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Galbo-Thomma LK, Epperly PM, Blough BE, Landavazo A, Saldaña SJ, Carroll FI, Czoty PW. Cognitive-Enhancing Effects of Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in Group-Housed Cynomolgus Monkeys Who Drink Ethanol. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 389:258-267. [PMID: 38135508 PMCID: PMC11125785 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.001854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The cognitive impairments that are often observed in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) partially contribute to the extremely low rates of treatment initiation and adherence. Brain acetylcholine receptors (AChR) mediate and modulate cognitive and reward-related behavior, and their distribution can be altered by long-term heavy drinking. Therefore, AChRs are promising pharmacotherapeutic targets for treating the cognitive symptoms of AUD. In the present study, the procognitive efficacy of two AChR agonists, xanomeline and varenicline, were evaluated in group-housed monkeys who self-administered ethanol for more than 1 year. The muscarinic AChR antagonist scopolamine was used to disrupt performance of a serial stimulus discrimination and reversal (SDR) task designed to probe cognitive flexibility, defined as the ability to modify a previously learned behavior in response to a change in reinforcement contingencies. The ability of xanomeline and varenicline to remediate the disruptive effects of scopolamine was compared between socially dominant and subordinate monkeys, with lighter and heavier drinking histories, respectively. We hypothesized that subordinate monkeys would be more sensitive to all three drugs. Scopolamine dose-dependently impaired performance on the serial SDR task in all monkeys at doses lower than those that produced nonspecific impairments (e.g., sedation); its potency did not differ between dominant and subordinate monkeys. However, both AChR agonists were effective in remediating the scopolamine-induced deficit in subordinate monkeys but not in dominant monkeys. These findings suggest xanomeline and varenicline may be effective for enhancing cognitive flexibility in individuals with a history of heavy drinking. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Procognitive effects of two acetylcholine (ACh) receptor agonists were assessed in group-housed monkeys who had several years' experience drinking ethanol. The muscarinic ACh receptor agonist xanomeline and the nicotinic ACh receptor agonist varenicline reversed a cognitive deficit induced by the muscarinic ACh receptor antagonist scopolamine. However, this effect was observed only in lower-ranking (subordinate) monkeys and not higher-ranking (dominant monkeys). Results suggest that ACh agonists may effectively remediate alcohol-induced cognitive deficits in a subpopulation of those with alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey K Galbo-Thomma
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
| | - Phillip M Epperly
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
| | - Bruce E Blough
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
| | - Antonio Landavazo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
| | - Santiago J Saldaña
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
| | - F Ivy Carroll
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
| | - Paul W Czoty
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (L.K.G.-T., P.M.E., S.J.S., P.W.C.) and Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B., A.L., F.I.C.)
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Allen MI, Costa MB, Johnson BN, Gould RW, Nader MA. Cognitive performance as a behavioral phenotype associated with cocaine self-administration in female and male socially housed monkeys. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01882-7. [PMID: 38760425 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01882-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Considerable research has suggested that certain cognitive domains may contribute to cocaine misuse. However, there are gaps in the literature regarding whether cognitive performance before drug exposure predicts susceptibility to cocaine self-administration and how cognitive performance relates to future cocaine intake. Thus, the present study aimed to examine cognitive performance, as measured using automated CANTAB cognitive battery, prior to and following acquisition of cocaine self-administration under a concurrent