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Akioyamen LE, Minhas H, Holloway AC, Taylor VH, Akioyamen NO, Sherifali D. Effects of depression pharmacotherapy in fertility treatment on conception, birth, and neonatal health: A systematic review. J Psychosom Res 2016; 84:69-80. [PMID: 27095162 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2016.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While antidepressant medications are currently used during conception, gestation and post-partum, considerable uncertainty exists regarding the benefits and harms conferred to mothers and their offspring. A significant body of evidence has focused on antidepressant use during pregnancy and post-partum. However, it is difficult to know if this translates to specific populations. Women receiving treatment for infertility are especially vulnerable to symptoms of depression and adverse perinatal outcomes. This systematic review aimed to determine the effects of antidepressants taken during the perinatal period by women receiving fertility treatment on conception, birth, and long-term maternal and child health outcomes. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, ProQuest Dissertation & Theses, and Pubmed databases from January 1950 to November 2015. Articles were screened for inclusion independently by two reviewers. Studies were included if they enrolled women of reproductive age exposed to pharmacotherapy for depression and infertility at any point during the perinatal period. RESULTS A total of 8587 unique citations, and 83 full-text articles were reviewed. Of these, two randomized controlled trials and two retrospective chart reviews were included in the narrative synthesis. While most studies reported on assisted reproduction processes and birth outcomes, none examined long-term impacts on maternal-child health. The few included studies did not find that antidepressant use by women receiving fertility therapy impacted gamete quality or pregnancy success. CONCLUSIONS Currently, no studies address whether pharmacotherapy for the treatment of depression in women undergoing assisted reproduction affects their health or that of their offspring long-term. It appears that much like antidepressant use in fertile women, there are risks associated with both antidepressant use and untreated depression. Decisions regarding the treatment of depression should be made taking into account clinical presentation and illness severity. Given the complexities of conducting research in this population, future research should attempt to leverage health registry data, to increase sample sizes and follow mothers and children longitudinally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo E Akioyamen
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada.
| | - Hersimren Minhas
- College of Health Professions, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada.
| | - Alison C Holloway
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Valerie H Taylor
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; Division of Women's Mental Health, Women's College Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5G 1N8, Canada.
| | - Noel O Akioyamen
- Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University, London, ON N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - Diana Sherifali
- School of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada; Diabetes Care and Research Program, Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5, Canada.
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Stephens MAC, Mahon PB, McCaul ME, Wand GS. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to acute psychosocial stress: Effects of biological sex and circulating sex hormones. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 66:47-55. [PMID: 26773400 PMCID: PMC4788592 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 159] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis influences the risk for developing stress-related disorders. Sex-dependent differences in the HPA axis stress response are believed to contribute to the different prevalence rates of stress-related disorders found in men and women. However, studies examining the HPA axis stress response have shown mixed support for sex differences, and the role of endogenous sex hormones on HPA axis response has not been adequately examined in humans. This study utilized the largest sample size to date to analyze the effects of biological sex and sex hormones on HPA axis social stress responses. Healthy, 18- to 30- year-old community volunteers (N=282) completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a widely used and well-validated stress-induction laboratory procedure. All women (n=135) were tested during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (when progesterone levels are most similar to men). Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol measures were collected at multiple points throughout pre- and post-TSST. Testosterone and progesterone (in men) and progesterone and estradiol (in women) were determined pre-TSST. Following the TSST, men had greater ACTH and cortisol levels than women. Men had steeper baseline-to-peak and peak-to-end ACTH and cortisol response slopes than women; there was a trend for more cortisol responders among men than women. Testosterone negatively correlated with salivary cortisol response in men, while progesterone negatively correlated with ACTH and cortisol responses in women. These data confirm that men show more robust activation of the HPA axis response to the TSST than do women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Testosterone results suggest an inhibitory effect on HPA axis reactivity in men. Progesterone results suggest an inhibitory effect on HPA axis reactivity in women. Future work is needed to explain why men mount a greater ACTH and cortisol response to the TSST than do women during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Ann C Stephens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 115, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Pamela B Mahon
- Mood Disorders Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe St, Phipps 300, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
| | - Mary E McCaul
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 115, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Gary S Wand
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 550 N. Broadway, Suite 115, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Ave., Ross Building, Rm 863, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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253
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Ralph CR, Tilbrook AJ. The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in sheep is attenuated during lactation in response to psychosocial and predator stress. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2016; 55:66-73. [PMID: 26773370 PMCID: PMC4785995 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by psychosocial stress is attenuated during lactation. We tested the hypothesis that lactating ewes will have attenuated HPA axis responses to isolation and restraint but will have greater responses to predator stress in the form of barking dogs. We imposed two 4 h stressors: psychosocial stress (isolation and restraint of ewes) and predator stress (barking dogs). Blood was collected intravenous every 10 min from nonlactating ewes (n = 6), lactating ewes with lambs present but not able to be suckled (n = 6), and lactating ewes with lambs present and able to be suckled (n = 6). Plasma cortisol and oxytocin were measured. For nonlactating ewes, cortisol increased (P < 0.01) in response to both stressors, and these increases were greater (P < 0.01) than that in the lactating animals. For lactating ewes with lambs present but unable to be suckled, cortisol increased (P < 0.05) in response to both stressors with a greater response to barking dogs (P < 0.05). For lactating ewes with lambs present and able to be suckled, cortisol increased (P < 0.01) in response to barking dogs only. Plasma oxytocin was greater (P < 0.01) in lactating ewes than in nonlactating ewes and did not change in response to the stressors. In conclusion, lactating ewes are likely to have a greater HPA axis response to a stressor that may be perceived to threaten the welfare of themselves and/or their offspring. The role of oxytocin in attenuation of the HPA axis to stress in sheep is unclear from the current research and requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- C R Ralph
- Division of Livestock and Farming Systems, South Australian Research and Development Institute, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, South Australia, 5371, Australia.
| | - A J Tilbrook
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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Abstract
In a graying world, there is an increasing interest in correlates of aging, especially those found in early life. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is an emerging marker of aging at the cellular level, but little is known regarding its link with poor decision making that often entails being overly impatient. Here we investigate the relationship between LTL and the degree of impatience, which is measured in the laboratory using an incentivized delay discounting task. In a sample of 1,158 Han Chinese undergraduates, we observe that steeper delay discounting, indexing higher degree of impatience, is negatively associated with LTL. The relationship is robust after controlling for health-related variables, as well as risk attitude-another important determinant of decision making. LTL in females is more sensitive to impatience than in males. We then asked if genes possibly modulate the effect of impatient behavior on LTL. The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) polymorphism rs53576, which has figured prominently in investigations of social cognition and psychological resources, and the estrogen receptor β gene (ESR2) polymorphism rs2978381, one of two gonadal sex hormone genes, significantly mitigate the negative effect of impatience on cellular aging in females. The current results contribute to understanding the relationship between preferences in decision making, particularly impatience, and cellular aging, for the first time to our knowledge. Notably, oxytocin and estrogen receptor polymorphisms temper accelerated cellular aging in young females who tend to make impatient choices.
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256
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Gallelli MF, Lombardo D, Vissio P, Quiroga A, Caggiano N, Soler E, Meikle A, Castillo VA. Immunohistochemical analysis of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in dogs: Sex-linked and seasonal variation. Res Vet Sci 2016; 104:10-6. [PMID: 26850531 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated sexual dimorphism and seasonal variations in corticotrophs and adrenal zona fasciculata in dogs, as well as the expression of oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα). An immunohistochemical analysis was conducted in pituitaries for ACTH and in adrenal glands for ERα and for the melanocortin-2-receptor (MC2R) in winter and summer. Double immunofluorescence was performed to identify ERα in corticotrophs. Females had a greater proportion of corticotrophs per field (p<0.01), with a greater cellular area and optical density (p<0.001) than males. Optical density of corticotrophs was greater in winter for both sexes (p<0.001). In zona fasciculata, ERα and MC2R expression was greater in females (p<0.001) and was greater in winter (p<0.001). ERα was identified in corticotrophs. This study is the first to demonstrate ERα expression in corticotrophs and the adrenal cortex in dogs, providing evidence for sexual dimorphism and seasonal variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M F Gallelli
- UBACyT scholarship holder, Argentina; Hospital Escuela-Unidad de Endocrinología, A. Clínica Médica de Pequeños Animales, Fac. de Ciencias Veterinarias-UBA, Av. Chorroarin 280, Buenos Aires CP 1427, Argentina.
