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Markov DD, Dolotov OV, Grivennikov IA. The Melanocortin System: A Promising Target for the Development of New Antidepressant Drugs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076664. [PMID: 37047638 PMCID: PMC10094937 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders, causing significant human suffering and socioeconomic loss. Since conventional antidepressants are not sufficiently effective, there is an urgent need to develop new antidepressant medications. Despite marked advances in the neurobiology of depression, the etiology and pathophysiology of this disease remain poorly understood. Classical and newer hypotheses of depression suggest that an imbalance of brain monoamines, dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) and immune system, or impaired hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotrophic factors pathways are cause of depression. It is assumed that conventional antidepressants improve these closely related disturbances. The purpose of this review was to discuss the possibility of affecting these disturbances by targeting the melanocortin system, which includes adrenocorticotropic hormone-activated receptors and their peptide ligands (melanocortins). The melanocortin system is involved in the regulation of various processes in the brain and periphery. Melanocortins, including peripherally administered non-corticotropic agonists, regulate HPAA activity, exhibit anti-inflammatory effects, stimulate the levels of neurotrophic factors, and enhance hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotransmission. Therefore, endogenous melanocortins and their analogs are able to complexly affect the functioning of those body’s systems that are closely related to depression and the effects of antidepressants, thereby demonstrating a promising antidepressant potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitrii D. Markov
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Oleg V. Dolotov
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119234 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor A. Grivennikov
- National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Kurchatov Sq. 2, 123182 Moscow, Russia
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2
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Tan HE. The microbiota-gut-brain axis in stress and depression. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1151478. [PMID: 37123352 PMCID: PMC10140437 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1151478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans and animals are evolved to have instinctive physiological responses to threats. The perception of threat by the brain triggers a multitude of changes across the brain and body. A large body of research have demonstrated that our hardwired survival instinct, the stress response, can become maladaptive and promote major depressive disorders and other neuropsychiatric impairments. However, gaps in our understanding of how chronic stress contributes to depression and mental disorders suggest that we also need to consider factors beyond the biology of the host. The unravelling of the structure and function of microorganisms that humans and animals are host to have driven a paradigm shift in understanding the individual as a collective network composed of the host plus microbes. Well over 90% of bacteria in the body reside in the large intestines, and these microbes in the lower gut function almost like an organ in the body in the way it interacts with the host. Importantly, bidirectional interactions between the gut microbiota and the brain (i.e., the two-way microbiota-gut-brain axis) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of mental disorders including depression. Here, in summarizing the emerging literature, we envisage that further research particularly on the efferent brain-gut-microbiota axis will uncover transformative links in the biology of stress and depression.
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Bansal Y, Fee C, Misquitta KA, Codeluppi SA, Sibille E, Berman RM, Coric V, Sanacora G, Banasr M. Prophylactic Efficacy of Riluzole against Anxiety- and Depressive-Like Behaviors in Two Rodent Stress Models. Complex Psychiatry 2023; 9:57-69. [PMID: 37101541 PMCID: PMC10123365 DOI: 10.1159/000529534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chronic stress-related illnesses such as major depressive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder share symptomatology, including anxiety, anhedonia, and helplessness. Across disorders, neurotoxic dysregulated glutamate (Glu) signaling may underlie symptom emergence. Current first-line antidepressant drugs, which do not directly target Glu signaling, fail to provide adequate benefit for many patients and are associated with high relapse rates. Riluzole modulates glutamatergic neurotransmission by increasing metabolic cycling and modulating signal transduction. Clinical studies exploring riluzole's efficacy in stress-related disorders have provided varied results. However, the utility of riluzole for treating specific symptom dimensions or as a prophylactic treatment has not been comprehensively assessed. Methods We investigated whether chronic prophylactic riluzole (∼12-15 mg/kg/day p.o.) could prevent the emergence of behavioral deficits induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) in mice. We assessed (i) anxiety-like behavior using the elevated-plus maze, open-field test, and novelty-suppressed feeding, (ii) mixed anxiety/anhedonia-like behavior in the novelty-induced hypophagia test, and (iii) anhedonia-like behavior using the sucrose consumption test. Z-scoring summarized changes across tests measuring similar dimensions. In a separate learned helplessness (LH) cohort, we investigated whether chronic prophylactic riluzole treatment could block the development of helplessness-like behavior. Results UCMS induced an elevation in anhedonia-like behavior and overall behavioral emotionality that was blocked by prophylactic riluzole. In the LH cohort, prophylactic riluzole blocked the development of helplessness-like behavior. Discussion/Conclusion This study supports the utility of riluzole as a prophylactic medication for preventing anhedonia and helplessness symptoms associated with stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashika Bansal
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Corey Fee
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keith A. Misquitta
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sierra A. Codeluppi
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Gerard Sanacora
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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4
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Yan L, Kang C, Wang X, Yang L, Zhao N, Zhang X. Association of serum lipid levels with psychotic symptoms in young, first-episode and drug naïve outpatients with major depressive disorder: A large-scale cross-sectional study. Psychiatry Res 2022; 317:114864. [PMID: 36179590 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with psychotic symptoms have more complex clinical symptoms and higher relapse rates. The purpose of this study was to compare serum lipid differences between psychotic major depressive disorder (PMD) and non-psychotic major depressive disorder (NPMD) in a large sample of young first-episode drug naïve (FEDN) patients. METHODS We recruited 1289 young MDD patients. Socio-demographic information, clinical data, and lipid parameters were collected. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and the positive symptom subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale were used to assess patients' depressive, anxiety and psychotic symptoms, respectively. RESULTS Compared with the NPMD group, the PMD group had higher HAMD, HAMA scores, and higher TC, TG, and LDL-C levels. Correlation analysis showed that psychotic symptoms were significantly associated with the total score of HAMD and HAMA, and the levels of serum lipid. In addition, logistic regression analysis found that TC was associated with psychotic symptoms in young FEDN MDD patients. CONCLUSION Our results suggest TC levels may be associated with psychotic symptoms in young MDD patients. The importance of regular psychotic symptom assessment in young MDD patients with high TC levels should be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Yan
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Chuanyi Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Xiaohong Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Liying Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.
