1101
|
Dombret C, Nguyen T, Schakman O, Michaud JL, Hardin-Pouzet H, Bertrand MJ, De Backer O. Loss of Maged1 results in obesity, deficits of social interactions, impaired sexual behavior and severe alteration of mature oxytocin production in the hypothalamus. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 21:4703-17. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
|
1102
|
Atzil S, Hendler T, Zagoory-Sharon O, Winetraub Y, Feldman R. Synchrony and specificity in the maternal and the paternal brain: relations to oxytocin and vasopressin. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012; 51:798-811. [PMID: 22840551 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2012.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Revised: 05/12/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research on the neurobiology of parenting has defined biobehavioral synchrony, the coordination of biological and behavioral responses between parent and child, as a central process underpinning mammalian bond formation. Bi-parental rearing, typically observed in monogamous species, is similarly thought to draw on mechanisms of mother-father synchrony. METHOD We examined synchrony in mothers' and fathers' brain response to ecologically valid infant cues. Thirty mothers and fathers, comprising 15 couples parenting 4- to 6-month-old infants, were visited at home, and infant play was videotaped. Parents then underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning while observing own-infant compared with standard-infant videos. Coordination in brain response between mothers and fathers was assessed using a voxel-by-voxel algorithm, and gender-specific activations were also tested. Plasma oxytocin and arginine vasopressin, neuropeptides implicated in female and male bonding, were examined as correlates. RESULTS Online coordination in maternal and paternal brain activations emerged in social-cognitive networks implicated in empathy and social cognition. Mothers showed higher amygdala activations and correlations between amygdala response and oxytocin. Fathers showed greater activations in social-cognitive circuits, which correlated with vasopressin. CONCLUSIONS Parents coordinate online activity in social-cognitive networks that support intuitive understanding of infant signals and planning of adequate caregiving, whereas motivational-limbic activations may be gender specific. Although preliminary, these findings demonstrate synchrony in the brain response of two individuals within an attachment relationship, and may suggest that human attachment develops within the matrix of biological attunement and brain-to-brain synchrony between attachment partners.
Collapse
|
1103
|
Ditzen B, Bradley B, Heim CM. Oxytocin and pair bonding: on possible influences during the life course. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:e3-4. [PMID: 22365632 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2012] [Accepted: 01/25/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
|
1104
|
Oxytocin, but not vasopressin, increases both parochial and universal altruism. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:1341-4. [PMID: 22377540 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2011] [Revised: 01/19/2012] [Accepted: 02/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In today's increasingly interconnected world, deciding with whom and at what level to cooperate becomes a matter of increasing importance as societies become more globalized and large-scale cooperation becomes a viable means of addressing global issues. This tension can play out via competition between local (e.g. within a group) and global (e.g., between groups) interests. Despite research highlighting factors influencing cooperation in such multi-layered situations, their biological basis is not well understood. In a double-blind placebo controlled study, we investigated the influence of intranasally administered oxytocin and arginine vasopressin on cooperative behavior at local and global levels. We find that oxytocin causes an increase in both the willingness to cooperate and the expectation that others will cooperate at both levels. In contrast, participants receiving vasopressin did not differ from those receiving placebo in their cooperative behavior. Our results highlight the selective role of oxytocin in intergroup cooperative behavior.
Collapse
|
1105
|
Love TM, Enoch MA, Hodgkinson CA, Pecina M, Mickey B, Koeppe RA, Stohler CS, Goldman D, Zubieta JK. Oxytocin gene polymorphisms influence human dopaminergic function in a sex-dependent manner. Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72:198-206. [PMID: 22418012 PMCID: PMC3392442 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.01.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2011] [Revised: 01/13/2012] [Accepted: 01/26/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxytocin, classically involved in social and reproductive activities, is increasingly recognized as an antinociceptive and anxiolytic agent, effects which may be mediated via oxytocin's interactions with the dopamine system. Thus, genetic variation within the oxytocin gene (OXT) is likely to explain variability in dopamine-related stress responses. As such, we examined how OXT variation is associated with stress-induced dopaminergic neurotransmission in a healthy human sample. METHODS Fifty-five young healthy volunteers were scanned using [¹¹C]raclopride positron emission tomography while they underwent a standardized physical and emotional stressor that consisted of moderate levels of experimental sustained deep muscle pain, and a baseline, control state. Four haplotype tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms located in regions near OXT were genotyped. Measures of pain, affect, anxiety, well-being and interpersonal attachment were also assessed. RESULTS Female rs4813625 C allele carriers demonstrated greater stress-induced dopamine release, measured as reductions in receptor availability from baseline to the pain-stress condition relative to female GG homozygotes. No significant differences were detected among males. We also observed that female rs4813625 C allele carriers exhibited higher attachment anxiety, higher trait anxiety and lower emotional well-being scores. In addition, greater stress-induced dopamine release was associated with lower emotional well-being scores in female rs4813625 C allele carriers. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that variability within the oxytocin gene appear to explain interindividual differences in dopaminergic responses to stress, which are shown to be associated with anxiety traits, including those linked to attachment style, as well as emotional well-being in women.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary-Anne Enoch
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda MD
| | - Colin A. Hodgkinson
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda MD
| | - Marta Pecina
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, Ann Arbor
| | - Brian Mickey
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, Ann Arbor,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| | | | | | - David Goldman
- Laboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda MD
| | - Jon-Kar Zubieta
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, Ann Arbor,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
| |
Collapse
|
1106
|
Ditzen B, Nater UM, Schaer M, La Marca R, Bodenmann G, Ehlert U, Heinrichs M. Sex-specific effects of intranasal oxytocin on autonomic nervous system and emotional responses to couple conflict. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2012; 8:897-902. [PMID: 22842905 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Unhappy couple relationships are associated with impaired individual health, an effect thought to be mediated through ongoing couple conflicts. Little is known, however, about the underlying mechanisms regulating psychobiological stress, and particularly autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity, during negative couple interaction. In this study, we tested the effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin on ANS reactivity during couple conflict in a standardized laboratory paradigm. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 47 heterosexual couples (total n = 94) received oxytocin or placebo intranasally prior to instructed couple conflict. Participants' behavior was videotaped and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), a measure of sympathetic activity, and emotional arousal were repeatedly measured during the experiment. Oxytocin significantly reduced sAA during couple conflict in women, whereas men showed increases in sAA levels (sex × group interaction: B = -49.36, t = -2.68, P = 0.009). In men, these increases were related to augmented emotional arousal (r = 0.286, P = 0.028) and more positive behavior (r = 0.291, P = 0.026), whereas there was no such association in women. Our results imply sex-specific effects of oxytocin on sympathetic activity, to negative couple interaction, with the neuropeptide reducing sAA responses and emotional arousal in women while increasing them in men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beate Ditzen
- Department of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zurich, Binzmuhlestrasse 14/ Box 26, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1107
|
Natural Selection, Childrearing, and the Ethics of Marriage (and Divorce): Building a Case for the Neuroenhancement of Human Relationships. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 25:561-587. [PMID: 23226627 PMCID: PMC3510696 DOI: 10.1007/s13347-012-0081-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We argue that the fragility of contemporary marriages—and the corresponding high rates of divorce—can be explained (in large part) by a three-part mismatch: between our relationship values, our evolved psychobiological natures, and our modern social, physical, and technological environment. “Love drugs” could help address this mismatch by boosting our psychobiologies while keeping our values and our environment intact. While individual couples should be free to use pharmacological interventions to sustain and improve their romantic connection, we suggest that they may have an obligation to do so as well, in certain cases. Specifically, we argue that couples with offspring may have a special responsibility to enhance their relationships for the sake of their children. We outline an evolutionarily informed research program for identifying promising biomedical enhancements of love and commitment.