| | - D Lombardo
- Cátedra de Histología, Fac. de Ciencias Veterinarias-UBA, Av. Chorroarin 280, Buenos Aires CP 1427, Argentina
| | - P Vissio
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología del Crecimiento y la Reproducción, DBBE, FCEN-UBA/IBBEA-CONICET-UBA, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - A Quiroga
- Área de Patología Especial, Fac. De Ciencias Veterinarias, UNLP. Calle 60 y 118, CP 1900 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - N Caggiano
- Área de Patología Especial, Fac. De Ciencias Veterinarias, UNLP. Calle 60 y 118, CP 1900 Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - E Soler
- Hospital Escuela-Unidad de Endocrinología, A. Clínica Médica de Pequeños Animales, Fac. de Ciencias Veterinarias-UBA, Av. Chorroarin 280, Buenos Aires CP 1427, Argentina
| | - A Meikle
- Laboratorio de Técnicas Nucleares, Fac. De Ciencias Veterinarias, UDELAR, Lasplacesr 1550-1620, CP 11600 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - V A Castillo
- Hospital Escuela-Unidad de Endocrinología, A. Clínica Médica de Pequeños Animales, Fac. de Ciencias Veterinarias-UBA, Av. Chorroarin 280, Buenos Aires CP 1427, Argentina
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257
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Effects of aging on stress-related responses of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus of male rats. Neurobiol Stress 2016; 3:43-51. [PMID: 27981176 PMCID: PMC5146197 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Responses to various stressors in the brain change with age. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying age-dependent changes in stress responses. It is known that serotonin, a stress-related transmitter, is closely related with the regulation of stress responses in the brain and that serotonergic function is modulated by various factors, including estrogen, in both sexes. In the present study, to elucidate the effects of aging on stress responses in serotonergic neurons, we examined the expression levels of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH; a marker of serotonergic neurons) in the dorsal, ventral and lateral parts of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in young and old intact male rats. In young males, repeated restraint stress significantly increased the number of TPH-positive cells in all subdivisions of the DRN. In contrast, the stress-induced increase in TPH expression was only observed in the ventral part of the DRN in old males. Pretreatment with an estrogen receptor β antagonist had no effect on the number of TPH-positive cells in the dorsal and lateral DRN in young stressed males, whereas the antagonist decreased the number of TPH-positive cells in all DRN subdivisions in old stressed males. Our results suggest that the effects of repeated stress exposure on the expression of TPH in serotonergic neurons in the DRN change with age and that estrogenic effects via estrogen receptor β on TPH expression in stressed old males differ from those in young males. We examined the effect of aging on stress-induced TPH expression in male rats. The effect of stress exposure on TPH expression in the DRN changed with age. The effect of ER-β blockade on stress-induced TPH expression changed with age. Stress experience in young adulthood changed serotonergic response in old age.
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258
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Zhang J, Xu C, Puentes DL, Seubert CN, Gravenstein N, Martynyuk AE. Role of Steroids in Hyperexcitatory Adverse and Anesthetic Effects of Sevoflurane in Neonatal Rats. Neuroendocrinology 2016; 103:440-51. [PMID: 26159049 PMCID: PMC4698089 DOI: 10.1159/000437267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Accepted: 06/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Recent studies have demonstrated that long-term developmental effects of neonatal anesthesia were more prominent in males. We tested whether steroids, in general, and sex steroids, in particular, are involved in the mediation of sevoflurane-caused paradoxical cortical seizures during the early postnatal period. METHODS Cortical electroencephalograms, hippocampal synaptic activity, serum levels of steroids and the loss of the righting reflex (LORR), a marker of anesthetic effect, were measured on postnatal days 4-6 in Sprague Dawley rats of both genders exposed to 2.1% sevoflurane. RESULTS Episodes of seizures, persistent spikes in electroencephalograms and increases in serum corticosterone were similar in both genders. In the order of increasing potency, the corticosteroid receptor antagonist RU 28318, the estradiol receptor antagonist ICI 182780 and the estradiol synthesis inhibitor formestane decreased sevoflurane-induced seizures. Exogenous estradiol increased sevoflurane-caused seizures, spikes and serum levels of corticosterone. These estradiol-enhanced seizures and spikes were depressed by ICI 182780 and the NKCC1 inhibitor, bumetanide, while RU 28318 decreased seizures only. In hippocampal CA1 neurons, estradiol increased the amplitude, rise time and area under the curve of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR)-mediated miniature postsynaptic currents. Exogenous estradiol shortened, while ICI 182780 and formestane lengthened the time needed for sevoflurane to induce LORR. CONCLUSION These findings provide evidence for gender-independent acute electroencephalographic effects of sevoflurane at this age. Corticosterone and estradiol are involved in the mediation of sevoflurane-induced seizures. Estradiol, but not corticosterone, also contributes to sevoflurane-caused spikes, by enhancing GABAAR-mediated excitation in the cortex. By increasing GABAAR-mediated inhibition in more mature caudal regions of the brain, estradiol contributes to sevoflurane-induced LORR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqiang Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
- Department of Anesthesiology, People’s Hosptial of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, P.R. China
| | - Changqing Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
| | - Dyanet L. Puentes
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
| | - Christoph N. Seubert
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
| | - Nikolaus Gravenstein
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
| | - Anatoly E. Martynyuk
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL
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259
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Hau M, Casagrande S, Ouyang J, Baugh A. Glucocorticoid-Mediated Phenotypes in Vertebrates. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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260
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Kromrey SA, Czoty PW, Nader SH, Register TC, Nader MA. Preclinical laboratory assessments of predictors of social rank in female cynomolgus monkeys. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:402-417. [PMID: 26684077 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2015] [Revised: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Physiological and behavioral differences between dominant and subordinate monkeys have been useful in preclinical models investigating numerous disease states. In captivity, it has been inferred that subordinate monkeys live in a context of chronic social stress and may be at risk for a variety of dysfunctions; however, the factors that influence eventual rank are not entirely known. The goal of the present study was to first evaluate several phenotypic characteristics as potential trait markers for eventual social rank and then to determine the consequences of social hierarchy on these measures (i.e., state markers). Baseline estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and testosterone concentrations were obtained from 16 pair-housed female cynomolgus monkeys before and after introduction into new social groups (n = 4/group). Furthermore, effects of the initial week of social rank establishment on outcome measures of cognitive performance and homecage activity were examined. Baseline body weight and mean serum estradiol concentrations were the only statistically significant predictors of eventual rank, with future subordinate monkeys weighing less and having higher estradiol concentrations. During initial hierarchy establishment, future subordinate monkeys had increased morning and afternoon cortisol concentrations, increased locomotor activity and impaired cognitive performance on a working memory task. After 3 months of social housing, subordinate monkeys had blunted circulating estradiol and progesterone concentrations. These findings demonstrate differential effects on gonadal hormones and cortisol as a function of social context in normally cycling female monkeys. Furthermore, disruptions in cognitive performance were associated with subordinate status, suggesting strong face validity of this model to the study of factors related to the etiology and treatment of human diseases associated with chronic stress. Am. J. Primatol. 78:402-417, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Kromrey
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Paul W Czoty
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Susan H Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Thomas C Register
- Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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261
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de Sousa MBC, Galvão ACDM, Sales CJR, de Castro DC, Galvão-Coelho NL. Endocrine and Cognitive Adaptations to Cope with Stress in Immature Common Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus): Sex and Age Matter. Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:160. [PMID: 26648876 PMCID: PMC4663272 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic sex differences in primates are associated with body differentiation during the early stages of life, expressed in both physiological and behavioral features. Hormones seem to play a pivotal role in creating a range of responses to meet environmental and social demands, resulting in better reactions to cope with challenges to survival and reproduction. Steroid hormones actively participate in neuroplasticity and steroids from both gonads and neurons seem to be involved in behavioral modulation in primates. Indirect evidence suggests the participation of sexual steroids in dimorphism of the stress response in common marmosets. This species is an important experimental model in psychiatry, and we found a dual profile for cortisol in the transition from juvenile to subadult, with females showing higher levels. Immature males and females at 6 and 9 months of age moved alone from the family group to a new cage, over a 21-day period, expressed distinct patterns of cortisol variation with respect to range and duration of response. Additional evidence showed that at 12 months of age, males and females buffered the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during chronic stress. Moreover, chronic stressed juvenile marmoset males showed better cognitive performance in working memory tests and motivation when compared to those submitted to short-term stress living in family groups. Thus, as cortisol profile seems to be sexually dimorphic before adulthood, age and sex are critical variables to consider in approaches that require immature marmosets in their experimental protocols. Moreover, available cognitive tests should be scrutinized to allow better investigation of cognitive traits in this species.
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262
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Sex, the brain and hypertension: brain oestrogen receptors and high blood pressure risk factors. Clin Sci (Lond) 2015; 130:9-18. [DOI: 10.1042/cs20150654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Hypertension is a major contributor to worldwide morbidity and mortality rates related to cardiovascular disease. There are important sex differences in the onset and rate of hypertension in humans. Compared with age-matched men, premenopausal women are less likely to develop hypertension. However, after age 60, the incidence of hypertension increases in women and even surpasses that seen in older men. It is thought that changes in levels of circulating ovarian hormones as women age may be involved in the increase in hypertension in older women. One of the key mechanisms involved in the development of hypertension in both men and women is an increase in sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). Brain regions important for the regulation of SNA, such as the subfornical organ, the paraventricular nucleus and the rostral ventral lateral medulla, also express specific subtypes of oestrogen receptors. Each of these brain regions has also been implicated in mechanisms underlying risk factors for hypertension such as obesity, stress and inflammation. The present review brings together evidence that links actions of oestrogen at these receptors to modulate some of the common brain mechanisms involved in the ability of hypertensive risk factors to increase SNA and blood pressure. Understanding the mechanisms by which oestrogen acts at key sites in the brain for the regulation of SNA is important for the development of novel, sex-specific therapies for treating hypertension.