drug vs. food choice procedure in female and male socially housed cynomolgus macaques. The cognitive battery consisted of measures of associative learning (stimulus and compound discrimination tasks), behavioral flexibility (intradimensional and extradimensional tasks), and behavioral inhibition (stimulus discrimination reversal, SDR, and extra-dimensional reversal tasks). After assessing cognitive performance, monkeys were trained to self-administer cocaine (saline, 0.01-0.1 mg/kg/injection) under a concurrent cocaine vs. food schedule of reinforcement. After a history of cocaine self-administration across 3-4 years, the cognitive battery was re-assessed and compared with sensitivity to cocaine reinforcement. Results showed drug-naïve monkeys that were less accurate on the SDR task, measuring behavioral inhibition, were more sensitive to cocaine reinforcement under the concurrent cocaine vs. food choice procedure. Furthermore, following chronic cocaine self-administration, cocaine intake was a negative predictor of accuracy on the SDR behavioral inhibition task. After cocaine maintenance, monkeys with higher cocaine intakes required more trials to complete the SDR behavioral inhibition task and made more incorrect responses during these trials. No sex or social rank differences were noted. Overall, these findings suggest that cognitive performance may influence vulnerability to cocaine misuse. Also, chronic cocaine may decrease levels of behavioral inhibition as measured via the SDR task in both females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia I Allen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Marissa B Costa
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Bernard N Johnson
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Robert W Gould
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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Johnson BN, Allen MI, Nader MA. Acquisition of cocaine reinforcement using fixed-ratio and concurrent choice schedules in socially housed female and male monkeys. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:263-274. [PMID: 37882812 PMCID: PMC10841868 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06483-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous studies in socially housed monkeys examining acquisition of cocaine self-administration under fixed-ratio (FR) schedules of reinforcement found that subordinate males and dominant females were more vulnerable than their counterparts. OBJECTIVES The present studies extended these findings in two ways: (1) to replicate the earlier study, in which female monkeys were studied after a relatively short period of social housing (~ 3 months) using cocaine-naïve female monkeys (n = 9; 4 dominant and 5 subordinate) living in well-established social groups (~ 18 months); and (2) in male monkeys (n = 3/social rank), we studied cocaine acquisition under a concurrent schedule, with an alternative, non-drug reinforcer available. RESULTS In contrast to earlier findings, subordinate female monkeys acquired cocaine reinforcement (i.e., > saline reinforcement) at significantly lower cocaine doses compared with dominant monkeys. In the socially housed males, no dominant monkey acquired a cocaine preference (i.e., > 80% cocaine choice) over food, while two of three subordinate monkeys acquired cocaine reinforcement. In monkeys that did not acquire, the conditions were changed to an FR schedule with only cocaine available and after acquisition, returned to the concurrent schedule. In all monkeys, high doses of cocaine were chosen over food reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS The behavioral data in females suggests that duration of social enrichment and stress can differentially impact vulnerability to cocaine reinforcement. The findings in socially housed male monkeys, using concurrent food vs. cocaine choice schedules of reinforcement, confirmed earlier social-rank differences using an FR schedule and showed that vulnerability could be modified by exposure to cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard N Johnson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical Center Blvd, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1083, USA
| | - Mia I Allen
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical Center Blvd, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1083, USA
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical Center Blvd, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1083, USA.