Collapse
|
1108
|
|
1109
|
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT) enhances social behaviors such as attachment and parental caretaking. Neural correlates of maternal attachment are found in reward-related brain regions, for example, in the globus pallidus (GP). The present work investigates the effects of OT on the neural correlates of parental attachment. Fathers viewed pictures of their own child (oC), a familiar child (fC), and an unfamiliar child (uC) after intranasal application of OT vs placebo. OT reduced activation and functional connectivity of the left GP with reward- and attachment-related regions responsive to pictures of the oC and the uC. The present results emphasize the key role of OT in human parental attachment and suggest that OT reduces neural reactivity to social cues as a function of social salience. Our results together with previous findings speak to a selective reduction of neural reactivity to social stimuli, irrespective of their valence. We argue that one major pathway by which OT exerts its positive effects on affiliative and social behaviors is the attenuation of automatic neural responses, which in turn leads to increased approach behaviors and decreased social avoidance.
Collapse
|
1110
|
Zhang L, Hernández V, Liu B, Medina M, Nava-Kopp A, Irles C, Morales M. Hypothalamic vasopressin system regulation by maternal separation: Its impact on anxiety in rats. Neuroscience 2012; 215:135-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2012] [Revised: 03/16/2012] [Accepted: 03/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
|
1111
|
MDMA enhances "mind reading" of positive emotions and impairs "mind reading" of negative emotions. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012; 222:293-302. [PMID: 22277989 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2645-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) increases sociability. The prosocial effects of MDMA may result from the release of the "social hormone" oxytocin and associated alterations in the processing of socioemotional stimuli. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the effects of MDMA (125 mg) on the ability to infer the mental states of others from social cues of the eye region in the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. The study included 48 healthy volunteers (24 men, 24 women) and used a double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects design. A choice reaction time test was used to exclude impairments in psychomotor function. We also measured circulating oxytocin and cortisol levels and subjective drug effects. RESULTS MDMA differentially affected mind reading depending on the emotional valence of the stimuli. MDMA enhanced the accuracy of mental state decoding for positive stimuli (e.g., friendly), impaired mind reading for negative stimuli (e.g., hostile), and had no effect on mind reading for neutral stimuli (e.g., reflective). MDMA did not affect psychomotor performance, increased circulating oxytocin and cortisol levels, and produced subjective prosocial effects, including feelings of being more open, talkative, and closer to others. CONCLUSIONS The shift in the ability to correctly read socioemotional information toward stimuli associated with positive emotional valence, together with the prosocial feelings elicited by MDMA, may enhance social approach behavior and sociability when MDMA is used recreationally and facilitate therapeutic relationships in MDMA-assisted psychotherapeutic settings.
Collapse
|
1112
|
Bartels A. Oxytocin and the social brain: beware the complexity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:1795-6. [PMID: 22699686 PMCID: PMC3376332 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2012.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2012] [Accepted: 04/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Bartels
- Vision and Cognition Lab, Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
1113
|
Kohls G, Chevallier C, Troiani V, Schultz RT. Social 'wanting' dysfunction in autism: neurobiological underpinnings and treatment implications. J Neurodev Disord 2012; 4:10. [PMID: 22958468 PMCID: PMC3436671 DOI: 10.1186/1866-1955-4-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Most behavioral training regimens in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) rely on reward-based reinforcement strategies. Although proven to significantly increase both cognitive and social outcomes and successfully reduce aberrant behaviors, this approach fails to benefit a substantial number of affected individuals. Given the enormous amount of clinical and financial resources devoted to behavioral interventions, there is a surprisingly large gap in our knowledge of the basic reward mechanisms of learning in ASD. Understanding the mechanisms for reward responsiveness and reinforcement-based learning is urgently needed to better inform modifications that might improve current treatments. The fundamental goal of this review is to present a fine-grained literature analysis of reward function in ASD with reference to a validated neurobiological model of reward: the 'wanting'/'liking' framework. Despite some inconsistencies within the available literature, the evaluation across three converging sets of neurobiological data (neuroimaging, electrophysiological recordings, and neurochemical measures) reveals good evidence for disrupted reward-seeking tendencies in ASD, particularly in social contexts. This is most likely caused by dysfunction of the dopaminergic-oxytocinergic 'wanting' circuitry, including the ventral striatum, amygdala, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Such a conclusion is consistent with predictions derived from diagnostic criteria concerning the core social phenotype of ASD, which emphasize difficulties with spontaneous self-initiated seeking of social encounters (that is, social motivation). Existing studies suggest that social 'wanting' tendencies vary considerably between individuals with ASD, and that the degree of social motivation is both malleable and predictive of intervention response. Although the topic of reward responsiveness in ASD is very new, with much research still needed, the current data clearly point towards problems with incentive-based motivation and learning, with clear and important implications for treatment. Given the reliance of behavioral interventions on reinforcement-based learning principles, we believe that a systematic focus on the integrity of the reward system in ASD promises to yield many important clues, both to the underlying mechanisms causing ASD and to enhancing the efficacy of existing and new interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gregor Kohls
- Center for Autism Research, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3535 Market Street, 8th floor, Suite 860, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1114
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND The suggestion that the neurohormone oxytocin may have clinical application in the treatment of schizophrenia was first published in 1972. Since then, a considerable body of research on a variety of fronts--including several recent double-blind treatment trials-has buttressed these early reports, providing support for the assertion that the oxytocin system is a promising and novel therapeutic target for this devastating malady. Herein, we review the diverse, convergent lines of evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of oxytocin in psychotic illness. METHODS We performed a systematic review of preclinical and clinical literature pertaining to oxytocin's role in schizophrenia. RESULTS Multiple lines of evidence converge to support the antipsychotic potential of oxytocin. These include several animal models of schizophrenia, pharmacological studies examining the impact of antipsychotics on the oxytocin system, human trials in patients examining aspects of the oxytocin system, and several double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical treatment trials. CONCLUSIONS There exists considerable, convergent evidence that oxytocin has potential as a novel antipsychotic with a unique mechanism of action. Auspiciously, based on the few chronic trials to date, its safety profile and tolerability appear very good. That said, several critical clinical questions await investigation before widespread use is clinically warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Macdonald
- University of California, San Diego Medical Center Department of Psychiatry
| | | |
Collapse
|
1115
|
Neumann ID. The miracle of brain neuropeptides: targeting the brain oxytocin system is a true treatment option in numerous psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2012; 24:127-9. [PMID: 26953006 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5215.2011.00672.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
1116
|
Singer T. The past, present and future of social neuroscience: A European perspective. Neuroimage 2012; 61:437-49. [PMID: 22305955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.01.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2011] [Revised: 01/20/2012] [Accepted: 01/22/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
|
1117
|
Wellmann S, Bührer C. Who plays the strings in newborn analgesia at birth, vasopressin or oxytocin? Front Neurosci 2012; 6:78. [PMID: 22661926 PMCID: PMC3362806 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2012.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sven Wellmann
