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Diaz MR, Johnson JM, Varlinskaya EI. Increased ethanol intake is associated with social anxiety in offspring exposed to ethanol on gestational day 12. Behav Brain Res 2020; 393:112766. [PMID: 32535179 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in physical, cognitive, and neurological deficits termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Deficits in social functioning associated with PAE are frequently observed and persist throughout the lifespan. Social impairments, such as social anxiety, are associated with increased alcohol abuse, which is also highly pervasive following PAE. Yet, the relationship between PAE-induced social alterations and alcohol intake later in life is not well understood. In order to test this relationship, we exposed pregnant female Sprague Dawley rats to a single instance of PAE on gestational day 12, a period of substantial neural development, and tested offspring in adulthood (postnatal day 63) in a modified social interaction test followed by alternating alone and social ethanol intake sessions. Consistent with our previous findings, we found that, in general, PAE reduced social preference (measure of social anxiety-like behavior) in female but not male adults. However, ethanol intake was significantly higher in the PAE group regardless of sex. When dividing subjects according to level of social anxiety-like behavior (low, medium, or high), PAE males (under both drinking contexts) and control females (under the social drinking context) with a high social anxiety phenotype showed the highest level of ethanol intake. Taken together, these data indicate that PAE differentially affects the interactions between social anxiety, ethanol intake, and drinking context in males and females. These findings extend our understanding of the complexity and persistence of PAE's sex-dependent effects into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore MD21201, Binghamton NY 13902, Syracuse NY13210, United States.
| | - Julia M Johnson
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore MD21201, Binghamton NY 13902, Syracuse NY13210, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore MD21201, Binghamton NY 13902, Syracuse NY13210, United States
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52
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Cantacorps L, Montagud-Romero S, Valverde O. Curcumin treatment attenuates alcohol-induced alterations in a mouse model of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 100:109899. [PMID: 32109509 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during development produces physical and mental abnormalities in the foetus that result in long-term molecular adjustments in the brain, which could underlie the neurobehavioural deficits observed in individuals suffering from foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. In this study, we assessed the effects of curcumin on cognitive impairments caused by prenatal and lactational alcohol exposure (PLAE). Furthermore, we examined whether curcumin could counteract the molecular alterations that may underlie these behavioural impairments. We focused on inflammatory and epigenetic mechanisms by analysing the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB, in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, as well as microglia and astrocyte activation in the dentate gyrus. We also assessed the activity of histone acetyltransferase in these brain areas. To model binge alcohol drinking, we exposed pregnant C57BL/6 mice to a 20% v/v alcohol solution during gestation and lactation, with limited access periods. We treated male offspring with curcumin during postnatal days (PD28-35) and then evaluated their behaviour in adulthood (PD60). Our results showed that curcumin treatment during the peri-adolescence period improved the anxiety and memory deficits observed in PLAE mice. At the molecular level, we found enhanced histone acetyltransferase activity in mice subjected to PLAE that curcumin treatment could not reverse to baseline levels. These mice also showed increased expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, which could be rescued by curcumin treatment. They also displayed astrogliosis and microglia activation. Our study provides further evidence to support the use of curcumin as a therapeutic agent for counteracting behavioural and molecular alterations induced by PLAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lídia Cantacorps
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sandra Montagud-Romero
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Programme, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
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53
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Ferraguti G, Merlino L, Battagliese G, Piccioni MG, Barbaro G, Carito V, Messina MP, Scalese B, Coriale G, Fiore M, Ceccanti M. Fetus morphology changes by second-trimester ultrasound in pregnant women drinking alcohol. Addict Biol 2020; 25:e12724. [PMID: 30811093 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of negative conditions occurring in children exposed to alcohol during gestation. The early discovery of FASD is crucial for mother and infant follow-ups. In this study, we investigated in pregnant women the association between urine ethylglucuronide (EtG-a biomarker of alcohol drinking) and indicators of the physical characteristics of FASD by prenatal ultrasound in the second trimester of gestation. We also correlated these data with the AUDIT-C, T-ACE/TACER-3, TWEAK, and food habit diary, screening questionnaires used to disclose alcohol drinking during pregnancy. Forty-four pregnant women were randomly enrolled and examined for ultrasound investigation during the second trimester of gestation. Urine samples were provided by pregnant women immediately after the routine interviews. EtG determinations were performed with a cutoff established at 100 ng/mL, a value indicating occasional alcohol drinking. Fifteen of the enrolled pregnant women overcame the EtG cutoff (34.09%). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that the fetuses of the positive EtG pregnant women had significantly longer interorbital distance and also significantly increased frontothalamic distance (P's < 0.02). Quite interestingly, no direct correlation was found between EtG data and both food diary and AUDIT-C. However, a significant correlation was observed between urinary EtG and T-ACE (r = 0.375; P = 0.012) and between urinary EtG and TWEAK (r = 0.512; P < 0.001) and a concordance with all questionnaire for EtG values higher than 500 ng/mL. This study provides clinical evidence that the diagnosis of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy by urine EtG may disclose FASD-related damage in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giampiero Ferraguti
- Department of Experimental MedicineSapienza University Hospital of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Lucia Merlino
- Department of Gynecological‐Obstetric Sciences and Urological SciencesSapienza University Hospital of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Gemma Battagliese
- Centro Riferimento Alcologico Regione LazioSapienza University of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Piccioni
- Department of Gynecological‐Obstetric Sciences and Urological SciencesSapienza University Hospital of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Greta Barbaro
- Department of Gynecological‐Obstetric Sciences and Urological SciencesSapienza University Hospital of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Valentina Carito
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IBCN)National Research Council (CNR) Rome Italy
| | | | - Bruna Scalese
- Centro Riferimento Alcologico Regione LazioSapienza University of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Giovanna Coriale
- Centro Riferimento Alcologico Regione LazioSapienza University of Rome Rome Italy
| | - Marco Fiore
- Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology (IBCN)National Research Council (CNR) Rome Italy
| | - Mauro Ceccanti
- Centro Riferimento Alcologico Regione LazioSapienza University of Rome Rome Italy
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54
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Shahrier MA, Wada H. Effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on acoustic characteristics of play fighting-induced ultrasonic vocalizations in juvenile rats. Neurotoxicology 2020; 79:25-39. [PMID: 32294486 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2020.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Juvenile rats display rough-and-tumble playing with conspecifics (play fighting behavior) and produce 22 and 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs). The 22 kHz USV is considered to reflect negative emotionality such as anxiety, fear, and distress, whereas the 50 kHz USV is considered to reflect positive emotionality such as joy, happiness, and satisfaction. USV is a sensitive tool for measuring emotionality in socially interactive situations. However, effects of prenatal ethanol-exposure on the acoustic characteristics of play fighting-induced USVs have remained unclear. In Experiment I, we recorded USVs produced by prenatally ethanol-exposed rats during play fighting on postnatal days (PNDs) 40-42 and examined the acoustic characteristics of negative and positive emotion-induced USVs. In Experiment II, we examined the anxiety levels through elevated plus maze testing on PNDs 37-39 and frequencies of playful attacks on PNDs 43-45 in ethanol-exposed rats. Ethanol was administered to pregnant rats in three gradually increased concentrations between gestational days (GDs) 8 and 20. From GDs 14 to 20, ethanol-containing tap water at concentrations of 30% and 15% (v/v) was administered to the high- and low-ethanol groups, respectively. Tap water without added ethanol was given to the control group. On PNDs 40-42, three rats from the same sex and same ethanol concentration group but from different litters were placed together into a playing cage for play fighting. The high-ethanol male triads displayed elevations of 20-35 kHz USVs reflecting negative emotionality and reductions of 45-70 kHz USVs reflecting positive emotionality compared with both the low-ethanol and control male triads. The high-ethanol male triads had prominent elevations of 20-35 kHz USVs with durations longer than 200 ms, whereas the control male triads did not produce such 20-35 kHz USVs at all. There was no difference in USV acoustic characteristics among the female triads. In addition, the high-ethanol male rats exhibited greater anxiety levels and less frequencies of play fighting than the control male rats. Altogether, we conclude that prenatal exposure to ethanol enhances negative emotionality such as anxiety and, accordingly, 20-35 kHz USVs reflecting negative emotionality are produced with a marked decrease in play fighting, suggesting difficulties in social interactions with conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Ashik Shahrier
- Department of Psychology, Graduate School of Letters, Hokkaido University, Japan.