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Johnson BN, Kumar A, Su Y, Singh S, Sai KKS, Nader SH, Li S, Reboussin BA, Huang Y, Deep G, Nader MA. PET imaging of kappa opioid receptors and receptor expression quantified in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles in socially housed female and male cynomolgus macaques. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:410-417. [PMID: 36100655 PMCID: PMC9751296 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01444-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent positron emission tomography (PET) studies of kappa opioid receptors (KOR) in humans reported significant relationships between KOR availability and social status, as well as cocaine choice. In monkey models, social status influences physiology, receptor pharmacology and behavior; these variables have been associated vulnerability to cocaine abuse. The present study utilized PET imaging to examine KOR availability in socially housed, cocaine-naïve female and male monkeys, and peripheral measures of KORs with neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDE). KOR availability was assessed in dominant and subordinate female and male cynomolgus macaques (N = 4/rank/sex), using PET imaging with the KOR selective agonist [11C]EKAP. In addition, NDE from the plasma of socially housed monkeys (N = 13/sex; N = 6-7/rank) were isolated by immunocapture method and analyzed for OPRK1 protein expression by ELISA. We found significant interactions between sex and social rank in KOR availability across 12 of 15 brain regions. This was driven by female data, in which KOR availability was significantly higher in subordinate monkeys compared with dominant monkeys; the opposite relationship was observed among males, but not statistically significant. No sex or rank differences were observed for NDE OPRK1 concentrations. In summary, the relationship between brain KOR availability and social rank was different in female and male monkeys. This was particularly true in female monkeys. We hypothesize that lower [11C]EKAP binding potentials were due to higher concentrations of circulating dynorphin, which is consistent with greater vulnerability in dominant compared with subordinate females. These findings suggest that the KOR is an important target for understanding the neurobiology associated with vulnerability to abused drugs and sex differences, and detectable in peripheral circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard N Johnson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Yixin Su
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sangeeta Singh
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kiran Kumar Solingapuram Sai
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Susan H Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Songye Li
- Yale PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Beth A Reboussin
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Yale PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gagan Deep
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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Johnson CSC, Frye BM, Register TC, Snyder-Mackler N, Shively CA. Mediterranean Diet Reduces Social Isolation and Anxiety in Adult Female Nonhuman Primates. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14142852. [PMID: 35889809 PMCID: PMC9322105 DOI: 10.3390/nu14142852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary composition is associated with the differential prevalence of psychiatric disorders; the Western diet confers increased risk, while the Mediterranean diet appears to reduce risk. In nonhuman primates, anxiety-like behaviors and social isolation have been linked to both Western diet consumption and increased inflammatory disease risk, and recent evidence suggests that diet composition may affect immune system function in part through its effects on behavior. This is particularly important in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic in which social isolation has been associated with disease. Here, we examined the effects of Western- and Mediterranean-like diets on social behavior in a randomized, 34-month preclinical trial in middle-aged female cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). Diet induced rapid and persistent changes in a suite of behaviors. After just three months of experimental diet consumption, a composite measure of diet-altered behavior (DAB) significantly differed between the two diets (p = 0.014) and remained different throughout the 24-month experimental observation period (p = 2.2 × 10−8). Monkeys fed the Western diet spent more time alone (FDR = 4.4 × 10−5) and displayed more anxiety behavior (FDR = 0.048), whereas monkeys fed the Mediterranean diet spent more time resting (FDR = 0.0013), attentive (FDR = 0.017), and in body contact with groupmates (FDR = 4.1 × 10−8). These differences were largely due to changes in behavior of animals fed the Mediterranean diet, while Western-diet-fed-animals exhibited similar behaviors compared to the eight-month baseline period, during which all monkeys consumed a common laboratory diet. These observations provide experimental support in a nonhuman primate model, demonstrating a potential therapeutic benefit of the Mediterranean diet consumption to reduce social isolation and anxiety and thus mitigate social isolation-associated disorders that often accompany illness and disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corbin S. C. Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (C.S.C.J.); (N.S.-M.)
| | - Brett M. Frye
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (B.M.F.); (T.C.R.)
- Department of Biology, Emory and Henry College, Emory, VA 24327, USA
| | - Thomas C. Register
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (B.M.F.); (T.C.R.)
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (C.S.C.J.); (N.S.-M.)