- Division of Neonatology, University Children's Hospital Basel (UKBB) Basel, Switzerland
| | | |
Collapse
|
1118
|
Mozziconacci O, Schöneich C. Photodegradation of oxytocin and thermal stability of photoproducts. J Pharm Sci 2012; 101:3331-46. [PMID: 22623074 DOI: 10.1002/jps.23204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Revised: 04/27/2012] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Photodegradation of oxytocin at λ = 253.7 nm and λ ≥ 290 nm results in the transformation of the intrachain disulfide bond into predominantly dithiohemiacetal and thioether. Especially the dithiohemiacetal is sensitive to further degradation by light and/or elevated temperature, implying that the combination of an initial photostress and a subsequent heat stress can yield products significantly different compared with those observed under heat stress only.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Mozziconacci
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
1119
|
Hopkins WD, Donaldson ZR, Young LJ. A polymorphic indel containing the RS3 microsatellite in the 5' flanking region of the vasopressin V1a receptor gene is associated with chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) personality. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2012; 11:552-8. [PMID: 22520444 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2012.00799.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Vasopressin is a neuropeptide that has been strongly implicated in the development and evolution of complex social relations and cognition in mammals. Recent studies in voles have shown that polymorphic variation in the promoter region of the arginine vasopressin V1a receptor gene (avpr1a) is associated with different dimensions of sociality. In humans, variation in a repetitive sequence element in the 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A, known as RS3, have also been associated with variation in AVPR1a gene expression, brain activity and social behavior. Here, we examined the association of polymorphic variation in this same 5' flanking region of the AVPR1A on subjective ratings of personality in a sample of 83 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Initial analyses indicated that 34 females and 19 males were homozygous for the short allele, which lacks RS3 (DupB(-/-)), while 18 females and 12 males were heterozygous and thus had one copy of the long allele containing RS3 (DupB(+/-)), yielding overall allelic frequencies of 0.82 for the DupB(-) allele and 0.18 for the DupB(+) allele. DupB(+/+) chimpanzees were excluded from the analysis because of the limited number of individuals. Results indicated no significant sex difference in personality between chimpanzees homozygous for the deletion of the RS3-containing DupB region (DupB(-/-)); however, among chimpanzees carrying one allele with the DupB present (DupB(+/-)), males had significantly higher dominance and lower conscientiousness scores than females. These findings are the first evidence showing that the AVPR1A gene plays a role in different aspects of personality in male and female chimpanzees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W D Hopkins
- Neuroscience Institute and Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, 30302, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
1120
|
Dawson G, Bernier R, Ring RH. Social attention: a possible early indicator of efficacy in autism clinical trials. J Neurodev Disord 2012; 4:11. [PMID: 22958480 PMCID: PMC3436672 DOI: 10.1186/1866-1955-4-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2012] [Accepted: 05/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, researchers have sought to clarify the nature of the social communication impairments in autism, highlighting impaired or atypical 'social attention' as a key measurable construct that helps to define the core impairment of social communication. In this paper, we provide an overview of research on social attention impairments in autism and their relation to deficiencies in neural circuitry related to social reward. We offer a framework for considering social attention as a potential moderator or mediator of response to early behavioral intervention, and as an early indicator of efficacy of behavioral and/or pharmacological treatments aimed at addressing the social impairments in autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Dawson
- Autism Speaks, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3366, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Raphael Bernier
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Robert H Ring
- Autism Speaks, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
| |
Collapse
|
1121
|
Jurek B, Slattery DA, Maloumby R, Hillerer K, Koszinowski S, Neumann ID, van den Burg EH. Differential contribution of hypothalamic MAPK activity to anxiety-like behaviour in virgin and lactating rats. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37060. [PMID: 22615888 PMCID: PMC3355176 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2012] [Accepted: 04/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The c-Raf – MEK1/2 – ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) intracellular signalling cascade in neurons plays important roles in the control of a variety of behaviours, including social behaviours and anxiety. These roles partially overlap with those described for oxytocin (OXT), and it has been shown that OXT activates the MAPK pathway in the hypothalamus (of male), and hippocampus (of female) rats. Here, by combining behavioural (light/dark box) and biochemical analyses (western blotting), we tested two hypotheses: (i) that OXT is anxiolytic within the hypothalamus of females, and (ii) that this effect, as well as that of lactation-associated anxiolysis, depends on the recruitment of the MAPK pathway. We found that, when injected bilaterally into the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), OXT decreased anxiety-like behaviour in virgins, and that this effect depended on phosphorylation of MEK1/2. MAPK pathway activation in lactation was evident by high phosphorylated (p) MEK1/2 levels, and nuclear translocation of ERK1. The high pMEK1/2 levels were necessary for the anxiolytic phenotype typically observed during lactation. Interestingly, exogenous OXT in lactating rats reduced pMEK1/2 levels without a concomitant effect on anxiety, indicating that OXT receptor activation can lead to recruitment of additional intracellular pathways to modulate MEK activity. Still other pathways could include MEK, but without subsequent activation of ERK, as we did not observe any increase in OXT-induced ERK phosphorylation. Together the results demonstrate that the MAPK pathway, especially MEK1/2, is critically involved in the regulation of anxiety-like behaviour in female rats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Jurek
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - David A. Slattery
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Rodrigue Maloumby
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Hillerer
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sophie Koszinowski
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- * E-mail: Inga
| | - Erwin H. van den Burg
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
1122
|
von Dawans B, Fischbacher U, Kirschbaum C, Fehr E, Heinrichs M. The Social Dimension of Stress Reactivity. Psychol Sci 2012; 23:651-60. [DOI: 10.1177/0956797611431576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 248] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychosocial stress precipitates a wide spectrum of diseases with major public-health significance. The fight-or-flight response is generally regarded as the prototypic human stress response, both physiologically and behaviorally. Given that having positive social interactions before being exposed to acute stress plays a preeminent role in helping individuals control their stress response, engaging in prosocial behavior in response to stress (tend-and-befriend) might also be a protective pattern. Little is known, however, about the immediate social responses following stress in humans. Here we show that participants who experienced acute social stress, induced by a standardized laboratory stressor, engaged in substantially more prosocial behavior (trust, trustworthiness, and sharing) compared with participants in a control condition, who did not experience socioevaluative threat. These effects were highly specific: Stress did not affect the readiness to exhibit antisocial behavior or to bear nonsocial risks. These results show that stress triggers social approach behavior, which operates as a potent stress-buffering strategy in humans, thereby providing evidence for the tend-and-befriend hypothesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernadette von Dawans
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg
| | - Urs Fischbacher
- Department of Economics, University of Konstanz
- Thurgau Institute of Economics, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, Technical University of Dresden
| | - Ernst Fehr
- Institute for Empirical Research in Economics, University of Zurich
| | - Markus Heinrichs
- Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg
- Freiburg Brain Imaging Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg
| |
Collapse
|
1123
|