| | - Hiromi Wada
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Human Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita 10 Nishi 7 Kita-Ku, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
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55
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Plaza-Briceño W, Estay SF, de la Fuente-Ortega E, Gutiérrez C, Sánchez G, Hidalgo C, Chávez AE, Haeger PA. N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Modulation by Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Oxidase Type 2 Drives Synaptic Plasticity and Spatial Memory Impairments in Rats Exposed Pre- and Postnatally to Ethanol. Antioxid Redox Signal 2020; 32:602-617. [PMID: 31880947 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2019.7787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Aims: Pre- and/or early postnatal ethanol exposure (prenatal alcohol exposure [PAE]) impairs synaptic plasticity as well as memory formation, but the mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear. Both long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial memory formation in the hippocampus involve the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase type 2 (NOX2) enzyme. Previous studies have reported that N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) activation increases NOX2-mediated superoxide generation, resulting in inhibition of NMDAR function, but whether NOX2 impacts NMDAR function in PAE animals leading to impaired LTP and memory formation remains unknown. We aim to evaluate whether the NOX2-NMDAR complex is involved in the long-lasting deleterious effects of PAE on hippocampal LTP and memory formation. Results: Here we provide novel evidence that PAE animals display impaired NMDAR-dependent LTP in the cornus ammonis field 1 (CA1) and NMDAR-mediated LTP in the dentate gyrus (DG). Moreover, PAE rats displayed increased NMDAR-mediated transmission in both hippocampal areas. Interestingly, NOX2 pharmacological inhibition restored NMDAR-mediated transmission and LTP in the CA1, but not in the DG. PAE also induced overexpression of NOX2 and CaMKII isoforms, but did not modify the content or the redox state of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunit-1 (NR1) subunit of NMDAR in both areas of the hippocampus. In addition, adolescent PAE rats orally fed the antioxidant and free radical scavenger apocynin exhibited significantly improved spatial memory acquisition. Innovation and Conclusion: By showing in PAE animals NOX2 overexpression and increased NMDAR-mediated transmission, which might lead to impaired synaptic plasticity and memory formation in a region-specific manner, we provide an important advance to our current understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying PAE-dependent defective hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wladimir Plaza-Briceño
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Católica Del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile.,Programa de Magíster en Ciencias Biológicas mención Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Sebastián F Estay
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.,Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias mención Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Erwin de la Fuente-Ortega
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Católica Del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Camilo Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Católica Del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Gina Sánchez
- Programa de Fisiopatología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,CEMC, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cecilia Hidalgo
- CEMC, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Biomedical Neuroscience Institute, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Programa de Fisiología y Biofísica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés E Chávez
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Paola A Haeger
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad De Medicina, Universidad Católica Del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
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56
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Olguin SL, Thompson SM, Young JW, Brigman JL. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure impairs cognitive control, but not attention, on a rodent touchscreen continuous performance task. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12652. [PMID: 32144885 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A common feature associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is the inability to concentrate on a specific task while ignoring distractions. Human continuous performance tasks (CPT), measure vigilance and cognitive control simultaneously while these processes are traditionally measured separately in rodents. We recently established a touchscreen 5-choice CPT (5C-CPT) that measures vigilance and cognitive control simultaneously by incorporating both target and nontargets and showed it was sensitive to amphetamine-induced improvement in humans and mice. Here, we examined the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in male and female mice on performance of the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), which contained only target trials, and the 5C-CPT which incorporated both target and nontarget trials. In addition, we assessed gait and fine motor coordination in behavioral naïve PAE and control animals. We found that on the 5-CSRTT mice were able to respond to target presentations with similar hit rates regardless of sex or treatment. However, on the 5C-CPT PAE mice made significantly more false alarm responses vs controls. Compared with control animals, PAE mice had a significantly lower sensitivity index, a measure of ability to discriminate appropriate responses to stimuli types. During 5C-CPT, female mice, regardless of treatment, also had increased mean latency to respond when correct and omitted more target trials. Gait assessment showed no significant differences in PAE and SAC mice on any measure. These findings suggest that moderate exposure to alcohol during development can have long lasting effects on cognitive control unaffected by gross motor alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Shannon M Thompson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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57
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Lovely CB. Quantification of Ethanol Levels in Zebrafish Embryos Using Head Space Gas Chromatography. J Vis Exp 2020. [PMID: 32116298 DOI: 10.3791/60766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) describe a highly variable continuum of ethanol-induced developmental defects, including facial dysmorphologies and neurological impairments. With a complex pathology, FASD affects approximately 1 in 100 children born in the United States each year. Due to the highly variable nature of FASD, animal models have proven critical in our current mechanistic understanding of ethanol-induced development defects. An increasing number of laboratories has focused on using zebrafish to examine ethanol-induced developmental defects. Zebrafish produce large numbers of externally fertilized, genetically tractable, translucent embryos. This allows researchers to precisely control timing and dosage of ethanol exposure in multiple genetic contexts and quantify the impact of embryonic ethanol exposure through live imaging techniques. This, combined with the high degree of conservation of both genetics and development with humans, has proven zebrafish to be a powerful model in which to study the mechanistic basis of ethanol teratogenicity. However, ethanol exposure regimens have varied between different zebrafish studies, which has confounded the interpretation of zebrafish data across these studies. Here is a protocol to quantify ethanol concentrations in zebrafish embryos using head space gas chromatography.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ben Lovely
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Alcohol Research Center, University of Louisville;
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58
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Madden JT, Thompson SM, Magcalas CM, Wagner JL, Hamilton DA, Savage DD, Clark BJ, Pentkowski NS. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure reduces parvalbumin expressing GABAergic interneurons in the dorsal hippocampus of adult male and female rat offspring. Neurosci Lett 2019; 718:134700. [PMID: 31874217 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) negatively impacts hippocampal development and impairs hippocampal-sensitive learning and memory. However, hippocampal neural adaptations in response to moderate PAE are not completely understood. To explore the effects of moderate PAE on GABAergic interneuron expression, this study used a rat model of moderate PAE to examine the effects of PAE on parvalbumin (PARV)-positive cells in fields CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the dorsal hippocampus (dHC). Long-Evans dams were given daily access to 5 % (vol/vol) ethanol or saccharine (SAC) control solutions throughout the course of gestation. Offspring were divided into four separate groups: PAE (n = 7) or SAC (n = 7) males, or PAE (n = 8) or SAC (n = 8) females. All rats were aged to adulthood and, following testing in the Morris water task, their brains were analyzed for the expression of the GABAergic neuronal marker PARV. We report a main effect of PAE on GABAergic expression, with significant reductions in PARV-positive cells in area CA3 for males and the DG for females. There was also a trend for a reduction in PARV expressing neurons in fields CA1 and CA3 in females. The results are discussed in relation to hippocampal GABAergic interneuron function, PAE and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- John T Madden
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Shannon M Thompson
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Christy M Magcalas
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jennifer L Wagner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Derek A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nathan S Pentkowski
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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59
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Ieraci A, Herrera DG. Early Postnatal Ethanol Exposure in Mice Induces Sex-Dependent Memory Impairment and Reduction of Hippocampal NMDA-R2B Expression in Adulthood. Neuroscience 2019; 427:105-115. [PMID: 31874240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is particularly detrimental for the developing brain and may cause a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioral impairments, collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). While behavioral abnormalities and brain damage have been widely investigated in animal models of FASD, the sex differences in the vulnerability to perinatal ethanol exposure have received less consideration. Here we investigated the long-term behavioral and molecular effects of acute ethanol-binge like exposure during the early postnatal period (equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy) in adult male and female mice. CD1 mice received a single ethanol exposure on P7 and were analyzed starting from P60. We found that ethanol-exposed mice showed increased activity in the open field test and in the plus-maze test, regardless of the sex. Interestingly, only ethanol-exposed adult male mice exhibited memory impairment in the water maze and fear-conditioning tests. Remarkably, hippocampal levels of NMDA-R2B were reduced only in ethanol-exposed male, while total BDNF levels were increased in both male and female ethanol-exposed mice. Our data suggest a different susceptibility of early postnatal ethanol exposure in male and female CD1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Ieraci
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Daniel G Herrera
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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60
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Montagud-Romero S, Cantacorps L, Valverde O. Histone deacetylases inhibitor trichostatin A reverses anxiety-like symptoms and memory impairments induced by maternal binge alcohol drinking in mice. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:1573-1587. [PMID: 31294671 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119857208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol exposure during development has detrimental effects, including a wide range of physical, cognitive and neurobehavioural anomalies known as foetal alcohol spectrum disorders. However, alcohol consumption among pregnant woman is an ongoing latent health problem. AIM In the present study, the effects of trichostatin A (TSA) on emotional and cognitive impairments caused by prenatal and lactational alcohol exposure were assessed. TSA is an inhibitor of class I and II histone deacetylases enzymes (HDAC), and for that, HDAC4 activity was determined. We also evaluated mechanisms underlying the behavioural effects observed, including the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in discrete brain regions and newly differentiated neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG). METHODS C57BL/6 female pregnant mice were used, with limited access to a 20% v/v alcohol solution as a procedure to model binge alcohol drinking during gestation and lactation. Male offspring were treated with TSA during the postnatal days (PD28-35) and behaviourally evaluated (PD36-55). RESULTS Early alcohol exposure mice presented increased anxiogenic-like responses and memory deterioration - effects that were partially reversed with TSA. Early alcohol exposure produces a decrease in BDNF levels in the hippocampus (HPC) and prefrontal cortex, a reduction of neurogenesis in the DG and increased activity levels of the HDAC4 in the HPC. CONCLUSIONS Such findings support the participation of HDAC enzymes in cognitive and emotional alterations induced by binge alcohol consumption during gestation and lactation and would indicate potential benefits of HDAC inhibitors for some aspects of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Montagud-Romero
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lídia Cantacorps
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,IMIM-Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Neurosciences Programme, Barcelona, Spain
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61
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Harvey RE, Berkowitz LE, Hamilton DA, Clark BJ. The effects of developmental alcohol exposure on the neurobiology of spatial processing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:775-794. [PMID: 31526818 PMCID: PMC6876993 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The consumption of alcohol during gestation is detrimental to the developing central nervous system. One functional outcome of this exposure is impaired spatial processing, defined as sensing and integrating information pertaining to spatial navigation and spatial memory. The hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and anterior thalamus are brain regions implicated in spatial processing and are highly susceptible to the effects of developmental alcohol exposure. Some of the observed effects of alcohol on spatial processing may be attributed to changes at the synaptic to circuit level. In this review, we first describe the impact of developmental alcohol exposure on spatial behavior followed by a summary of the development of brain areas involved in spatial processing. We then provide an examination of the consequences of prenatal and early postnatal alcohol exposure in rodents on hippocampal, anterior thalamus, and entorhinal cortex-dependent spatial processing from the cellular to behavioral level. We conclude by highlighting several unanswered questions which may provide a framework for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E Harvey
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Laura E Berkowitz
