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Willadsen M, Best LM, Wöhr M, Clarke PBS. Effects of anxiogenic drugs on the emission of 22- and 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in adult rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:2435-2445. [PMID: 29909426 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4942-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Adult rat 22-kHz vocalizations are often associated with alarm or distress, whereas a subset of 50-kHz calls is preferentially emitted in response to amphetamine and other rewarding stimuli. Whether any 50-kHz calls reflect anxiety is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of anxiogenic drugs on 50-kHz call rate and call subtype profile, in comparison with D-amphetamine. METHODS Adult male rats received systemic amphetamine (1 mg/kg) three times several days before testing. Ultrasonic vocalizations were then recorded after acute intraperitoneal injection of amphetamine or one of five anxiogenic drugs: yohimbine (2.5 mg/kg), N-methyl-β-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG 7142, 5 mg/kg), pentylenetetrazol (PTZ, 20 mg/kg), m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP, 1 mg/kg), caffeine (25 mg/kg), or vehicle. RESULTS The duration of immobility was increased by FG 7142, PTZ, and mCPP; this measure was unchanged by yohimbine and reduced by the locomotor stimulant drugs amphetamine and caffeine. Conversely, the 50-kHz call rate was reduced by FG 7142, PTZ and mCPP, and increased by caffeine and amphetamine. Overall, the most common 50-kHz call subtypes were flat, trill, step-up, and complex. Consistent with previous reports, amphetamine increased the relative prevalence of trill calls while reducing the relative prevalence of flat calls. Yohimbine and caffeine reduced flat call prevalence, whereas mCPP reduced trill call prevalence. No other shifts in the call profile were observed, and no anxiogenic drug induced 22-kHz calls. CONCLUSION Anxiogenic drugs, as a class, did not uniformly alter the 50-kHz call rate or subtype profile. Amphetamine-induced effects on 50-kHz call rate and profile do not reflect anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Willadsen
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Laura M Best
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, McIntyre Medical Building Rm. 1325, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35032, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Philipps-University of Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Paul B S Clarke
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, McIntyre Medical Building Rm. 1325, 3655 Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada.
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Effects of acute morphine withdrawal on ultrasonic vocalizations in adult rats: unchanged 50-kHz call rate and altered subtype profile. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:1945-1953. [PMID: 29663018 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4891-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Adult rat 22- and 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) are commonly considered as indices of negative and positive affect, respectively. More specifically, we have proposed that positive affective states are revealed by a predominance of trill over flat 50-kHz call subtypes. However, the 50-kHz call subtypes emitted during aversive drug states remain largely uninvestigated. OBJECTIVES To determine whether acute morphine withdrawal affects 50-kHz call rates or alters the relative prevalence of trill and flat calls. METHODS In experiment 1, adult male rats were given saline or morphine (6 mg/kg SC), then acutely challenged 4 h later with saline or naloxone (1 mg/kg SC), and recorded 10-30 min post-injection. In experiments 2 and 3, rats received saline or morphine (6 mg/kg), followed 4 h later by acute saline or naloxone (0.1 mg/kg) challenge; USVs were subsequently recorded during 30-min place conditioning sessions. RESULTS Naloxone (0.1 mg/kg) produced a strong conditioned place aversion only after acute morphine pretreatment, consistent with antagonist-precipitated morphine withdrawal. The morphine-naloxone combination decreased the relative prevalence of trills and promoted flat calls. Naloxone given alone (0.1 and 1 mg/kg) inhibited trill calls but did not significantly alter the prevalence of flat calls, whereas morphine given alone (4 h pre-session) was largely without effect. Fifty-kHz call rates were inhibited by naloxone given alone, but otherwise unaffected. Twenty-two-kHz calls were sparse. CONCLUSIONS The 50-kHz call subtype shift seen during antagonist-precipitated morphine withdrawal was opposite in direction to that previously associated with rewards, and hence may reveal negative affect.