Lochhead JJ, Thorne RG. Intranasal delivery of biologics to the central nervous system. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2012; 64:614-28. [PMID: 22119441 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2011.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 730] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2011] [Revised: 11/03/2011] [Accepted: 11/07/2011] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases is very difficult due to the blood-brain barrier's (BBB) ability to severely restrict entry of all but small, non-polar compounds. Intranasal administration is a non-invasive method of drug delivery which may bypass the BBB to allow therapeutic substances direct access to the CNS. Intranasal delivery of large molecular weight biologics such as proteins, gene vectors, and stem cells is a potentially useful strategy to treat a variety of diseases/disorders of the CNS including stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and psychiatric disorders. Here we give an overview of relevant nasal anatomy and physiology and discuss the pathways and mechanisms likely involved in drug transport from the nasal epithelium to the CNS. Finally we review both pre-clinical and clinical studies involving intranasal delivery of biologics to the CNS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey J Lochhead
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
1124
|
Paradiso S, Rudrauf D. Struggle for life, struggle for love and recognition: the neglected self in social cognitive neuroscience. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2012. [PMID: 22577306 PMCID: PMC3341651 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2012.14.1/sparadiso] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In the following article we present a view that social cognition and social neuroscience, as shaped by the current research paradigms, are not sufficient to improve our understanding of psychopathological phenomena. We hold that the self, self-awareness, and inter-subjectivity are integral to social perception and actions. In addition, we emphasize that the self and self-awareness are, by their very nature and function, involved over the entire lifespan with the way the individual is perceived in the social environment. Likewise, the modes of operation and identification of the self and self-awareness receive strong developmental contributions from social interactions with parental figures, siblings, peers, and significant others. These contributions are framed by a competitive and cooperative struggle for love and recognition. We suggest that in humans social cognitive neuroscience should be informed by a thoughtful appreciation of the equal significance of the struggle for "life" and that for love and recognition. In order to be better positioned to improve the research agenda and practice of clinical psychiatry, we propose that cognitive and social neurosciences explicitly incorporate in their models phenomena relative to the self, self-awareness, and inter-subjectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Paradiso
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
1125
|
|
1126
|
Effects of a common variant in the CD38 gene on social processing in an oxytocin challenge study: possible links to autism. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:1474-82. [PMID: 22278094 PMCID: PMC3327852 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The intranasal application of oxytocin (OT) has been shown to influence behavioral and neural correlates of social processing. These effects are probably mediated by genetic variations within the OT system. One potential candidate could be the CD38 gene, which codes for a transmembrane protein engaged in OT secretion processes. A common variation in this gene (rs3796863) was recently found to be associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Using an imaging genetics approach, we studied differential effects of an intranasal OT application on neural processing of social stimuli in 55 healthy young men depending on their CD38 gene variant in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design. Genotype had a significant influence on both behavioral and neuronal measures of social processing. Homozygotic risk allele carriers showed slower reaction times (RT) and higher activation of left fusiform gyrus during visual processing of social stimuli. Under OT activation differences between genotypes were more evident (though not statistically significantly increased) and RT were accelerated in homozygotic risk allele carriers. According to our data, rs3796863 mainly influences fusiform gyrus activation, an area which has been widely discussed in ASD research. OT seems to modulate this effect by enhancing activation differences between allele groups, which suggests an interaction between genetic makeup and OT availability on fusiform gyrus activation. These results support recent approaches to apply OT as a pharmacological treatment of ASD symptoms.
Collapse
|
1127
|
Brüne M. Does the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) polymorphism (rs2254298) confer 'vulnerability' for psychopathology or 'differential susceptibility'? Insights from evolution. BMC Med 2012; 10:38. [PMID: 22510359 PMCID: PMC3386011 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7015-10-38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2011] [Accepted: 04/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The diathesis-stress model of psychiatric conditions has recently been challenged by the view that it might be more accurate to speak of 'differential susceptibility' or 'plasticity' genes, rather than one-sidedly focusing on individual vulnerability. That is, the same allelic variation that predisposes to a psychiatric disorder if associated with (developmentally early) environmental adversity may lead to a better-than-average functional outcome in the same domain under thriving (or favourable) environmental conditions. Studies of polymorphic variations of the serotonin transporter gene, the monoamino-oxidase-inhibitor A coding gene or the dopamine D4 receptor gene indicate that the early environment plays a crucial role in the development of favourable versus unfavourable outcomes. Current evidence is limited, however, to establishing a link between genetic variation and behavioural phenotypes. In contrast, little is known about how plasticity may be expressed at the neuroanatomical level as a 'hard-wired' correlate of observable behaviour. The present review article seeks to further strengthen the argument in favour of the differential susceptibility theory by incorporating findings from behavioural and neuroanatomical studies in relation to genetic variation of the oxytocin receptor gene. It is suggested that polymorphic variation at the oxytocin receptor gene (rs2254298) is associated with sociability, amygdala volume and differential risk for psychiatric conditions including autism, depression and anxiety disorder, depending on the quality of early environmental experiences. Seeing genetic variation at the core of developmental plasticity can explain, in contrast to the diathesis-stress perspective, why evolution by natural selection has maintained such 'risk' alleles in the gene pool of a population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Brüne
- Research Department of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry and Psychiatric Preventive Medicine, University of Bochum, LWL University Hospital, Bochum, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
1128
|
Meyer-Lindenberg A, Tost H. Neural mechanisms of social risk for psychiatric disorders. Nat Neurosci 2012; 15:663-8. [PMID: 22504349 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 238] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mental health and social life are intimately inter-related, as demonstrated by the frequent social deficits of psychiatric patients and the increased rate of psychiatric disorders in people exposed to social environmental adversity. Here, we review emerging evidence that combines epidemiology, social psychology and neuroscience to bring neural mechanisms of social risk factors for mental illness into focus. In doing so, we discuss existing evidence on the effects of common genetic risk factors in social neural pathways and outline the need for integrative approaches to identify the converging mechanisms of social environmental and genetic risk in brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
1129
|
The animal and human neuroendocrinology of social cognition, motivation and behavior. Nat Neurosci 2012; 15:681-8. [PMID: 22504348 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Extensive animal and recent human research have helped inform neuroendocrinological models of social cognition, motivation and behavior. In this review, we first summarize important findings regarding oxytocin, arginine vasopressin and testosterone in the domains of affiliation, social cognition, aggression and stress/anxiety. We then suggest ways in which human research can continue to profit from animal research, particularly by exploring the interactive nature of neuromodulatory effects at neurochemical, organismic and contextual levels. We further propose methods inspired by the animal literature for the ecologically valid assessment of affiliative behavior in humans. We conclude with suggestions for how human research could advance by directly assessing specific social cognitive and motivational mechanisms as intermediate variables. We advocate a more comprehensive look at the distinct networks identified by social neuroscience and the importance of a motivational state, in addition to approach and avoidance, associated with quiescence and homeostatic regulation.
