Life Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hisashi Mori
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan,Research Center for Idling Brain Science, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan,*Correspondence: Hisashi Mori,
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27
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Hartmann A, Vila-Verde C, Guimarães FS, Joca SR, Lisboa SF. The NLRP3 Inflammasome in Stress Response: Another Target for the Promiscuous Cannabidiol. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:284-308. [PMID: 35410608 PMCID: PMC10190150 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x20666220411101217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric patients do not respond to conventional therapy. There is a vast effort to investigate possible mechanisms involved in treatment resistance, trying to provide better treatment options, and several data points toward a possible involvement of inflammatory mechanisms. Microglia, glial, and resident immune cells are involved in complex responses in the brain, orchestrating homeostatic functions, such as synaptic pruning and maintaining neuronal activity. In contrast, microglia play a major role in neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and cell death. Increasing evidence implicate microglia dysfunction in neuropsychiatric disorders. The mechanisms are still unclear, but one pathway in microglia has received increased attention in the last 8 years, i.e., the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Stress response and inflammation, including microglia activation, can be attenuated by Cannabidiol (CBD). CBD has antidepressant, anti-stress, antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, and other properties. CBD effects are mediated by direct or indirect modulation of many receptors, enzymes, and other targets. This review will highlight some findings for neuroinflammation and microglia involvement in stress-related psychiatric disorders, particularly addressing the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Moreover, we will discuss evidence and mechanisms for CBD effects in psychiatric disorders and animal models and address its potential effects on stress response via neuroinflammation and NLRP3 inflammasome modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Hartmann
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Carla Vila-Verde
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Francisco S. Guimarães
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto (FMRP), University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Sâmia R. Joca
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- BioMolecular Sciences Department, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo (USP);
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sabrina F. Lisboa
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- BioMolecular Sciences Department, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo (USP);
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28
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McMurray KMJ, Sah R. Neuroimmune mechanisms in fear and panic pathophysiology. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1015349. [PMID: 36523875 PMCID: PMC9745203 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1015349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Panic disorder (PD) is unique among anxiety disorders in that the emotional symptoms (e.g., fear and anxiety) associated with panic are strongly linked to body sensations indicative of threats to physiological homeostasis. For example, panic attacks often present with feelings of suffocation that evoke hyperventilation, breathlessness, or air hunger. Due to the somatic underpinnings of PD, a major focus has been placed on interoceptive signaling and it is recognized that dysfunctional body-to-brain communication pathways promote the initiation and maintenance of PD symptomatology. While body-to-brain signaling can occur via several pathways, immune and humoral pathways play an important role in communicating bodily physiological state to the brain. Accumulating evidence suggests that neuroimmune mediators play a role in fear and panic-associated disorders, although this has not been systematically investigated. Currently, our understanding of the role of immune mechanisms in the etiology and maintenance of PD remains limited. In the current review, we attempt to summarize findings that support a role of immune dysregulation in PD symptomology. We compile evidence from human studies and panic-relevant rodent paradigms that indicate a role of systemic and brain immune signaling in the regulation of fear and panic-relevant behavior and physiology. Specifically, we discuss how immune signaling can contribute to maladaptive body-to-brain communication and conditioned fear that are relevant to spontaneous and conditioned symptoms of PD and identify putative avenues warranting future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. J. McMurray
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Renu Sah
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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29
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Kéri S. Trauma and Remembering: From Neuronal Circuits to Molecules. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:1707. [PMID: 36362862 PMCID: PMC9699199 DOI: 10.3390/life12111707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience intrusions of vivid traumatic memories, heightened arousal, and display avoidance behavior. Disorders in identity, emotion regulation, and interpersonal relationships are also common. The cornerstone of PTSD is altered learning, memory, and remembering, regulated by a complex neuronal and molecular network. We propose that the essential feature of successful treatment is the modification of engrams in their unstable state during retrieval. During psychedelic psychotherapy, engrams may show a pronounced instability, which enhances modification. In this narrative review, we outline the clinical characteristics of PTSD, its multifaceted neuroanatomy, and the molecular pathways that regulate memory destabilization and reconsolidation. We propose that psychedelics, acting by serotonin-glutamate interactions, destabilize trauma-related engrams and open the door to change them during psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szabolcs Kéri
- Department of Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, 1111 Budapest, Hungary; ; Tel.: +36-1463-1273
