101
|
Karlsson SA, Haziri K, Hansson E, Kettunen P, Westberg L. Effects of sex and gonadectomy on social investigation and social recognition in mice. BMC Neurosci 2015; 16:83. [PMID: 26608570 PMCID: PMC4660658 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-015-0221-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 11/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background An individual’s ability to recognise and pay attention to others is crucial in order to behave appropriately in various social situations. Studies in humans have shown a sex bias in sociability as well as social memory, indicating that females have better face memory and gaze more at the eyes of others, but information about the factors that underpin these differences is sparse. Our aim was therefore to investigate if sociability and social recognition differ between female and male mice, and if so, to what extent gonadal hormones may be involved. Intact and gonadectomised male and female mice were assessed for sociability and social recognition using the three-chambered sociability paradigm, as well as the social discrimination test. Furthermore, we conducted a novel object recognition test, a locomotor activity test and an odour habituation/dishabituation test. Results The present study showed that the ability to recognise other individuals is intact in males with and without gonads, as well as in intact females, whereas it is hampered in gonadectomised females. Additionally, intact male mice displayed more persistent investigatory behaviour compared to the other groups, although the intact females showed elevated basal locomotor activity. In addition, all groups had intact object memory and habituated to odours. Conclusions Our results suggest that intact male mice investigate conspecifics more than females do, and these differences seem to depend upon circulating hormones released from the testis. As these results seem to contrast what is known from human studies, they should be taken into consideration when using the three-chambered apparatus, and similar paradigms as animal models of social deficits in e.g. autism. Other behavioural tests, and animal models, may be more suitable for translational studies between patients and experimental animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Karlsson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Kaltrina Haziri
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Evelyn Hansson
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Petronella Kettunen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Lars Westberg
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
102
|
Bäckström T, Bixo M, Strömberg J. GABAA Receptor-Modulating Steroids in Relation to Women's Behavioral Health. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2015; 17:92. [PMID: 26396092 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-015-0627-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In certain women, increased negative mood relates to the progesterone metabolite, allopregnanolone (allo), during the luteal phase of ovulatory menstrual cycles, the premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). In anovulatory cycles, no symptom or sex steroid increase occurs but symptoms return during progesterone/allo treatment. Allo is a potent GABAA receptor-modulating steroid and as such is expected to be calming and anxiolytic. A relation to negative mood is unexpected. However, this paradoxical effect can be induced by all GABAA receptor modulators in low concentrations whereas higher concentrations are calming. The severity of the mood symptoms relate to allo in an inverted U-shaped curve at endogenous luteal-phase serum concentrations. Allo's effects on the GABAA receptor can be antagonized by isoallopregnanolone (ISO), an antagonist to allo. ISO has also been used in a preliminary clinical trial on PMDD ameliorating symptoms with good effect in PMDD patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Torbjörn Bäckström
- Department of Clinical sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå neurosteroid research center, Umeå University, Building 6M 4th floor, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Marie Bixo
- Department of Clinical sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå neurosteroid research center, Umeå University, Building 6M 4th floor, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jessica Strömberg
- Department of Clinical sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå neurosteroid research center, Umeå University, Building 6M 4th floor, Umeå, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
103
|
Comasco E, Sundström-Poromaa I. Neuroimaging the Menstrual Cycle and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2015; 17:77. [PMID: 26272540 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-015-0619-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of gonadal hormone-related influences on human brain anatomy, function, and chemistry is scarce. The present review scrutinized organizational and functional neuroimaging correlates of the menstrual cycle and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Supportive evidence of cyclic short-term structural and functional brain plasticity in response to gonadal hormonal modulation is provided. The paucity of studies, sparsity and discordance of findings, and weaknesses in study design at present hinder the drawing of firm conclusions. Ideal study designs should comprise high-resolution multimodal neuroimaging (e.g., MRI, DTI, rs-fMRI, fMRI, PET), hormones, genetic, and behavioral longitudinal assessments of healthy women and PMDD patients at critical time points of the menstrual cycle phase (i.e., early follicular phase, late follicular phase, mid-luteal phase) in a counter-balanced setup. Studies integrating large-scale brain network structural, functional, and molecular neuroimaging, as well as treatment data, will deepen the understanding of neural state, disorder, and treatment markers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 593, 751 24, Uppsala, Sweden,
| | | |
Collapse
|
104
|
Pletzer B. Editorial: From sex differences in neuroscience to a neuroscience of sex differences: new directions and perspectives. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:330. [PMID: 26441504 PMCID: PMC4585126 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, Paris-Lodron-University SalzburgSalzburg, Austria
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, Paris-Lodron-University SalzburgSalzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
105
|