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263
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Tracking the origins of Yakutian horses and the genetic basis for their fast adaptation to subarctic environments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E6889-97. [PMID: 26598656 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1513696112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Yakutia, Sakha Republic, in the Siberian Far East, represents one of the coldest places on Earth, with winter record temperatures dropping below -70 °C. Nevertheless, Yakutian horses survive all year round in the open air due to striking phenotypic adaptations, including compact body conformations, extremely hairy winter coats, and acute seasonal differences in metabolic activities. The evolutionary origins of Yakutian horses and the genetic basis of their adaptations remain, however, contentious. Here, we present the complete genomes of nine present-day Yakutian horses and two ancient specimens dating from the early 19th century and ∼5,200 y ago. By comparing these genomes with the genomes of two Late Pleistocene, 27 domesticated, and three wild Przewalski's horses, we find that contemporary Yakutian horses do not descend from the native horses that populated the region until the mid-Holocene, but were most likely introduced following the migration of the Yakut people a few centuries ago. Thus, they represent one of the fastest cases of adaptation to the extreme temperatures of the Arctic. We find cis-regulatory mutations to have contributed more than nonsynonymous changes to their adaptation, likely due to the comparatively limited standing variation within gene bodies at the time the population was founded. Genes involved in hair development, body size, and metabolic and hormone signaling pathways represent an essential part of the Yakutian horse adaptive genetic toolkit. Finally, we find evidence for convergent evolution with native human populations and woolly mammoths, suggesting that only a few evolutionary strategies are compatible with survival in extremely cold environments.
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264
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Greenberg GD, Steinman MQ, Doig IE, Hao R, Trainor BC. Effects of social defeat on dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area in male and female California mice. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 42:3081-94. [PMID: 26469289 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Revised: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have important functions related to rewards but are also activated in aversive contexts. Electrophysiology studies suggest that the degree to which VTA dopamine neurons respond to noxious stimuli is topographically organized across the dorsal-ventral extent. We used c-fos immunohistochemistry to examine the responses of VTA dopamine neurons in contexts of social defeat and social approach. Studying monogamous California mice (Peromyscus californicus) allowed us to observe the effects of social defeat on both males and females. Females exposed to three episodes of defeat, but not a single episode, had more tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)/c-fos-positive cells in the ventral (but not dorsal) VTA compared with controls. This observation suggests that repeated exposure to aversive contexts is necessary to trigger activation of VTA dopamine neurons. Defeat did not affect TH/c-fos colocalizations in males. We also examined the long-term effects of defeat on c-fos expression in a social interaction test. As previously reported, defeat reduced social interaction in females but not males. Surprisingly, there were no effects of defeat stress on TH/c-fos colocalizations in any subregion of the VTA. However, females had more TH/c-fos-positive cells than males across the entire VTA, and also had greater c-fos-positive cell counts in posterior subregions of the nucleus accumbens shell. Our results show that dopamine neurons in the VTA are more responsive to social contexts in females and that the ventral VTA in particular is sensitive to aversive contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gian D Greenberg
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Michael Q Steinman
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Ian E Doig
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.,Center for Neuroscience, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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265
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Jenni S, Goyal Y, von Grotthuss M, Shvartsman SY, Klein DE. Structural Basis of Neurohormone Perception by the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Torso. Mol Cell 2015; 60:941-52. [PMID: 26698662 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2015.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2015] [Revised: 09/17/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
In insects, brain-derived Prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) activates the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) Torso to initiate metamorphosis through the release of ecdysone. We have determined the crystal structure of silkworm PTTH in complex with the ligand-binding region of Torso. Here we show that ligand-induced Torso dimerization results from the sequential and negatively cooperative formation of asymmetric heterotetramers. Mathematical modeling of receptor activation based upon our biophysical studies shows that ligand pulses are "buffered" at low receptor levels, leading to a sustained signal. By contrast, high levels of Torso develop the signal intensity and duration of a noncooperative system. We propose that this may allow Torso to coordinate widely different functions from a single ligand by tuning receptor levels. Phylogenic analysis indicates that Torso is found outside arthropods, including human parasitic roundworms. Together, our findings provide mechanistic insight into how this receptor system, with roles in embryonic and adult development, is regulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Jenni
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Yogesh Goyal
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | | | - Stanislav Y Shvartsman
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Daryl E Klein
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Division of Molecular Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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266
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Kikuchi Y, Hosono K, Yamashita J, Kawabata Y, Okubo K. Glucocorticoid receptor exhibits sexually dimorphic expression in the medaka brain. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 223:47-53. [PMID: 26433060 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.09.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Revised: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The differential impact of stress on brain functions of males and females has been widely observed in vertebrates. Recent evidence suggests that stress-induced glucocorticoid signaling affects sexual differentiation and sex changes in teleost fish. These facts led us to postulate that there were sex differences in glucocorticoid signaling in the teleost brain that underlie some sex differences in their physiological and behavioral traits. Here we found sexually dimorphic expression of a glucocorticoid receptor gene (gr1) in the brain of medaka fish (Oryzias latipes), with females having greater expression in several preoptic and thalamic nuclei. Further, gr1 exhibits female-biased expression in neurons of the anterior parvocellular preoptic nucleus that produce the neuropeptides vasotocin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone 1 (these neuropeptides have been implicated in the regulation of neuroendocrine and behavioral functions). These findings suggest that glucocorticoids have a greater influence on physiology and behavior mediated by these neuropeptides in females than in males, which may contribute to sex differences in the brain's response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Kikuchi
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kohei Hosono
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Junpei Yamashita
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yukika Kawabata
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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267
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Schumacher M, Guennoun R, Mattern C, Oudinet JP, Labombarda F, De Nicola AF, Liere P. Analytical challenges for measuring steroid responses to stress, neurodegeneration and injury in the central nervous system. Steroids 2015; 103:42-57. [PMID: 26301525 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2015.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Levels of steroids in the adult central nervous system (CNS) show marked changes in response to stress, degenerative disorders and injury. However, their analysis in complex matrices such as fatty brain and spinal cord tissues, and even in plasma, requires accurate and precise analytical methods. Radioimmunoassays (RIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, even with prepurification steps, do not provide sufficient specificity, and they are at the origin of many inconsistent results in the literature. The analysis of steroids by mass spectrometric methods has become the gold standard for accurate and sensitive steroid analysis. However, these technologies involve multiple purification steps prone to errors, and they only provide accurate reference values when combined with careful sample workup. In addition, the interpretation of changes in CNS steroid levels is not an easy task because of their multiple sources: the endocrine glands and the local synthesis by neural cells. In the CNS, decreased steroid levels may reflect alterations of their biosynthesis, as observed in the case of chronic stress, post-traumatic stress disorders or depressive episodes. In such cases, return to normalization by administering exogenous hormones or by stimulating their endogenous production may have beneficial effects. On the other hand, increases in CNS steroids in response to acute stress, degenerative processes or injury may be part of endogenous protective or rescue programs, contributing to the resistance of neural cells to stress and insults. The aim of this review is to encourage a more critical reading of the literature reporting steroid measures, and to draw attention to the absolute need for well-validated methods. We discuss reported findings concerning changing steroid levels in the nervous system by insisting on methodological issues. An important message is that even recent mass spectrometric methods have their limits, and they only become reliable tools if combined with careful sample preparation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Florencia Labombarda
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental and University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro F De Nicola
- Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental and University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Philippe Liere
- U1195 Inserm and University Paris-Sud, Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
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268
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Montoya ER, van Honk J, Bos PA, Terburg D. Dissociated neural effects of cortisol depending on threat escapability. Hum Brain Mapp 2015; 36:4304-16. [PMID: 26248899 PMCID: PMC6869485 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.22918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution has provided us with a highly flexible neuroendocrine threat system which, depending on threat imminence, switches between active escape and passive freezing. Cortisol, the "stress-hormone", is thought to play an important role in both fear behaviors, but the exact mechanisms are not understood. Using pharmacological functional magnetic resonance imaging we investigated how cortisol modulates the brain's fear systems when humans are under virtual-predator attack. We show dissociated neural effects of cortisol depending on whether escape from threat is possible. During inescapable threat cortisol reduces fear-related midbrain activity, whereas in anticipation of active escape cortisol boosts activity in the frontal salience network (insula and anterior cingulate cortex), which is involved in autonomic control, visceral perception and motivated action. Our findings suggest that cortisol adjusts the human neural threat system from passive fear to active escape, which illuminates the hormone's crucial role in the adaptive flexibility of fear behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estrella R. Montoya
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtCS3584The Netherlands
| | - Jack van Honk
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtCS3584The Netherlands
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Cape TownCape Town7925South Africa
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape TownCape Town7925South Africa
| | - Peter A. Bos
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtCS3584The Netherlands
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Cape TownCape Town7925South Africa
| | - David Terburg
- Department of Experimental PsychologyUtrecht UniversityUtrechtCS3584The Netherlands
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Cape TownCape Town7925South Africa
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269
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Maeng LY, Milad MR. Sex differences in anxiety disorders: Interactions between fear, stress, and gonadal hormones. Horm Behav 2015; 76:106-17. [PMID: 25888456 PMCID: PMC4823998 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Revised: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Women are more vulnerable to stress- and fear-based disorders, such as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the growing literature on this topic, the neural basis of these sex differences remains unclear, and the findings appear inconsistent. The neurobiological mechanisms of fear and stress in learning and memory processes have been extensively studied, and the crosstalk between these systems is beginning to explain the disproportionate incidence and differences in symptomatology and remission within these psychopathologies. In this review, we discuss the intersect between stress and fear mechanisms and their modulation by gonadal hormones and discuss the relevance of this information to sex differences in anxiety and fear-based disorders. Understanding these converging influences is imperative to the development of more effective, individualized treatments that take sex and hormones into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Y Maeng
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 149 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
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270
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Radley J, Morilak D, Viau V, Campeau S. Chronic stress and brain plasticity: Mechanisms underlying adaptive and maladaptive changes and implications for stress-related CNS disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 58:79-91. [PMID: 26116544 PMCID: PMC4684432 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress responses entail neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral changes to promote effective coping with real or perceived threats to one's safety. While these responses are critical for the survival of the individual, adverse effects of repeated exposure to stress are widely known to have deleterious effects on health. Thus, a considerable effort in the search for treatments to stress-related CNS disorders necessitates unraveling the brain mechanisms responsible for adaptation under acute conditions and their perturbations following chronic stress exposure. This paper is based upon a symposium from the 2014 International Behavioral Neuroscience Meeting, summarizing some recent advances in understanding the effects of stress on adaptive and maladaptive responses subserved by limbic forebrain networks. An important theme highlighted in this review is that the same networks mediating neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral processes during adaptive coping also comprise targets of the effects of repeated stress exposure in the development of maladaptive states. Where possible, reference is made to the similarity of neurobiological substrates and effects observed following repeated exposure to stress in laboratory animals and the clinical features of stress-related disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Radley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, IA, United States
| | - David Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Victor Viau
- Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Serge Campeau
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States.