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Center for Evolution & Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- School for Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Carol A. Shively
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA; (B.M.F.); (T.C.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(336)-716-1524
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Johnson CSC, Shively C, Michalson KT, Lea AJ, DeBo RJ, Howard TD, Hawkins GA, Appt SE, Liu Y, McCall CE, Herrington DM, Ip EH, Register TC, Snyder-Mackler N. Contrasting effects of Western vs Mediterranean diets on monocyte inflammatory gene expression and social behavior in a primate model. eLife 2021; 10:68293. [PMID: 34338633 PMCID: PMC8423447 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Dietary changes associated with industrialization increase the prevalence of chronic diseases, such as obesity, type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This relationship is often attributed to an 'evolutionary mismatch' between human physiology and modern nutritional environments. Western diets enriched with foods that were scarce throughout human evolutionary history (e.g. simple sugars and saturated fats) promote inflammation and disease relative to diets more akin to ancestral human hunter-gatherer diets, such as a Mediterranean diet. Peripheral blood monocytes, precursors to macrophages and important mediators of innate immunity and inflammation, are sensitive to the environment and may represent a critical intermediate in the pathway linking diet to disease. We evaluated the effects of 15 months of whole diet manipulations mimicking Western or Mediterranean diet patterns on monocyte polarization in a well-established model of human health, the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Monocyte transcriptional profiles differed markedly between diets, with 40% of transcripts showing differential expression (FDR < 0.05). Monocytes from Western diet consumers were polarized toward a more proinflammatory phenotype. The Western diet shifted the co-expression of 445 gene pairs, including small RNAs and transcription factors associated with metabolism and adiposity in humans, and dramatically altered behavior. For example, Western-fed individuals were more anxious and less socially integrated. These behavioral changes were also associated with some of the effects of diet on gene expression, suggesting an interaction between diet, central nervous system activity, and monocyte gene expression. This study provides new molecular insights into an evolutionary mismatch and uncovers new pathways through which Western diets alter monocyte polarization toward a proinflammatory phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corbin SC Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Carol Shively
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Kristofer T Michalson
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Ryne J DeBo
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Timothy D Howard
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Gregory A Hawkins
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Susan E Appt
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Yongmei Liu
- Division of Cardiology, Duke University School of MedicineDurhamUnited States
| | - Charles E McCall
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - David M Herrington
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section on Cardiovascular Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Edward H Ip
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Thomas C Register
- Department of Pathology, Section on Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of MedicineWinston-SalemUnited States
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Psychology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States,Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States,Department of Biology, University of WashingtonSeattleUnited States,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States,Center for Evolution & Medicine, Arizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
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Shively CA, Appt SE, Chen H, Day SM, Frye BM, Shaltout HA, Silverstein-Metzler MG, Snyder-Mackler N, Uberseder B, Vitolins MZ, Register TC. Mediterranean diet, stress resilience, and aging in nonhuman primates. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100254. [PMID: 33344709 PMCID: PMC7739065 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent psychological stress increases the risk of many chronic diseases of aging. Little progress has been made to effectively reduce stress responses or mitigate stress effects suggesting a need for better understanding of factors that influence stress responses. Limited evidence suggests that diet may be a factor in modifying the effects of stress. However, long-term studies of diet effects on stress reactive systems are not available, and controlled randomized clinical trials are difficult and costly. Here we report the outcomes of a controlled, randomized preclinical trial of the effects of long-term consumption (31 months, ~ equivalent to 9 human years) of Western versus Mediterranean - like diets on behavioral and physiological responses to acute (brief social separation) and chronic (social subordination) psychosocial stress in 38 adult, socially-housed, female cynomolgus macaques. Compared to animals fed a Western diet, those fed the Mediterranean diet exhibited enhanced stress resilience as indicated by lower sympathetic activity, brisker and more overt heart rate responses to acute stress, more rapid recovery, and lower cortisol responses to acute psychological stress and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) challenge. Furthermore, age-related increases in sympathetic activity and cortisol responses to stress were delayed by the Mediterranean diet. Population level diet modification in humans has been shown to be feasible. Our findings suggest that population-wide adoption of a Mediterranean-like diet pattern may provide a cost-effective intervention on psychological stress and promote healthy aging with the potential for widespread efficacy. There is no population level treatment to reduce stress and associated disease. Mediterranean diet reduced sympathetic activity. Mediterranean diet reduced cortisol response to acute stress and to ACTH challenge. Mediterranean diet delayed age-related increases in sympathetic activity and cortisol responses to stress. These results suggest a dietary strategy to increase stress resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Shively