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Derek A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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62
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De La Fuente-Ortega E, Plaza-Briceño W, Vargas-Robert S, Haeger P. Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Misregulates Genes Involved in Iron Homeostasis Promoting a Maladaptation of Iron Dependent Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1312. [PMID: 31787896 PMCID: PMC6855190 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PAE) induces behavioral maladptations in offspring, including a deficit in memory formation which is part of the umbrella sign of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Clinical and preclinical studies have shown that iron depletion exacerbates cognitive problems in offspring exposed to ethanol in utero and that PAE promotes dysregulation in brain iron homeostasis. However, the mechanisms underlying brain iron dysregulation and neuronal activity defects in adolescent offspring of PAE are unclear and poorly understand. Here, we used a PAE rat model to analyze messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of iron homeostasis genes such as transferrin receptor (TfR), divalent metal transporter (DMT1), ferroportin (FPN1), and ferritin (FT) in brain areas associated with memory formation such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), ventral tegmental area, and hippocampus. Interestingly, we found that 21 day old PAE rats have higher mRNA expression of DMT1 in the PFC, and TfR in the hippocampus, compared to control animals. In contrast FPN has lower mRNA expression in the PFC, and FT and FPN1 have lower expression in the hippocampus. In agreement with these results, we found a 1.5–2 fold increase of TfR and DMT1 protein levels both in the hippocampus and the PFC. Additionally, using an electrophysiological approach, we found that in hippocampal slices from PAE rats, iron treatment decreased long-term potentiation (LTP), but not AMPAR basal transmission (AMPAR fEPSP). In contrast, in control slices Fe-NTA did not affect LTP but decreased significantly the AMPAR fEPSP. Meanwhile, iron chelation with deferiprone decreased AMPAR transmission in PAE and control slices and decreased LTP only in controls slices. These results suggest that PAE affects iron homeostasis of specific brain areas—PFC and hippocampus—which could be involved in maladaptive cognition observed in this animal model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwin De La Fuente-Ortega
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Wladimir Plaza-Briceño
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Sofía Vargas-Robert
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
| | - Paola Haeger
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile
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Marquardt K, Cavanagh JF, Brigman JL. Alcohol exposure in utero disrupts cortico-striatal coordination required for behavioral flexibility. Neuropharmacology 2019; 162:107832. [PMID: 31678398 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in behavioral flexibility are a hallmark of multiple psychiatric, neurological, and substance use disorders. These deficits are often marked by decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC); however, the genesis of such executive deficits remains understudied. Here we report how the most preventable cause of developmental disability, in utero exposure to alcohol, alters cortico-striatal circuit activity leading to impairments in behavioral flexibility in adulthood. We utilized a translational touch-screen task coupled with in vivo electrophysiology in adult mice to examine single unit and coordinated activity of the lateral orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and dorsolateral striatum (DS) during flexible behavior. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) decreased OFC, and increased DS, single unit activity during reversal learning and altered the number of choice responsive neurons in both regions. PAE also decreased coordinated activity within the OFC and DS as measured by oscillatory field activity and altered spike-field coupling. Furthermore, PAE led to sustained connectivity between regions past what was seen in control animals. These findings suggest that PAE causes altered coordination within and between the OFC and DS, promoting maladaptive perseveration. Our model suggests that in optimally functioning mice OFC disengages the DS and updates the newly changed reward contingency, whereas in PAE animals, aberrant and persistent OFC to DS signaling drives behavioral inflexibility during early reversal sessions. Together, these findings demonstrate how developmental exposure alters circuit-level activity leading to behavioral deficits and suggest a critical role for coordination of neural timing during behaviors requiring executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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Olguin SL, Zimmerman A, Zhang H, Allan A, Caldwell KC, Brigman JL. Increased Maternal Care Rescues Altered Reinstatement Responding Following Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1949-1956. [PMID: 31318985 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) commonly include deficits in learning, memory, and executive control that can have a severe negative impact on quality of life across the life span. It is still unclear how prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects executive control processes, such as control over reward seeking, that lead to inappropriate behavior later in life. Learning and reinstatement of a previously learned response after extinction is a simple, well-validated measure of both acquisition of a rewarded instrumental response and sensitivity to reward and reward-associated cues. We investigated the effects of PAE on learning, extinction, and reinstatement of a simple instrumental response for food reward. Next, we assessed the effectiveness of an early intervention, communal nest (CN) housing, on increased reinstatement of an extinguished response seen after PAE. METHODS To assess the effects of PAE on control over reward seeking, we tested male and female PAE and saccharine (SAC) controls raised in a standard nest (SN) on the acquisition, extinction, and food reward-induced reinstatement of an instrumental response utilizing a touch screen-based paradigm. Next, in order to examine the effects of an early-life intervention on these behaviors, we tested PAE and SAC mice raised in a CN early-life environment on these behaviors. RESULTS PAE mice readily acquired and extinguished a simple touch response to a white square stimulus. However, PAE mice showed significantly increased and persistent reinstatement compared to controls. Increased maternal care via rearing in CN slowed acquisition and sped extinction learning and rescued the significantly increased reinstatement responding in PAE mice. CONCLUSIONS Together these results demonstrate that even moderate PAE is sufficient to alter control over reward seeking as measured by reinstatement. Importantly, an early-life intervention previously shown to improve cognitive outcomes in PAE mice was sufficient to ameliorate this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Amber Zimmerman
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Haikun Zhang
- Center for Brain Repair and Recovery, (HZ, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Andrea Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Kevin C Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Center for Brain Repair and Recovery, (HZ, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Hyperlocomotion and anxiety- like behavior induced by binge ethanol exposure in rat neonates. Possible ameliorative effects of Omega 3. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:112022. [PMID: 31181220 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy may cause neurocognitive and behavioral disorders that can persist until adulthood. Epidemiological data has revealed an alarming increase in the frequency of alcohol intake in pregnant women. Nutritional variables may also have an impact on the behavioral alterations occasioned by alcohol during development. Moreover, omega-3, a polyunsaturated fatty acid necessary for normal brain development, is deficient in ethanol-treated animals. Although studies have shown that omega-3 supplementation after prenatal ethanol (EtOH) treatment improves some disorders, there are no reports about acute treatment with omega-3 in binge alcohol neurotoxic models during postnatal development. The goal of this study was to determine whether an administration of omega-3, after an acute ethanol dose in neonates, would be able to attenuate alcohol effects in offspring. Male/ female rats were administered ethanol (2.5 g/kg s.c. at 0 and 2 h) or saline on postnatal day (PND) 7, with a single dose of omega-3 (720 mg/kg) 15 min after the last alcohol injection. It was have found that EtOH-treated animals showed hyperlocomotion on PND 14 (pre-juvenile), and anxiety-like behavior was observed at all the three ages studied. Administration of omega-3 after EtOH treatment reduced hyperlocomotion and the anxiety-like behaviors on PND 14, but did not diminish the anxiety on either PND 20 or 30 (juvenile). In conclusion, acute ethanol exposure produced neurobehavioral alterations that persisted in the offspring, with omega-3 able to ameliorate these effects on PND 14. These data are relevant considering that omega-3 administration may have therapeutic effects through mitigating some of ethanol´s damaging consequences.
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Huf F, Bandiera S, Müller CB, Gea L, Carvalho FB, Rahmeier FL, Reiter KC, Tortorelli LS, Gomez R, da Cruz Fernandes M. Comparative study on the effects of cigarette smoke exposure, ethanol consumption and association: Behavioral parameters, apoptosis, glial fibrillary acid protein and S100β immunoreactivity in different regions of the rat hippocampus. Alcohol 2019; 77:101-112. [PMID: 30870710 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to cigarette smoke and ethanol are proposed to trigger neurotoxicity, apoptosis, and to impair neuronal signaling. However, it is little known how the combination of both might trigger astrogliosis and the morphological changes capable of affecting a differential susceptibility of hippocampal regions to these licit drugs. The present study investigated the chronic effects of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ethanol on behavioral parameters, apoptosis, and alteration in immunoreactivity of glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) and S100β in the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) of the rat hippocampus. Adult male Wistar rats (n = 32) were divided into four groups: vehicle (VE, glucose 3% in water, 10 mL/kg), cigarette smoke (TOB, total 12 cigarettes per day), ethanol (ethanol, 2 g/kg), and cigarette smoke plus ethanol (TOB plus ethanol, total 12 cigarettes per day plus ethanol 2 g/kg) for 54 days. The groups were submitted to tail-flick, open-field, and inhibitory avoidance tasks. The results showed that ethanol per se worsened the short-term memory. The association between TOB and ethanol increased the immunoreactivity of cleaved caspase-3 in the CA3 and DG regions. The TOB plus ethanol group showed a lower immunoreactivity to GFAP in all regions of the hippocampus. In addition, ethanol and TOB per se also reduced the immunoreactivity for GFAP in the DG. Ethanol increased S100β immunoreactivity only in the DG. In conclusion, this study showed that only ethanol worsened short-term memory, and the DG became more susceptible to changes in the markers investigated. This evidence suggests that DG is more sensitive to neurotoxicity induced by cigarette smoke and ethanol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Huf
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Solange Bandiera
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Carolina B Müller
- Department of Biochemistry, ICBS/Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luiza Gea
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Fabiano B Carvalho
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Francine L Rahmeier
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Keli C Reiter
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lucas S Tortorelli
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rosane Gomez
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marilda da Cruz Fernandes
- Postgraduate Program in Pathology, Pathology Research Laboratory, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Razumkina EV, Anokhin PK, Proskuryakova TV, Shamakina IY. [Experimental approaches to the investigation of behavioral disorders associated with prenatal alcohol exposure]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2019; 118:79-88. [PMID: 29658509 DOI: 10.17116/jnevro20181181279-88] [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: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term which covers a wide range of deficits in prenatal and postnatal growth, anatomy and CNS functions produced by prenatal alcohol exposure. The most severe form of FASD is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) characterized by additional specific craniofacial and brain malformations. Despite a high prevalence and extensive clinical studies, the fundamental mechanisms of FASD are still poorly understood. Thereby, experimental models, which allow better control for both socio-environmental and genetic factors, are critical to our understanding of FASD. The review is focused on the effects of exposure to alcohol during the prenatal period in animal models. The authors outline that prenatally alcohol-induced changes in motor and executive functions, learning and memory, stress reactivity and affective state are remarkably parallel between animals and humans. Finally, the authors consider a potential impact of postnatal social and environmental factors on the outcome in experimental models of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E V Razumkina
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - P K Anokhin
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - T V Proskuryakova
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
| | - I Yu Shamakina
- Serbsky National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology, Moscow, Russia
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Hollander J, McNivens M, Pautassi RM, Nizhnikov ME. Offspring of male rats exposed to binge alcohol exhibit heightened ethanol intake at infancy and alterations in T-maze performance. Alcohol 2019; 76:65-71. [PMID: 30583252 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 07/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use is associated with a variety of negative consequences, including heightened likelihood of cognitive impairment, proclivity to alcohol use disorders (AUD), and alterations in the drinker's offspring. Children and rodents exposed to alcohol during pregnancy, or those whose fathers consumed alcohol prior to mating, often exhibit neurodevelopmental, physiological, and behavioral deficits. The present study assessed cognitive function and alcohol intake in male and female rats that were offspring of alcohol-exposed fathers. Adult male rats were exposed to alcohol or vehicle (0.0 or 2.0 g/kg, respectively; twice daily for 2 days followed by a rest day, for a total of eight alcohol or vehicle exposure days), or were left untreated and then mated with non-manipulated females. The offspring were assessed for alcohol intake, via intraoral infusion, followed by cognitive assessment via an alternating T-maze task. The results indicated that paternal ethanol exposure, prior to breeding, resulted in offspring that consumed significantly more ethanol than vehicle or untreated controls. Furthermore, the offspring of alcohol-exposed fathers exhibited a significant failure to initiate and complete the T-maze performance tests. Although, when they did engage in the tests they performed at the level of controls (i.e., 80% correct). The present results add to a growing body of literature suggesting that paternal pre-conception alcohol exposure can have deleterious effects on the offspring.