| | - Xiangyang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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5
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Malta MB, Martins J, Novaes LS, Dos Santos NB, Sita L, Camarini R, Scavone C, Bittencourt J, Munhoz CD. Norepinephrine and Glucocorticoids Modulate Chronic Unpredictable Stress-Induced Increase in the Type 2 CRF and Glucocorticoid Receptors in Brain Structures Related to the HPA Axis Activation. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:4871-4885. [PMID: 34213722 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02470-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The stress response is multifactorial and enrolls circuitries to build a coordinated reaction, leading to behavioral, endocrine, and autonomic changes. These changes are mainly related to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and the organism's integrity. However, when self-regulation is ineffective, stress becomes harmful and predisposes the organism to pathologies. The chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) is a widely used experimental model since it induces physiological and behavioral changes and better mimics the stressors variability encountered in daily life. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and glucocorticoids (GCs) are deeply implicated in the CUS-induced physiological and behavioral changes. Nonetheless, the CUS modulation of CRF receptors and GR and the norepinephrine role in extra-hypothalamic brain areas were not well explored. Here, we show that 14 days of CUS induced a long-lasting HPA axis hyperactivity evidenced by plasmatic corticosterone increase and adrenal gland hypertrophy, which was dependent on both GCs and NE release induced by each stress session. CUS also increased CRF2 mRNA expression and GR protein levels in fundamental brain structures related to HPA regulation and behavior, such as the lateral septal nucleus intermedia part (LSI), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), and central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). We also showed that NE participates in the CUS-induced increase in CRF2 and GR levels in the LSI, reinforcing the locus coeruleus (LC) involvement in the HPA axis modulation. Despite the CUS-induced molecular changes in essential areas related to anxiety-like behavior, this phenotype was not observed in CUS animals 24 h after the last stress session.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia B Malta
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, room 323, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Joelcimar Martins
- Central of Facilities, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Leonardo S Novaes
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, room 323, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Nilton B Dos Santos
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, room 323, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Luciane Sita
- Laboratory of Chemical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Rosana Camarini
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, room 323, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Cristoforo Scavone
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, room 323, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Jackson Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Chemical Neuroanatomy, Department of Anatomy, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil.,Center for Neurosciences and Behavior, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Carolina D Munhoz
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade de Sao Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1524, room 323, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.
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Moolamalla STR, Vinod PK. Genome-scale metabolic modelling predicts biomarkers and therapeutic targets for neuropsychiatric disorders. Comput Biol Med 2020; 125:103994. [PMID: 32980779 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2020.103994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Distinguishing neuropsychiatric disorders is challenging due to the overlap in symptoms and genetic risk factors. People suffering from these disorders face personal and professional challenges. Understanding the dysregulation of brain metabolism under disease condition can aid in effective diagnosis and in developing treatment strategies based on the metabolism. In this study, we reconstructed the metabolic network of three major neuropsychiatric disorders, schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) using transcriptomic data and constrained based modelling approach. We integrated brain transcriptomic data from six independent studies with a recent comprehensive genome-scale metabolic model Recon3D. The analysis of the reconstructed network revealed the flux-level alterations in the peroxisome-mitochondria-golgi axis in neuropsychiatric disorders. We also extracted reporter metabolites and pathways that distinguish these three neuropsychiatric disorders. We found differences with respect to fatty acid oxidation, aromatic and branched chain amino acid metabolism, bile acid synthesis, glycosaminoglycans synthesis and modifications, and phospholipid metabolism. Further, we predicted network perturbations that transform the disease metabolic state to a healthy metabolic state for each disorder. These analyses provide local and global views of the metabolic changes in SCZ, BD and MDD, which may have clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- S T R Moolamalla
- Center for Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, 500032, India
| | - P K Vinod
- Center for Computational Natural Sciences and Bioinformatics, International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, 500032, India.
