1
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Otto T, Rose J. The open toolbox for behavioral research. Behav Res Methods 2024; 56:4522-4529. [PMID: 37794209 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-023-02199-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we describe a new open-source MATLAB toolbox for the control of behavioral experiments. The toolbox caters to very different types of experiments in different species, and with different underlying hardware. Typical examples are operant chambers in animals, with or without neurophysiology, behavioral experiments in human subjects, and neurophysiological recordings in humans such as EEG and fMRI. In addition, the toolbox supports communication via Ethernet to either control and monitor one or several experimental setups remotely or to implement distributed paradigms across different computers. This flexibility is possible, since the toolbox supports a wide range of hardware, some of which is custom developments. An example is a fast network-based digital-IO device for the communication with experimental hardware such as feeders or triggers in neurophysiological setups. We also included functions for online video analysis allowing paradigms to be contingent on responses to a screen, the head movement of a bird in an operant chamber, or the physical location of an animal in an open arena. While the toolbox is well tested and many components of it have been in use for many years, we do not see it as a finished product but rather a continuing development with a focus on easy extendibility and customization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Otto
- Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
| | - Jonas Rose
- Neural Basis of Learning, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
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2
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Maddern XJ, Walker LC, Anversa RG, Lawrence AJ, Campbell EJ. Understanding sex differences and the translational value of models of persistent substance use despite negative consequences. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 213:107944. [PMID: 38825163 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107944] [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: 01/28/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Persistent substance use despite negative consequences is a key facet of substance use disorder. The last decade has seen the preclinical field adopt the use of punishment to model adverse consequences associated with substance use. This has largely involved the pairing of drug use with either electric foot shock or quinine, a bitter tastant. Whilst at face value, these punishers may model aspects of the physical and psychological consequences of substance use, such models are yet to assist the development of approved medications for treatment. This review discusses progress made with animal models of punishment to understand the behavioral consequences of persistent substance use despite negative consequences. We highlight the importance of examining sex differences, especially when the behavioral response to punishment changes following drug exposure. Finally, we critique the translational value these models provide for the substance use disorder field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier J Maddern
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Roberta G Anversa
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Erin J Campbell
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia; Brain Neuromodulation Research Program, Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW, Australia.
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3
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Zheng Y, Guan C, Wang Z, Yang W, Gao B. Electrocortical correlates of hypersensitivity to large immediate rewards in sensation seeking. Neuroimage 2023; 284:120456. [PMID: 37977409 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensation seeking and delay discounting are strong predictors of various risk-taking behaviors. However, the relationship between sensation seeking and delay discounting remains elusive. Here, we addressed this issue by examining how high sensation seekers (HSS; N = 40) and low sensation seekers (LSS; N = 40) evaluated immediate and delayed rewards with low and high amounts during a behavioral task and an EEG task of delay discounting. Although HSS and LSS exhibited comparable discounting preference at the behavioral level, HSS relative to LSS was associated with a greater delay discounting effect at the neural level when earned rewards were large. This abnormality of reward magnitude was further corroborated by an electrocortical hypersensitivity to large immediate rewards and a stronger neural coding of reward magnitude for HSS as compared to LSS. Our findings support both the hyperactive approach theory and the optimal arousal theory in sensation seeking and have implications for the prevention and intervention targeting sensation seeking to reduce maladaptive risk-taking behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Zheng
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chenlu Guan
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Zhao Wang
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China
| | - Wendeng Yang
- Department of Psychology, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo Gao
- Department of Psychology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.