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Schwarting RK. Ultrasonic vocalization in juvenile and adult male rats: A comparison among stocks. Physiol Behav 2018; 191:1-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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de Oliveira Guaita G, Vecchia DD, Andreatini R, Robinson DL, Schwarting RKW, Da Cunha C. Diazepam blocks 50 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations and stereotypies but not the increase in locomotor activity induced in rats by amphetamine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:1887-1896. [PMID: 29572651 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4878-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE We have recently shown that the benzodiazepine diazepam inhibits dopamine release in the NAc and blocks the increased release of dopamine induced by DL-amphetamine. Rewarding stimuli and many drugs of abuse can induce dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens as well as 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in rats. OBJECTIVES In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that diazepam can also block the increase in locomotor activity and USVs elicited by amphetamine. METHODS Fifty-kilohertz USVs, stereotypy, and locomotor behavior were scored in adult male Wistar rats treated with i.p. injections of saline, 3 mg/kg DL-amphetamine, 2 mg/kg diazepam, 0.2 mg/kg haloperidol, or a combination of these drugs. RESULTS In agreement with previous studies, amphetamine caused significant increases in the number of USV calls, stereotypies, and locomotor activity. The D2 dopamine receptor antagonist haloperidol blocked the effects of amphetamine on USVs, stereotypy, and locomotor activity. Diazepam blocked the effect of amphetamine on USV and stereotypy, but not on horizontal locomotion. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that diazepam blocks the rewarding effect of amphetamine. This finding is promising for basic research regarding treatments of substance use disorders and evaluation of the impact of benzodiazepines on motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Debora Dalla Vecchia
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, 81.530-980, Brazil
| | - Roberto Andreatini
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, 81.530-980, Brazil
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Department of Psychiatry and Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7178, USA
| | - Rainer K W Schwarting
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Marburg Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (MCMBB), Philipps-University of Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Claudio Da Cunha
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, 81.530-980, Brazil.
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Schwarting RKW, Wöhr M. Isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations in pups: A comparison between Long-Evans, Sprague-Dawley, and Wistar rats. Dev Psychobiol 2018; 60:534-543. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rainer K. W. Schwarting
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology; Philipps-University of Marburg; Marburg Germany
- Marburg Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (MCMBB); Marburg Germany
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology; Philipps-University of Marburg; Marburg Germany
- Marburg Center for Mind, Brain, and Behavior (MCMBB); Marburg Germany
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Yates NJ, Tesic D, Feindel KW, Smith JT, Clarke MW, Wale C, Crew RC, Wharfe MD, Whitehouse AJO, Wyrwoll CS. Vitamin D is crucial for maternal care and offspring social behaviour in rats. J Endocrinol 2018; 237:73-85. [PMID: 29559544 DOI: 10.1530/joe-18-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Early life vitamin D plays a prominent role in neurodevelopment and subsequent brain function, including schizophrenic-like outcomes and increasing evidence for an association with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, we investigate how early life vitamin D deficiency during rat pregnancy and lactation alters maternal care and influences neurodevelopment and affective, cognitive and social behaviours in male adult offspring. Sprague-Dawley rats were placed on either a vitamin D control (2195 IU/kg) or deficient diet (0 IU/kg) for five weeks before timed mating, and diet exposure was maintained until weaning of offspring on postnatal day (PND) 23. MRI scans were conducted to assess brain morphology, and plasma corticosterone levels and neural expression of genes associated with language, dopamine and glucocorticoid exposure were characterised at PND1, PND12 and 4 months of age. Compared to controls, vitamin D-deficient dams exhibited decreased licking and grooming of their pups but no differences in pup retrieval. Offspring neurodevelopmental markers were unaltered, but vitamin D-deficient pup ultrasonic vocalisations were atypical. As adults, males that had been exposed to vitamin D deficiency in early life exhibited decreased social behaviour, impaired learning and memory outcomes and increased grooming behaviour, but unaltered affective behaviours. Accompanying these behavioural changes was an increase in lateral ventricle volume, decreased cortical FOXP2 (a protein implicated in language and communication) and altered neural expression of genes involved in dopamine and glucocorticoid-related pathways. These data highlight that early life levels of vitamin D are an important consideration for maternal behavioural adaptations as well as offspring neuropsychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathanael J Yates
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Dijana Tesic