- National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, 1145 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Physiology, Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical School, University of Szeged, 6720 Szeged, Hungary
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30
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Franz MR, Savella GM, Salen N, Contractor AA, Kiser LJ. The Effects of a Multi-Family Group Trauma Intervention on Caregiver Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Clusters. VIOLENCE AND VICTIMS 2022; 37:702-714. [PMID: 36038278 DOI: 10.1891/vv-2021-0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Strengthening Family Coping Resources (SFCR), a multi-family group intervention tailored to families experiencing traumatic stress, is associated with improved post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and family functioning. To further SFCR research, we examined (1) SFCR's effects on caregiver PTSD symptom clusters (intrusions, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood [NACM], alterations in arousal and reactivity); and (2) whether effects differed by caregiver trauma type (interpersonal versus non-interpersonal; intrafamilial versus extrafamilial). Forty-two caregivers of primarily low socioeconomic status reporting trauma histories completed SFCR treatment. Significant decreases in PTSD intrusion, avoidance, and NACM subscale scores emerged from pre- to post-SFCR; there were no differences in subscale score changes by trauma type categorization. Findings support SFCR as a promising treatment for reducing PTSD severity among caregivers reporting diverse traumas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly R Franz
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland Baltimore County
| | | | - Nicole Salen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
| | | | - Laurel J Kiser
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine
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31
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Sadeghi MA, Hemmati S, Nassireslami E, Yousefi Zoshk M, Hosseini Y, Abbasian K, Chamanara M. Targeting neuronal nitric oxide synthase and the nitrergic system in post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:3057-3082. [PMID: 36029333 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06212-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Current pharmacological approaches to treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) lack adequate effectiveness. As a result, identifying new molecular targets for drug development is necessary. Furthermore, fear learning and memory in PTSD can undergo different phases, such as fear acquisition, consolidation, and extinction. Each phase may involve different cellular pathways and brain regions. As a result, effective management of PTSD requires mindfulness of the timing of drug administration. One of the molecular targets currently under intense investigation is the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor (NMDAR). However, despite the therapeutic efficacy of drugs targeting NMDAR, their translation into clinical use has been challenging due to their various side effects. One possible solution to this problem is to target signaling proteins downstream to NMDAR to improve targeting specificity. One of these proteins is the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which is activated following calcium influx through the NMDAR. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we review the literature on the pharmacological modulation of nNOS in animal models of PTSD to evaluate its therapeutic potential. Furthermore, we attempt to decipher the inconsistencies observed between the findings of these studies based on the specific phase of fear learning which they had targeted. RESULTS Inhibition of nNOS may inhibit fear acquisition and recall, while not having a significant effect on fear consolidation and extinction. However, it may improve extinction consolidation or reconsolidation blockade. CONCLUSIONS Modulation of nNOS has therapeutic potential against PTSD and warrants further development for use in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amin Sadeghi
- Toxicology Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Hemmati
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan Nassireslami
- Toxicology Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Yasaman Hosseini
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kourosh Abbasian
- Management and Health Economics Department, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Chamanara
- Toxicology Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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32
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Sur B, Lee B. Ginsenoside Rg3 modulates spatial memory and fear memory extinction by the HPA axis and BDNF-TrkB pathway in a rat post-traumatic stress disorder. J Nat Med 2022; 76:821-831. [PMID: 35982366 DOI: 10.1007/s11418-022-01636-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental disorder that can develop after exposure to extreme stress. Korean red ginseng, whose major active component is ginsenoside Rg3 (Rg3), is a widely used traditional antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and anxiolytics effects. This study investigated whether the administration of Rg3 ameliorated the memory deficit induced by a single prolonged stress (SPS) in rats. Male rats were dosed with Rg3 (25 or 50 mg/kg) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. Rg3 administration improved fear memory and spatial memory might be involved in modulating the dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and monoamine imbalance in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. It also increased the reduction in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) mRNAs expression, and the ratio of p-Akt/Akt in the hippocampus. Thus, Rg3 exerted memory-improving actions might be involved in regulating HPA axis and activating BDNF-TrkB pathway. Our findings suggest that Rg3 could be useful for preventing traumatic stress, such as PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bongjun Sur
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea
| | - Bombi Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 26, Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
- Center for Converging Humanities, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