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Baseline cortisol and the efficacy of antiglucocorticoid treatment in mood disorders: A meta-analysis. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 110:104420. [PMID: 31499391 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hyperactivity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and high cortisol levels have been widely reported in patients with mood disorders but previous clinical trials investigating the efficacy of antiglucocorticoid treatment in this population have reported inconsistent findings. The inconsistencies among these studies may be because not all patients with mood disorders have increased HPA axis activity and therefore might not benefit from antiglucocorticoid treatment. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate whether baseline cortisol levels influence the efficacy of antiglucocorticoid drugs in patients with mood disorders. METHODS PubMed and Scopus databases were searched systematically up to October 2018. We included studies using metyrapone, ketoconazole or mifepristone in patients with major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms. We tested for a difference in cortisol levels between responders (a reduction equal to or greater than 30% on depression scales following antiglucocorticoid treatment) and non-responders (a reduction of less than 30% on depression scales). We performed a meta-analysis to look specifically at differences in cortisol levels in the sample of patients treated with cortisol synthesis inhibitors (metyrapone and ketoconazole) and in those treated with glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonist (mifepristone). RESULTS We were able to retrieve data from 11 of the 16 selected studies and to include 9 studies in the meta-analysis. In the overall sample (N = 846), responders had similar baseline cortisol levels compared with non-responders (standardised mean difference, SMD = -0.03, 95% CI [-0.17, 0.12], p = 0.75). In the group of patients treated with cortisol synthesis inhibitors, responders (N = 109) had significantly higher peripheral baseline cortisol levels compared with non-responders (SMD = 0.42, 95% CI [0.01, 0.83], p = 0.047). In the group of patients treated with a GR antagonist (N = 737), both responders and non-responders had similar baseline cortisol levels (SMD = -0.09, 95% CI [-0.25, 0.07], p = 0.26). CONCLUSION Our data suggest that only patients with higher cortisol levels at baseline benefit from treatment with cortisol synthesis inhibitors and support a potential role for cortisol as a predictive biomarker for treatment with cortisol synthesis inhibitors in patients with mood disorders.
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Ouanes S, Popp J. High Cortisol and the Risk of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: A Review of the Literature. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:43. [PMID: 30881301 PMCID: PMC6405479 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Cortisol effects on the brain are exerted through two distinct receptors, inducing complex and even opposite effects on the cerebral structures implicated in the various cognitive functions. High cortisol may also have deleterious effects on the brain structures and contribute to neurodegeneration, in particular Alzheimer’s disease (AD), via different mechanisms. Objective: To examine the interrelationships between cortisol, cognitive impairment and AD. Methods: Review of the literature. Results: Clinical studies found that elevated cortisol was associated with poorer overall cognitive functioning, as well as with poorer episodic memory, executive functioning, language, spatial memory, processing speed, and social cognition; while in animals, glucocorticoid administration resulted in cognitive impairment and abnormal behavior. In cognitively healthy subjects, higher cortisol levels have been associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and AD. Subjects with dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to AD have been found to have higher CSF cortisol levels than cognitively healthy controls. Elevated CSF cortisol may also be associated with a more rapid cognitive decline in MCI due to AD. Elevated cortisol levels have been also found in delirium. High cortisol may mediate the impact of stressful life events, high neuroticism, depression, sleep disturbances, as well as cardiovascular risk factors on cognitive performance, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline. High cortisol may also exert neurotoxic effects on the hippocampus, and promote oxidative stress and amyloid β peptide toxicity. Further possible underlying mechanisms include the interactions of cortisol with inflammatory mediators, neurotransmitters, and growth factors. Conclusion: Elevated cortisol levels may exert detrimental effects on cognition and contribute to AD pathology. Further studies are needed to investigate cortisol-reducing and glucocorticoidreceptor modulating interventions to prevent cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami Ouanes
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital of Cery, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Department of Psychiatry, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Julius Popp
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital of Cery, University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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Wulsin AC, Franco-Villanueva A, Romancheck C, Morano RL, Smith BL, Packard BA, Danzer SC, Herman JP. Functional disruption of stress modulatory circuits in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197955. [PMID: 29795651 PMCID: PMC5993058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical data suggest that the neuroendocrine stress response is chronically dysregulated in a subset of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), potentially contributing to both disease progression and the development of psychiatric comorbidities such as anxiety and depression. Whether neuroendocrine dysregulation and psychiatric comorbidities reflect direct effects of epilepsy-related pathologies, or secondary effects of disease burden particular to humans with epilepsy (i.e. social estrangement, employment changes) is not clear. Animal models provide an opportunity to dissociate these factors. Therefore, we queried whether epileptic mice would reproduce neuroendocrine and behavioral changes associated with human epilepsy. Male FVB mice were exposed to pilocarpine to induce status epilepticus (SE) and the subsequent development of spontaneous recurrent seizures. Morning baseline corticosterone levels were elevated in pilocarpine treated mice at 1, 7 and 10 weeks post-SE relative to controls. Similarly, epileptic mice had increased adrenal weight when compared to control mice. Exposure to acute