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Marquardt K, Josey M, Kenton JA, Cavanagh JF, Holmes A, Brigman JL. Impaired cognitive flexibility following NMDAR-GluN2B deletion is associated with altered orbitofrontal-striatal function. Neuroscience 2019; 404:338-352. [PMID: 30742964 PMCID: PMC6455963 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.01.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
A common feature across neuropsychiatric disorders is inability to discontinue an action or thought once it has become detrimental. Reversal learning, a hallmark of executive control, requires plasticity within cortical, striatal and limbic circuits and is highly sensitive to disruption of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function. In particular, selective deletion or antagonism of GluN2B containing NMDARs in cortical regions including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), promotes maladaptive perseveration. It remains unknown whether GluN2B functions to maintain local cortical activity necessary for reversal learning, or if it exerts a broader influence on the integration of neural activity across cortical and subcortical systems. To address this question, we utilized in vivo electrophysiology to record neuronal activity and local field potentials (LFP) in the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal striatum (dS) of mice with deletion of GluN2B in neocortical and hippocampal principal cells while they performed touchscreen reversal learning. Reversal impairment produced by corticohippocampal GluN2B deletion was paralleled by an aberrant increase in functional connectivity between the OFC and dS. These alterations in coordination were associated with alterations in local OFC and dS firing activity. These data demonstrate highly dynamic patterns of cortical and striatal activity concomitant with reversal learning, and reveal GluN2B as a molecular mechanism underpinning the timing of these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Megan Josey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | | | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM; New, Mexico, Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM.
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Holman PJ, Baglot SL, Morgan E, Weinberg J. Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on social competence: Asymmetry in play partner preference among heterogeneous triads of male and female rats. Dev Psychobiol 2019; 61:513-524. [PMID: 30843198 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are frequently described in terms of impaired social competence, which can be defined as the effectiveness in social interaction and the ability to employ social skills successfully within different interpersonal contexts. Play behavior-which peaks during adolescence-is critical for developing social competence, as well as for motor, cognitive, and emotional development. Studies of play behavior typically utilize protocols where animals interact in dyads. However, less is understood about how the social environment may shape PAE-related social behavior deficits, particularly in more complex social contexts. Here, we assess play partner preference utilizing a novel approach in which adolescent male and female animals interact within same-sex triads comprised of animals from mixed prenatal treatments to determine how play partner identity and social group composition interact to shape behavior. When triads included one PAE animal and two control animals (i.e., control animals had the option to play either with a fellow control or a PAE playmate), we observed play target asymmetry whereby controls preferentially played with fellow controls. Notably, these results were consistent for triads of both males and females, with subtle differences in frequency of initiations versus reciprocations. We found no play target asymmetry, however, when triads included two PAE animals and one control animal or different configurations of control and pair-fed animals. Taken together, play target asymmetry resulting from ineffective social interactions, including a failure to engage with, respond to, and/or solicit play from control play partners appropriately, suggests that PAE negatively impacts the development of social competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker J Holman
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Samantha L Baglot
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Erin Morgan
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Ipsiroglu OS, Wind K, Hung YHA, Berger M, Chan F, Yu W, Stockler S, Weinberg J. Prenatal alcohol exposure and sleep-wake behaviors: exploratory and naturalistic observations in the clinical setting and in an animal model. Sleep Med 2019; 54:101-112. [PMID: 30530254 PMCID: PMC7343292 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Clinical research and studies using animal models have revealed a complex and relatively under-explored interaction between prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and alterations in sleep-wake behaviors. OBJECTIVES To utilize a structured naturalistic observation-based methodology, consisting of descriptive elements, to provide insight into possible links between altered sleep and disruptive daytime presentations in children and adolescents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). To apply a similar structured behavioral observation protocol in a PAE animal model to compare outcomes from the experimental and clinical studies utilizing naturalistic observational methodology. METHODS Forty pediatric patients with FASD (1.8-17.5 yrs, median age 9.4 yrs) and chronic sleep problems were assessed. In the PAE animal model, male offspring from PAE, Pair-Fed (PF), and ad libitum-fed Control (C) groups (n = 8/group) were assessed in the juvenile/preadolescent (23-25 days of age) and adolescent/pubertal (35-36 days of age) periods. RESULTS In the clinical setting, we found that 95% of children with FASD showed disruptive or externalizing behaviors, 73% showed internalizing behaviors, 93% had circadian rhythm sleep disorders, all had chronic insomnia, and 85% had restless sleep, often with tossing/turning/kicking movements indicative of non-restorative sleep with hypermotor events. In the daytime, individuals showed excessive daytime sleepiness as well as hyperactive/hyperkinetic behaviors, an urge-to-move, and involuntary movements suggestive of hyperarousability. Alterations in sleep/wake behaviors in the PAE animal model paralleled the clinical data in many aspects, demonstrating greater sleep latencies, less total time asleep, more total time awake and longer awake bouts, more position changes, more time in transition, and longer transition bouts in PAE compared to PF and/or control animals. CONCLUSIONS Thus, our findings provide support for the power and validity of naturalistic observational paradigms in revealing dysregulated sleep-wake behaviors and their association and/or exacerbating relationship with day and nighttime behavioral problems, such as disruptive behaviors, externalizing and internalizing disorders, and daytime sleepiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osman S Ipsiroglu
- Sleep/Wake-Behavior Research Lab, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Departments of Pediatrics/Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine Center, BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Katarina Wind
- Sleep/Wake-Behavior Research Lab, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yi-Hsuan Amy Hung
- Sleep/Wake-Behavior Research Lab, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada; Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mai Berger
- Sleep/Wake-Behavior Research Lab, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Forson Chan
- Sleep/Wake-Behavior Research Lab, BC Children's Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Wayne Yu
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Sylvia Stockler
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Biochemical Diseases, BC Children's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Alcohol exposure during embryonic development: An opportunity to conduct systematic developmental time course analyses in zebrafish. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 98:185-193. [PMID: 30641117 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Ethanol affects numerous neurobiological processes depending upon the developmental stage at which it reaches the vertebrate embryo. Exposure time dependency may explain the variable severity and manifestation of life-long symptoms observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) patients. Characterization of behavioural deficits will help us understand developmental stage-dependency and its underlying biological mechanisms. Here we highlight pioneering studies that model FASD using zebrafish, including those that demonstrated developmental stage-dependency of alcohol effects on some behaviours. We also succinctly review the more expansive mammalian literature, briefly discuss potential developmental stage dependent biological mechanisms alcohol alters, and review some of the disadvantages of mammalian systems versus the zebrafish. We stress that the temporal control of alcohol administration in the externally developing zebrafish gives unprecedented precision and is a major advantage of this species over other model organisms employed so far. We also emphasize that the zebrafish is well suited for high throughput screening and will allow systematic exploration of embryonic-stage dependent alcohol effects via mutagenesis and drug screens.
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Ariyasiri K, Choi TI, Kim OH, Hong TI, Gerlai R, Kim CH. Pharmacological (ethanol) and mutation (sam2 KO) induced impairment of novelty preference in zebrafish quantified using a new three-chamber social choice task. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 88:53-65. [PMID: 29958859 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior is a fundamental aspect of our own species, a feature without which our society would not function. There are numerous human brain disorders associated with abnormal social behavior, among them are the autism spectrum disorders whose causal factors include a genetic component. Environmental factors, including drugs of abuse such as alcohol, also contribute to numerous abnormalities related to social behavior. Several such disorders have been modeled using laboratory animals. Perhaps one of the newest among them is the zebrafish. However, the paucity of standardized behavioral assays specifically developed for the zebrafish have hindered progress. Here, we present a newly developed zebrafish behavioral paradigm, the three-chamber social choice task. This task, which was adapted from a murine model, assesses sociality and social novelty preference in zebrafish in three phases: habituation, phase-I to evaluate sociality, and phase-II to quantify social novelty preference. Test fish are placed in the middle chamber, while conspecifics are introduced to the flanking chambers during phase-I and II. Both male and female zebrafish displayed sociality (preference for conspecifics) during phase-I and social novelty preference (preference for unfamiliar conspecifics) during phase-II. We found the paradigm to be able to detect both environmentally (alcohol) as well as genetically (targeted knock out of sam2) induced alterations of behavioral phenotypes. Although ethanol-treated fish displayed similar levels of sociality to those of control (not alcohol exposed) male and female zebrafish, they were found to exhibit significantly impaired social novelty preference, a finding compatible with altered motivational or perhaps mnemonic processes. Moreover, we found that knock out of sam2, previously shown to lead to emotional dysregulation, also disrupted social novelty preference, while leaving sociality relatively intact. We conclude that our novel behavioral paradigm is appropriate for the modeling and quantification of social behavior deficits in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishan Ariyasiri
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea
| | - Tae-Ik Choi
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea
| | - Oc-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea
| | - Ted Inpyo Hong
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Cheol-Hee Kim
- Department of Biology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, South Korea.