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Sur B, Lee B. Luteolin reduces fear, anxiety, and depression in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2022; 26:174-182. [PMID: 36046028 PMCID: PMC9423864 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2022.2104925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to severe stress can lead to the development of neuropsychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The cause of PTSD is dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and an imbalance of monoamines. Fruits and vegetables contain large amounts of luteolin (LU; 3′,4′,5,7-tetrahydroxylflavone), which has various pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-allergic effects. We investigated the effects of LU on fear, depression, and anxiety following monoamine imbalance and hyperactivation of the HPA axis in rats exposed to single prolonged stress (SPS). Male rats were dosed with LU (10 and 20 mg/kg) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. Administration of LU reduced fear freezing responses to extinction recall and depression- and anxiety-like behaviors, and suppressed increases in plasma corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. Also, administration of LU restored the increased norepinephrine and decreased serotonin levels in the structures within the fear circuit, medial prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Our results showed that administration of LU improved freezing behavior according in a situation-dependent manner, and showed anti-depressant and anxiolytic effects. Thus, LU may be a useful therapeutic agent to prevent traumatic stress such as PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bongjun Sur
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bombi Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Center for Converging Humanities, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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34
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Choi KY. Valproate Adjuvant Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Panic Disorder Patients With Comorbid Bipolar Disorder: Case Series and Review of the Literature. Psychiatry Investig 2022; 19:614-625. [PMID: 36059050 PMCID: PMC9441465 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2022.0113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most common comorbid psychiatric disorders in patients with bipolar disorder. Managing anxiety symptoms in comorbid conditions is challenging and has received little research interest. The findings from preclinical research on fear conditioning, an animal model of anxiety disorder, have suggested that memory reconsolidation updating (exposure-based therapy) combined with valproate might facilitate the amelioration of fear memories. Here, three cases of successful amelioration of agoraphobia and panic symptoms through valproate adjuvant therapy for cognitive behavioral therapy in patients who failed to respond to two to three consecutive standard pharmacotherapy trials over several years are described. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first attempt to combine CBT with valproate in patients with panic disorder, agoraphobia, and comorbid bipolar disorder. Additionally, the background preclinical research on this combination therapy based on the reconsolidation-updating mechanism, the inhibition of histone deacetylase 2, and critical period reopening, off-label use of valproate in panic disorder, plasticity-augmented psychotherapy, and how to combine valproate with CBT is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Yeon Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Mattera A, Cavallo A, Granato G, Baldassarre G, Pagani M. A Biologically Inspired Neural Network Model to Gain Insight Into the Mechanisms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy. Front Psychol 2022; 13:944838. [PMID: 35911047 PMCID: PMC9326218 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.944838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a well-established therapeutic method to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, how EMDR exerts its therapeutic action has been studied in many types of research but still needs to be completely understood. This is in part due to limited knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying EMDR, and in part to our incomplete understanding of PTSD. In order to model PTSD, we used a biologically inspired computational model based on firing rate units, encompassing the cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. Through the modulation of its parameters, we fitted real data from patients treated with EMDR or classical exposure therapy. This allowed us to gain insights into PTSD mechanisms and to investigate how EMDR achieves trauma remission.
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SONG K, WANG YT, XIONG FJ, HUANG AL, ZHANG H. Effects of electroacupuncture on behaviors and expressions of SYN and PSD95 in hippocampus of rats with post-traumatic stress disorder. WORLD JOURNAL OF ACUPUNCTURE-MOXIBUSTION 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wjam.2022.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Myricetin Inhibited Fear and Anxiety-Like Behaviors by HPA Axis Regulation and Activation of the BDNF-ERK Signaling Pathway in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Rats. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:8320256. [PMID: 35722162 PMCID: PMC9200513 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8320256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related psychiatric or mental disorder characterized by experiencing a traumatic stress. The cause of such PTSD is dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and imbalance of monoamines. Myricetin (MYR) is a common natural flavonoid that has various pharmacological activities. We investigated the effects of MYR on fear, depression, and anxiety following monoamine imbalance and hyperactivation of HPA axis in rats exposed to a single prolonged stress (SPS). Male rats were dosed with MYR (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. Administration of MYR reduced freezing responses to extinction recall, depression, and anxiety-like behaviors and decreased increase of plasma corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. Also, administration of MYR restored decreased serotonin and increased norepinephrine in the fear circuit regions, medial prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. It also increased the reduction in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin-related kinase B mRNA expression and the ratio of p-ERK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in the hippocampus. Thus, MYR exerted antidepressant and anxiolytic effects by regulation of HPA axis and activation of the BDNF-ERK signaling pathway. Finally, we suggest that MYR could be a useful therapeutic agent to prevent traumatic stress such as PTSD.