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Kirk W Feindel
- Centre for MicroscopyCharacterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Jeremy T Smith
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Michael W Clarke
- Metabolomics AustraliaCentre for Microscopy, Characterisation and Analysis, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Celeste Wale
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Rachael C Crew
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Michaela D Wharfe
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Caitlin S Wyrwoll
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
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Bukhari SHF, Clark OE, Williamson LL. Maternal high fructose diet and neonatal immune challenge alter offspring anxiety-like behavior and inflammation across the lifespan. Life Sci 2018; 197:114-121. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 02/03/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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58
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Wada H. Acoustic alterations of ultrasonic vocalization in rat pups induced by perinatal hypothyroidism. Neurotoxicology 2017; 59:175-182. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Chronic postnatal monoamine oxidase inhibition affects affiliative behavior in rat pupso. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2016; 153:60-68. [PMID: 27989747 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Monoamine neurotransmitters serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and noradrenaline (NA) act as important modulators of mammalian brain development and represent neurobiological substrates of affiliative behavior reflected in rat pups as a tendency to huddle or produce ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) when separated from the nest. Monoamines are metabolized through oxidative deamination catalyzed by the mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). In this study, we examined the consequences of postnatal MAO inhibition on affiliative behavior in rat pups. Pups received daily injections of either an irreversible non-selective MAO inhibitor tranylcypromine (TCP) or saline, from post-natal day (PND) 1 to PND 22. Quantitative and qualitative components of USV were analyzed on PNDs 10, 13 and 16 in order to determine the level of separation-induced anxiety and the modality of vocal communication. In comparison to control pups, TCP-treated pups displayed higher cortical 5-HT, DA and NA levels, higher peripheral 5-HT concentration, lower body mass throughout the pre-weaning period, higher isolation-induced drop in body temperature, and reduced total number of calls. Furthermore, they produced lower pitched calls of longer average duration without a preferable waveform. Our results demonstrate that chronic MAO inhibition by TCP primarily affects 5-HT concentrations, but also raises central catecholamine levels. They further indicate that disturbed monoaminergic homeostasis during early postnatal development leads to decreased weight-gain, compromised thermoregulation, and altered affiliative behavior in pre-weaning pups as reflected in reduced separation anxiety and inadequate vocal communication. Finally, they suggest a need for thorough examination of the potential effects of TCP and other monoamine inhibitors on the developing human brain.
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Rippberger H, van Gaalen MM, Schwarting RKW, Wohr M. Environmental and Pharmacological Modulation of Amphetamine- Induced 50-kHz Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Rats. Curr Neuropharmacol 2016; 13:220-32. [PMID: 26411764 PMCID: PMC4598433 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x1302150525124408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rats emit high-frequency 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in appetitive situations like social interactions. Drugs of abuse are probably the most potent non-social elicitors of 50-kHz USV, possibly reflecting their euphorigenic properties. Psychostimulants induce the strongest elevation in 50-kHz USV emission, particularly amphetamine (AMPH), either when applied systemically or locally into the nucleus accumbens (Nacc). Emission of AMPH-induced 50-kHz USV depends on test context, such as the presence of conspecifics, and can be manipulated pharmacologically by targeting major neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA), and serotonin (5-HT), but also protein kinase C (PKC) signaling. Several D1 and D2 receptor antagonists, as well as typical and atypical antipsychotics block the AMPH-induced elevation in 50-kHz USV. Inhibiting D1 and D2 receptors in the Nacc abolishes AMPH-induced 50-kHz USV, indicating a key role for this brain area. NA neurotransmission also regulates AMPH-induced 50-kHz USV emission given that α1 receptor antagonists and α2 receptor agonists exert attenuating effects. Supporting the involvement of the 5-HT system, AMPH-induced 50-kHz USV are attenuated by 5-HT2C receptor activation, whereas 5-HT2C receptor antagonism leads to the opposite effect. Finally, treatment with lithium, tamoxifen, and myricitrin was all found to result in a complete abolishment of the AMPH-induced increase in 50-kHz USV, suggesting the involvement of PKC signaling. Neurotransmitter systems involved in AMPH-induced 50-kHz USV emission only partially overlap with other AMPH-induced behaviors like hyperlocomotion. The validity of AMPH-induced 50-kHz USV as a preclinical model for neuropsychiatric disorders is discussed, particularly with relevance to altered drive and mood seen in bipolar disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Markus Wohr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35032 Marburg, Germany.