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74
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Zhang K, Luo J. Role of MCP-1 and CCR2 in alcohol neurotoxicity. Pharmacol Res 2019; 139:360-366. [PMID: 30472461 PMCID: PMC6360095 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse causes profound damage to both the developing brain and the adult brain. Prenatal exposure to alcohol results in a wide range of deficits known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Alcohol abuse in adults is associated with brain shrinkage, memory and attention deficits, communication disorders and physical disabilities. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) is one of the key chemokines that regulate the recruitment and activation of monocytes and microglia. Both MCP-1 and its receptor C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) expressed in the brain are involved in various neuroinflammatory disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the role of MCP-1/CCR2 in alcohol-induced brain damage is unclear. Recent evidence indicates that alcohol exposure increased the activity of MCP-1/CCR2 in both mature and developing central nervous systems (CNS). MCP-1/CCR2 signaling in the brain was involved in alcohol drinking behavior. MCP-1/CCR2 inhibition alleviated alcohol neurotoxicity by reducing microglia activation/neuroinflammation in the developing brain and spinal cord. In this review, we discussed the role of MCP-1/CCR2 signaling in alcohol-induced neuroinflammation and brain damage. We also discussed the signaling cascades that are involved in the activation of MCP-1/CCR2 in response to alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Jia Luo
- Department of Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USA; Lexington VA Health Care System, Research & Development, 1101 Veterans Drive, Lexington, KY 40502, USA.
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75
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Sanchez LM, Goss J, Wagner J, Davies S, Savage DD, Hamilton DA, Clark BJ. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure impairs performance by adult male rats in an object-place paired-associate task. Behav Brain Res 2018; 360:228-234. [PMID: 30529401 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Memory impairments, including spatial and object processing, are often observed in individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. The neurobiological basis of memory deficits after prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is often linked to structural and functional alterations in the medial temporal lobe, including the hippocampus. Recent evidence suggests that the medial temporal lobe plays a critical role in processing high-order sensory stimuli such as complex objects and their associated locations in space. In the first experiment, we tested male rat offspring with moderate PAE in a medial temporal-dependent object-place paired-associate (OPPA) task. The OPPA task requires a conditional discrimination between an identical pair of objects presented at two spatial locations 180° opposite arms of a radial arm maze. Food reinforcement is contingent upon selecting the correct object of the pair for a given spatial location. Adult rats were given a total of 10 trials per day over 14 consecutive days of training. PAE male rats made significantly more errors than male saccharin (SACC) control rats during acquisition of the OPPA task. In Experiment 2, rats performed an object-discrimination task in which a pair of objects were presented in a single arm of the maze. Moderate PAE and SACC control rats exhibited comparable performance. The results suggest that moderate PAE rats can learn to discriminate objects, but are impaired when required to discriminate between objects on the basis of spatial location in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilliana M Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan Goss
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jennifer Wagner
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Derek A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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Wang R, Hausknecht KA, Shen YL, Haj-Dahmane S, Vezina P, Shen RY. Environmental enrichment reverses increased addiction risk caused by prenatal ethanol exposure. Drug Alcohol Depend 2018; 191:343-347. [PMID: 30176547 PMCID: PMC6178821 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) leads to multiple cognitive and behavioral deficits including increased drug addiction risk. Previous studies have shown that rearing environment plays a significant role in impacting addiction risk. In the present study, we investigated if environmental enrichment during development could be effective in lowering the PE-induced increase in addiction risk. To simulate heavy drinking during pregnancy in humans, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received ethanol (6 g/kg/day) or vehicle through intragastric gavage on gestation days 8-20. After weaning, the offspring were reared in either an enriched environment (EE) including neonatal handling and complex housing or an impoverished environment (IE) consisting of barren, single housing. Adult male offspring were then tested for locomotion, performance on the elevated plus maze, and amphetamine self-administration under a progressive ratio reinforcement schedule. Overall, EE rats, compared to IE rats, showed reduced locomotor activity in a novel environment and lower levels of anxiety, irrespective of prenatal treatments. Prenatal ethanol exposure increased amphetamine self-administration at both doses tested (0.02 and 0.05 mg/kg/infusion) and in each case EE, relative to IE, reversed this effect. These findings suggest that postnatal environmental complexity plays a determining role in addiction risk after PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Wang
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; Department of Psychology, Park Hall Room 204, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | - Kathryn A Hausknecht
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Ying-Ling Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Samir Haj-Dahmane
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Paul Vezina
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue MC 3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Roh-Yu Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA.
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77
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Cleal M, Parker MO. Moderate developmental alcohol exposure reduces repetitive alternation in a zebrafish model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 70:1-9. [PMID: 30201482 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The damaging effects of alcohol on a developing fetus are well known and cause a range of conditions known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). High levels of alcohol exposure lead to physical deformity and severe cognitive deficits, but more moderate exposure leads to a range of subtle cognitive effects such as reduced social behavior, higher propensity to develop addictions, and reduced spatial working memory. Previous studies have demonstrated that following exposure to relatively low levels of ethanol during early brain development (equivalent in humans to moderate exposure) zebrafish display a range of social and behavioral differences. Here, our aim was to test the hypothesis that moderate developmental ethanol exposure would affect aspects of learning and memory in zebrafish. In order to do this, we exposed zebrafish embryos to 20 mM [0.12% v/v] ethanol from 2 to 9 dpf to model the effects of moderate prenatal ethanol (MPE) exposure. At 3 months old, adult fish were tested for appetitive and aversive learning, and for spatial alternation in a novel unconditioned y-maze protocol. We found that MPE did not affect appetitive or aversive learning, but exposed-fish showed a robust reduction in repetitive alternations in the y-maze when compared to age matched controls. This study confirms that moderate levels of ethanol exposure to developing embryos have subtle effects on spatial working memory in adulthood. Our data thus suggest that zebrafish may be a promising model system for studying the effects of alcohol on learning and decision-making, but also for developing treatments and interventions to reduce the negative effects of prenatal alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Cleal
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, UK
| | - Matthew O Parker
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Science, University of Portsmouth, UK.
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78
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Holman PJ, Ellis L, Morgan E, Weinberg J. Prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts male adolescent social behavior and oxytocin receptor binding in rodents. Horm Behav 2018; 105:115-127. [PMID: 30110605 PMCID: PMC6246826 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Social behavior deficits resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) emerge early in life and become more pronounced across development. Maturational changes associated with adolescence, including pubertal onset, can have significant consequences for social behavior development, making adolescence a unique period of increased vulnerability to social behavior dysfunction. Unfortunately, little is known about the underlying neurobiology supporting PAE-related social behavior impairments, particularly in the context of adolescence, when the transition to a more complex social environment may exacerbate existing deficits in social behavior function. Here we perform a comprehensive evaluation of social behavior development in PAE animals during two different periods in adolescence using three separate but related tests of social behavior in increasingly complex social contexts: the social interaction test, the social recognition memory test (i.e. habituation-dishabituation test), and the social discrimination test. Additionally, we investigated the underlying neurobiology of the oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) systems following PAE, given their well-documented role in mediating social behavior. Our results demonstrate that compared to controls, early adolescent PAE animals showed impairments on the social recognition memory test and increased OT receptor binding in limbic networks, while late adolescent PAE animals exhibited impairments on the social discrimination test and increased OTR binding in forebrain reward systems. Taken together, these data indicate that PAE impairs adolescent social behavior - especially with increasing complexity of the social context - and that impairments are associated with altered development of the OT but not the AVP system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker J Holman
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
| | - Linda Ellis
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Erin Morgan
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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79
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Ornoy A, Koren G, Yanai J. Is post exposure prevention of teratogenic damage possible: Studies on diabetes, valproic acid, alcohol and anti folates in pregnancy: Animal studies with reflection to human. Reprod Toxicol 2018; 80:92-104. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2018.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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80
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Wang R, Shen YL, Hausknecht KA, Chang L, Haj-Dahmane S, Vezina P, Shen RY. Prenatal ethanol exposure increases risk of psychostimulant addiction. Behav Brain Res 2018; 356:51-61. [PMID: 30076855 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.07.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) causes many cognitive and behavioral deficits including increased drug addiction risk, demonstrated by enhanced ethanol intake and behavioral phenotypes associated with addiction risk. Additionally, preclinical studies show that PE persistently changes the function of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area, a major neural substrate for addiction, and alters these neurons' responses to psychostimulants. Accordingly, PE could also lead to increased risk of addiction to drugs of abuse, other than ethanol. In the present study, addiction risk was examined utilizing paradigms of amphetamine conditioned place preference (CPP) and intravenous self-administration. Ethanol was administered to pregnant dams via intragastric gavage (6 g/kg, during gestational days 8-20). Behavioral tests were conducted in adult male offspring. Amphetamine at a low dose (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) induced CPP in PE but not control rats, whereas at a higher dose (0.6 mg/kg, i.p.) both groups acquired CPP. There was no group difference in amphetamine-induced CPP reinstatement. Furthermore, PE rats self-administered more amphetamine at a low dose (0.02 mg/kg/infusion) than controls, while no group differences were observed at a higher dose (0.1 mg/kg/infusion). Rats with PE also exhibited greater reactivity to contextual drug cues after extended abstinence and amphetamine-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. These results support that PE persistently leads to increased psychostimulant addiction risk later in life, manifested in many elements of addictive behavior following limited psychostimulant exposure. The observations provide insights into prevention strategies for drug addiction in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruixiang Wang