restraint stress resulted in hypersecretion of corticosterone 30 min after the onset of the challenge. Anatomical analyses revealed reduced Fos expression in infralimbic and prelimbic prefrontal cortex, ventral subiculum and basal amygdala following restraint. No differences in Fos immunoreactivity were found in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, hippocampal subfields or central amygdala. In order to assess emotional behavior, a second cohort of mice underwent a battery of behavioral tests, including sucrose preference, open field, elevated plus maze, 24h home-cage monitoring and forced swim. Epileptic mice showed increased anhedonic behavior, hyperactivity and anxiety-like behaviors. Together these data demonstrate that epileptic mice develop HPA axis hyperactivity and exhibit behavioral dysfunction. Endocrine and behavioral changes are associated with impaired recruitment of forebrain circuits regulating stress inhibition and emotional reactivity. Loss of forebrain control may underlie pronounced endocrine dysfunction and comorbid psychopathologies seen in temporal lobe epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aynara C. Wulsin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Ana Franco-Villanueva
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Christian Romancheck
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Rachel L. Morano
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Brittany L. Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Benjamin A. Packard
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Steve C. Danzer
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - James P. Herman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Raglan GB, Schmidt LA, Schulkin J. The role of glucocorticoids and corticotropin-releasing hormone regulation on anxiety symptoms and response to treatment. Endocr Connect 2017; 6:R1-R7. [PMID: 28119322 PMCID: PMC5424777 DOI: 10.1530/ec-16-0100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The stress response has been linked to the expression of anxiety and depression, but the mechanisms for these connections are under continued consideration. The activation and expression of glucocorticoids and CRH are variable and may hold important clues to individual experiences of mood disorders. This paper explores the interactions of glucocorticoids and CRH in the presentation of anxiety and depressive disorders in an effort to better describe their differing roles in each of these clinical presentations. In addition, it focuses on ways in which extra-hypothalamic glucocorticoids and CRH, often overlooked, may play important roles in the presentation of clinical disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta B Raglan
- Department of PsychologyAmerican University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Louis A Schmidt
- Department of PsychologyNeuroscience & Behavior, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jay Schulkin
- Department of ResearchAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Department of NeuroscienceGeorgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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11
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Willner P. The chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression: History, evaluation and usage. Neurobiol Stress 2017; 6:78-93. [PMID: 28229111 PMCID: PMC5314424 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 555] [Impact Index Per Article: 79.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Now 30 years old, the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression has been used in >1300 published studies, with a year-on-year increase rising to >200 papers in 2015. Data from a survey of users show that while a variety of names are in use (chronic mild/unpredictable/varied stress), these describe essentially the same procedure. This paper provides an update on the validity and reliability of the CMS model, and reviews recent data on the neurobiological basis of CMS effects and the mechanisms of antidepressant action: the volume of this research may be unique in providing a comprehensive account of antidepressant action within a single model. Also discussed is the use of CMS in drug discovery, with particular reference to hippocampal and extra-hippocampal targets. The high translational potential of the CMS model means that the neurobiological mechanisms described may be of particular relevance to human depression and mechanisms of clinical antidepressant action.
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12
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Contoreggi C, Chrousos GP, Mascio MD. Chronic distress and the vulnerable host: a new target for HIV treatment and prevention? NEUROBEHAVIORAL HIV MEDICINE 2016; 7:53-75. [PMID: 34295195 PMCID: PMC8293862 DOI: 10.2147/nbhiv.s86309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pathologic stress (distress) disturbs immune, cardiovascular, metabolic, and behavioral homeostasis. Individuals living with HIV and those at risk are vulnerable to stress disorders. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is critical in neuroendocrine immune regulation. CRH, a neuropeptide, is distributed in the central and peripheral nervous systems and acts principally on CRH receptor type 1 (CRHR1). CRH in the brain modulates neuropsychiatric disorders. CRH and stress modulation of immunity is two-pronged; there is a direct action on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal secretion of glucocorticoids and through immune organ sympathetic innervation. CRH is a central and systemic proinflammatory cytokine. Glucocorticoids and their receptors have gene regulatory actions on viral replication and cause central and systemic immune suppression. CRH and stress activation contributes to central nervous system (CNS) viral entry important in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders and HIV-associated dementia. CNS CRH overproduction short-circuits reward, executive, and emotional control, leading to addiction, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric comorbidity. CRHR1 is an important therapeutic target for medication development. CRHR1 antagonist clinical trials have focused on psychiatric disorders with little attention paid to neuroendocrine immune disorders. Studies of those with HIV and those at risk show that concurrent stress-related disorders contribute to higher morbidity and mortality; stress-related conditions, addiction, immune dysfunction, and comorbid psychiatric illness all increase HIV transmission. Neuropsychiatric disease, chronic inflammation, and substance abuse are endemic, and chronic distress is a pathologic factor. It is being understood that stress and CRH are fundamental to neuroendocrine immunity; therapeutic interventions with existing and novel agents hold promise for restoring homeostasis, reducing morbidity and mortality for those with HIV and possibly reducing future disease transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Contoreggi