Collapse
|
1130
|
Onaka T, Takayanagi Y, Yoshida M. Roles of oxytocin neurones in the control of stress, energy metabolism, and social behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:587-98. [PMID: 22353547 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02300.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin neurones are activated by stressful stimuli, food intake and social attachment. Activation of oxytocin neurones in response to stressful stimuli or food intake is mediated, at least in part, by noradrenaline/prolactin-releasing peptide (PrRP) neurones in the nucleus tractus solitarius, whereas oxytocin neurones are activated after social stimuli via medial amygdala neurones. Activation of oxytocin neurones induces the release of oxytocin not only from their axon terminals, but also from their dendrites. Oxytocin acts locally where released or diffuses and acts on remote oxytocin receptors widely distributed within the brain, resulting in anxiolytic, anorexic and pro-social actions. The action sites of oxytocin appear to be multiple. Oxytocin shows anxiolytic actions, at least in part, via serotoninergic neurones in the median raphe nucleus, has anorexic actions via pro-opiomelanocortin neurones in the nucleus tractus solitarius and facilitates social recognition via the medial amygdala. Stress, obesity and social isolation are major risk factors for mortality in humans. Thus, the oxytocin-oxytocin receptor system is a therapeutic target for the promotion of human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Onaka
- Division of Brain and Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Jichi Medical University, Shinotsuke-shi, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
1131
|
No laughing matter: intranasal oxytocin administration changes functional brain connectivity during exposure to infant laughter. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:1257-66. [PMID: 22189289 PMCID: PMC3306887 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Infant laughter is a rewarding experience. It activates neural reward circuits and promotes parental proximity and care, thus facilitating parent-infant attachment. The neuropeptide oxytocin might enhance the incentive salience of infant laughter by modulating neural circuits related to the perception of infant cues. In a randomized controlled trial with functional magnetic resonance imaging we investigated the influence of intranasally administered oxytocin on functional brain connectivity in response to infant laughter. Blood oxygenation level-dependent responses to infant laughter were measured in 22 nulliparous women who were administered oxytocin and 20 nulliparous women who were administered a placebo. Elevated oxytocin levels reduced activation in the amygdala during infant laughter and enhanced functional connectivity between the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate, the hippocampus, the precuneus, the supramarginal gyri, and the middle temporal gyrus. Increased functional connectivity between the amygdala and regions involved in emotion regulation may reduce negative emotional arousal while enhancing the incentive salience of the infant laughter.
Collapse
|
1132
|
Bou Khalil R. Would some cannabinoids ameliorate symptoms of autism? Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2012; 21:237-8. [PMID: 22350104 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-012-0255-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2011] [Accepted: 02/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
1133
|
Manning M, Misicka A, Olma A, Bankowski K, Stoev S, Chini B, Durroux T, Mouillac B, Corbani M, Guillon G. Oxytocin and vasopressin agonists and antagonists as research tools and potential therapeutics. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:609-28. [PMID: 22375852 PMCID: PMC3490377 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02303.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 308] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Revised: 02/17/2012] [Accepted: 02/17/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We recently reviewed the status of peptide and nonpeptide agonists and antagonists for the V(1a), V(1b) and V(2) receptors for arginine vasopressin (AVP) and the oxytocin receptor for oxytocin (OT). In the present review, we update the status of peptides and nonpeptides as: (i) research tools and (ii) therapeutic agents. We also present our recent findings on the design of fluorescent ligands for V(1b) receptor localisation and for OT receptor dimerisation. We note the exciting discoveries regarding two novel naturally occurring analogues of OT. Recent reports of a selective VP V(1a) agonist and a selective OT agonist point to the continued therapeutic potential of peptides in this field. To date, only two nonpeptides, the V(2) /V(1a) antagonist, conivaptan and the V(2) antagonist tolvaptan have received Food and Drug Administration approval for clinical use. The development of nonpeptide AVP V(1a), V(1b) and V(2) antagonists and OT agonists and antagonists has recently been abandoned by Merck, Sanofi and Pfizer. A promising OT antagonist, Retosiban, developed at Glaxo SmithKline is currently in a Phase II clinical trial for the prevention of premature labour. A number of the nonpeptide ligands that were not successful in clinical trials are proving to be valuable as research tools. Peptide agonists and antagonists continue to be very widely used as research tools in this field. In this regard, we present receptor data on some of the most widely used peptide and nonpeptide ligands, as a guide for their use, especially with regard to receptor selectivity and species differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Manning
- Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, OH 43614-2598, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1134
|
Feldman R. Oxytocin and social affiliation in humans. Horm Behav 2012; 61:380-91. [PMID: 22285934 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 385] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2011] [Revised: 01/06/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A conceptual model detailing the process of bio-behavioral synchrony between the online physiological and behavioral responses of attachment partners during social contact is presented as a theoretical and empirical framework for the study of affiliative bonds. Guided by an ethological behavior-based approach, we suggest that micro-level social behaviors in the gaze, vocal, affective, and touch modalities are dynamically integrated with online physiological processes and hormonal response to create dyad-specific affiliations. Studies across multiple attachments throughout life are presented and demonstrate that the extended oxytocin (OT) system provides the neurohormonal substrate for parental, romantic, and filial attachment in humans; that the three prototypes of affiliation are expressed in similar constellations of social behavior; and that OT is stable over time within individuals, is mutually-influencing among partners, and that mechanisms of cross-generation and inter-couple transmission relate to coordinated social behavior. Research showing links between peripheral and genetic markers of OT with concurrent parenting and memories of parental care; between administration of OT to parent and infant's physiological readiness for social engagement; and between neuropeptides and the online synchrony of maternal and paternal brain response in social-cognitive and empathy networks support the hypothesis that human attachment develops within the matrix of biological attunement and close behavioral synchrony. The findings have conceptual implications for the study of inter-subjectivity as well as translational implications for the treatment of social disorders originating in early childhood, such as autism spectrum disorders, or those associated with disruptions to early bonding, such as postpartum depression or child abuse and neglect. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Feldman
- Department of Psychology and the Gonda Brain Sciences Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
1135
|
Churchland PS, Winkielman P. Modulating social behavior with oxytocin: how does it work? What does it mean? Horm Behav 2012; 61:392-9. [PMID: 22197271 PMCID: PMC3312973 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 307] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 12/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Among its many roles in body and brain, oxytocin influences social behavior. Understanding the precise nature of this influence is crucial, both within the broader theoretical context of neurobiology, social neuroscience and brain evolution, but also within a clinical context of disorders such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism. Research exploring oxytocin's role in human social behavior is difficult owing to its release in both body and brain and its interactive effects with other hormones and neuromodulators. Additional difficulties are due to the intricacies of the blood-brain barrier and oxytocin's instability, which creates measurement issues. Questions concerning how to interpret behavioral results of human experiments manipulating oxytocin are thus made all the more pressing. The current paper discusses several such questions. We highlight unresolved fundamental issues about what exactly happens when oxytocin is administered intranasally, whether such oxytocin does in fact reach appropriate receptors in brain, and whether central or peripheral influences account for the observed behavioral effects. We also highlight the deeper conceptual issue of whether the human data should be narrowly interpreted as implicating a specific role for oxytocin in complex social cognition, such a generosity, trust, or mentalizing, or more broadly interpreted as implicating a lower-level general effect on general states and dispositions, such as anxiety and social motivation. Using several influential studies, we show how seemingly specific, higher-level social-cognitive effects can emerge via a process by which oxytocin's broad influence is channeled into a specific social behavior in a context of an appropriate social and research setting. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia S. Churchland
- Philosophy Department, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0119.