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Ouda L, Jílek M, Syka J. Expression of c-Fos in rat auditory and limbic systems following 22-kHz calls. Behav Brain Res 2016; 308:196-204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Dietz B, Manahan-Vaughan D. Hippocampal long-term depression is facilitated by the acquisition and updating of memory of spatial auditory content and requires mGlu5 activation. Neuropharmacology 2016; 115:30-41. [PMID: 27055771 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) are key cellular processes that support memory formation. Whereas increases of synaptic strength by means of LTP may support the creation of a spatial memory 'engram', LTD appears to play an important role in refining and optimising experience-dependent encoding. A differentiation in the role of hippocampal subfields is apparent. For example, LTD in the dentate gyrus (DG) is enabled by novel learning about large visuospatial features, whereas in area CA1, it is enabled by learning about discrete aspects of spatial content, whereby, both discrete visuospatial and olfactospatial cues trigger LTD in CA1. Here, we explored to what extent local audiospatial cues facilitate information encoding in the form of LTD in these subfields. Coupling of low frequency afferent stimulation (LFS) with discretely localised, novel auditory tones in the sonic hearing, or ultrasonic range, facilitated short-term depression (STD) into LTD (>24 h) in CA1, but not DG. Re-exposure to the now familiar audiospatial configuration ca. 1 week later failed to enhance STD. Reconfiguration of the same audiospatial cues resulted anew in LTD when ultrasound, but not non-ultrasound cues were used. LTD facilitation that was triggered by novel exposure to spatially arranged tones, or to spatial reconfiguration of the same tones were both prevented by an antagonism of the metabotropic glutamate receptor, mGlu5. These data indicate that, if behaviourally salient enough, the hippocampus can use audiospatial cues to facilitate LTD that contributes to the encoding and updating of spatial representations. Effects are subfield-specific, and require mGlu5 activation, as is the case for visuospatial information processing. These data reinforce the likelihood that LTD supports the encoding of spatial features, and that this occurs in a qualitative and subfield-specific manner. They also support that mGlu5 is essential for synaptic encoding of spatial experience. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Metabotropic Glutamate Receptors, 5 years on'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birte Dietz
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Denise Manahan-Vaughan
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany; International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
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Heyse NC, Brenes JC, Schwarting RK. Exercise reward induces appetitive 50-kHz calls in rats. Physiol Behav 2015; 147:131-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2015] [Revised: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Wöhr M. Effect of social odor context on the emission of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations in the BTBR T+tf/J mouse model for autism. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:73. [PMID: 25852455 PMCID: PMC4364166 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
An important diagnostic criterion for social communication deficits in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are difficulties in adjusting behavior to suit different social contexts. While the BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) inbred strain of mice is one of the most commonly used mouse models for ASD, little is known about whether BTBR mice display deficits in detecting changes in social context and their ability to adjust to them. Here, it was tested therefore whether the emission of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) in BTBR mouse pups is affected by the social odor context, in comparison to the standard control strain with high sociability, C57BL/6J (B6). It is known that the presence of odors from mothers and littermates leads to a calming of the isolated mouse pup, and hence to a reduction in isolation-induced USV emission. In accordance with their behavioral phenotypes with relevance to all diagnostic core symptoms of ASD, it was predicted that BTBR mouse pups would not display a calming response when tested under soiled bedding conditions with home cage bedding material containing maternal odors, and that similar isolation-induced USV emission rates would be seen in BTBR mice tested under clean and soiled bedding conditions. Unexpectedly, however, the present findings show that BTBR mouse pups display such a calming response and emit fewer isolation-induced USV when tested under soiled as compared to clean bedding conditions, similar to B6 mouse pups. Yet, in contrast to B6 mouse pups, which emitted isolation-induced USV with shorter call durations and lower levels of frequency modulation under soiled bedding conditions, social odor context had no effect on acoustic call features in BTBR mouse pups. This indicates that the BTBR mouse model for ASD does not display deficits in detecting changes in social context, but has a limited ability and/or reduced motivation to adjust to them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Physiological Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg Marburg, Germany