- Intramural Research Program (IRP), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - George P Chrousos
- Department of Pediatrics, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece
| | - Michele Di Mascio
- AIDS Imaging Research Section, Division of Clinical Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
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Oosterhof CA, El Mansari M, Merali Z, Blier P. Altered monoamine system activities after prenatal and adult stress: A role for stress resilience? Brain Res 2016; 1642:409-418. [PMID: 27086968 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2016.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal stress (PNS) and stress in adulthood are risk factors for development of major depressive disorder. The present study aimed to 1) confirm previous neuroendocrine and behavioral changes induced by PNS, and 2) to characterize the effect of early- and late life stress on the in vivo activity of monoamine systems. METHODS Gestational dams were restrained thrice daily under bright illumination from gestational day (GD)11-20. Behavior and neuroendocrine responses to the forced swim test (FST) were determined in adult (50-80 days) offspring, and electrophysiological single unit recordings of dorsal raphe nucleus serotonin (5-HT), ventral tegmental area dopamine (DA) and locus coeruleus norepinephrine (NE) neurons were obtained at baseline and 24h after the FST. RESULTS Gestational dams did not habituate to chronic restraint stress, and PNS reduced the birth weight of offspring. In adulthood, swim stress elevated CORT levels longer in PNS animals, while it had no effect on swim behaviors. Baseline firing activity of 5-HT neurons was decreased in PNS animals, while the firing activity of NE and DA neurons was increased. Swim stress had no effect on the firing on 5-HT neurons, but normalized the firing activity of catecholamine neurons in PNS animals. CONCLUSION The present data confirm previously established effects on neuroendocrine and physiological measures, and demonstrate an altering effect of PNS and stress on monoamine system activities in adulthood. Since PNS did not result in a depressive-like phenotype, these central changes following PNS might play reflect adaptive changes contributing to stress resilience in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris A Oosterhof
- University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research, Ontario, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Mostafa El Mansari
- University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research, Ontario, Canada
| | - Zul Merali
- University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research, Ontario, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pierre Blier
- University of Ottawa, Institute of Mental Health Research, Ontario, Canada; Department of Cellular and Molecular medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Chen J, Wang ZZ, Zuo W, Zhang S, Chu SF, Chen NH. Effects of chronic mild stress on behavioral and neurobiological parameters - Role of glucocorticoid. Horm Behav 2016; 78:150-9. [PMID: 26592454 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Revised: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Major depression is thought to originate from maladaptation to adverse events, particularly when impairments occur in mood-related brain regions. Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the major systems involved in physiological stress response. HPA axis dysfunction and high glucocorticoid concentrations play an important role in the pathogenesis of depression. In addition, astrocytic disability and dysfunction of neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophin factor (BDNF) greatly influence the development of depression and anxiety disorders. Therefore, we investigated whether depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors manifest in the absence of glucocorticoid production and circulation in adrenalectomized (ADX) rats after chronic mild stress (CMS) exposure and its potential molecular mechanisms. The results demonstrate that glucocorticoid-controlled rats showed anxiety-like behaviors but not depression-like behaviors after CMS. Molecular and cellular changes included the decreased BDNF in the hippocampus, astrocytic dysfunction with connexin43 (cx43) decreasing and abnormality in gap junction in prefrontal cortex (PFC). Interestingly, we did not find any changes in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) or its chaperone protein FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5) expression in the hippocampus or PFC in ADX rats subjected to CMS. In conclusion, the production and circulation of glucocorticoids are one of the contributing factors in the development of depression-like behaviors in response to CMS. In contrast, the effects of CMS on anxiety-like behaviors are independent of the presence of circulating glucocorticoids. Meanwhile, stress decreased GR expression and enhanced FKBP5 expression via higher glucocorticoid exposure. Gap junction dysfunction and changes in BDNF may be associated with anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen-zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Shi-feng Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Nai-hong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China; Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China.
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15
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New hypothesis and treatment targets of depression: an integrated view of key findings. Neurosci Bull 2015; 31:61-74. [PMID: 25575479 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-014-1486-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 10/05/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and devastating psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent low mood, cognitive disorder, and impaired social function. Despite its complex mechanisms, increasing evidence has identified the involvement of neurotrophic factors, inflammatory cytokines, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, and glutamate receptors in the pathophysiology of this illness. The present review synthesizes recent research achievements to define the network between different hypotheses of MDD and to understand which part is most pivotal for its pathogenesis. By integrating MDD-related signal pathways, we highlight brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) dysfunction and increased apoptosis as the final common cascades, and new therapeutic strategies aiming to enhance BDNF function have been shown to exert a rapid and effective antidepressant action.