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271
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Yamada C, Saegusa Y, Nahata M, Sadakane C, Hattori T, Takeda H. Influence of Aging and Gender Differences on Feeding Behavior and Ghrelin-Related Factors during Social Isolation in Mice. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140094. [PMID: 26448274 PMCID: PMC4598162 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological stress due to social isolation is known to cause abnormal feeding behaviors, but the influences of gender and aging on subchronic stress-induced changes in feeding behaviors are unknown. Thus, we examined the changes in body weight, food intake, and orexigenic ghrelin-related factors during 2 weeks of isolation stress in young and aged mice. Food intake increased significantly in young mice in the isolation group compared with the group-housed control throughout the experimental period. This isolation-induced increase in food intake was not observed in aged mice. In young mice, there were no significant differences in body weight between the isolated group and group-housed control up to 2 weeks. However, aged male mice exhibited significant weight loss at 2 weeks and a similar tendency was observed in aged female mice. Young male mice, but not female mice, had significantly increased (2.2-fold) plasma acylated ghrelin levels after 1 week of isolation compared with the group-housed control. A significant but lower increase (1.3-fold) was also observed in aged male mice. Hypothalamic preproghrelin gene expression decreased significantly with isolation in young male mice, whereas it increased significantly in female mice. The expression levels of NPY and AGRP in the hypothalamus, which are transmitted by elevated peripheral ghrelin signals, increased significantly in isolated young male mice, whereas the AGRP expression levels decreased significantly in young female mice. Isolation caused no significant differences in the expression levels of these genes in aged mice. In isolation, young female mice exhibited markedly increased dark- and light-phase locomotor activities compared with male mice, whereas male and female aged mice exhibited no obvious increases in activity immediately after the dark phase started. We conclude that the gender-specific homeostatic regulatory mechanisms required to maintain body weight operated during subchronic psychological stress in young mice but not in aged mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Yamada
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yayoi Saegusa
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Miwa Nahata
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | | | - Tomohisa Hattori
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., Ibaraki, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Hiroshi Takeda
- Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Hokkaido University Hospital Gastroenterological Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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272
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Phillips TJ, Reed C, Pastor R. Preclinical evidence implicating corticotropin-releasing factor signaling in ethanol consumption and neuroadaptation. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2015; 14:98-135. [PMID: 25565358 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 11/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The results of many studies support the influence of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system on ethanol (EtOH) consumption and EtOH-induced neuroadaptations that are critical in the addiction process. This review summarizes the preclinical data in this area after first providing an overview of the components of the CRF system. This complex system involves hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic mechanisms that play a role in the central and peripheral consequences of stressors, including EtOH and other drugs of abuse. In addition, several endogenous ligands and targets make up this system and show differences in their involvement in EtOH drinking and in the effects of chronic or repeated EtOH treatment. In general, genetic and pharmacological approaches paint a consistent picture of the importance of CRF signaling via type 1 CRF receptors (CRF(1)) in EtOH-induced neuroadaptations that result in higher levels of intake, encourage alcohol seeking during abstinence and alter EtOH sensitivity. Furthermore, genetic findings in rodents, non-human primates and humans have provided some evidence of associations of genetic polymorphisms in CRF-related genes with EtOH drinking, although additional data are needed. These results suggest that CRF(1) antagonists have potential as pharmacotherapeutics for alcohol use disorders. However, given the broad and important role of these receptors in adaptation to environmental and other challenges, full antagonist effects may be too profound and consideration should be given to treatments with modulatory effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Phillips
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland Alcohol Research Center, Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Portland Alcohol Research Center, Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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273
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Prenatal alcohol exposure and prenatal stress differentially alter glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta and fetal brain. Neuroscience 2015; 342:167-179. [PMID: 26342748 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Adverse intrauterine environments increase vulnerability to chronic diseases across the lifespan. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which integrates multiple neuronal signals and ultimately controls the response to stressors, may provide a final common pathway linking early adversity and adult diseases. Both prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and prenatal stress (PS) induce a hyperresponsive HPA phenotype in adulthood. As glucocorticoids are pivotal for the normal development of many fetal tissues including the brain, we used animal models of PAE and PS to investigate possible mechanisms underlying fetal programing of glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta and fetal brain at gestation day (GD) 21. We found that both PAE and PS dams had higher corticosterone (CORT) levels than control dams. However, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (11β-HSD2) enzyme levels were increased in PAE and unchanged in PS placentae, although there were no differences in 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) levels. Moreover, only PAE fetuses showed decreased body weight and increased placental weight, and hence a lower fetal/placental weight ratio, a marker of placenta efficiency, compared to all other prenatal groups. Importantly, PAE and PS differentially altered corticosteroid receptor levels in placentae and brains. In the PS condition, maternal CORT was negatively correlated with both 11β-HSD1 and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) protein levels in male and female placentae, whereas in the PAE condition, there were trends for a positive correlation between maternal CORT and 11β-HSD1, regardless of sex, and a negative correlation between maternal alcohol intake and MR in male placentae. In fetal brains, sexually dimorphic changes in MR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) levels, and the MR/GR ratio seen in C fetuses were absent in PAE and PS fetuses. In addition, PS but not PAE female fetuses had higher MR and lower GR expression levels in certain limbic areas compared to C female fetuses. Thus the similar adult HPA hyperresponsive phenotype in PAE and PS animals likely occurs through differential effects on glucocorticoid signaling in the placenta and fetal brain.