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Susan E Appt
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Haiying Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Stephen M Day
- Department of Internal Medicine/Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Brett M Frye
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Hossam A Shaltout
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | | | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- School of Life Sciences, Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, USA
| | - Beth Uberseder
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Mara Z Vitolins
- Department of Epidemiology & Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
| | - Thomas C Register
- Department of Pathology/Comparative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, USA
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Czoty PW, Nader MA. Effects of the α-2 Adrenergic Receptor Agonists Lofexidine and Guanfacine on Food-Cocaine Choice in Socially Housed Cynomolgus Monkeys. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2020; 375:193-201. [PMID: 32636208 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.120.266007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although norepinephrine (NE) does not appear to play a prominent role in mediating the abuse-related effects of cocaine, studies have indicated that NE α-2 receptor agonists can attenuate reinstatement of extinguished cocaine self-administration in rats and monkeys and can decrease cocaine craving in humans. In the present studies, we examined the effects of two α-2 receptor agonists, lofexidine and guanfacine, on choice between food and cocaine (0.0-0.1 mg/kg per injection) in cynomolgus monkeys. Male and female subjects were housed in stable same-sex social groups of four; social rank did not influence the effects of lofexidine and guanfacine. When administered acutely, lofexidine (0.03-3.0 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly decreased cocaine choice in females (n = 7) but not males (n = 8). However, in males, the same lofexidine doses produced dose-dependent decreases in core body temperature (n = 7), and acute guanfacine (0.003-1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly decreased cocaine choice (n = 11). When lofexidine was administered for five consecutive days to a subset of the monkeys in whom lofexidine acutely decreased cocaine choice, tolerance to this effect developed to varying degrees of completeness in three of three males and two of four females. Taken together, these data suggest that α-2 receptor agonists can produce small decreases in the reinforcing strength of cocaine relative to food and that, even when efficacy is observed after acute administration, tolerance to the decreases in cocaine choice are apparent and more likely in males compared with females. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Cocaine use disorder remains a significant public health problem with no US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments. Although cocaine elevates dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine (NE), the latter target has received less research. The present study noted modest effects of NE agonists on the relative reinforcing strength of cocaine with greater efficacy in female compared with male monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul W Czoty
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, 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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Mercier F, Witczak LR, Bales KL. Coppery titi monkey (Plecturocebus cupreus) pairs display coordinated behaviors in response to a simulated intruder. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23141. [PMID: 32415703 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Mate guarding and coordinated behaviors between partners are important for the maintenance of monogamous pair bonds. To study the effects of a perceived unfamiliar social intruder on females' behavior, we used coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). We examined the effects of male aggressive temperament on females' behavior and the effects of each behavior performed by the male on the same female behavior. Using a mirror, we simulated a social intruder in the home territory and scored behaviors using an established ethogram. Based on our analysis of self-directed behaviors, females do not recognize themselves in the mirror. We then used general linear mixed models to predict percent change in females' behaviors as a function of (a) males' temperament, (b) males' behavior, and (c) an interaction between males' temperament and behavior. Male temperament did not significantly predict female behavior for any of our best fitting models. For percent change in female lip-smacking, male lip-smacking significantly predicted female lip-smacking (β = 0.74, SE = 0.22, t = 3.39; p = .004). There was a positive correlation between male and female agonistic behaviors such as back-arching/tail-lashing (β = 0.51, SE = 0.23, t = 2.22; p = .04) and for anxiety-related behaviors such as leaving the partner (β = 0.50, SE = 0.19, t = 2.68; p = .015), locomotion duration (β = 0.19, SE = 0.06, t = 2.98; p = .02), and locomotion frequency (β = 0.71, SE = 0.14, t = 5.17; p < .001). These findings on coordination of pair-mate behaviors may explain how titi monkeys display pair bond strength and ensure their reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Mercier