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Department of Psychology, Park Hall Room 204, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Ying-Ling Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA; Graduate Institute of Humanities in Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Kathryn A Hausknecht
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Lawrence Chang
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Samir Haj-Dahmane
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Paul Vezina
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue MC 3077, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Roh-Yu Shen
- Research Institute on Addictions and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, 1021 Main Street, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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81
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A Cyclin E Centered Genetic Network Contributes to Alcohol-Induced Variation in Drosophila Development. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2018; 8:2643-2653. [PMID: 29871898 PMCID: PMC6071605 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to ethanol causes a wide range of adverse physiological, behavioral and cognitive consequences. However, identifying allelic variants and genetic networks associated with variation in susceptibility to prenatal alcohol exposure is challenging in human populations, since time and frequency of exposure and effective dose cannot be determined quantitatively and phenotypic manifestations are diverse. Here, we harnessed the power of natural variation in the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel (DGRP) to identify genes and genetic networks associated with variation in sensitivity to developmental alcohol exposure. We measured development time from egg to adult and viability of 201 DGRP lines reared on regular or ethanol- supplemented medium and identified polymorphisms associated with variation in susceptibility to developmental ethanol exposure. We also documented genotype-dependent variation in sensorimotor behavior after developmental exposure to ethanol using the startle response assay in a subset of 39 DGRP lines. Genes associated with development, including development of the nervous system, featured prominently among genes that harbored variants associated with differential sensitivity to developmental ethanol exposure. Many of them have human orthologs and mutational analyses and RNAi targeting functionally validated a high percentage of candidate genes. Analysis of genetic interaction networks identified Cyclin E (CycE) as a central, highly interconnected hub gene. Cyclin E encodes a protein kinase associated with cell cycle regulation and is prominently expressed in ovaries. Thus, exposure to ethanol during development of Drosophila melanogaster might serve as a genetic model for translational studies on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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82
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Swart PC, Russell VA, Dimatelis JJ. Maternal separation stress reduced prenatal-ethanol-induced increase in exploratory behaviour and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activity. Behav Brain Res 2018; 356:470-482. [PMID: 29908221 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In an attempt to better represent the aetiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and the associated psychological deficits, prenatal-ethanol exposure was followed by maternal separation in a rat model in order to account for the effects of early-life adversities in addition to in utero alcohol exposure. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and glycogen synthase kinase 3-β (GSK3β) are converging points for many signalling cascades and have been implicated in models of FASD and models of early-life stress. Therefore, these kinases may also contribute to the behavioural changes observed after the combination of both developmental insults. In this study, ethanol-dams voluntarily consumed a 0.066% saccharin-sweetened 10% ethanol (EtOH) solution for 10 days prior to pregnancy and throughout gestation while control-dams had ad libitumaccess to a 0.066% saccharin (sacc) solution. Whole litters were randomly assigned to undergo maternal separation (MS) for 3 h/day from P2 to P14 while the remaining litters were left undisturbed (nMS). This resulted in 4 experimental groups: control (sacc + nMS), MS (sacc + MS), EtOH (EtOH + nMS) and EtOH + MS. Throughout development, EtOH-rats weighed less than control rats. However, subsequent maternal separation stress caused EtOH + MS-rats to weigh more than EtOH-rats. In adulthood both MS- and EtOH-rats were hyperactive but the combination produced activity levels similar to that of control rats. All treated animals (MS-, EtOH- and EtOH + MS-rats) demonstrated a negative affective state shown by increased number and duration of 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations compared to control rats. Prenatal-ethanol exposure increased the P-GSK3β/GSK3β ratio in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and maternal separation decreased the P-GSK3β/GSK3β ratio in the dorsal hippocampus (DH) of adult rats. However, maternal separation stress decreased the effect of prenatal-ethanol exposure on the P-ERK/ERK ratio in the PFC and DH and reduced prenatal-ethanol-induced hyperactivity. Therefore, indicating a significant interaction between prenatal-ethanol exposure and early-life stress on behaviour and the brain and may implicate P-ERK1/2 signalling in exploratory behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia C Swart
- University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Observatory, 7925 South Africa.
| | - Vivienne A Russell
- University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Observatory, 7925 South Africa.
| | - Jacqueline J Dimatelis
- University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Human Biology, Observatory, 7925 South Africa.
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83
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Mooney SM, Varlinskaya EI. Enhanced sensitivity to socially facilitating and anxiolytic effects of ethanol in adolescent Sprague Dawley rats following acute prenatal ethanol exposure. Alcohol 2018; 69:25-32. [PMID: 29571047 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that deficits in social functioning and social anxiety are associated with adolescent alcohol use. Our previous research has shown that acute exposure to a high dose of ethanol on gestational day (G) 12 produces social alterations in adolescent Sprague Dawley rats. The present study assessed whether these social alterations can affect sensitivity to acute ethanol challenge during adolescence. Pregnant females were exposed intraperitoneally (i.p.) to ethanol (2.5 g/kg followed by 1.25 g/kg in 2 h) or saline on G12, and their male and female offspring were tested on postnatal day (P) 42. Rats were challenged i.p. with one of four ethanol doses (0, 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 g/kg), and their social behavior was assessed in a modified social interaction test. Social alterations associated with prenatal ethanol exposure and indexed via decreases of social investigation, social preference, and play fighting were evident in males and females challenged with the 0 g/kg ethanol dose. Acute ethanol increased social investigation, social preference, and play fighting in animals prenatally exposed to ethanol. In contrast, rats prenatally exposed to saline, showing no social facilitation, demonstrated significant ethanol-induced (0.75 and 1.0 g/kg) decreases in social behavior. Given that late adolescents demonstrating social alterations induced by prenatal ethanol exposure become sensitive to the socially anxiolytic as well as socially facilitating effects of acute ethanol, it is possible that the attractiveness of ethanol to these adolescents may be based on its ability to alleviate anxiety under social circumstances and facilitate interactions with peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Mooney
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States; Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States.
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84
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Denson TF, O'Dean SM, Blake KR, Beames JR. Aggression in Women: Behavior, Brain and Hormones. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:81. [PMID: 29770113 PMCID: PMC5942158 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We review the literature on aggression in women with an emphasis on laboratory experimentation and hormonal and brain mechanisms. Women tend to engage in more indirect forms of aggression (e.g., spreading rumors) than other types of aggression. In laboratory studies, women are less aggressive than men, but provocation attenuates this difference. In the real world, women are just as likely to aggress against their romantic partner as men are, but men cause more serious physical and psychological harm. A very small minority of women are also sexually violent. Women are susceptible to alcohol-related aggression, but this type of aggression may be limited to women high in trait aggression. Fear of being harmed is a robust inhibitor of direct aggression in women. There are too few studies and most are underpowered to detect unique neural mechanisms associated with aggression in women. Testosterone shows the same small, positive relationship with aggression in women as in men. The role of cortisol is unclear, although some evidence suggests that women who are high in testosterone and low in cortisol show heightened aggression. Under some circumstances, oxytocin may increase aggression by enhancing reactivity to provocation and simultaneously lowering perceptions of danger that normally inhibit many women from retaliating. There is some evidence that high levels of estradiol and progesterone are associated with low levels of aggression. We highlight that more gender-specific theory-driven hypothesis testing is needed with larger samples of women and aggression paradigms relevant to women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Denson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Siobhan M O'Dean
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Khandis R Blake
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Joanne R Beames
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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85
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Hyperactivity and memory/learning deficits evoked by developmental exposure to nicotine and/or ethanol are mitigated by cAMP and cGMP signaling cascades activation. Neurotoxicology 2018; 66:150-159. [PMID: 29653137 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Pregnant smoking women are frequently episodic drinkers. Here, we investigated whether ethanol exposure restricted to the brain growth spurt period when combined with chronic developmental exposure to nicotine aggravates memory/learning deficits and hyperactivity, and associated cAMP and cGMP signaling disruption. To further investigate the role of these signaling cascades, we verified whether vinpocetine (a phosphodiesterase inhibitor) ameliorates the neurochemical and behavioral outcomes. Swiss mice had free access to nicotine (NIC, 50 μg/ml) or water to drink during gestation and until the 8th postnatal day (PN8). Ethanol (ETOH, 5 g/kg, i.p.) or saline were injected in the pups every other day from PN2 to PN8. At PN30, animals either received vinpocetine (20 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle before being tested in the step-down passive avoidance or open field. Memory/learning was impaired in NIC, ETOH and NIC + ETOH mice, and vinpocetine mitigated ETOH- and NIC + ETOH-induced deficits. Locomotor hyperactivity identified in ETOH and NIC + ETOH mice was ameliorated by vinpocetine. While cyclic nucleotides levels in cerebral cortex and hippocampus were reduced by NIC, ETOH and NIC + ETOH, this outcome was more consistent in the latter group. As observed for behavior, vinpocetine normalized NIC + ETOH nucleotides levels. pCREB levels were also increased in response to vinpocetine, with stronger effects in the NIC + ETOH group. Exposure to both drugs of abuse worsens behavioral and neurochemical disruption. These findings and the amelioration of deleterious effects by vinpocetine support the idea that cAMP and cGMP signaling contribute to nicotine- and ethanol-induced hyperactivity and memory/learning deficits.