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274
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Giton F, Sirab N, Franck G, Gervais M, Schmidlin F, Ali T, Allory Y, de la Taille A, Vacherot F, Loric S, Fiet J. Evidence of estrone-sulfate uptake modification in young and middle-aged rat prostate. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2015; 152:89-100. [PMID: 25958048 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
High plasma exposure to estrogens is often associated with prostate cancer. Reducing this phenomenon may present therapeutic benefits. The involvement of estrone sulphate (E1S), the most abundant circulating estrogen in men, has been partially studied in this age-related pathology. To investigate the consequences of plasma E1S overload on blood and prostate sex steroid levels and inflammatory tissue responses, young and middle-aged male rats were treated with E1S with or without steroid sulfatase (STS) inhibitor STX64 for 21 consecutive days. A plasma and prostate tissue steroid profile was determined. STS activity, mRNA expression of E1S organic anion transporting polypeptides (slco1a2, slco2b1, slco4a1) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (Il1-beta, Il6, TNF-alpha) were evaluated in prostate tissue according to age and treatment group. A significant correlation between plasma and prostate steroid levels related to hormone treatment was observed in all rat age groups. However, while the E1S level in prostate tissue increased in middle-aged treated rats (p<0.0001), no significant variation was observed in young treated rats. The protective effect of STX64 during E1S infusion was observed by the maintenance of low free estrogen concentrations in both plasma and tissue. However, this protection was not associated with mRNA expression stability of pro-inflammatory cytokines in older rat prostate. These results suggest that E1S uptake in rat prostate cells increases during aging. Therefore, if a similar phenomenon existed in men, preventively reducing the STS activity could be of interest to limit uptake of estrogens in prostate when high E1S plasma level is assayed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Giton
- AP-HP, CIB GHU Sud Henri Mondor, Créteil 94000, France; INSERM, U955 eq07, Créteil 94000, France.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yves Allory
- AP-HP, CIB GHU Sud Henri Mondor, Créteil 94000, France; INSERM, U955 eq07, Créteil 94000, France
| | | | | | - Sylvain Loric
- AP-HP, CIB GHU Sud Henri Mondor, Créteil 94000, France; INSERM, U955 eq07, Créteil 94000, France
| | - Jean Fiet
- INSERM, U955 eq07, Créteil 94000, France
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275
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Li CY, Earley RL, Huang SP, Hsu Y. Fighting experience alters brain androgen receptor expression dependent on testosterone status. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:20141532. [PMID: 25320171 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Contest decisions are influenced by the outcomes of recent fights (winner-loser effects). Steroid hormones and serotonin are closely associated with aggression and therefore probably also play important roles in mediating winner-loser effects. In mangrove rivulus fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus, individuals with higher testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone and cortisol levels are more capable of winning, but titres of these hormones do not directly mediate winner-loser effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of winning/losing experiences on brain expression levels of the receptor genes for androgen (AR), oestrogen α/β (ERα/β), glucocorticoid (GR) and serotonin (5-HT1AR). The effect of contest experience on AR gene expression depended on T levels: repeated losses decreased, whereas repeated wins increased AR gene expression in individuals with low T but not in individuals with medium or high T levels. These results lend strong support for AR being involved in mediating winner-loser effects, which, in previous studies, were more detectable in individuals with lower T. Furthermore, the expression levels of ERα/β, 5-HT1AR and GR genes were higher in individuals that initiated contests against larger opponents than in those that did not. Overall, contest experience, underlying endocrine state and hormone and serotonin receptor expression patterns interacted to modulate contest decisions jointly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Yu Li
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Section 4, Ting-Chou Road, Taipei 11677, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ryan L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, 300 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, USA
| | - Shu-Ping Huang
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Section 4, Ting-Chou Road, Taipei 11677, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yuying Hsu
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, 88, Section 4, Ting-Chou Road, Taipei 11677, Taiwan, Republic of China
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276
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Brown GR, Kulbarsh KD, Spencer KA, Duval C. Peri-pubertal exposure to testicular hormones organizes response to novel environments and social behaviour in adult male rats. Horm Behav 2015; 73:135-41. [PMID: 26159287 PMCID: PMC4550464 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that exposure to testicular hormones during the peri-pubertal period of life has long-term, organizational effects on adult sexual behaviour and underlying neural mechanisms in laboratory rodents. However, the organizational effects of peri-pubertal testicular hormones on other aspects of behaviour and brain function are less well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of manipulating peri-pubertal testicular hormone exposure on later behavioural responses to novel environments and on hormone receptors in various brain regions that are involved in response to novelty. Male rodents generally spend less time in the exposed areas of novel environments than females, and this sex difference emerges during the peri-pubertal period. Male Lister-hooded rats (Rattus norvegicus) were castrated either before puberty or after puberty, then tested in three novel environments (elevated plus-maze, light-dark box, open field) and in an object/social novelty task in adulthood. Androgen receptor (AR), oestrogen receptor (ER1) and corticotropin-releasing factor receptor (CRF-R2) mRNA expression were quantified in the hypothalamus, hippocampus and medial amygdala. The results showed that pre-pubertally castrated males spent more time in the exposed areas of the elevated-plus maze and light-dark box than post-pubertally castrated males, and also confirmed that peri-pubertal hormone exposure influences later response to an opposite-sex conspecific. Hormone receptor gene expression levels did not differ between pre-pubertally and post-pubertally castrated males in any of the brain regions examined. This study therefore demonstrates that testicular hormone exposure during the peri-pubertal period masculinizes later response to novel environments, although the neural mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian R Brown
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK.
| | - Kyle D Kulbarsh
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK
| | - Karen A Spencer
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK
| | - Camille Duval
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, UK
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277
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Fenchel D, Levkovitz Y, Vainer E, Kaplan Z, Zohar J, Cohen H. Beyond the HPA-axis: The role of the gonadal steroid hormone receptors in modulating stress-related responses in an animal model of PTSD. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 25:944-57. [PMID: 25771251 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 02/08/2015] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which plays a major role in the response to stress, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis are closely linked with the ability to inhibit the other. Testosterone, a product of the HPG, has many beneficial effects beyond its functions as a sex hormone including anti-anxiety properties. In this study we examined the effect of stress exposure on gonadal hormones, and their efficacy in modulating anxiety-like response in an animal model of PTSD. Male rats were exposed to predator scent stress, followed by analysis of brain expression of androgen receptor (AR) receptor and estrogen receptor α (ERα). The behavioral effects of immediate treatment with testosterone, testosterone receptor antagonist (flutamide) or vehicle were evaluated using the elevated plus-maze, acoustic startle response and trauma-cue response. Levels of circulating corticosterone and testosterone were also measured after treatment. The behavioral effects of delayed testosterone treatment were explored in the same manner. We report that animals whose behavior was extremely disrupted (EBR) selectively displayed significant down-regulation of AR and ERα in the hippocampus. Immediate treatment with flutamide or delayed treatment with testosterone significantly increased prevalence rates of minimal behavioral response (MBR) and decreased prevalence of EBR with favorable behavioral results. Testosterone levels were higher in control un-exposed animals, while corticosterone was higher in control exposed animals. This study suggests that gonadal steroid hormones are involved in the neurobiological response to predator scent stress and thus warrant further study as a potential therapeutic avenue for the treatment of anxiety-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphna Fenchel
- Beer-Yaakov Mental Health Center, Ministry of Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Beer-Yaakov, Israel
| | - Yechiel Levkovitz
- Beer-Yaakov Mental Health Center, Ministry of Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Beer-Yaakov, Israel.
| | - Ella Vainer
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Zeev Kaplan
- Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Joseph Zohar
- Division of Psychiatry, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Hagit Cohen
- Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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278
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Zuloaga DG, Jacobskind JS, Jacosbskind JS, Raber J. Methamphetamine and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:178. [PMID: 26074755 PMCID: PMC4444766 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 05/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychostimulants such as methamphetamine (MA) induce significant alterations in the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These changes in HPA axis function are associated with altered stress-related behaviors and might contribute to addictive processes such as relapse. In this mini-review we discuss acute and chronic effects of MA (adult and developmental exposure) on the HPA axis, including effects on HPA axis associated genes/proteins, brain regions, and behaviors such as anxiety and depression. A better understanding of the mechanisms through which MA affects the HPA axis may lead to more effective treatment strategies for MA addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jacob Raber
- Departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurology, and Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University Portland Portland, OR, USA ; Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University Portland Portland, OR, USA
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279
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Huang J, Bai F, Yang X, Chen C, Bao X, Zhang Y. Identifying brain functional alterations in postmenopausal women with cognitive impairment. Maturitas 2015; 81:371-6. [PMID: 26037032 DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gender differences and menopause are associated with the cognitive decline and pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although deficits of subcortical-cortical loops have been implicated in AD, no study has directly examined the resting-state brain functional alterations in postmenopausal women with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODOLOGY Forty-eight subjects were recruited, including 15 older females with MCI, 13 older females without MCI, 10 older males with MCI and 10 older males without MCI. Full-scale neuropsychological tests were used to evaluate cognitive function. Resting-state fMRI and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) approach were used to investigate changes in the brain function in these subjects. A voxel-wise analysis of variance (ANOVA: gender × disease) was performed, and gender-brain-behavior relationships were further examined. RESULTS First, older females with MCI showed cognitive dysfunction in multiple domains compared to normal controls. Second, the brain function of subcortical-cortical loops was disrupted in older females with MCI. Finally, regional resting-state function of the left precuneus was significantly associated with altered episodic memory in these female patients. CONCLUSIONS This study revealed the patterns of neural networks in older females with cognitive disorders, and may provide new ideas and evidence regarding the mechanism of cognitive impairment in postmenopausal women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Feng Bai
- Department of Neurology, Affiliated Zhongda Hospital of Southeast University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoqing Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueping Bao
- Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yuquan Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Jiangsu, China.