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Raut SB, Canales JJ, Ravindran M, Eri R, Benedek DM, Ursano RJ, Johnson LR. Effects of propranolol on the modification of trauma memory reconsolidation in PTSD patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 150:246-256. [PMID: 35405409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after an exposure to a life-threatening event and is characterized by intrusive memories. According to memory reconsolidation theory retrieval of memory under certain conditions leads to its labilization and subsequent re-storage which could be disrupted by drugs. Propranolol has been the most commonly investigated drug for memory reconsolidation therapy in clinical trials. Intervention with propranolol have shown mixed results in PTSD patients with some studies showing improvement in symptoms while other failing to replicate these findings. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the efficacy of trauma memory disruption by propranolol on PTSD symptoms and physiological responses in PTSD patients. 3224 publications were assessed for eligibility. Seven studies on effects of propranolol on PTSD symptoms and 3 studies on effects of propranolol on physiological responses were incorporated in the meta-analyses. Overall, results indicate that propranolol did not show a beneficial effect on PTSD symptoms (standardized mean difference: 1.29; 95% CI = -2.16 - 0.17). Similarly, propranolol did not influence skin conductance (standardized mean difference: 0.77; 95% CI = -1.85 - 0.31) or EMG response (standardized mean difference: 0.16; 95% CI = -0.65 - 0.33). However, propranolol significantly reduced heart rate after trauma memory recall compared to placebo (standardized mean difference: 0.67; 95% CI = -1.27 to -0.07). This study finds a lack of evidence for the efficacy of propranolol on traumatic memory disruption, in PTSD patients, to recommend its routine clinical use. However, a high level of heterogeneity, variation in propranolol dosage and inadequate sample sizes mean that these findings require cautious interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanket B Raut
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS, 7250, Australia
| | - Juan J Canales
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS, 7250, Australia
| | - Manoj Ravindran
- Department of Psychiatry, North West Private Hospital, Burnie, TAS, Australia
| | - Rajaraman Eri
- Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS, 7250, Australia
| | - David M Benedek
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Robert J Ursano
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Luke R Johnson
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS, 7250, Australia; Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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Sur B, Kwon S, Hahm DH, Lee B. The Anxiolytic-Like Effects of Protocatechuic Acid in an Animal Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. J Med Food 2022; 25:495-502. [PMID: 35561272 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2021.k.0172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious psychiatric disorder characterized by impaired fear extinction, depression, and anxiety caused by dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and an imbalance of monoamines. Protocatechuic acid (PCA; 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid), a major polyphenol metabolite, has various pharmacological effects, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and neuroprotective activities. In this study, the efficacy of PCA for fear extinction, antidepressant, and anxiolytic effects in PTSD-mediated psychiatric disorders, were evaluated by exposing rats to single prolonged stress (SPS). Male rats were administered PCA (100 or 200 mg/kg) once daily for 14 days after exposure to SPS. PCA significantly decreased situational fear, depressive and anxiety-like behaviors, and corticosterone levels. In addition, PCA regulated the imbalance of serotonin and norepinephrine in the fear circuit region (i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus [Hipp]), and suppressed the decrease in brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA expression in the Hipp. The results showed that PCA administration improves freezing behavior and has antidepressant and anti-anxiety effects through modulation of the serotonergic nervous system and monoamines in rats. These results indicated that PCA may be useful as a food ingredient to prevent PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bongjun Sur
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunoh Kwon
- Herbal Medicine Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Dae-Hyun Hahm
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bombi Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Center for Converging Humanities, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Maples-Keller J, Watkins LE, Nylocks KM, Yasinski C, Coghlan C, Black K, Jovanovic T, Rauch SA, Rothbaum BO, Norrholm SD. Acquisition, extinction, and return of fear in veterans in intensive outpatient prolonged exposure therapy: A fear-potentiated startle study. Behav Res Ther 2022; 154:104124. [PMID: 35642990 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is a first-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and involves repeated presentation of trauma-related cues without aversive outcomes. A primary learning mechanism of PE is fear extinction (new learning that a dangerous cue is now safe) and its retention (maintaining this new learning over time). Extant research suggests extinction is impaired in PTSD patients. In this study, we employed an established fear-potentiated startle-based paradigm to examine fear acquisition, extinction learning and retention before and after completion of intensive outpatient treatment. First, PTSD patients undergoing PE (n = 55) were compared to trauma-exposed patients without PTSD (n = 57). We identified excessive fear in PTSD patients during acquisition and extinction before treatment compared to non-PTSD patients. At post-treatment, we examined the return of fear after extinction in PTSD patients showing high or low treatment response to PE (≥50% change in PTSD symptom severity vs. < 50%). High PE responders maintained fear extinction learning whereas low PE responders showed significant return of fear at post-treatment. These results replicate and extend previous findings of impaired extinction in PTSD and provide support for the proposed theoretical link between fear extinction and PE response.