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.,California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Lynea R Witczak
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Karen L Bales
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
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Witczak LR, Ferrer E, Bales KL. Effects of aggressive temperament on endogenous oxytocin levels in adult titi monkeys. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22907. [PMID: 30106168 PMCID: PMC6719780 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Coordination of oxytocin (OT) activity and partner interactions is important for the facilitation and maintenance of monogamous pair bonds. We used coppery titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus) to identify the effects of male aggressive temperament on OT activity, affiliative partner-directed behaviors, aggressive partner-directed behaviors, anxiety-related behaviors, and hormone-behavior interactions. We used a mirror technique, simulating an intruder in the home territory of pairs to elicit behavioral responses, and quantified behaviors using an established ethogram. Plasma concentrations of OT (pg/ml) were quantified using enzyme immunoassay. We used general linear mixed models to predict 1) percent change in OT as a function of aggression score, and 2) percent change in behaviors as a function of aggression, OT, and OT by aggression interactions. High-aggressive males exhibited a significant drop in OT concentration relative to control when exposed to the front of the mirror (β = -0.22, SE = 0.10, t = -2.20, p = 0.04). High-aggressive males spent significantly less time in contact with their mates (β = -1.35, SE = 0.60, t = -2.26, p = 0.04) and lip-smacked less (β = -1.02, SE = 0.44, t = -2.32, p = 0.03) relative to control. We also saw a trend toward an interaction effect between OT and proximity such that High-aggressive males displaying a drop in OT exhibited a smaller percent increase in social proximity (β = 6.80, SE = 3.48, t = 1.96, p = 0.07). Males exhibiting a decrease in OT also trended toward back-arching and tail-lashing less in response to the mirror (β = 4.53, SE = 2.5, t = 1.82, p = 0.09). To our knowledge, this is the first empirical study to examine interactions between OT and temperament in adult monogamous primates. Future studies should incorporate measures of pair-mate interactions and early-life experience to further understand variation in responses to social stressors and their effects on pair bonding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynea R Witczak
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
| | - Emilio Ferrer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
| | - Karen L Bales
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, California
- California National Primate Research Center, Davis, California
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11
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Czoty PW, Gould RW, Gage HD, Nader MA. Effects of social reorganization on dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability and cocaine self-administration in male cynomolgus monkeys. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2673-2682. [PMID: 28608008 PMCID: PMC5709179 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4658-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Studies have demonstrated that brain dopamine D2/D3 receptors (D2/D3R) and the reinforcing effects of cocaine can be influenced by a monkey's position in the social dominance hierarchy. OBJECTIVE In this study, we manipulated the social ranks of monkeys by reorganizing social groups and assessed effects on D2/D3R availability and cocaine self-administration. METHODS Male cynomolgus monkeys (N = 12) had been trained to self-administer cocaine under a concurrent cocaine-food reinforcement schedule. Previously, PET measures of D2/D3R availability in the caudate nucleus and putamen had been obtained with [18F]fluoroclebopride during cocaine abstinence, while monkeys lived in stable social groups of four monkeys/pen. For this study, monkeys were reorganized into groups that consisted of (1) four previously dominant, (2) four previously subordinate, and (3) a mix of previously dominant and subordinate monkeys. After 3 months, D2/D3R availability was redetermined and cocaine self-administration was reexamined. RESULTS D2/D3R availability significantly increased after reorganization in monkeys who were formerly subordinate, with the greatest increases observed in those that became dominant. No consistent changes in D2/D3R availability were observed in formerly dominant monkeys. Cocaine self-administration did not vary according to rank after reorganization of social groups. However, when compared to their previous cocaine self-administration data, the potency of cocaine as a reinforcer decreased in 9 of 11 monkeys. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that changing the social conditions can alter D2/D3R availability in subordinate monkeys in a manner suggestive of environmental enrichment. In most monkeys, social reorganization shifted the cocaine dose-response curve to the right, also consistent with environmental enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- P W Czoty
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, 546 NRC, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1083, USA
| | - R W Gould
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, 546 NRC, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1083, USA
| | - H D Gage
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - M A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, 546 NRC, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157-1083, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
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