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280
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Yamada C, Sadakane C, Nahata M, Saegusa Y, Nakagawa K, Okubo N, Ohnishi S, Hattori T, Takeda H. Serotonin 2C receptor contributes to gender differences in stress-induced hypophagia in aged mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 55:81-93. [PMID: 25732068 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2014] [Revised: 01/21/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The combination of depression and anorexia may influence morbidity and progressive physical disability in the elderly. Gender differences exist in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation following stress exposure. The objective of this study was to investigate gender differences in feeding behavior under novelty stress in aged mice. Food intake measurement, immunohistochemical assessment, and mRNA expression analysis were conducted to investigate the role of serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT(2C)R) and its relationship with ghrelin in stress-induced suppression of feeding behavior in aged mice. After exposure to novelty stress, a 21-fold increase in plasma corticosterone and remarkable suppression of food intake were observed in aged male mice. Furthermore, a 5-HT(2C)R agonist suppressed food intake in aged male mice. Novelty stress induced a 7-fold increase in 5-HT(2C)R and c-Fos co-expressing cells in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus in aged male mice but caused no change in aged female mice. Plasma acylated ghrelin levels decreased in stressed aged male mice and administration of the 5-HT(2C)R antagonist inhibited this decrease. The 5-HT(2C)R antagonist also reversed the suppression of food intake in estrogen receptor α agonist-treated aged male mice. Therefore, conspicuously suppressed feeding behavior in novelty stress-exposed aged male mice may be mediated by 5-HT(2C)R hypersensitivity, leading to hypoghrelinemia. The hypersensitivity may partly be due to estrogen receptor activation in aged male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Yamada
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Chiharu Sadakane
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Miwa Nahata
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Yayoi Saegusa
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Koji Nakagawa
- Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, N12 W6, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan
| | - Naoto Okubo
- Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, N12 W6, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Ohnishi
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Hattori
- Tsumura Research Laboratories, Tsumura & Co., 3586 Yoshiwara, Ami-machi, Inashiki-gun, Ibaraki 300-1192, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Takeda
- Pathophysiology and Therapeutics, Hokkaido University Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, N12 W6, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0812, Japan; Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, N15, W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan.
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281
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Abstract
All living organisms must maintain equilibrium in response to internal and external challenges within their environment. Changes in neural plasticity (alterations in neuronal populations, dendritic remodeling, and synaptic turnover) are critical components of the homeostatic response to stress, which has been strongly implicated in the onset of affective disorders. However, stress is differentially perceived depending on the type of stress and its context, as well as genetic background, age and sex; therefore, an individual's maintenance of neuronal homeostasis must differ depending upon these variables. We established Drosophila as a model to analyze homeostatic responses to stress. Sexually immature and mature females and males from an isogenic wild-type strain raised under controlled environmental conditions were exposed to four reproducible and high-throughput translatable stressors to facilitate the analysis of a large number of animals for direct comparisons. These animals were assessed in an open-field arena, in a light-dark box, and in a forced swim test, as well as for sensitivity to the sedative effects of ethanol. These studies establish that immature and mature females and males represent behaviorally distinct populations under control conditions as well as after exposure to different stressors. Therefore, the neural substrates mediating the stress response must be differentially expressed depending upon the hormonal status of the brain. In addition, an adaptive response to a given stressor in one paradigm was not predictive for outcomes in other paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendi S. Neckameyer
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1402 South Grand Boulevard, Saint Louis MO 63104 USA
| | - Andres Nieto
- Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1402 South Grand Boulevard, Saint Louis MO 63104 USA
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282
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Bae J, Kim S, Kannan K, Buck Louis GM. Couples' urinary bisphenol A and phthalate metabolite concentrations and the secondary sex ratio. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 137:450-457. [PMID: 25677702 PMCID: PMC4355045 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 11/23/2014] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
With limited research focusing on non-persistent chemicals as exogenous factors affecting human sex selection, this study aimed to evaluate the association of urinary bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate metabolite concentrations with the secondary sex ratio (SSR), defined as the ratio of male to female live births. The current analysis is limited to singleton live births (n=220, 43.9%) from the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study, in which couples discontinuing contraception with the intention of becoming pregnant were enrolled and followed while trying for pregnancy and through delivery for those achieving pregnancy. Using modified Poisson regression models accounting for potential confounders, we estimated the relative risks (RRs) of a male birth per standard deviation change in the log-transformed maternal, paternal, and couple urinary BPA and 14 phthalate metabolite concentrations (ng/mL) measured upon enrollment. When maternal and paternal chemical concentrations were modeled jointly, paternal BPA (RR, 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.95) and mono-isobutyl phthalate (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-1.00) were significantly associated with a female excess. Contrarily, maternal BPA (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03-1.31), mono-isobutyl phthalate (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.54), mono-benzyl phthalate (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.08-1.58), and mono-n-butyl phthalate (RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01-1.51) were significantly associated with a male excess. These findings underscore varying patterns for the SSR in relation to parental exposures. Given the absence of previous investigation, these partner-specific associations of non-persistent chemicals with the SSR need future corroboration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisuk Bae
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852, USA; Department of Preventive Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, 33 Duryugongwon-ro 17-gil Nam-gu, Daegu 705-718, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sungduk Kim
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Empire State Plaza, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA.
| | - Germaine M Buck Louis
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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283
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Reijnen A, Geuze E, Vermetten E. The effect of deployment to a combat zone on testosterone levels and the association with the development of posttraumatic stress symptoms: A longitudinal prospective Dutch military cohort study. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2015; 51:525-33. [PMID: 25128222 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is limited evidence on the association of the activity of HPG-axis with stress and symptoms of stress-related disorders. The aim of the current study was to assess the effect of deployment to a combat zone on plasma testosterone levels, and the possible association with the development of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS A total of 918 males were included in the study before deployment to a combat zone in Afghanistan. The effect of deployment on testosterone was longitudinally assessed; starting prior to deployment and follow-up assessments were preformed at 1 and 6 months after return. Furthermore, the association with PTSD symptoms reported at 1 and 2 years post-deployment was assessed. RESULTS Plasma testosterone levels were significantly increased after deployment compared with pre-deployment levels. Although no difference was found between individuals reporting high or low levels of PTSD symptoms, pre-deployment testosterone levels predicted the development of PTSD symptoms at 1 and 2 years post-deployment. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that not the alterations in testosterone levels shortly after deployment, but the pre-deployment testosterone levels are associated with PTSD symptoms, which is of value in the identification of biological vulnerability factors for the development of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alieke Reijnen
- Research Centre-Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Elbert Geuze
- Research Centre-Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eric Vermetten
- Research Centre-Military Mental Healthcare, Ministry of Defence, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands; Arq, Psychotrauma Expert Group, Diemen, The Netherlands
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284
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Laryea G, Arnett M, Muglia LJ. Ontogeny of hypothalamic glucocorticoid receptor-mediated inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in mice. Stress 2015; 18:400-7. [PMID: 26068518 PMCID: PMC5704948 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2015.1046832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) are important regulators of negative feedback regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Previous evaluation of endogenous PVN GR function in adult mice demonstrated that mice with loss of GR exon 3 in the PVN (Sim1Cre-GRe3Δ) have a hyperactive HPA axis, growth impairment and metabolic disruptions. Here, we hypothesized that lack of negative feedback inhibition of the HPA axis through PVN GR, as demonstrated through loss of PVN GR early in life, will have developmental-stage-specific consequences. Immunofluorescence revealed that Sim1Cre-GRe3Δ mice display PVN GR loss as early as post-natal day 2 compared to control mice. Sim1Cre-GRe3Δ mice compared to controls also displayed increased corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) mRNA in the PVN at post-natal day 10, as shown by in situ hybridization. Corticosterone radioimmunoassay revealed that the disruptions in PVN GR and CRH expression led to elevated basal corticosterone secretion in male Sim1Cre-GRe3Δ mice by early adolescence and increased stress-induced (restraint) corticosterone secretion in late adolescence into adulthood. In comparison, female Sim1Cre-GRe3Δ mice did not display corticosterone disruption until adulthood. Circadian rhythmicity of corticosterone secretion was normal for male and female mice at all age groups regardless of genotype with one exception. In late adolescence, female Sim1Cre-GRe3Δ mice had disrupted circadian corticosterone secretion due to significantly elevated circulating levels at nadir. We conclude that PVN GR function matures at an earlier developmental time point in male than in female mice and thus leads to later differential stress responsiveness between sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Laryea
- a Neuroscience Graduate Program, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA
- b Center for Preterm Birth Prevention, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA , and
| | - Melinda Arnett
- b Center for Preterm Birth Prevention, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA , and
- c Department of Pediatrics , University of Cincinnati College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Louis J Muglia
- b Center for Preterm Birth Prevention, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center , Cincinnati , OH , USA , and
- c Department of Pediatrics , University of Cincinnati College of Medicine , Cincinnati , OH , USA
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285
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C-reactive protein gene variants: independent association with late-life depression and circulating protein levels. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e499. [PMID: 25603415 PMCID: PMC4312833 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a heritable biomarker of systemic inflammation that is commonly elevated in depressed patients. Variants in the CRP gene that influence protein levels could thus be associated with depression but this has seldom been examined, especially in the elderly. Depression was assessed in 990 people aged at least 65 years as part of the ESPRIT study. A clinical level of depression (DEP) was defined as having a score of ⩾16 on The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale or a diagnosis of current major depression based on the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview and according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms spanning the CRP gene were genotyped, and circulating levels of high-sensitivity CRP were determined. Multivariable analyses adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics, smoking, ischemic pathologies, cognitive impairment and inflammation-related chronic pathologies. The minor alleles of rs1130864 and rs1417938 were associated with a decreased risk of depression in women at Bonferroni-corrected significance levels (P=0.002). CRP gene variants were associated with serum levels in a gender-specific manner, but only rs1205 was found to be nominally associated with both an increased risk of DEP and lower circulating CRP levels in women. Variants of the CRP gene thus influence circulating CRP levels and appear as independent susceptibility factors for late-life depression.