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Raut SB, Marathe PA, van Eijk L, Eri R, Ravindran M, Benedek DM, Ursano RJ, Canales JJ, Johnson LR. Diverse therapeutic developments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicate common mechanisms of memory modulation. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 239:108195. [PMID: 35489438 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by abnormally persistent and distressing memories, is a chronic debilitating condition in need of new treatment options. Current treatment guidelines recommend psychotherapy as first line management with only two drugs, sertraline and paroxetine, approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of PTSD. These drugs have limited efficacy as they only reduce symptoms related to depression and anxiety without producing permanent remission. PTSD remains a significant public health problem with high morbidity and mortality requiring major advances in therapeutics. Early evidence has emerged for the beneficial effects of psychedelics particularly in combination with psychotherapy for management of PTSD, including psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, cannabinoids, ayahuasca and ketamine. MDMA and psilocybin reduce barrier to therapy by increasing trust between therapist and patient, thus allowing for modification of trauma related memories. Furthermore, research into the memory reconsolidation mechanisms has allowed for identification of various pharmacological targets to disrupt abnormally persistent memories. A number of pre-clinical and clinical studies have investigated novel and re-purposed pharmacological agents to disrupt fear memory in PTSD. Novel therapeutic approaches like neuropeptide Y, oxytocin, cannabinoids and neuroactive steroids have also shown potential for PTSD treatment. Here, we focus on the role of fear memory in the pathophysiology of PTSD and propose that many of these new therapeutic strategies produce benefits through the effect on fear memory. Evaluation of recent research findings suggests that while a number of drugs have shown promising results in preclinical studies and pilot clinical trials, the evidence from large scale clinical trials would be needed for these drugs to be incorporated in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanket B Raut
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia
| | - Padmaja A Marathe
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India
| | - Liza van Eijk
- Department of Psychology, College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Rajaraman Eri
- Health Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia
| | - Manoj Ravindran
- Medicine, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, North-West Private Hospital, Burnie TAS 7320, Australia
| | - David M Benedek
- Centre for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Robert J Ursano
- Centre for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Juan J Canales
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia
| | - Luke R Johnson
- Schools of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, TAS 7250, Australia; Centre for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University School of Medicine, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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Trauma-like exposure alters neuronal apoptosis, Bin1, Fkbp5 and NR2B expression in an amyloid-beta (1-42) rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 190:107611. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Figueroa RA, Cortés PF, Marín H, Vergés A, Gillibrand R, Repetto P. The ABCDE psychological first aid intervention decreases early PTSD symptoms but does not prevent it: results of a randomized-controlled trial. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2022; 13:2031829. [PMID: 35251529 PMCID: PMC8890535 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2022.2031829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early Psychological First Aid (PFA) has been widely recommended for preventing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, its lack of empirical evidence of safety and effectiveness has been criticized. OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of PFA-ABCDE, an original PFA protocol, for preventing PTSD one month after the intervention and decreasing PTSD symptoms at one and six months of follow up. METHODS We assessed the eligibility of 1,140 adult survivors of recent trauma (≤ 72 hours) consulting five emergency departments in Chile. Two hundred twenty-one were randomized to receive either PFA-ABCDE (active listening, breathing retraining, categorization of needs, referral to ancillary services, and psychoeducation) or only psychoeducation. We used the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) to assess PTSD diagnosis. The Posttraumatic Checklist (PCL), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and a 0-10 points analogue visual scale were used to assess PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and immediate distress relief after the intervention. RESULTS We found no difference between the experimental and control groups in the frequency of PTSD one month after the intervention (PFA-ABCDE = 23/76 [30.3%], psychoeducation = 18/75 [24.0%], adjusted odds ratio = 1.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.63-3.07, p = .408). Immediately after the intervention, participants who received PFA-ABCDE reported greater distress relief (PFA-ABCDE mean = 9.06, psychoeducation mean = 8.55, Cohen's d = 0.30, p = .038). Fewer PTSD symptoms were reported by those who received PFA-ABCDE one month after the intervention (PFA-ABCDE mean = 36.26, psychoeducation mean = 43.62, Cohen's d = 0.42, p = .033). We found no difference in depressive symptoms at one-month follow up (p = .713) nor in PTSD symptoms six months after the intervention (p = .986). CONCLUSIONS PFA-ABCDE does not prevent PTSD diagnosis, but it provides immediate distress relief and decreases PTSD symptoms in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Andrés Figueroa