| | - Piotr Winkielman
- Psychology Department, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0109. . Phone (858) 527-1865, fax: (858) 534-7190
| |
Collapse
|
1136
|
Smith AS, Wang Z. Salubrious effects of oxytocin on social stress-induced deficits. Horm Behav 2012; 61:320-30. [PMID: 22178036 PMCID: PMC3350103 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2011] [Revised: 11/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Social relationships are a fundamental aspect of life, affecting social, psychological, physiological, and behavioral functions. While positive social interactions can attenuate stress and promote health, the social environment can also be a major source of stress when it includes social disruption, confrontation, isolation, or neglect. Social stress can impair the basal function and stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, impairing function of multiple biological systems and posing a risk to mental and physical health. In contrast, social support can ameliorate stress-induced physiological and immunological deficits, reducing the risk of subsequent psychological distress and improving an individual's overall well-being. For better clinical treatment of these physiological and mental pathologies, it is necessary to understand the regulatory mechanisms of stress-induced pathologies as well as determine the underlying biological mechanisms that regulate social buffering of the stress system. A number of ethologically relevant animal models of social stress and species that form strong adult social bonds have been utilized to study the etiology, treatment, and prevention of stress-related disorders. While undoubtedly a number of biological pathways contribute to the social buffering of the stress response, the convergence of evidence denotes the regulatory effects of oxytocin in facilitating social bond-promoting behaviors and their effect on the stress response. Thus, oxytocin may be perceived as a common regulatory element of the social environment, stress response, and stress-induced risks on mental and physical health. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin, Vasopressin, and Social Behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam S Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
1137
|
|
1138
|
Krueger F, Parasuraman R, Moody L, Twieg P, de Visser E, McCabe K, O'Hara M, Lee MR. Oxytocin selectively increases perceptions of harm for victims but not the desire to punish offenders of criminal offenses. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2012; 8:494-8. [PMID: 22368214 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nss026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuropeptide oxytocin functions as a hormone and neurotransmitter and facilitates complex social cognition and approach behavior. Given that empathy is an essential ingredient for third-party decision-making in institutions of justice, we investigated whether exogenous oxytocin modulates empathy of an unaffected third-party toward offenders and victims of criminal offenses. Healthy male participants received intranasal oxytocin or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subjects design. Participants were given a set of legal vignettes that described an event during which an offender engaged in criminal offenses against victims. As an unaffected third-party, participants were asked to rate those criminal offenses on the degree to which the offender deserved punishment and how much harm was inflicted on the victim. Exogenous oxytocin selectively increased third-party decision-makers' perceptions of harm for victims but not the desire to punish offenders of criminal offenses. We argue that oxytocin promoted empathic concern for the victim, which in turn increased the tendency for prosocial approach behavior regarding the interpersonal relationship between an unaffected third-party and a fictional victim in the criminal scenarios. Future research should explore the context- and person-dependent nature of exogenous oxytocin in individuals with antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy, in whom deficits in empathy feature prominently.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Krueger
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Mail Stop 2A1, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1139
|
Oliver P, Sobczyk M, Maywood E, Edwards B, Lee S, Livieratos A, Oster H, Butler R, Godinho S, Wulff K, Peirson S, Fisher S, Chesham J, Smith J, Hastings M, Davies K, Foster R. Disrupted circadian rhythms in a mouse model of schizophrenia. Curr Biol 2012; 22:314-9. [PMID: 22264613 PMCID: PMC3356578 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.12.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2011] [Revised: 11/27/2011] [Accepted: 12/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Sleep and circadian rhythm disruption has been widely observed in neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia [1] and often precedes related symptoms [2]. However, mechanistic basis for this association remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated the circadian phenotype of blind-drunk (Bdr), a mouse model of synaptosomal-associated protein (Snap)-25 exocytotic disruption that displays schizophrenic endophenotypes modulated by prenatal factors and reversible by antipsychotic treatment [3, 4]. Notably, SNAP-25 has been implicated in schizophrenia from genetic [5-8], pathological [9-13], and functional studies [14-16]. We show here that the rest and activity rhythms of Bdr mice are phase advanced and fragmented under a light/dark cycle, reminiscent of the disturbed sleep patterns observed in schizophrenia. Retinal inputs appear normal in mutants, and clock gene rhythms within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are normally phased both in vitro and in vivo. However, the 24 hr rhythms of arginine vasopressin within the SCN and plasma corticosterone are both markedly phase advanced in Bdr mice. We suggest that the Bdr circadian phenotype arises from a disruption of synaptic connectivity within the SCN that alters critical output signals. Collectively, our data provide a link between disruption of circadian activity cycles and synaptic dysfunction in a model of neuropsychiatric disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter L. Oliver
- MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Melanie V. Sobczyk
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Elizabeth S. Maywood
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Benjamin Edwards
- MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Sheena Lee
- MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Achilleas Livieratos
- MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Henrik Oster
- Circadian Rhythms Group, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Gottingen, Germany
| | - Rachel Butler
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Sofia I.H. Godinho
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Katharina Wulff
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Stuart N. Peirson
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Simon P. Fisher
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Johanna E. Chesham
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Janice W. Smith
- Lilly, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham, Surrey GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Michael H. Hastings
- Division of Neurobiology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Kay E. Davies
- MRC Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK
| | - Russell G. Foster
- Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology, University of Oxford, Levels 5 and 6 West Wing, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| |
Collapse
|
1140
|