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286
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Geraghty AC, Kaufer D. Glucocorticoid Regulation of Reproduction. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2015. [PMID: 26215998 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2895-8_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
It is well accepted that stress, measured by increased glucocorticoid secretion, leads to profound reproductive dysfunction. In times of stress, glucocorticoids activate many parts of the fight or flight response, mobilizing energy and enhancing survival, while inhibiting metabolic processes that are not necessary for survival in the moment. This includes reproduction, an energetically costly procedure that is very finely regulated. In the short term, this is meant to be beneficial, so that the organism does not waste precious energy needed for survival. However, long-term inhibition can lead to persistent reproductive dysfunction, even if no longer stressed. This response is mediated by the increased levels of circulating glucocorticoids, which orchestrate complex inhibition of the entire reproductive axis. Stress and glucocorticoids exhibits both central and peripheral inhibition of the reproductive hormonal axis. While this has long been recognized as an issue, understanding the complex signaling mechanism behind this inhibition remains somewhat of a mystery. What makes this especially difficult is attempting to differentiate the many parts of both of these hormonal axes, and new neuropeptide discoveries in the last decade in the reproductive field have added even more complexity to an already complicated system. Glucocorticoids (GCs) and other hormones within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (as well as contributors in the sympathetic system) can modulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis at all levels-GCs can inhibit release of GnRH from the hypothalamus, inhibit gonadotropin synthesis and release in the pituitary, and inhibit testosterone synthesis and release from the gonads, while also influencing gametogenesis and sexual behavior. This chapter is not an exhaustive review of all the known literature, however is aimed at giving a brief look at both the central and peripheral effects of glucocorticoids on the reproductive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Geraghty
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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287
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Pruessner M, Lepage M, Collins DL, Pruessner JC, Joober R, Malla AK. Reduced hippocampal volume and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis function in first episode psychosis: evidence for sex differences. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2014; 7:195-202. [PMID: 25610781 PMCID: PMC4300007 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Revised: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Background Hippocampal volume (HV) decline is an important marker of psychosis and has been associated with hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation in various disorders. Given recent findings of sex differences in HPA axis function in psychosis, the current study investigated differences in HV in male and female first episode psychosis (FEP) patients and controls and the interaction of HV with the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and symptoms. Methods Fifty-eight patients with a diagnosis of FEP (39 men, 19 women) and 27 healthy community controls (15 men, 12 women) underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a 1.5 T scanner. Hippocampal volume was determined using previously established segmentation protocols. Saliva samples for cortisol assessment were collected at 0, 30 and 60 min after awakening. Psychotic symptoms were assessed with the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale. Results Male patients had significantly smaller left and right HVs compared to male controls, which appeared to be secondary to global brain volume differences. However, even when controlling for overall brain size, male patients showed smaller HV compared to female patients. The CAR was significantly lower in male patients compared to male controls and female patients. Only in male patients, smaller left HV was significantly associated with a blunted CAR, and smaller HV bilaterally was related to positive psychotic symptoms and lower levels of functioning. Conclusions We propose that reduced hippocampal volume and an attenuated cortisol awakening response are related markers of increased stress vulnerability in male psychosis patients and that both contribute to the unfavorable clinical picture in men. We examined sex differences in neurobiological markers of stress in psychosis. Hippocampal volume and cortisol levels to awakening are reduced in male patients. Male first episode psychosis patients show markers of high stress vulnerability. Neurobiological deficits relate to poor outcome in male but not female patients. The neural-diathesis stress model of schizophrenia is particularly valid for men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marita Pruessner
- Department of Psychiatry, Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Martin Lepage
- Department of Psychiatry, Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - D Louis Collins
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jens C Pruessner
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill Centre for Studies in Aging, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ridha Joober
- Department of Psychiatry, Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ashok K Malla
- Department of Psychiatry, Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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288
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Fleseriu M, Findling JW, Koch CA, Schlaffer SM, Buchfelder M, Gross C. Changes in plasma ACTH levels and corticotroph tumor size in patients with Cushing's disease during long-term treatment with the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2014; 99:3718-27. [PMID: 25013998 PMCID: PMC4399272 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2014-1843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Pituitary effects of long-term therapy with mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, in Cushing's disease (CD) patients are not well understood. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to report changes in ACTH and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings during long-term use of mifepristone in CD patients. DESIGN AND SETTING The Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Mifepristone in the Treatment of Endogenous Cushing's Syndrome (SEISMIC) was a 24-week, open-label study of mifepristone, and its long-term extension (LTE) is a multicenter U.S. study. PATIENTS Forty-three CD patients (mean age 45.3 years) were enrolled in SEISMIC with 27 continuing into the LTE study. INTERVENTIONS Mifepristone (300-1200 mg) was administered once daily. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES ACTH and pituitary MRI were assessed at baseline and at regular intervals during treatment. RESULTS A ≥2-fold increase in ACTH was observed in 72% of patients treated for a median duration of 11.3 months. The mean peak increase in ACTH was 2.76 ± 1.65-fold during SEISMIC, and mean ACTH concentrations remained stable during the LTE. ACTH was directly correlated with mifepristone dose and declined to near baseline levels after mifepristone discontinuation. Tumor regressed in 2 patients and progressed in 3 patients with macroadenomas. An additional microadenoma was identified after 25 months of treatment after a baseline tumor-negative MRI. CONCLUSIONS In the largest prospective study to date, long-term mifepristone treatment increased ACTH in approximately two-thirds of patients with CD. ACTH elevations were observed within the first few weeks of treatment, were dose-dependent, and generally remained stable over time. Corticotroph tumor progression and regression may occur over time, but patients may have significant increases in ACTH levels without evidence of tumor growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fleseriu
- Oregon Health & Science University (M.F.), Portland, Oregon 97239; Medical College of Wisconsin (J.W.F.), Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53051; University of Mississippi Medical Center (C.A.K.), Jackson, Mississippi 39216; University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (S.-M.S., M.B.), 91054 Erlangen, Germany; and Corcept Therapeutics (C.G.), Menlo Park, California 94025
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289
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Androgen receptor-mediated regulation of adrenocortical activity in the sand rat, Psammomys obesus. J Comp Physiol B 2014; 184:1055-63. [PMID: 25179180 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-014-0859-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2014] [Revised: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The wild sand rat, Psammomys obesus, displays seasonal variations in adrenocortical activity that parallel those of testicular activity, indicating functional cross-talk between the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axes. In the present study, we examined androgen receptor (AR)-mediated actions of testicular steroids in the regulation of adrenocortical function in the sand rat. Specifically, we examined the expression of AR in the adrenal cortex, as well as adrenal apoptosis in male sand rats that had been surgically castrated or castrated and supplemented with testosterone; biochemical indices of adrenocortical function and hormone profiles were also measured. Orchiectomy was followed by an increase in adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary and subsequently, increased adrenocortical activity; the latter was evidenced by orchiectomy-induced increases in the adrenal content of cholesterol and lipids as well as adrenal hypertrophy (seen as an elevation of the RNA/DNA ratio). Further, androgen deprivation respectively up- and downregulated the incidence of apoptosis within the glucocorticoid-producing zona fasciculata and sex steroid-producing zona reticularis. Interestingly, orchiectomy resulted in increased expression of AR in the zona fasciculata. All of the orchiectomy-induced cellular and biochemical responses were reversible after testosterone substitution therapy. Together, these data suggest that adrenocortical activity in the sand rat is seasonally modulated by testicular androgens that act through AR located in the adrenal cortex itself.