- Trauma & Dissociation Unit, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Research Center for Integrated Natural Disaster Management (Cigiden), Santiago, Chile, CONICYT/FONDAP/1511007
| | - Paula Francisca Cortés
- Research Center for Integrated Natural Disaster Management (Cigiden), Santiago, Chile, CONICYT/FONDAP/1511007
| | - Humberto Marín
- Research Center for Integrated Natural Disaster Management (Cigiden), Santiago, Chile, CONICYT/FONDAP/1511007
| | - Alvaro Vergés
- Research Center for Integrated Natural Disaster Management (Cigiden), Santiago, Chile, CONICYT/FONDAP/1511007
- Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Macul, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Gillibrand
- Hospital Del Trabajador, Asociación Chilena de Seguridad, Providencia, Chile
| | - Paula Repetto
- Research Center for Integrated Natural Disaster Management (Cigiden), Santiago, Chile, CONICYT/FONDAP/1511007
- Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Macul, Chile
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Glavonic E, Mitic M, Adzic M. Hallucinogenic drugs and their potential for treating fear-related disorders: Through the lens of fear extinction. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:947-969. [PMID: 35165930 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Fear-related disorders, mainly phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder, are highly prevalent, debilitating disorders that pose a significant public health problem. They are characterized by aberrant processing of aversive experiences and dysregulated fear extinction, leading to excessive expression of fear and diminished quality of life. The gold standard for treating fear-related disorders is extinction-based exposure therapy (ET), shown to be ineffective for up to 35% of subjects. Moreover, ET combined with traditional pharmacological treatments for fear-related disorders, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, offers no further advantage to patients. This prompted the search for ways to improve ET outcomes, with current research focused on pharmacological agents that can augment ET by strengthening fear extinction learning. Hallucinogenic drugs promote reprocessing of fear-imbued memories and induce positive mood and openness, relieving anxiety and enabling the necessary emotional engagement during psychotherapeutic interventions. Mechanistically, hallucinogens induce dynamic structural and functional neuroplastic changes across the fear extinction circuitry and temper amygdala's hyperreactivity to threat-related stimuli, effectively mitigating one of the hallmarks of fear-related disorders. This paper provides the first comprehensive review of hallucinogens' potential to alleviate symptoms of fear-related disorders by focusing on their effects on fear extinction and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We overview both preclinical and clinical studies and emphasize the advantages of hallucinogenic drugs over current first-line treatments. We highlight 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and ketamine as the most effective therapeutics for fear-related disorders and discuss the potential molecular mechanisms responsible for their potency with implications for improving hallucinogen-assisted psychotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilija Glavonic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milos Mitic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Miroslav Adzic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Zhou CH, Xue F, Shi QQ, Xue SS, Zhang T, Ma XX, Yu LS, Liu C, Wang HN, Peng ZW. The Impact of Electroacupuncture Early Intervention on the Brain Lipidome in a Mouse Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:812479. [PMID: 35221914 PMCID: PMC8866946 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.812479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment has been well studied; growing evidence suggests that changes in lipid composition may be involved in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may be a target for treatment. However, the influence of early EA intervention on brain lipid composition in patients with PTSD has never been investigated. Using a modified single prolonged stress (mSPS) model in mice, we assessed the anti-PTSD-like effects of early intervention using EA and evaluated changes in lipid composition in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) using a mass spectrometry-based lipidomic approach. mSPS induced changes in lipid composition in the hippocampus, notably in the content of sphingolipids, glycerolipids, and fatty acyls. These lipid changes were more robust than those observed in the PFC. Early intervention with EA after mSPS ameliorated PTSD-like behaviors and partly normalized mSPS-induced lipid changes, notably in the hippocampus. Cumulatively, our data suggest that EA may reverse mSPS-induced PTSD-like behaviors due to region-specific regulation of the brain lipidome, providing new insights into the therapeutic mechanism of EA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Hong Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Department of Toxicology, Shaanxi Key Lab of Free Radical Biology and Medicine, The Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Fen Xue
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Department of Toxicology, Shaanxi Key Lab of Free Radical Biology and Medicine, The Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Qing-Qing Shi
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Shan-Shan Xue
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Tian Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xin-Xu Ma
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Li-Sheng Yu
- Department of General Medicine, Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital, Xi’an, China