Higashida H, Yokoyama S, Huang JJ, Liu L, Ma WJ, Akther S, Higashida C, Kikuchi M, Minabe Y, Munesue T. Social memory, amnesia, and autism: brain oxytocin secretion is regulated by NAD+ metabolites and single nucleotide polymorphisms of CD38. Neurochem Int 2012; 61:828-38. [PMID: 22366648 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2012.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2011] [Revised: 01/27/2012] [Accepted: 01/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we demonstrated that CD38, a transmembrane protein with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, plays a critical role in mouse social behavior by regulating the release of oxytocin (OXT), which is essential for mutual recognition. When CD38 was disrupted, social amnesia was observed in Cd38 knockout mice. The autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), characterized by defects in reciprocal social interaction and communication, occur either sporadically or in a familial pattern. However, the etiology of ASDs remains largely unknown. Therefore, the theoretical basis for pharmacological treatments has not been established. Hence, there is a rationale for investigating single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human CD38 gene in ASD subjects. We found several SNPs in this gene. The SNP rs3796863 (C>A) was associated with high-functioning autism (HFA) in American samples from the Autism Gene Resource Exchange. Although this finding was partially confirmed in low-functioning autism subjects in Israel, it has not been replicated in Japanese HFA subjects. The second SNP of interest, rs1800561 (4693C>T), leads to the substitution of an arginine (R) at codon 140 by tryptophan (W; R140W) in CD38. This mutation was found in four probands of ASD and in family members of three pedigrees with variable levels of ASD or ASD traits. The plasma levels of OXT in ASD subjects with the R140W allele were lower than those in ASD subjects lacking this allele. The OXT levels were unchanged in healthy subjects with or without this mutation. One proband with the R140W allele receiving intranasal OXT for approximately 3years showed improvement in areas of social approach, eye contact and communication behaviors, emotion, irritability, and aggression. Five other ASD subjects with mental deficits received nasal OXT for various periods; three subjects showed improved symptoms, while two showed little or no effect. These results suggest that SNPs in CD38 may be possible risk factors for ASD by abrogating OXT function and that some ASD subjects can be treated with OXT in preliminary clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haruhiro Higashida
- Department of Biophysical Genetics, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1141
|
Ranc V, Petruzziello F, Kretz R, Argandoña EG, Zhang X, Rainer G. Broad characterization of endogenous peptides in the tree shrew visual system. J Proteomics 2012; 75:2526-35. [PMID: 22326962 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2012.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Revised: 01/14/2012] [Accepted: 01/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous neuropeptides, acting as neurotransmitters or hormones in the brain, carry out important functions including neural plasticity, metabolism and angiogenesis. Previous neuropeptide studies have focused on peptide-rich brain regions such as the striatum or hypothalamus. Here we present an investigation of peptides in the visual system, composed of brain regions that are generally less rich in peptides, with the aim of providing the first broad overview of peptides involved in mammalian visual functions. We target three important parts of the visual system: the primary visual cortex (V1), lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and superior colliculus (SC). Our study is performed in the tree shrew, a close relative of primates. Using a combination of data dependent acquisition and targeted LC-MS/MS based neuropeptidomics; we identified a total of 52 peptides from the tree shrew visual system. A total of 26 peptides, for example GAV and neuropeptide K were identified in the visual system for the first time. Out of the total 52 peptides, 27 peptides with high signal-to-noise-ratio (>10) in extracted ion chromatograms (EIC) were subjected to label-free quantitation. We observed generally lower abundance of peptides in the LGN compared to V1 and SC. Consistently, a number of individual peptides showed high abundance in V1 (such as neuropeptide Y or somatostatin 28) and in SC (such as somatostatin 28 AA1-12). This study provides the first in-depth characterization of peptides in the mammalian visual system. These findings now permit the investigation of neuropeptide-regulated mechanisms of visual perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vaclav Ranc
- University of Fribourg, Department of Medicine, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1142
|
Krueger F, Parasuraman R, Iyengar V, Thornburg M, Weel J, Lin M, Clarke E, McCabe K, Lipsky RH. Oxytocin receptor genetic variation promotes human trust behavior. Front Hum Neurosci 2012; 6:4. [PMID: 22347177 PMCID: PMC3270329 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2011] [Accepted: 01/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given that human trust behavior is heritable and intranasal administration of oxytocin enhances trust, the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene is an excellent candidate to investigate genetic contributions to individual variations in trust behavior. Although a single-nucleotide polymorphism involving an adenine (A)/guanine (G) transition (rs53576) has been associated with socio-emotional phenotypes, its link to trust behavior is unclear. We combined genotyping of healthy male students (n = 108) with the administration of a trust game experiment. Our results show that a common occurring genetic variation (rs53576) in the OXTR gene is reliably associated with trust behavior rather than a general increase in trustworthy or risk behaviors. Individuals homozygous for the G allele (GG) showed higher trust behavior than individuals with A allele carriers (AA/AG). Although the molecular functionality of this polymorphism is still unknown, future research should clarify how the OXTR gene interacts with other genes and the environment in promoting socio-emotional behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank Krueger
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience, George Mason University Fairfax, VA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1143
|
Millan MJ, Agid Y, Brüne M, Bullmore ET, Carter CS, Clayton NS, Connor R, Davis S, Deakin B, DeRubeis RJ, Dubois B, Geyer MA, Goodwin GM, Gorwood P, Jay TM, Joëls M, Mansuy IM, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Murphy D, Rolls E, Saletu B, Spedding M, Sweeney J, Whittington M, Young LJ. Cognitive dysfunction in psychiatric disorders: characteristics, causes and the quest for improved therapy. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2012; 11:141-68. [PMID: 22293568 DOI: 10.1038/nrd3628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 786] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Studies of psychiatric disorders have traditionally focused on emotional symptoms such as depression, anxiety and hallucinations. However, poorly controlled cognitive deficits are equally prominent and severely compromise quality of life, including social and professional integration. Consequently, intensive efforts are being made to characterize the cellular and cerebral circuits underpinning cognitive function, define the nature and causes of cognitive impairment in psychiatric disorders and identify more effective treatments. Successful development will depend on rigorous validation in animal models as well as in patients, including measures of real-world cognitive functioning. This article critically discusses these issues, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for improving cognition in individuals suffering from psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark J Millan
- Institut de Recherche Servier, 78290 Croissy/Seine, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
1144
|
Scratching around mating: factors affecting anxiety in wild Lemur catta. Primates 2012; 53:247-54. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-012-0294-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2011] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
|
1145
|
Inhaled oxytocin amplifies both vicarious reinforcement and self reinforcement in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109:959-64. [PMID: 22215593 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1114621109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
People attend not only to their own experiences, but also to the experiences of those around them. Such social awareness profoundly influences human behavior by enabling observational learning, as well as by motivating cooperation, charity, empathy, and spite. Oxytocin (OT), a neurosecretory hormone synthesized by hypothalamic neurons in the mammalian brain, can enhance affiliation or boost exclusion in different species in distinct contexts, belying any simple mechanistic neural model. Here we show that inhaled OT penetrates the CNS and subsequently enhances the sensitivity of rhesus macaques to rewards occurring to others as well as themselves. Roughly 2 h after inhaling OT, monkeys increased the frequency of prosocial choices associated with reward to another monkey when the alternative was to reward no one. OT also increased attention to the recipient monkey as well as the time it took to render such a decision. In contrast, within the first 2 h following inhalation, OT increased selfish choices associated with delivery of reward to self over a reward to the other monkey, without affecting attention or decision latency. Despite the differences in species typical social behavior, exogenous, inhaled OT causally promotes social donation behavior in rhesus monkeys, as it does in more egalitarian and monogamous ones, like prairie voles and humans, when there is no perceived cost to self. These findings potentially implicate shared neural mechanisms.