Rubin LH, Carter CS, Drogos LL, Pournajafi-Nazarloo H, Sweeney JA, Maki PM. Effects of sex, menstrual cycle phase, and endogenous hormones on cognition in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2015; 166:269-75. [PMID: 25990704 PMCID: PMC4512858 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Revised: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In women with schizophrenia, cognition has been shown to be enhanced following administration of hormone therapy or oxytocin. We examined how natural hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle influence cognition in women with schizophrenia. We hypothesized that female patients would perform worse on "female-dominant" tasks (verbal memory/fluency) and better on "male-dominant" tasks (visuospatial) during the early follicular phase (low estradiol and progesterone) compared to midluteal phase (high estradiol and progesterone) in relation to estradiol but not progesterone. METHODS Fifty-four women (23 with schizophrenia) completed cognitive assessments and provided blood for sex steroid assays and oxytocin at early follicular (days 2-4) and midluteal (days 20-22) phases. Men were included to verify the expected pattern of sex differences on cognitive tests. RESULTS Expected sex differences were observed on "female-dominant" and "male-dominant" tasks (p<0.001), but the magnitude of those differences did not differ between patients and controls (p=0.44). Cognitive performance did not change across the menstrual cycle on "female-dominant" or "male-dominant" tasks in either group. Estradiol and progesterone levels were unrelated to cognitive performance. Oxytocin levels did not change across the menstrual cycle but were positively related to performance on "female-dominant" tasks in female patients only (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Sex differences in cognitive function are preserved in schizophrenia. Oxytocin levels do not change across the cycle, but relate to enhanced performance on female dominant tests in women. Physiological levels of oxytocin may thus have a more powerful benefit in some cognitive domains than estrogens in schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leah H. Rubin
- Department of Psychiatry, Women’s Mental Health Research Program, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Lauren L. Drogos
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - John A. Sweeney
- Departments of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Pauline M. Maki
- Department of Psychiatry, Women’s Mental Health Research Program, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago
| |
Collapse
|
106
|
Gingnell M, Bannbers E, Moes H, Engman J, Sylvén S, Skalkidou A, Kask K, Wikström J, Sundström-Poromaa I. Emotion Reactivity Is Increased 4-6 Weeks Postpartum in Healthy Women: A Longitudinal fMRI Study. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0128964. [PMID: 26061879 PMCID: PMC4465482 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0128964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Marked endocrine alterations occur after delivery. Most women cope well with these changes, but the postpartum period is associated with an increased risk of depressive episodes. Previous studies of emotion processing have focused on maternal–infant bonding or postpartum depression (PPD), and longitudinal studies of the neural correlates of emotion processing throughout the postpartum period in healthy women are lacking. In this study, 13 women, without signs of post partum depression, underwent fMRI with an emotional face matching task and completed the MADRS-S, STAI-S, and EPDS within 48 h (early postpartum) and 4–6 weeks after delivery (late postpartum). Also, data from a previous study including 15 naturally cycling controls assessed in the luteal and follicular phase of the menstrual cycle was used. Women had lower reactivity in insula, middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) in the early as compared to the late postpartum assessment. Insular reactivity was positively correlated with anxiety in the early postpartum period and with depressive symptoms late postpartum. Reactivity in insula and IFG were greater in postpartum women than in non-pregnant control subjects. Brain reactivity was not correlated with serum estradiol or progesterone levels. Increased reactivity in the insula, IFG, and MFG may reflect normal postpartum adaptation, but correlation with self-rated symptoms of depression and anxiety in these otherwise healthy postpartum women, may also suggest that these changes place susceptible women at increased risk of PPD. These findings contribute to our understanding of the neurobiological aspects of the postpartum period, which might shed light on the mechanisms underlying affective puerperal disorders, such as PPD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malin Gingnell
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Elin Bannbers
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Harmen Moes
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Engman
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Sara Sylvén
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alkistis Skalkidou
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristiina Kask
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johan Wikström
- Department of Radiology, Oncology and Radiation Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | |
Collapse
|
107
|
Toffoletto S, Lanzenberger R, Gingnell M, Sundström-Poromaa I, Comasco E. Emotional and cognitive functional imaging of estrogen and progesterone effects in the female human brain: a systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 50:28-52. [PMID: 25222701 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 217] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 07/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Ovarian hormones are pivotal for the physiological maintenance of the brain function as well as its response to environmental stimuli. There is mounting evidence attesting the relevance of endogenous ovarian hormones as well as exogenous estradiol and progesterone for emotional and cognitive processing. The present review systematically summarized current knowledge on sex steroid hormonal modulation of neural substrates of emotion and cognition revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Twenty-four studies of healthy naturally cycling and combined oral contraceptives (COC) user women, or women undergoing experimental manipulations, during their reproductive age, were included. Furthermore, six studies of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a hormonally based mood disorder, and three of gender dysphoria (GD), which provides an intriguing opportunity to examine the effect of high-dose cross-sex hormone therapy (CSHT) on brain functioning, were included. Globally, low (early follicular and the entire follicular phase for estrogen and progesterone, respectively) and high (COC, CSHT, late follicular and luteal phase for estrogen; COC, mid- and late-luteal phase for progesterone) hormonal milieu diversely affected the response of several brain regions including the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and inferior frontal gyrus, but their functional recruitment across groups and domains was scattered. The constellation of findings provides initial evidence of the influence of sex steroid hormones on cortical and subcortical regions implicated in emotional and cognitive processing. Further well-powered and multimodal neuroimaging studies will be needed to identify the neural mechanism of functional brain alterations induced by sex steroid hormones.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rupert Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Malin Gingnell
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Erika Comasco
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria; Department of Women's & Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|