| | - Chuang Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Hua-Ning Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Department of Toxicology, Shaanxi Key Lab of Free Radical Biology and Medicine, The Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Hua-Ning Wang,
| | - Zheng-Wu Peng
- Department of Psychiatry, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Medical University, Xi’an, China
- Zheng-Wu Peng,
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Huang S, Zhou Y, Wu F, Shi C, Yan H, Chen L, Yang C, Luo Y. Berberine Facilitates Extinction and Prevents the Return of Fear. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:748995. [PMID: 35185532 PMCID: PMC8851465 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.748995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to a catastrophic event or intense stimulation can trigger fear memories, and the threatening memories persist even over a lifetime. Exposure therapy is based on extinction learning and is widely used to treat fear-related disorders, but its effect on remote fear memory is modest. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid derived from Coptis chinensis or Berberis spp., has been recently reported to exert a diversity of pharmacological effects on the central nervous system, such as facilitating extinction of drug memory. Here, we explored the effect of berberine on extinction of fear memory using a classical contextual fear conditioning (CFC) paradigm, which is Pavlovian conditioning, can rapidly create fear memories related to contexts. Twenty-four hours or 30 days after CFC training, mice were subjected to context extinction (10 days) to extinguish their behaviors and treated with 12.5 or 25 mg/kg berberine intragastrically 1 or 6 h after each extinction session, followed by reinstatement and spontaneous recovery tests. The results showed that intragastric administration of 25 mg/kg berberine 1 h after extinction significantly promoted the extinction of recent and remote fear memories and prevented reinstatement and spontaneous recovery of extinguished fear in mice. These findings indicate that berberine combined with extinction training could serve as a promising novel avenue for the treatment of fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shihao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Yiyang Medical College, Yiyang, China
| | - Feilong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Cuijie Shi
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - He Yan
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liangpei Chen
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chang Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- China Hunan Province People’s Hospital, The First-affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsh, China
| | - Yixiao Luo
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Hunan Province, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- China Hunan Province People’s Hospital, The First-affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsh, China
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Denny RR, Connelly KL, Ghilotti MG, Meissler JJ, Yu D, Eisenstein TK, Unterwald EM. Artificial Intelligence Identified Resilient and Vulnerable Female Rats After Traumatic Stress and Ethanol Exposure: Investigation of Neuropeptide Y Pathway Regulation. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:772946. [PMID: 34975380 PMCID: PMC8716605 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.772946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is initiated by traumatic-stress exposure and manifests into a collection of symptoms including increased anxiety, sleep disturbances, enhanced response to triggers, and increased sympathetic nervous system arousal. PTSD is highly co-occurring with alcohol use disorder. Only some individuals experiencing traumatic stress develop PTSD and a subset of individuals with PTSD develop co-occurring alcohol use disorder. To investigate the basis of these individual responses to traumatic stress, single prolonged stress (SPS) a rodent model of traumatic stress was applied to young adult female rats. Individual responses to SPS were characterized by measuring anxiety-like behaviors with open field and elevated plus maze tests. Rats were then allowed to drink ethanol under an intermittent two bottle choice procedure for 8 weeks, and ethanol consumption was measured. An artificial intelligence algorithm was built to predict resilient and vulnerable individuals based on data from anxiety testing and ethanol consumption. This model was implemented in a second cohort of rats that underwent SPS without ethanol drinking to identify resilient and vulnerable individuals for further study. Analysis of neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels and expression of its receptors Y1R and Y2R mRNA in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and bed nucleus stria terminalis (BNST) were performed. Results demonstrate that resilient rats had higher expression of Y2R mRNA in the CeA compared with vulnerable and control rats and had higher levels of NPY protein in the BNST compared to controls. The results of the study show that an artificial intelligence algorithm can identify individual differences in response to traumatic stress which can be used to predict subsequent ethanol drinking, and the NPY pathway is differentially altered following traumatic stress exposure in resilient and vulnerable populations. Understanding neurochemical alterations following traumatic-stress exposure is critical in developing prevention strategies for the vulnerable phenotype and will help further development of novel therapeutic approaches for individuals suffering from PTSD and at risk for alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray R. Denny
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Krista L. Connelly
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Marco G. Ghilotti
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Joseph J. Meissler
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Daohai Yu