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290
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291
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Dinces SM, Romeo RD, McEwen BS, Tang AC. Enhancing offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) regulation via systematic novelty exposure: the influence of maternal HPA function. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:204. [PMID: 24926243 PMCID: PMC4046569 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In the rat, repeated brief exposures to novelty early in life can induce long-lasting enhancements in adult cognitive, social, emotional, and neuroendocrine function. Family-to-family variations in these intervention effects on adult offspring are predicted by the mother’s ability to mount a rapid corticosterone (CORT) response to the onset of an acute stressor. Here, in Long-Evans rats, we investigated whether neonatal and adulthood novelty exposure, each individually and in combination, can enhance offspring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) regulation. Using a 2 × 2 within-litter design, one half of each litter were exposed to a relatively novel non-home environment for 3-min (Neo_Novel) daily during infancy (PND 1–21) and the other half of the litter remained in the home cage (Neo_Home); we further exposed half of these two groups to early adulthood (PND 54–63) novelty exposure in an open field and the remaining siblings stayed in their home cages. Two aspects of HPA regulation were assessed: the ability to maintain a low level of resting CORT (CORTB) and the ability to mount a large rapid CORT response (CORTE) to the onset of an acute stressor. Assessment of adult offspring’s ability to regulate HPA regulation began at 370 days of age. We further investigated whether the novelty exposure effects on offspring HPA regulation are sensitive to the context of maternal HPA regulation by assessing maternal HPA regulation similarly beginning 7 days after her pups were weaned. We found that at the population level, rats receiving neonatal, but not early adulthood exposure or both, showed a greater rapid CORTE than their home-staying siblings. At the individual family level, these novelty effects are positively associated with maternal CORTE. These results suggest that early experience of novelty can enhance the offspring’s ability to mount a rapid response to environmental challenge and the success of such early life intervention is critically dependent upon the context of maternal HPA regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Dinces
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Russell D Romeo
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University New York, NY, USA
| | - Bruce S McEwen
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Rockefeller University New York, NY, USA
| | - Akaysha C Tang
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM, USA ; Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM, USA ; Program in Cognitive Neuroscience, BCS/SBE, National Science Foundation Arlington, VA, USA
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292
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Chan M, Chow C, Hamson DK, Lieblich SE, Galea LAM. Effects of chronic oestradiol, progesterone and medroxyprogesterone acetate on hippocampal neurogenesis and adrenal mass in adult female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:386-99. [PMID: 24750490 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 04/06/2014] [Accepted: 04/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Both natural oestrogens and progesterone influence synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis within the female hippocampus. However, less is known of the impact of synthetic hormones on hippocampal structure and function. There is some evidence that the administration of the synthetic progestin, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is not as beneficial as natural progesterone and can attenuate oestrogen-induced neuroprotection. Although the effects of oestradiol have been well studied, little is known about the effects of natural and synthetic progestins alone and in combination with oestradiol on adult neurogenesis in females. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chronic oestradiol, progesterone, MPA and the co-administration of each progestin with oestradiol on neurogenesis within the dentate gyrus of adult ovariectomised female rats. Twenty-four hours after a bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU; 200 mg/kg) injection, female rats were repeatedly administered either progesterone (1 or 4 mg), MPA (1 or 4 mg), oestradiol benzoate (EB), progesterone or MPA in combination with EB (10 μg), or vehicle for 21 days. Rats were perfused on day 22 and brain tissue was analysed for the number of BrdU-labelled and Ki67 (an endogenous marker of cell proliferation)-expressing cells. EB alone and MPA + EB significantly decreased neurogenesis and the number of surviving BrdU-labelled cells in the dorsal region of the dentate gyrus, independent of any effects on cell proliferation. Furthermore, MPA (1 and 4 mg) and MPA + EB treated animals had significantly lower adrenal/body mass ratios and reduced serum corticosterone (CORT) levels. By contrast, progesterone + EB treated animals had significantly higher adrenal/body mass ratios and 1 mg of progesterone, progesterone + EB, and EB significantly increased CORT levels. The results of the present study demonstrate that different progestins alone and in combination with oestradiol can differentially affect neurogenesis (via cell survival) and regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. These findings have implications for women using hormone replacement therapies with MPA for both neuroprotection and stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Chan
- Department of Psychology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Brain Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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293
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Ehlert U. Psychoendokrinologie: Trends und ihr Bezug zur Praxis. VERHALTENSTHERAPIE 2014. [DOI: 10.1159/000362915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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294
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Huo Y, Fang Q, Shi YL, Zhang YH, Zhang JX. Chronic exposure to a predator or its scent does not inhibit male-male competition in male mice lacking brain serotonin. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:116. [PMID: 24782727 PMCID: PMC3986541 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is well-known that defective signaling of the 5-HT system in the brain and stressful stimuli can cause psychological disorders, their combined effects on male–male aggression and sexual attractiveness remain unknown. Our research aimed at examining such effects using tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2) knockout male mice vs. a rat- or rat scent-based chronic stress model. Tph2+/+ and Tph2−/− male mice were placed individually into the rat home cage (rat), a cage containing soiled rat bedding (rat scent) or a cage containing fresh bedding (control) for 5 h every other day for 56 consecutive days. In Tph2+/+ male mice, rat-exposure decreased male–male aggression and sexual attractiveness of urine odor relative to either rat scent-exposure or control; and rat scent-exposure decreased aggression rather than sexual attractiveness of urine odor compared with control. However, such dose-dependent and long-lasting behavioral inhibitory effects vanished in Tph2−/− male mice. RT-PCR assay further revealed that putative regulatory genes, such as AR, ERα and GluR4 in the prefrontal cortex, and TrkB-Tc and 5-HTR1A in the hippocampus, were down-regulated at the mRNA level in either rat- or rat scent-exposed Tph2+/+ male mice, but partially in the Tph2−/− ones. Hence, we suggest that the dose-dependent and long-lasting inhibitory effects of chronic predator exposure on male–male aggression, sexual attractiveness of urine odor, and mRNA expression of central regulatory genes might be mediated through the 5-HT system in the brain of male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huo
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China ; Department of College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Qi Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China ; Department of College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Yao-Long Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China ; Department of College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Yao-Hua Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Xu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
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295
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Fujii T, Hori H, Ota M, Hattori K, Teraishi T, Sasayama D, Yamamoto N, Higuchi T, Kunugi H. Effect of the common functional FKBP5 variant (rs1360780) on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and peripheral blood gene expression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 42:89-97. [PMID: 24636505 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Revised: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity plays an important role in the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders. FK506 binding protein 5 (FKBP5) modulates HPA axis reactivity via glucocorticoid receptor (GR; NR3C1) sensitivity and signaling. The T allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism, FKBP5 rs1360780 (C/T), is associated with higher FKBP5 induction by glucocorticoids. In the present study, we performed the dexamethasone/corticotropin releasing hormone (DEX/CRH) test and quantitative real-time PCR analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cDNA samples in 174 and 278 non-clinical individuals, respectively. We found increased suppression of the stress hormone (cortisol) response to the DEX/CRH test (P=0.0016) in aged (>50 years) individuals carrying the T allele compared with aged non-T allele carriers. T carriers showed significant age-related changes in GR and FKBP5 mRNA expression levels in PBMCs (P=0.0013 and P=0.00048, respectively). Our results indicate that FKBP5 rs1360780 regulates HPA axis reactivity and expression levels of GR and FKBP5 in PBMCs in an age-dependent manner. Because these phenotypes of aged T carriers are similar to endophenotypes of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, our findings may be useful for determining the molecular mechanisms, treatment, and preventive strategies for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Fujii
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Hori
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Miho Ota
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Kotaro Hattori
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Toshiya Teraishi
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Daimei Sasayama
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Noriko Yamamoto
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Teruhiko Higuchi
- National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kunugi
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1, Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.
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296
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy L Bale
- Neuroscience Center SOVM, University of Pennsylvania, 201E Vet, 6046, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6046, United States.
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297
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Loi M, Koricka S, Lucassen PJ, Joëls M. Age- and sex-dependent effects of early life stress on hippocampal neurogenesis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2014; 5:13. [PMID: 24600436 PMCID: PMC3929839 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2014.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress is a well-documented risk factor for the development of psychopathology in genetically predisposed individuals. As it is hard to study how early life stress impacts human brain structure and function, various animal models have been developed to address this issue. The models discussed here reveal that perinatal stress in rodents exerts lasting effects on the stress system as well as on the structure and function of the brain. One of the structural parameters strongly affected by perinatal stress is adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Based on compiled literature data, we report that postnatal stress slightly enhances neurogenesis until the onset of puberty in male rats; when animals reach adulthood, neurogenesis is reduced as a consequence of perinatal stress. By contrast, female rats show a prominent reduction in neurogenesis prior to the onset of puberty, but this effect subsides when animals reach young adulthood. We further present preliminary data that transient treatment with a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist can normalize cell proliferation in maternally deprived female rats, while the compound had no effect in non-deprived rats. Taken together, the data show that neurogenesis is affected by early life stress in an age- and sex-dependent manner and that normalization may be possible during critical stages of brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manila Loi
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Manila Loi, Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, Netherlands e-mail:
| | - Sylwia Koricka
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Paul J. Lucassen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences – Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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