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Brancato A, Castelli V, Cavallaro A, Lavanco G, Plescia F, Cannizzaro C. Pre-conceptional and Peri-Gestational Maternal Binge Alcohol Drinking Produces Inheritance of Mood Disturbances and Alcohol Vulnerability in the Adolescent Offspring. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:150. [PMID: 29743872 PMCID: PMC5930268 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although binge drinking is on the rise in women of reproductive age and during pregnancy, the consequences in the offspring, in particular the inheritance of alcohol-related mood disturbances and alcohol abuse vulnerability, are still poorly investigated. In this study, we modeled both Habitual- and Binge Alcohol Drinking (HAD and BAD) in female rats by employing a two-bottle choice paradigm, with 20% alcohol and water. The exposure started 12 weeks before pregnancy and continued during gestation and lactation. The consequences induced by the two alcohol drinking patterns in female rats were assessed before conception in terms of behavioral reactivity, anxiety- and depressive-like behavior. Afterwards, from adolescence to young-adulthood, male offspring was assessed for behavioral phenotype and alcohol abuse vulnerability. At pre-conceptional time BAD female rats showed higher mean alcohol intake and preference than HAD group; differences in drinking trajectories were attenuated during pregnancy and lactation. Pre-conceptional BAD induced a prevalent depressive/anhedonic-like behavior in female rats, rather than an increase in anxiety-like behavior, as observed in HAD rats. In the adolescent offspring, peri-gestational BAD did not affect behavioral reactivity in the open field and anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze. Rather, BAD dams offspring displayed higher despair-behavior and lower social interaction with respect to control- and HAD dams progeny. Notably, only binge drinking exposure increased offspring vulnerability to alcohol abuse and relapse following forced abstinence. This is the first report showing that binge-like alcohol consumption from pre-conceptional until weaning induces relevant consequences in the affective phenotype of both the mothers and the offspring, and that such effects include heightened alcohol abuse vulnerability in the offspring. These findings highlight the need for more incisive public education campaigns about detrimental consequences of peri-gestational alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Brancato
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Castelli
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Angela Cavallaro
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Gianluca Lavanco
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Fulvio Plescia
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Carla Cannizzaro
- Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother and Child Care "Giuseppe D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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87
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García-Pardo MP, De la Rubia Ortí JE, Aguilar Calpe MA. Differential effects of MDMA and cocaine on inhibitory avoidance and object recognition tests in rodents. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 146:1-11. [PMID: 29081371 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Drug addiction continues being a major public problem faced by modern societies with different social, health and legal consequences for the consumers. Consumption of psychostimulants, like cocaine or MDMA (known as ecstasy) are highly prevalent and cognitive and memory impairments have been related with the abuse of these drugs. AIM The aim of this work was to review the most important data of the literature in the last 10 years about the effects of cocaine and MDMA on inhibitory avoidance and object recognition tests in rodents. DEVELOPMENT The object recognition and the inhibitory avoidance tests are popular procedures used to assess different types of memory. We compare the effects of cocaine and MDMA administration in these tests, taking in consideration different factors such as the period of life development of the animals (prenatal, adolescence and adult age), the presence of polydrug consumption or the role of environmental variables. Brain structures involved in the effects of cocaine and MDMA on memory are also described. CONCLUSIONS Cocaine and MDMA induced similar impairing effects on the object recognition test during critical periods of lifetime or after abstinence of prolonged consumption in adulthood. Deficits of inhibitory avoidance memory are observed only in adult rodents exposed to MDMA. Psychostimulant abuse is a potential factor to induce memory impairments and could facilitate the development of future neurodegenerative disorders.
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88
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Rouzer SK, Cole JM, Johnson JM, Varlinskaya EI, Diaz MR. Moderate Maternal Alcohol Exposure on Gestational Day 12 Impacts Anxiety-Like Behavior in Offspring. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:183. [PMID: 29033803 PMCID: PMC5626811 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the numerous consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is an increase in anxiety-like behavior that can prove debilitating to daily functioning. A significant body of literature has linked gestational day 12 (G12) heavy ethanol exposure with social anxiety, evident in adolescent males and females. However, the association between non-social anxiety-like behavior and moderate alcohol exposure, a more common pattern of drinking in pregnant women, is yet unidentified. To model moderate PAE (mPAE), we exposed pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats to either room air or vaporized ethanol for 6 h on G12. Adolescent offspring were then tested on postnatal days (P) 41-47 in one of the following four anxiety assays: novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH), elevated plus maze (EPM), light-dark box (LDB) and open-field (OF). Our findings revealed significant increases in measures of anxiety-like behavior in male PAE offspring in the NIH, LDB and OF, with no differences observed in females on any test. Additionally, male offspring who demonstrated heightened anxiety-like behavior as adolescents demonstrated decreased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood, as measured by a marble-burying test (MBT), while females continued to be unaffected in adulthood. These results suggest that mPAE leads to dynamic changes in anxiety-like behavior exclusively in male offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siara K Rouzer
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Jesse M Cole
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Julia M Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
| | - Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, United States
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89
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Embryonic alcohol exposure leading to social avoidance and altered anxiety responses in adult zebrafish. Behav Brain Res 2017; 352:62-69. [PMID: 28882694 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.08.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 08/26/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is a syndrome characterized by neurological and behavioral impairments. A recently discovered hallmark of FASD is impaired social behavior. Avoidance of social interaction typical of FASD may be the result of increased anxiety. Previously, the zebrafish was successfully used to model embryonic alcohol induced social abnormalities. Here, we analyzed both anxiety and social responses using a zebrafish FASD model, in adult fish. We exposed zebrafish embryos to low concentrations of ethanol (0.1%; 0.25%; 0.5% and 1% v/v) for 2h at, 24h post-fertilization, to mimic the most prevalent milder FASD cases, and investigated the ensuing alterations in adult, 4-month-old, zebrafish. We studied social interaction in the social preference task and anxiety in the novel tank task. We observed an ethanol dose dependent reduction of time spend in the conspecific zone compared to control, corroborating prior findings. We also found significant changes in the novel tank (e.g. increased bottom dwell time, increased distance to top) suggesting elevated anxiety to control, but we also found, using an anxiolytic drug buspirone, that reduction of anxiety is associated with reduced shoaling. Our results confirm that embryonic alcohol exposure disrupts social behavior, and also show that its effects on anxiety related phenotypes may be genotype, alcohol administration method, experimental procedure and test-context dependent.
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90
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Cantacorps L, Alfonso-Loeches S, Moscoso-Castro M, Cuitavi J, Gracia-Rubio I, López-Arnau R, Escubedo E, Guerri C, Valverde O. Maternal alcohol binge drinking induces persistent neuroinflammation associated with myelin damage and behavioural dysfunctions in offspring mice. Neuropharmacology 2017; 123:368-384. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Revised: 05/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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91
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Ganthous G, Rossi NF, Giacheti CM. Oral narrative of individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Codas 2017; 29:e20170012. [PMID: 28813074 DOI: 10.1590/2317-1782/20172017012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate and compare the oral narrative of individuals with FASD and individuals with typical language development (TLD), as well as to correlate the narrative performance with the score from 4-Digit Diagnostic Code. Methods Participants were 20 individuals with FASD, of both genders, with chronological age between 6 and 16 years, and 20 individuals with TLD, same gender and similar to the FASD group in age and socioeconomic status. The oral narrative was elicited using the book Frog, where are you? and the data were analyzed in terms of macrostructure, microstructure and global coherence level. Measures regarding the macrostructure included the presence of typical structural elements of storytelling, while the microstructural aspects included words (total and different words), communication units (C-Units), lexical diversity, and mean length of C-Units. Results Low performance was found in the FASD group for all macrostructural aspects, with the exception of linguistic markers. Among the microstructural aspects, lexical diversity and incomplete C-Units were different between the FASD and TLD groups. The FASD group presented lower global coherence level compared to the TLD group. Negative correlations were found between macrostructural aspects, facial characteristics, and Central Nervous System impairment. Conclusion Restricted use of typical structural elements of storytelling with lower levels of coherence and reduced vocabulary distinguished the FASD from the TDL group. Future studies may explore whether the association between narrative performance and the 4-Digit Diagnostic Code items present predictive values in the narrative performance of individuals with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Ganthous
- Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP - Marília (SP), Brasil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia sobre Comportamento, Cognição e Ensino - INCT-ECCE, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar - São Carlos (SP), Brasil
| | - Natalia Freitas Rossi
- Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP - Marília (SP), Brasil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia sobre Comportamento, Cognição e Ensino - INCT-ECCE, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar - São Carlos (SP), Brasil
| | - Célia Maria Giacheti
- Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP - Marília (SP), Brasil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia sobre Comportamento, Cognição e Ensino - INCT-ECCE, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - UFSCar - São Carlos (SP), Brasil
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Van Heertum K, Rossi B. Alcohol and fertility: how much is too much? FERTILITY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2017; 3:10. [PMID: 28702207 PMCID: PMC5504800 DOI: 10.1186/s40738-017-0037-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use is prevalent in the United States. Given that a substantial portion of the drinking population is of reproductive age, it is not uncommon for couples who are attempting conception, or for women who are already pregnant, to be regularly consuming alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with multiple reproductive risks, including having a child with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, increased risk of fetal loss, and decreased chance of live birth. This review serves to examine the risks of alcohol in the context of reproductive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Van Heertum
- Department of Reproductive Biology - Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
| | - Brooke Rossi
- Department of Reproductive Biology - Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106 USA
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93
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Schambra UB, Lewis CN, Harrison TA. Deficits in spatial learning and memory in adult mice following acute, low or moderate levels of prenatal ethanol exposure during gastrulation or neurulation. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 62:42-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2016] [Revised: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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94
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Tong M, Gao JS, Borgas D, de la Monte SM. Phosphorylation Modulates Aspartyl-(Asparaginyl)-β Hydroxylase Protein Expression, Catalytic Activity and Migration in Human Immature Neuronal Cerebellar Cells. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 6. [PMID: 29607347 DOI: 10.4172/2324-9293.1000133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Background Abundant aspartyl-asparaginyl-β-hydroxylase (ASPH) expression supports robust neuronal migration during development, and reduced ASPH expression and function, as occur in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, impair cerebellar neuron migration. ASPH mediates its effects on cell migration via hydroxylation-dependent activation of Notch signaling networks. Insulin and Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) stimulate ASPH mRNA transcription and enhance ASPH protein expression by inhibiting Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β). This study examines the role of direct GSK-3β phosphorylation as a modulator of ASPH protein expression and function in human cerebellar-derived PNET2 cells. Methods Predicted phosphorylation sites encoded by human ASPH were ablated by S/T→A site-directed mutagenesis of an N-Myc-tagged wildtype (WT) cDNA regulated by a CMV promoter. Phenotypic and functional features were assessed in transiently transfected PNET2 cells. Results Cells transfected with WT ASPH had increased ASPH protein expression, directional motility, Notch-1 and Jagged-1 expression, and catalytic activity relative to control. Although most single- and multi-point ASPH mutants also had increased ASPH protein expression, their effects on Notch and Jagged expression, directional motility and adhesion, and catalytic activity varied such that only a few of the cDNA constructs conferred functional advantages over WT. Immunofluorescence studies showed that ASPH phosphorylation site deletions can alter the subcellular distribution of ASPH and therefore its potential interactions with Notch/Jagged at the cell surface. Conclusions Inhibition of ASPH phosphorylation enhances ASPH protein expression, but attendant alterations in intra-cellular trafficking may govern the functional consequences in relation to neuronal migration, adhesion and Notch activated signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tong
- Liver Research Center, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Neuropathology, and Departments of Medicine, Pathology (Neuropathology), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI and the Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Jin-Song Gao
- Liver Research Center, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Neuropathology, and Departments of Medicine, Pathology (Neuropathology), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI and the Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Diana Borgas
- Liver Research Center, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Neuropathology, and Departments of Medicine, Pathology (Neuropathology), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI and the Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Suzanne M de la Monte
- Liver Research Center, Divisions of Gastroenterology and Neuropathology, and Departments of Medicine, Pathology (Neuropathology), Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Rhode Island Hospital and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI and the Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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95
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Low-dose chronic prenatal alcohol exposure abolishes the pro-cognitive effects of angiotensin IV. Behav Brain Res 2017; 329:140-147. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.04.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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96
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Banik A, Kandilya D, Ramya S, Stünkel W, Chong YS, Dheen ST. Maternal Factors that Induce Epigenetic Changes Contribute to Neurological Disorders in Offspring. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E150. [PMID: 28538662 PMCID: PMC5485514 DOI: 10.3390/genes8060150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 05/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that the regulation of epigenetic factors, including chromatic reorganization, histone modifications, DNA methylation, and miRNA regulation, is critical for the normal development and functioning of the human brain. There are a number of maternal factors influencing epigenetic pathways such as lifestyle, including diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking, as well as age and infections (viral or bacterial). Genetic and metabolic alterations such as obesity, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and thyroidism alter epigenetic mechanisms, thereby contributing to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs) such as embryonic neural tube defects (NTDs), autism, Down's syndrome, Rett syndrome, and later onset of neuropsychological deficits. This review comprehensively describes the recent findings in the epigenetic landscape contributing to altered molecular profiles resulting in NDs. Furthermore, we will discuss potential avenues for future research to identify diagnostic markers and therapeutic epi-drugs to reverse these abnormalities in the brain as epigenetic marks are plastic and reversible in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avijit Banik
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117594, Singapore.