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16
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Block SG, Nemeroff CB. Emerging antidepressants to treat major depressive disorder. Asian J Psychiatr 2014; 12:7-16. [PMID: 25277330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2014.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2014] [Revised: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 09/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a common disorder with an annual risk of a depressive episode in the United States of 6.6%. Only 30-40% of patients remit with antidepressant monotherapy, leaving 60-70% of patients who do not optimally respond to therapy. Unremitted depressive patients are at increased risk for suicide. Considering the prevalence of treatment resistant depression and its consequences, treatment optimization is imperative. This review summarizes the latest treatment modalities for major depressive disorder including pharmacotherapy, electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and psychotherapy. Through advancements in research to better understand the pathophysiology of depression, advances in treatment will be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha G Block
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami Hospital, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, 1695 N.W. 9th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
| | - Charles B Nemeroff
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center on Aging, Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami Hospital, Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, 1120 Northwest 14 Street, Suite 1455, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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17
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Corticotropin-releasing hormone and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in psychiatric disease. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2014; 124:69-91. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-59602-4.00005-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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18
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Tyrka AR, Burgers DE, Philip NS, Price LH, Carpenter LL. The neurobiological correlates of childhood adversity and implications for treatment. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2013; 128:434-47. [PMID: 23662634 PMCID: PMC4467688 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article provides an overview of research on the neurobiological correlates of childhood adversity and a selective review of treatment implications. METHOD Findings from a broad array of human and animal studies of early adversity were reviewed. RESULTS Topics reviewed include neuroendocrine, neurotrophic, neuroimaging, and cognitive effects of adversity, as well as genetic and epigenetic influences. Effects of early-life stress on treatment outcome are considered, and development of treatments designed to address the neurobiological abnormalities is discussed. CONCLUSION Early adversity is associated with abnormalities of several neurobiological systems that are implicated in the development of psychopathology and other medical conditions. Early-life stress negatively impacts treatment outcome, and individuals may require treatments that are specific to this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey R. Tyrka
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI,Address Correspondence to: Audrey R. Tyrka, M.D., Ph.D., Butler Hospital, 345 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, RI 02906. TEL: (401) 455-6520. FAX: (401) 455-6534.
| | - Darcy E. Burgers
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI
| | - Noah S. Philip
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Lawrence H. Price
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Linda L. Carpenter
- Mood Disorders Research Program and Laboratory for Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, Butler Hospital, Providence, RI,Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI
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Grillon C, Franco-Chaves JA, Mateus CF, Ionescu DF, Zarate CA. Major depression is not associated with blunting of aversive responses; evidence for enhanced anxious anticipation. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70969. [PMID: 23951057 PMCID: PMC3738594 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the emotion-context insensitivity (ECI) hypothesis, major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with a diminished ability to react emotionally to positive stimuli and with blunting of defensive responses to threat. That defensive responses are blunted in MDD seems inconsistent with the conceptualization and diagnostic nosology of MDD. The present study tested the ECI hypothesis in MDD using a threat of shock paradigm. Twenty-eight patients with MDD (35.5±10.4 years) were compared with 28 controls (35.1±7.4 years). Participants were exposed to three conditions: no shock, predictable shock, and unpredictable shock. Startle magnitude was used to assess defensive responses. Inconsistent with the ECI hypothesis, startle potentiation to predictable and unpredictable shock was not reduced in the MDD group. Rather, MDD patients showed elevated startle throughout testing as well as increased contextual anxiety during the placement of the shock electrodes and in the predictable condition. A regression analysis indicated that illness duration and Beck depression inventory scores explained 37% (p<.005) of the variance in patients' startle reactivity. MDD is not associated with emotional blunting but rather enhanced defensive reactivity during anticipation of harm. These results do not support a strong version of the ECI hypothesis. Understanding the nature of stimuli or situations that lead to blunted or enhanced defensive reactivity will provide better insight into dysfunctional emotional experience in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Grillon
- Section on Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America.
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20
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Vidal E, Stewart JT, Catalano G. A case of corticosteroid-responsive depression. PSYCHOSOMATICS 2013; 54:395-7. [PMID: 23414848 DOI: 10.1016/j.psym.2013.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Revised: 01/09/2013] [Accepted: 01/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Vidal
- Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service, James A. Haley VA Hospital, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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Moussaieff A, Gross M, Nesher E, Tikhonov T, Yadid G, Pinhasov A. Incensole acetate reduces depressive-like behavior and modulates hippocampal BDNF and CRF expression of submissive animals. J Psychopharmacol 2012; 26:1584-93. [PMID: 23015543 DOI: 10.1177/0269881112458729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Incensole acetate (IA), a constituent of Boswellia resin ('frankincense'), was previously demonstrated to exhibit an antidepressive-like effect in the Forced Swim Test (FST) in mice following single dose administration (50 mg/kg). Here, we show that acute administration of considerably lower dose (10 mg/kg) IA to selectively bred mice, showing prominent submissive behavior, exerted significant antidepressant-like effects in the FST. Furthermore, chronic administration of 1 or 5 mg/kg per day of IA for three consecutive weeks dose- and time-dependently reduced the submissiveness of the mice in the Dominant-Submissive Relationship test, developed to screen the chronic effect of antidepressants. This behavioral effect was concomitant to reduced serum corticosterone levels, dose-dependent down-regulation of corticotropin releasing factor and up-regulation of brain derived neurotrophic factor transcripts IV and VI expression in the hippocampus. These data suggest that IA modulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and influences hippocampal gene expression, leading to beneficial behavioral effects supporting its potential as a novel treatment of depressive-like disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arieh Moussaieff
- Department of Molecular Biology, Ariel University Center of Samaria, Ariel, Israel
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22
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Joëls M, Sarabdjitsingh RA, Karst H. Unraveling the Time Domains of Corticosteroid Hormone Influences on Brain Activity: Rapid, Slow, and Chronic Modes. Pharmacol Rev 2012; 64:901-38. [DOI: 10.1124/pr.112.005892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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23