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Kazim SF, Cardenas-Aguayo MDC, Arif M, Blanchard J, Fayyaz F, Grundke-Iqbal I, Iqbal K. Sera from children with autism induce autistic features which can be rescued with a CNTF small peptide mimetic in rats. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118627. [PMID: 25769033 PMCID: PMC4359103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized clinically by impairments in social interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication skills as well as restricted interests and repetitive behavior. It has been hypothesized that altered brain environment including an imbalance in neurotrophic support during early development contributes to the pathophysiology of autism. Here we report that sera from children with autism which exhibited abnormal levels of various neurotrophic factors induced cell death and oxidative stress in mouse primary cultured cortical neurons. The effects of sera from autistic children were rescued by pre-treatment with a ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) small peptide mimetic, Peptide 6 (P6), which was previously shown to exert its neuroprotective effect by modulating CNTF/JAK/STAT pathway and LIF signaling and by enhancing brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Similar neurotoxic effects and neuroinflammation were observed in young Wistar rats injected intracerebroventricularly with autism sera within hours after birth. The autism sera injected rats demonstrated developmental delay and deficits in social communication, interaction, and novelty. Both the neurobiological changes and the behavioral autistic phenotype were ameliorated by P6 treatment. These findings implicate the involvement of neurotrophic imbalance during early brain development in the pathophysiology of autism and a proof of principle of P6 as a potential therapeutic strategy for autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Faraz Kazim
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
- Neural and Behavioral Science Graduate Program, State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Downstate/NYSIBR Center for Developmental Neuroscience (CDN), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Maria del Carmen Cardenas-Aguayo
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Mohammad Arif
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Julie Blanchard
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Fatima Fayyaz
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Inge Grundke-Iqbal
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
| | - Khalid Iqbal
- Inge Grundke-Iqbal Research Floor, Department of Neurochemistry, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (NYSIBR), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
- SUNY Downstate/NYSIBR Center for Developmental Neuroscience (CDN), Staten Island, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Increased ultrasonic vocalizations and risk-taking in rat pups of sleep-deprived dams. Physiol Behav 2015; 139:59-66. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Simola N. Rat Ultrasonic Vocalizations and Behavioral Neuropharmacology: From the Screening of Drugs to the Study of Disease. Curr Neuropharmacol 2015; 13:164-79. [PMID: 26411760 PMCID: PMC4598429 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x13999150318113800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2014] [Revised: 10/12/2014] [Accepted: 10/14/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Several lines of evidence indicate that rats emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in response to a wide range of stimuli that are capable of producing either euphoric (positive) or dysphoric (negative) emotional states. On these bases, recordings of USVs are extensively used in preclinical studies of affect, motivation, and social behavior. Rat USVs are sensitive to the effects of certain classes of psychoactive drugs, suggesting that emission of rat USVs can have relevance not only to neurobiology, but also to neuropharmacology and psychopharmacology. This review summarizes three types of rat USVs, namely 40-kHz USVs emitted by pups, 22-kHz USVs and 50-kHz USVs emitted by young and adult animals, and relevance of these vocalizations to neuropharmacological studies. Attention will be focused on the issues of how rat USVs can be used to evaluate the pharmacological properties of different classes of drugs, and how rat USVs can be combined with other behavioral models used in neuropharmacology. The strengths and limitations of experimental paradigms based on the evaluation of rat USVs will also be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Simola
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuropsychopharmacology, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 72, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
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Pelloux Y, Meffre J, Giorla E, Baunez C. The subthalamic nucleus keeps you high on emotion: behavioral consequences of its inactivation. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:414. [PMID: 25538581 PMCID: PMC4257083 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The subthalamic nucleus (STN) belongs to the basal ganglia and is the current target for the surgical treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD) and obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), but also a proposed site for the treatment of addiction. It is therefore very important to understand its functions in order to anticipate and prevent possible side-effects in the patients. Although the involvement of the STN is well documented in motor, cognitive and motivational processes, less is known regarding emotional processes. Here we have investigated the direct consequences of STN inactivation by excitotoxic lesions on emotional processing and reinforcement in the rat. We have used various behavioral procedures to assess affect for neutral, positive and negative reinforcers in STN lesioned rats. STN lesions reduced affective responses for positive (sweet solutions) and negative (electric foot shock, Lithium Chloride-induced sickness) reinforcers while they had no effect on responses for a more neutral reinforcer (novelty induced place preference (NIPP)). Furthermore, when given the choice between saccharine, a sweet but non caloric solution, and glucose, a more bland but caloric solution, in contrast to sham animals that preferred saccharine, STN lesioned animals preferred glucose over saccharine. Taken altogether these results reveal that STN plays a critical role in emotional processing. These results, in line with some clinical observations in PD patients subjected to STN surgery, suggest possible emotional side-effects of treatments targeting the STN. They also suggest that the increased motivation for sucrose previously reported cannot be due to increased pleasure, but could be responsible for the decreased motivation for cocaine reported after STN inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann Pelloux
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France
| | - Julie Meffre
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France
| | - Elodie Giorla
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France
| | - Christelle Baunez
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, CNRS and Aix-Marseille UniversitéMarseille, France