| | - Deepika Kandilya
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117594, Singapore.
| | - Seshadri Ramya
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117594, Singapore.
| | - Walter Stünkel
- Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Singapore 117609, Singapore.
| | - Yap Seng Chong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119228, Singapore.
| | - S Thameem Dheen
- Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117594, Singapore.
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97
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Houlé K, Abdi M, Clabough EBD. Acute ethanol exposure during late mouse neurodevelopment results in long-term deficits in memory retrieval, but not in social responsiveness. Brain Behav 2017; 7:e00636. [PMID: 28413697 PMCID: PMC5390829 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in neurological changes in affected individuals and may result in the emergence of a broad spectrum of neurobehavioral abnormalities termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The effects of ethanol exposure during development are both time and dose dependent. Although many animal models of FASD use more chronic ethanol exposure, acute developmental alcohol exposure may also cause long-lasting neuronal changes. Our research employed behavioral measures to assess the effects of a single early postnatal ethanol intoxication event in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Mice were dosed at postnatal day 6 (a 2.5 g/kg dose of ethanol or a saline control administered twice, 2 hr apart) as a model of third trimester binge drinking in humans. This exposure was followed by behavioral assessment in male mice at 1 month (1M) and at 4 months of age (4M), using the Barnes maze (for learning/memory retrieval), exploratory behavior, and a social responsiveness task. RESULTS Ethanol-exposed mice appeared to be less motivated to complete the Barnes maze at 1M, but were able to successfully learn the maze. However, deficits in long-term spatial memory retrieval were observed in ethanol-exposed mice when the Barnes maze recall was measured at 4M. No significant differences were found in open field behavior or social responsiveness at 1M or 4M of age. CONCLUSIONS Acute ethanol exposure at P6 in mice leads to mild but long-lasting deficits in long-term spatial memory. Results suggest that even brief acute exposure to high ethanol levels during the third trimester equivalent of human pregnancy may have a permanent negative impact on the neurological functioning of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Houlé
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Medical College of South Carolina Charleston SC USA.,Department of Biology Randolph-Macon College Ashland VA USA
| | - Myshake Abdi
- Department of Biology Hampden-Sydney College Farmville VA USA
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Donaldson TN, Barto D, Bird CW, Magcalas CM, Rodriguez CI, Fink BC, Hamilton DA. Social Order: Using The Sequential Structure of Social Interaction to Discriminate Abnormal Social Behavior in the Rat. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2017; 61:41-51. [PMID: 30034031 PMCID: PMC6053068 DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Social interactions form the basis of a broad range of functions related to survival and mating. The complexity of social behaviors and the flexibility required for normal social interactions make social behavior particularly susceptible to disruption. The consequences of developmental insults in the social domain and the associated neurobiological factors are commonly studied in rodents. Though methods for investigating social interactions in the laboratory are diverse, animals are typically placed together in an apparatus for a brief period (under 30 min) and allowed to interact freely while behavior is recorded for subsequent analysis. A standard approach to the analysis of social behavior involves quantification of the frequency and duration of individual social behaviors. This approach provides information about the allocation of time to particular behaviors within a session, which is typically sufficient for detection of robust alterations in behavior. Virtually all social species, however, display complex sequences of social behavior that are not captured in the quantification of individual behaviors. Sequences of behavior may provide more sensitive indicators of disruptions in social behavior. Sophisticated analysis systems for quantification of behavior sequences have been available for many years; however, the required training and time to complete these analyses represent significant barriers to high-throughput assessments. We present a simple approach to the quantification of behavioral sequences that requires minimal additional analytical steps after individual behaviors are coded. We implement this approach to identify altered social behavior in rats exposed to alcohol during prenatal development, and show that the frequency of several pairwise sequences of behavior discriminate controls from ethanol-exposed rats when the frequency of individual behaviors involved in those sequences does not. Thus, the approach described here may be useful in detecting subtle deficits in the social domain and identifying neural circuits involved in the organization of social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tia N. Donaldson
- Department of Psychology, Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
| | - Daniel Barto
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Clark W. Bird
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | | | | | - Brandi C. Fink
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Derek A. Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
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Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Affects Progenitor Cell Numbers in Olfactory Bulbs and Dentate Gyrus of Vervet Monkeys. Brain Sci 2016; 6:brainsci6040052. [PMID: 27801790 PMCID: PMC5187566 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci6040052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) alters hippocampal cell numbers in rodents and primates, and this may be due, in part, to a reduction in the number or migration of neuronal progenitor cells. The olfactory bulb exhibits substantial postnatal cellular proliferation and a rapid turnover of newly formed cells in the rostral migratory pathway, while production and migration of postnatal neurons into the dentate gyrus may be more complex. The relatively small size of the olfactory bulb, compared to the hippocampus, potentially makes this structure ideal for a rapid analysis. This study used the St. Kitts vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sabeus) to (1) investigate the normal developmental sequence of post-natal proliferation in the olfactory bulb and dentate gyrus and (2) determine the effects of naturalistic prenatal ethanol exposure on proliferation at three different ages (neonate, five months and two years). Using design-based stereology, we found an age-related decrease of actively proliferating cells in the olfactory bulb and dentate gyrus for both control and FAE groups. Furthermore, at the neonatal time point, the FAE group had fewer actively proliferating cells as compared to the control group. These data are unique with respect to fetal ethanol effects on progenitor proliferation in the primate brain and suggest that the olfactory bulb may be a useful structure for studies of cellular proliferation.
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Rodriguez CI, Magcalas CM, Barto D, Fink BC, Rice JP, Bird CW, Davies S, Pentkowski NS, Savage DD, Hamilton DA. Effects of sex and housing on social, spatial, and motor behavior in adult rats exposed to moderate levels of alcohol during prenatal development. Behav Brain Res 2016; 313:233-243. [PMID: 27424779 PMCID: PMC4987176 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Persistent deficits in social behavior, motor behavior, and behavioral flexibility are among the major negative consequences associated with exposure to ethanol during prenatal development. Prior work from our laboratory has linked moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in the rat to deficits in these behavioral domains, which depend upon the ventrolateral frontal cortex (Hamilton et al., 2014) [20]. Manipulations of the social environment cause modifications of dendritic morphology and experience-dependent immediate early gene expression in ventrolateral frontal cortex (Hamilton et al., 2010) [19], and may yield positive behavioral outcomes following PAE. In the present study we evaluated the effects of housing PAE rats with non-exposed control rats on adult behavior. Rats of both sexes were either paired with a partner from the same prenatal treatment condition (ethanol or saccharin) or from the opposite condition (mixed housing condition). At four months of age (∼3 months after the housing manipulation commenced), social behavior, tongue protrusion, and behavioral flexibility in the Morris water task were measured as in (Hamilton et al., 2014) [20]. The behavioral effects of moderate PAE were primarily limited to males and were not ameliorated by housing with a non-ethanol exposed partner. Unexpectedly, social behavior, motor behavior, and spatial flexibility were adversely affected in control rats housed with a PAE rat (i.e., in mixed housing), indicating that housing with a PAE rat has broad behavioral consequences beyond the social domain. These observations provide further evidence that moderate PAE negatively affects social behavior, and underscore the importance of considering potential negative effects of housing with PAE animals on the behavior of critical comparison groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos I Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Christy M Magcalas
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Daniel Barto
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Brandi C Fink
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - James P Rice
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Clark W Bird
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nathan S Pentkowski
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Daniel D Savage
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Derek A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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