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Kranzler HR, Feinn R, Nelson EC, Covault J, Anton RF, Farrer L, Gelernter J. A CRHR1 haplotype moderates the effect of adverse childhood experiences on lifetime risk of major depressive episode in African-American women. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2011; 156B:960-8. [PMID: 21998007 PMCID: PMC3227028 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.31243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Accepted: 09/16/2011] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk for adult depression and substance dependence, possibly mediated by the corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRHR1). In some studies, a three-SNP "T-A-T" haplotype in CRHR1, which encodes CRHR1, exerted a protective moderating effect on risk of depression in adults with ACEs. Other studies have shown a main or moderating effect of SNPs in CRHR1 on alcohol consumption. We tested the moderating effects of the three-SNP haplotype on lifetime risk of a major depressive episode (MDE) and alcohol dependence (AD) in 1,211 European-Americans (EAs) and 1,869 African-Americans (AAs), most of whom had a lifetime substance use disorder. There were no significant main or interaction effects of the TAT haplotype on AD. There was a significant interaction of ACE by TAT on risk of depression only in AA women (P = 0.005); each copy of the TAT haplotype reduced the odds of MDE by almost 40% (OR = 0.63). In AA women without an ACE and two TAT haplotypes, the risk of MDE was increased (OR = 1.51 for each copy). Our findings in relation to the TAT haplotype of CRHR1 extend those obtained in other populations to a largely substance-dependent one. The complex structure of CRHR1 may help to explain why some variants in the gene moderate the effects of an ACE only on depression risk while others moderate the effect of an ACE only on AD risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry R. Kranzler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA and Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Philadelphia VAMC, Philadelphia, PA,Correspondence at Treatment Research Center, University of Pennsylvania 3900 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104; Telephone: 215-222-3200, ext. 137;
| | - Richard Feinn
- Department of Psychiatry and General Clinical Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
| | - Elliot C. Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Department of Psychiatry and General Clinical Research Center, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
| | - Raymond F. Anton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
| | - Lindsay Farrer
- Departments of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Neurology, Ophthalmology, Genetics & Genomics, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Psychiatry; and Departments of Genetics and Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT and VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT
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An epidemiologic and clinical overview of medical and psychopathological comorbidities in major psychoses. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2011; 261:489-508. [PMID: 21331479 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-011-0196-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2010] [Accepted: 02/01/2011] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The presence of comorbidity in major psychoses (e.g., schizophrenia and psychotic subtypes of bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder) seems to be the rule rather than the exception in both DSM-IV and ICD-10. Examining comorbidity in major psychoses, however, requires an investigation into the different levels of comorbidity (either full-blown and subsyndromal) which should be analyzed in both psychopathological and medical fields. On one hand, the high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidity in major psychoses may be the result of the current nosographic systems. On the other hand, it may stem from a common neurobiological substrate. In fact, comorbid psychopathological conditions may share a biological vulnerability, given that dysfunction in specific brain areas may be responsible for different symptoms and syndromes. The high rates of comorbidity in major psychoses require targeted pharmacological treatments in order to effectively act on both the primary diagnosis and comorbid conditions. Nevertheless, few controlled trials in comorbid major psychoses had been carried out and treatment recommendations in this field have mostly an empirical basis. The aim of the present article is to provide a comprehensive and updated overview in relation to epidemiological and clinical issues of comorbidity in major psychoses.
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Kumar G, Jones NC, Morris MJ, Rees S, O'Brien TJ, Salzberg MR. Early life stress enhancement of limbic epileptogenesis in adult rats: mechanistic insights. PLoS One 2011; 6:e24033. [PMID: 21957442 PMCID: PMC3177819 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/29/2011] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to early postnatal stress is known to hasten the progression of kindling epileptogenesis in adult rats. Despite the significance of this for understanding mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and its associated psychopathology, research findings regarding underlying mechanisms are sparse. Of several possibilities, one important candidate mechanism is early life ‘programming’ of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis by postnatal stress. Elevated corticosterone (CORT) in turn has consequences for neurogenesis and cell death relevant to epileptogenesis. Here we tested the hypotheses that MS would augment seizure-related corticosterone (CORT) release and enhance neuroplastic changes in the hippocampus. Methodology/Principal Findings Eight-week old Wistar rats, previously exposed on postnatal days 2–14 to either maternal separation stress (MS) or control brief early handling (EH), underwent rapid amygdala kindling. We measured seizure-induced serum CORT levels and post-kindling neurogenesis (using BrdU). Three weeks post-kindling, rats were euthanized for histology of the hippocampal CA3c region (pyramidal cell counts) and dentate gyrus (DG) (to count BrdU-labelled cells and measure mossy fibre sprouting). As in our previous studies, rats exposed to MS had accelerated kindling rates in adulthood. Female MS rats had heightened CORT responses during and after kindling (p<0.05), with a similar trend in males. In both sexes total CA3c pyramidal cell numbers were reduced in MS vs. EH rats post-kindling (p = 0.002). Dentate granule cell neurogenesis in female rats was significantly increased post-kindling in MS vs. EH rats. Conclusions/Significance These data demonstrate that early life stress results in enduring enhancement of HPA axis responses to limbic seizures, with increased hippocampal CA3c cell loss and augmented neurogenesis, in a sex-dependent pattern. This implicates important candidate mechanisms through which early life stress may promote vulnerability to limbic epileptogenesis in rats as well as to human MTLE and its associated psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Kumar
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Nigel C. Jones
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Margaret J. Morris
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sandra Rees
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Terence J. O'Brien
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Surgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Michael R. Salzberg
- St. Vincent's Mental Health Service, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Australia
- Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Fitzroy, Australia
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
There is a well-established relationship between alterations of various hormonal systems and psychiatric disorders, both in endocrine and psychiatric patients. This has led to clinical and research studies examining the efficacy of the different hormones for treatment of depression. These data will be reviewed with particular regard to the thyroid, gonadal, pineal, and adrenal cortex hormones. The data generally provide limited, but varying evidence for the antidepressant efficacy of these hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell T Joffe
- LIJ North Shore Staten Island University Hospital, New York 10305, USA.