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Gulia KK, Patel N, Radhakrishnan A, Kumar VM. Reduction in ultrasonic vocalizations in pups born to rapid eye movement sleep restricted mothers in rat model. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84948. [PMID: 24454768 PMCID: PMC3890297 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of rapid eye movement sleep restriction (REMSR) in rats during late pregnancy were studied on the ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) made by the pups. USVs are distress calls inaudible to human ears. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep was restricted in one group of pregnant rats for 22 hours, starting from gestational day 14 to 20, using standard single platform method. The USVs of male pups were recorded after a brief isolation from their mother for two minutes on alternate post-natal days, from day one till weaning. The USVs were recorded using microphones and were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively using SASPro software. Control pups produced maximum vocalization on post-natal days 9 to 11. In comparison, the pups born to REMSR mothers showed not only a reduction in vocalization but also a delay in peak call making days. The experimental group showed variations in the types and characteristics of call types, and alteration in temporal profile. The blunting of distress call making response in these pups indicates that maternal sleep plays a role in regulating the neural development involved in vocalizations and possibly in shaping the emotional behaviour in neonates. It is suggested that the reduced ultrasonic vocalizations can be utilized as a reliable early marker for affective state in rat pups. Such impaired vocalization responses could provide an important lead in understanding mother-child bonding for an optimal cognitive development during post-partum life. This is the first report showing a potential link between maternal REM sleep deprivation and the vocalization in neonates and infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamalesh K. Gulia
- Sleep Research Laboratory, Comprehensive Center for Sleep Disorders, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
- * E-mail:
| | - Niraj Patel
- Sleep Research Laboratory, Comprehensive Center for Sleep Disorders, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Arathi Radhakrishnan
- Sleep Research Laboratory, Comprehensive Center for Sleep Disorders, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
| | - Velayudhan Mohan Kumar
- Sleep Research Laboratory, Comprehensive Center for Sleep Disorders, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala, India
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Schott AL, Zimmerberg B. Effects of Neurokinin-1 Receptor Inhibition on Anxiety Behavior in Neonatal Rats Selectively Bred for an Infantile Affective Trait. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/pp.2014.59096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Zimmerman EC, Bellaire M, Ewing SG, Grace AA. Abnormal stress responsivity in a rodent developmental disruption model of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:2131-9. [PMID: 23652286 PMCID: PMC3773662 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2013.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2013] [Revised: 05/01/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although numerous studies have implicated stress in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, less is known about how the effects of stress interact with genetic, developmental, and/or environmental determinants to promote disease progression. In particular, it has been proposed that in humans, stress exposure in adolescence could combine with a predisposition towards increased stress sensitivity, leading to prodromal symptoms and eventually psychosis. However, the neurobiological substrates for this interaction are not fully characterized. Previous work in our lab has demonstrated that rats born to dams administered with the DNA-methylating agent methylazoxymethanol acetate (MAM) at gestational day 17 exhibit as adults behavioral and anatomical abnormalities consistent with those observed in patients with schizophrenia. Here, we examined behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stress in the MAM model of schizophrenia. MAM-treated male rats were exposed to acute and repeated footshock stress at prepubertal, peripubteral, and adult ages. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), freezing, and corticosterone responses were quantified. We found that juvenile MAM-treated rats emitted significantly more calls, spent more time vocalizing, emitted calls at a higher rate, and showed more freezing in response to acute footshock stress when compared with their saline (SAL) treated counterparts, and that this difference is not present in older animals. In addition, adolescent MAM-treated animals displayed a blunted HPA axis corticosterone response to acute footshock that did not adapt after 10 days of stress exposure. These data demonstrate abnormal stress responsivity in the MAM model of schizophrenia and suggest that these animals are more sensitive to the effects of stress in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C Zimmerman
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA,Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Medical Scientist Training Program, 526 Scaife Hall, 3550 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA, Tel: +1 262 893 8186, Fax: +1 412 624 9198, E-mail:
| | - Mark Bellaire
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Samuel G Ewing
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Brudzynski SM. Ethotransmission: communication of emotional states through ultrasonic vocalization in rats. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2013; 23:310-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2013.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2012] [Revised: 01/04/2013] [Accepted: 01/13/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Wöhr M, Schwarting RKW. Affective communication in rodents: ultrasonic vocalizations as a tool for research on emotion and motivation. Cell Tissue Res 2013; 354:81-97. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-013-1607-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 02/28/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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