Collapse
|
1146
|
Ameis SH, Szatmari P. Imaging-genetics in autism spectrum disorder: advances, translational impact, and future directions. Front Psychiatry 2012; 3:46. [PMID: 22615702 PMCID: PMC3351673 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a group of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders that are unified by impairments in reciprocal social communication and a pattern of inflexible behaviors. Recent genetic advances have resolved some of the complexity of the genetic architecture underlying ASD by identifying several genetic variants that contribute to the disorder. Different etiological pathways associated with ASD may converge through effects on common molecular mechanisms, such as synaptogenesis, neuronal motility, and axonal guidance. Recently, with more sophisticated techniques, neuroimaging, and neuropathological studies have provided some consistency of evidence that altered structure, activity, and connectivity within complex neural networks is present in ASD, compared to typically developing children. The imaging-genetics approach promises to help bridge the gap between genetic variation, resultant biological effects on the brain, and production of complex neuropsychiatric symptoms. Here, we review recent findings from the developing field of imaging-genetics applied to ASD. Studies to date have indicated that relevant risk genes are associated with alterations in circuits that mediate socio-emotional, visuo-spatial, and language processing. Longitudinal studies ideally focused on early development, in conjunction with investigation for gene-gene, and gene-environment interactions may move the promise of imaging-genetics in ASD closer to the clinical domain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie H Ameis
- Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
1147
|
Frooninckx L, Van Rompay L, Temmerman L, Van Sinay E, Beets I, Janssen T, Husson SJ, Schoofs L. Neuropeptide GPCRs in C. elegans. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2012; 3:167. [PMID: 23267347 PMCID: PMC3527849 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2012.00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Like most organisms, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans relies heavily on neuropeptidergic signaling. This tiny animal represents a suitable model system to study neuropeptidergic signaling networks with single cell resolution due to the availability of powerful molecular and genetic tools. The availability of the worm's complete genome sequence allows researchers to browse through it, uncovering putative neuropeptides and their cognate G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Many predictions have been made about the number of C. elegans neuropeptide GPCRs. In this review, we report the state of the art of both verified as well as predicted C. elegans neuropeptide GPCRs. The predicted neuropeptide GPCRs are incorporated into the receptor classification system based on their resemblance to orthologous GPCRs in insects and vertebrates. Appointing the natural ligand(s) to each predicted neuropeptide GPCR (receptor deorphanization) is a crucial step during characterization. The development of deorphanization strategies resulted in a significant increase in the knowledge of neuropeptidergic signaling in C. elegans. Complementary localization and functional studies demonstrate that neuropeptides and their GPCRs represent a rich potential source of behavioral variability in C. elegans. Here, we review all neuropeptidergic signaling pathways that so far have been functionally characterized in C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lotte Frooninckx
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbeth Van Rompay
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Liesbet Temmerman
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Elien Van Sinay
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Isabel Beets
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Tom Janssen
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Steven J. Husson
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
| | - Liliane Schoofs
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit LeuvenLeuven, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Liliane Schoofs, Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
1148
|
Nasal application of neuropeptide S reduces anxiety and prolongs memory in rats: Social versus non-social effects. Neuropharmacology 2012; 62:398-405. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2011.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2011] [Revised: 08/09/2011] [Accepted: 08/10/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
1149
|
Do Rego JL, Seong JY, Burel D, Leprince J, Vaudry D, Luu-The V, Tonon MC, Tsutsui K, Pelletier G, Vaudry H. Regulation of neurosteroid biosynthesis by neurotransmitters and neuropeptides. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2012; 3:4. [PMID: 22654849 PMCID: PMC3356045 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2012.00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Accepted: 01/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The enzymatic pathways leading to the synthesis of bioactive steroids in the brain are now almost completely elucidated in various groups of vertebrates and, during the last decade, the neuronal mechanisms involved in the regulation of neurosteroid production have received increasing attention. This report reviews the current knowledge concerning the effects of neurotransmitters, peptide hormones, and neuropeptides on the biosynthesis of neurosteroids. Anatomical studies have been carried out to visualize the neurotransmitter- or neuropeptide-containing fibers contacting steroid-synthesizing neurons as well as the neurotransmitter, peptide hormones, or neuropeptide receptors expressed in these neurons. Biochemical experiments have been conducted to investigate the effects of neurotransmitters, peptide hormones, or neuropeptides on neurosteroid biosynthesis, and to characterize the type of receptors involved. Thus, it has been found that glutamate, acting through kainate and/or AMPA receptors, rapidly inactivates P450arom, and that melatonin produced by the pineal gland and eye inhibits the biosynthesis of 7α-hydroxypregnenolone (7α-OH-Δ(5)P), while prolactin produced by the adenohypophysis enhances the formation of 7α-OH-Δ(5)P. It has also been demonstrated that the biosynthesis of neurosteroids is inhibited by GABA, acting through GABA(A) receptors, and neuropeptide Y, acting through Y1 receptors. In contrast, it has been shown that the octadecaneuropetide ODN, acting through central-type benzodiazepine receptors, the triakontatetraneuropeptide TTN, acting though peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptors, and vasotocin, acting through V1a-like receptors, stimulate the production of neurosteroids. Since neurosteroids are implicated in the control of various neurophysiological and behavioral processes, these data suggest that some of the neurophysiological effects exerted by neurotransmitters and neuropeptides may be mediated via the regulation of neurosteroid production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean Luc Do Rego
- INSERMMont-Saint-Aignan France
- European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, Regional Platform for Cell Imaging, PRIMACEN, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- International Associated Laboratory Samuel de ChamplainMont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Jae Young Seong
- Laboratory of G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Graduate School of Medicine, Korea University College of MedicineSeoul, Korea
| | - Delphine Burel
- INSERMMont-Saint-Aignan France
- European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, Regional Platform for Cell Imaging, PRIMACEN, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- International Associated Laboratory Samuel de ChamplainMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Differentiation and Communication, INSERM U982, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Jerôme Leprince
- INSERMMont-Saint-Aignan France
- European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, Regional Platform for Cell Imaging, PRIMACEN, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- International Associated Laboratory Samuel de ChamplainMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Differentiation and Communication, INSERM U982, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - David Vaudry
- INSERMMont-Saint-Aignan France
- European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, Regional Platform for Cell Imaging, PRIMACEN, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- International Associated Laboratory Samuel de ChamplainMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Differentiation and Communication, INSERM U982, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Van Luu-The
- Research Center in Molecular Endocrinology, Oncology and Genetics, Laval University Hospital CenterQuébec, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Christine Tonon
- INSERMMont-Saint-Aignan France
- European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, Regional Platform for Cell Imaging, PRIMACEN, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- International Associated Laboratory Samuel de ChamplainMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Differentiation and Communication, INSERM U982, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
| | - Kazuyoshi Tsutsui
- Laboratory of Integrative Brain Sciences, Department of Biology, Waseda UniversityTokyo, Japan
- Center for Medical Life Science of Waseda UniversityTokyo, Japan
| | - Georges Pelletier
- Research Center in Molecular Endocrinology, Oncology and Genetics, Laval University Hospital CenterQuébec, QC, Canada
| | - Hubert Vaudry
- INSERMMont-Saint-Aignan France
- European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, Regional Platform for Cell Imaging, PRIMACEN, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- International Associated Laboratory Samuel de ChamplainMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- Laboratory of Neuronal and Neuroendocrine Differentiation and Communication, INSERM U982, University of RouenMont-Saint-Aignan, France
- *Correspondence: Hubert Vaudry, INSERM U982, European Institute for Peptide Research, IFRMP 23, University of Rouen, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France. e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
1150
|
Type 1 ryanodine receptor knock-in mutation causing central core disease of skeletal muscle also displays a neuronal phenotype. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 109:610-5. [PMID: 22203976 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1115111108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) is expressed widely in the brain, with high levels in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and hypothalamus. We have shown that L-type Ca(2+) channels in terminals of hypothalamic magnocellular neurons are coupled to RyRs, as they are in skeletal muscle, allowing voltage-induced Ca(2+) release (VICaR) from internal Ca(2+) stores without Ca(2+) influx. Here we demonstrate that RyR1 plays a role in VICaR in nerve terminals. Furthermore, in heterozygotes from the Ryr1(I4895T/WT) (IT/+) mouse line, carrying a knock-in mutation corresponding to one that causes a severe form of human central core disease, VICaR is absent, demonstrating that type 1 RyR mediates VICaR and that these mice have a neuronal phenotype. The absence of VICaR was shown in two ways: first, depolarization in the absence of Ca(2+) influx elicited Ca(2+)syntillas (scintilla, spark, in a nerve terminal, a SYNaptic structure) in WT, but not in mutant terminals; second, in the presence of extracellular Ca(2+), IT/+ terminals showed a twofold decrease in global Ca(2+) transients, with no change in plasmalemmal Ca(2+) current. From these studies we draw two conclusions: (i) RyR1 plays a role in VICaR in hypothalamic nerve terminals; and (ii) a neuronal alteration accompanies the myopathy in IT/+ mice, and, possibly in humans carrying the corresponding RyR1 mutation.
Collapse
|