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Dantzer R, O'Connor JC, Lawson MA, Kelley KW. Inflammation-associated depression: from serotonin to kynurenine. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2011; 36:426-36. [PMID: 21041030 PMCID: PMC3053088 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 524] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2010] [Revised: 08/21/2010] [Accepted: 09/29/2010] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
In the field of depression, inflammation-associated depression stands up as an exception since its causal factors are obvious and it is easy to mimic in an animal model. In addition, quasi-experimental studies can be carried out in patients who are treated chronically with recombinant cytokines for a medical condition since these patients can be studied longitudinally before, during and after stimulation of the immune system. These clinical studies have revealed that depression is a late phenomenon that develops over a background of early appearing sickness. Incorporation of this feature in animal models of inflammation-associated depression has allowed the demonstration that alterations of brain serotoninergic neurotransmission do not play a major role in the pathogenesis. This is in contrast to the activation of the tryptophan degrading enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase that generates potentially neurotoxic kynurenine metabolites such as 3-hydroxy kynurenine and quinolinic acid. Although the relative importance of peripherally versus centrally produced kynurenine and the cellular source of production of this compound remain to be determined, these findings provide new targets for the treatment of inflammation-associated depression that could be extended to other psychiatric conditions mediated by activation of neuroimmune mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Dantzer
- Integrative Immunology and Behavior Program, Department of Animal Sciences, 227 Edward R. Madigan Laboratory, 1201 West Gregory Drive, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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Joffe RT. Hormone treatment of depression. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2011; 13:127-38. [PMID: 21485752 PMCID: PMC3181966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
There is a well-established relationship between alterations of various hormonal systems and psychiatric disorders, both in endocrine and psychiatric patients. This has led to clinical and research studies examining the efficacy of the different hormones for treatment of depression. These data will be reviewed with particular regard to the thyroid, gonadal, pineal, and adrenal cortex hormones. The data generally provide limited, but varying evidence for the antidepressant efficacy of these hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell T Joffe
- LIJ North Shore Staten Island University Hospital, New York 10305, USA.
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Paslakis G, Lecei O, Stalla GK, Landgraf R, Uhr M, Hamann B, Luppa P, Gilles M, Heuser I, Deuschle M. The effect of treatment with ketoconazole on central CRH systems of depressed patients. Hum Psychopharmacol 2011; 26:35-40. [PMID: 21394787 DOI: 10.1002/hup.1167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Steroid-synthesis inhibitors are reported to reduce psychopathology in treatment-resistant depressed patients. METHODS We studied the effect of a 3-week treatment with ketoconazole on the evening plasma concentrations of cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) and adrenocorticotrope hormone (ACTH) as well as morning cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of cortisol, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP) in six elderly treatment-resistant depressed patients. RESULTS While we found plasma cortisol concentrations to be unchanged, a decline in plasma DHEA-S concentrations indicated effective steroid-synthesis inhibition. In morning CSF we found CRH concentrations that did not change. CONCLUSIONS Our preliminary observations indicate that the treatment of depressed patients with the steroid-synthesis inhibitor ketoconazole does not lead to a major increase in CSF CRH secretion.
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Schlosser N, Wolf OT, Wingenfeld K. Cognitive correlates of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in major depression. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2011; 6:109-126. [PMID: 30764039 DOI: 10.1586/eem.10.79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Depressive disorder has become a major health problem and is ranked among the leading causes of disability worldwide. Depression-related cognitive impairment contributes to loss of economic productivity and psychosocial functioning and calls for more efficient treatment strategies. Although the pathogenesis of cognitive impairments in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) is still insufficiently understood, increasing evidence implicates hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as an important neurobiological determinant of cognitive impairment in depression. In this article, major findings of both HPA axis function abnormalities and cognitive impairments in depressed patients are summarized, focusing on their inter-relationship. Novel approaches in pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy have emerged which will be discussed with regard to their ability to reinstate normal HPA axis function in MDD and to treat cognitive impairments in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schlosser
- a Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Evangelisch Hospital Bielefeld, Remterweg 69-71, D-33617 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Oliver T Wolf
- b Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, D-44780 Bochum, Germany.
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- c Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf & Schön Klinik Hamburg-Eilbek, Germany
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