- Center for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biomedical Education and Data Science, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Toby K. Eisenstein
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Ellen M. Unterwald
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States,Department of Neural Sciences, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States,*Correspondence: Ellen M. Unterwald,
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48
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Tomar A, McHugh TJ. The impact of stress on the hippocampal spatial code. Trends Neurosci 2021; 45:120-132. [PMID: 34916083 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal function is severely compromised by prolonged, uncontrollable stress. However, how stress alters neural representations of our surroundings and events that occur within them remains less clear. We review hippocampal place cell studies that examine how spatial coding is affected by acute and chronic stress, as well as by stress accompanying fear conditioning. Emerging data suggest that chronic stress disrupts the acuity and specificity of CA1 spatial coding, both in familiar and novel contexts, and alters hippocampal oscillations. By contrast, acute stress may have a facilitatory impact on spatial representations. These findings encourage a fresh look at the documented stress-induced changes in hippocampal anatomy and in vitro excitability, and offer a new perspective on the links between stress and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupratap Tomar
- Center for Synaptic Plasticity, School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK.
| | - Thomas J McHugh
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, Japan.
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49
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Preckel K, Trautmann S, Kanske P. Medication-Enhanced Psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Recent Findings on Oxytocin's Involvement in the Neurobiology and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY IN EUROPE 2021; 3:e3645. [PMID: 36398286 PMCID: PMC9667220 DOI: 10.32872/cpe.3645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Traumatic experiences may result in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which is characterized as an exaggerated fear response that cannot be extinguished over time or in safe environments. What are beneficial psychotherapeutic treatment options for PTSD patients? Can oxytocin (OXT), which is involved in the stress response, and safety learning, ameliorate PTSD symptomatology and enhance psychotherapeutic effects? Here, we will review recent studies regarding OXT's potential to enhance psychotherapeutic therapies for PTSD treatment. Method We conducted a literature review on the neurobiological underpinnings of PTSD especially focusing on OXT's involvement in the biology and memory formation of PTSD. Furthermore, we researched successful psychotherapeutic treatments for PTSD patients and discuss how OXT may facilitate observed psychotherapeutic effects. Results For a relevant proportion of PTSD patients, existing psychotherapies are not beneficial. OXT may be a promising candidate to enhance psychotherapeutic effects, because it dampens responses to stressful events and allows for a faster recovery after stress. On a neural basis, OXT modulates processes that are involved in stress, arousal and memory. OXT effectively counteracts memory impairments caused by stress and facilitates social support seeking which is a key resilience factor for PTSD and which is beneficial in psychotherapeutic settings. Conclusion OXT has many characteristics that are promising to positively influence psychotherapy for PTSD patients. It potentially reduces intrusions, but preserves memory of the event itself. Introducing OXT into psychotherapeutic settings may result in better treatment outcomes for PTSD patients. Future research should directly investigate OXT's effects on PTSD, especially in psychotherapeutic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Preckel
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Trautmann
- Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Kanske
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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50
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Aykac A, Kalkan R. Epigenetic Approach to PTSD: In the Aspects of Rat Models. Glob Med Genet 2021; 9:7-13. [PMID: 35169777 PMCID: PMC8837403 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-related mental disorder and develops after exposure to life-threatening traumatic experiences. The risk factors of PTSD included genetic factors; alterations in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis; neurotrophic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, and catecholaminergic systems; and a variety of environmental factors, such as war, accident, natural disaster, pandemic, physical, or sexual abuse, that cause stress or trauma in individuals. To be able to understand the molecular background of PTSD, rodent animal models are widely used by researchers. When looking for a solution for PTSD, it is important to consider preexisting genetic risk factors and physiological, molecular, and biochemical processes caused by trauma that may cause susceptibility to this disorder. In studies, it is reported that epigenetic mechanisms play important roles in the biological response affected by environmental factors, as well as the task of programming cell identity. In this article, we provided an overview of the role of epigenetic modifications in understanding the biology of PTSD. We also summarized the data from animal studies and their importance during the investigation of PTSD. This study shed light on the epigenetic background of stress and PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asli Aykac
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Rasime Kalkan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
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