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4
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Blejewski RC, Van Heukelom JT, Langford JS, Hunt KH, Rinkert IR, Wagner TJ, Pitts RC, Hughes CE. Behavioral mechanisms of oxycodone's effects in female and male rats: Reinforcement delay and impulsive choice. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2023; 31:1050-1068. [PMID: 37199913 PMCID: PMC10656366 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000646] [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] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
μ-Opioid agonists (e.g., morphine) typically increase impulsive choice, which has been interpreted as an opioid-induced increase in sensitivity to reinforcement delay. Relatively little research has been done with opioids other than morphine (e.g., oxycodone), or on sex differences in opioid effects, on impulsive choice. The present study investigated the effects of acute (0.1-1.0 mg/kg) and chronic (1.0 mg/kg twice/day) administration of oxycodone on choice controlled by reinforcement delay, a primary mechanism implicated in impulsive choice, in female and male rats. Rats responded under a concurrent-chains procedure designed to quantify the effects of reinforcement delay on choice within each session. For both sexes, choice was sensitive to delay under this procedure. Sensitivity to delay under baseline was slightly higher for males than females, suggesting more impulsive choice with males. When given acutely, intermediate and higher doses of oxycodone decreased sensitivity to delay; this effect was larger and more reliable in males than females. When given chronically, sex differences were also observed: tolerance developed to the sensitivity-decreasing effects in females, whereas sensitization developed in males. These data suggest that reinforcement delay may play an important role in sex differences in impulsive choice, as well as in the effects of acute and chronic administration of opioids in impulsive choice. However, drug-induced changes in impulsive choice could be related to at least two potential behavioral mechanisms: reinforcement delay and/or reinforcement magnitude. Effects of oxycodone on sensitivity to reinforcement magnitude remain to be fully characterized. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeremy S. Langford
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University
| | - Katelyn H. Hunt
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
| | | | - Thomas J. Wagner
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
| | - Raymond C. Pitts
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
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Wenzel JM, Zlebnik NE, Patton MH, Smethells JR, Ayvazian VM, Dantrassy HM, Zhang LY, Mathur BN, Cheer JF. Selective chemogenetic inactivation of corticoaccumbal projections disrupts trait choice impulsivity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1821-1831. [PMID: 37208501 PMCID: PMC10579332 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01604-5] [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: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Impulsive choice has enduring trait-like characteristics and is defined by preference for small immediate rewards over larger delayed ones. Importantly, it is a determining factor in the development and persistence of substance use disorder (SUD). Emerging evidence from human and animal studies suggests frontal cortical regions exert influence over striatal reward processing areas during decision-making in impulsive choice or delay discounting (DD) tasks. The goal of this study was to examine how these circuits are involved in decision-making in animals with defined trait impulsivity. To this end, we trained adolescent male rats to stable behavior on a DD procedure and then re-trained them in adulthood to assess trait-like, conserved impulsive choice across development. We then used chemogenetic tools to selectively and reversibly target corticostriatal projections during performance of the DD task. The prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was injected with a viral vector expressing inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (Gi-DREADD), and then mPFC projections to the nucleus accumbens core (NAc) were selectively suppressed by intra-NAc administration of the Gi-DREADD actuator clozapine-n-oxide (CNO). Inactivation of the mPFC-NAc projection elicited a robust increase in impulsive choice in rats with lower vs. higher baseline impulsivity. This demonstrates a fundamental role for mPFC afferents to the NAc during choice impulsivity and suggests that maladaptive hypofrontality may underlie decreased executive control in animals with higher levels of choice impulsivity. Results such as these may have important implications for the pathophysiology and treatment of impulse control, SUDs, and related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Wenzel
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, 92110, USA.
| | - Natalie E Zlebnik
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
| | - Mary H Patton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - John R Smethells
- Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Minneapolis, MN, 55404, USA
| | - Victoria M Ayvazian
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Hannah M Dantrassy
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Lan-Yuan Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Brian N Mathur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Joseph F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
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6
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Zhang Q, Li M, Wang Z, Chen F. Sex differences in learning and performing the Go/NoGo tasks. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:25. [PMID: 37138307 PMCID: PMC10155458 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00504-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The quality of learning and post-learning performances is critical for daily life. The behavioral flexibility is equally important for adapting the changing circumstances. The learning process requires repeated practices, which enhances prompt and proper behavioral responses, in turn, which promotes habits formation as well. Despite the well-documented sex differences in learning and performances, contradictory results were reported. A possible cause might be a systematic analysis due to specific research interests, regardless of the continuity of natural acquisition process. Here, we investigate the potential sex differences in learning, performances and adjustments of habited behaviors with regular and reversal Go/NoGo tasks. METHODS Both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. All rats were trained for a regular rodent Go/NoGo task and a subset of rats were trained for a reversal rodent Go/NoGo task, both with strict elimination criteria. The behavioral performance data were stored in PC for off-line analysis. Multiple behavioral indices were analyzed for both passed and retired rats. RESULTS The ability of learning the regular the reversal Go/NoGo tasks was similar for both male and female rats, however, the female rats took longer time to master the task principles in later stages for both tasks. In the regular Go/NoGo task, the female rats spent more time on completing the trial in performance optimization phases, which implied female rats were more cautious than male rats. Along with the progression of training, both male and female rats developed Go-preference strategies to perform the regular Go/NoGo task, which induced failure to meet the setting success criteria. The retired male rats exhibited shorter RTs and MTs than the retired female rats after developing Go-preference. Moreover, the time needed to complete the Go trials was significantly prolonged for male rats in the reversal Go/NoGo task. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we conclude that distinctive strategies were employed in performing Go/NoGo tasks for both male and female rats. Male rats required less time to stabilize the performance in behavioral optimization phase. In addition, male rats were more accurate in estimating time elapsing. In contrast, female rats took more cautious considerations in performing the task, through which minimal influences were manifested in the reversal version of task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianwen Zhang
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Exercise, Health and Technology Centre, Department of Physical Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxi Li
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Exercise, Health and Technology Centre, Department of Physical Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiru Wang
- The Institute of Brain Functional Genomics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fujun Chen
- Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
- Exercise, Health and Technology Centre, Department of Physical Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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7
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Gancarz AM, Mitchell SH, George AM, Martin CD, Turk MC, Bool HM, Aktar F, Kwarteng F, Palmer AA, Meyer PJ, Richards JB, Dietz DM, Ishiwari K. Reward maximization assessed using a sequential patch depletion task in a large sample of heterogeneous stock rats. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7027. [PMID: 37120610 PMCID: PMC10148848 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34179-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Choice behavior requires animals to evaluate both short- and long-term advantages and disadvantages of all potential alternatives. Impulsive choice is traditionally measured in laboratory tasks by utilizing delay discounting (DD), a paradigm that offers a choice between a smaller immediate reward, or a larger more delayed reward. This study tested a large sample of Heterogeneous Stock (HS) male (n = 896) and female (n = 898) rats, part of a larger genetic study, to investigate whether measures of reward maximization overlapped with traditional models of delay discounting via the patch depletion model using a Sequential Patch Depletion procedure. In this task, rats were offered a concurrent choice between two water "patches" and could elect to "stay" in the current patch or "leave" for an alternative patch. Staying in the current patch resulted in decreasing subsequent reward magnitudes, whereas the choice to leave a patch was followed by a delay and a resetting to the maximum reward magnitude. Based on the delay in a given session, different visit durations were necessary to obtain the maximum number of rewards. Visit duration may be analogous to an indifference point in traditional DD tasks. Males and females did not significantly differ on traditional measures of DD (e.g. delay gradient; AUC). When examining measures of patch utilization, females made fewer patch changes at all delays and spent more time in the patch before leaving for the alternative patch compared to males. Consistent with this, there was some evidence that females deviated from reward maximization more than males. However, when controlling for body weight, females had a higher normalized rate of reinforcement than males. Measures of reward maximization were only weakly associated with traditional DD measures and may represent distinctive underlying processes. Taken together, females performance differed from males with regard to reward maximization that were not observed utilizing traditional measures of DD, suggesting that the patch depletion model was more sensitive to modest sex differences when compared to traditional DD measures in a large sample of HS rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Gancarz
- Department of Psychology, California State University, Bakersfield, Bakersfield, CA, 93311, USA.
| | - Suzanne H Mitchell
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
- Oregon Institute for Occupational Health Sciences, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Anthony M George
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Connor D Martin
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Marisa C Turk
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Heather M Bool
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Fahmida Aktar
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Francis Kwarteng
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Abraham A Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Paul J Meyer
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Jerry B Richards
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - David M Dietz
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Keita Ishiwari
- Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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8
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Truckenbrod LM, Cooper EM, Orsini CA. Cognitive mechanisms underlying decision making involving risk of explicit punishment in male and female rats. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 23:248-275. [PMID: 36539558 PMCID: PMC10065932 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01052-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Individuals engage in the process of risk-based decision making on a daily basis to navigate various aspects of life. There are, however, individual differences in this form of decision making, with some individuals exhibiting preference for riskier choices (risk taking) and others exhibiting preference for safer choices (risk aversion). Recent work has shown that extremes in risk taking (e.g., excessive risk taking or risk aversion) are not only cognitive features of neuropsychiatric diseases, but may in fact predispose individuals to the development of such diseases. To better understand individual differences in risk taking, and thus the mechanisms by which they confer disease vulnerability, the current study investigated the cognitive contributions to risk taking in both males and females. Rats were first behaviorally characterized in a decision-making task involving risk of footshock punishment and then tested on a battery of cognitive behavioral assays. Individual variability in risk taking was compared with performance on these tasks. Consistent with prior work, females were more risk averse than males. With the exception of the Set-shifting Task, there were no sex differences in performance on other cognitive assays. There were, however, sex-dependent associations between risk taking and specific cognitive measures. Greater risk taking was associated with better cognitive flexibility in males whereas greater risk aversion was associated with better working memory in females. Collectively, these findings reveal that distinct cognitive mechanisms are associated with risk taking in males and females, which may account for sex differences in this form of decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M Truckenbrod
- Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Emily M Cooper
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Caitlin A Orsini
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601B Trinity Street, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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9
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Gancarz AM, Mitchell SH, George AM, Martin CD, Turk MC, Bool HM, Aktar F, Kwarteng F, Palmer AA, Meyer PJ, Richards JB, Dietz DM, Isiwari K. Reward Maximization Assessed Using a Sequential Patch Depletion Task in a Large Sample of Heterogeneous Stock Rats. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2525080. [PMID: 36778344 PMCID: PMC9915773 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2525080/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Choice behavior requires animals to evaluate both short- and long-term advantages and disadvantages of all potential alternatives. Impulsive choice is traditionally measured in laboratory tasks by utilizing delay discounting (DD), a paradigm that offers a choice between a smaller immediate reward, or a larger more delayed reward. This study tested a large sample of Heterogeneous Stock (HS) male (n = 896) and female (n = 898) rats, part of a larger genetic study, to investigate whether measures of reward maximization overlapped with traditional models of delay discounting via the patch depletion model using a Sequential Patch Depletion procedure. In this task, rats were offered a concurrent choice between two water "patches" and could elect to "stay" in the current patch or "leave" for an alternative patch. Staying in the current patch resulted in decreasing subsequent reward magnitudes, whereas the choice to leave a patch was followed by a delay and a resetting to the maximum reward magnitude. Based on the delay in a given session, different visit durations were necessary to obtain the maximum number of rewards. Visit duration may be analogous to an indifference point in traditional DD tasks. While differences in traditional DD measures (e.g., delay gradient) have been detected between males and females, these effects were small and inconsistent. However, when examining measures of reward maximization, females made fewer patch changes at all delays and spent more time in the patch before leaving for the alternative patch compared to males. This pattern of choice resulted in males having a higher rate of reinforcement than females. Consistent with this, there was some evidence that females deviated from the optimal more, leading to less reward. Measures of reward maximization were only weakly associated with traditional DD measures and may represent distinctive underlying processes. Taken together, females performance differed from males with regard to reward maximization that were not observed utilizing traditional measures of DD, suggesting that the patch depletion model was more sensitive to modest sex differences when compared to traditional DD measures in a large sample of HS rats.
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10
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Palamarchuk IS, Vaillancourt T. Mental Resilience and Coping With Stress: A Comprehensive, Multi-level Model of Cognitive Processing, Decision Making, and Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:719674. [PMID: 34421556 PMCID: PMC8377204 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.719674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Aversive events can evoke strong emotions that trigger cerebral neuroactivity to facilitate behavioral and cognitive shifts to secure physiological stability. However, upon intense and/or chronic exposure to such events, the neural coping processes can be maladaptive and disrupt mental well-being. This maladaptation denotes a pivotal point when psychological stress occurs, which can trigger subconscious, "automatic" neuroreactivity as a defence mechanism to protect the individual from potential danger including overwhelming unpleasant feelings and disturbing or threatening thoughts.The outcomes of maladaptive neural activity are cognitive dysfunctions such as altered memory, decision making, and behavior that impose a risk for mental disorders. Although the neurocognitive phenomena associated with psychological stress are well documented, the complex neural activity and pathways related to stressor detection and stress coping have not been outlined in detail. Accordingly, we define acute and chronic stress-induced pathways, phases, and stages in relation to novel/unpredicted, uncontrollable, and ambiguous stressors. We offer a comprehensive model of the stress-induced alterations associated with multifaceted pathophysiology related to cognitive appraisal and executive functioning in stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iryna S Palamarchuk
- Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tracy Vaillancourt
- Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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11
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Garrigos D, Martínez-Morga M, Toval A, Kutsenko Y, Barreda A, Do Couto BR, Navarro-Mateu F, Ferran JL. A Handful of Details to Ensure the Experimental Reproducibility on the FORCED Running Wheel in Rodents: A Systematic Review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:638261. [PMID: 34040580 PMCID: PMC8141847 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.638261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A well-documented method and experimental design are essential to ensure the reproducibility and reliability in animal research. Experimental studies using exercise programs in animal models have experienced an exponential increase in the last decades. Complete reporting of forced wheel and treadmill exercise protocols would help to ensure the reproducibility of training programs. However, forced exercise programs are characterized by a poorly detailed methodology. Also, current guidelines do not cover the minimum data that must be included in published works to reproduce training programs. For this reason, we have carried out a systematic review to determine the reproducibility of training programs and experimental designs of published research in rodents using a forced wheel system. Having determined that most of the studies were not detailed enough to be reproducible, we have suggested guidelines for animal research using FORCED exercise wheels, which could also be applicable to any form of forced exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Garrigos
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marta Martínez-Morga
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Angel Toval
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Yevheniy Kutsenko
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Alberto Barreda
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Bruno Ribeiro Do Couto
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Fernando Navarro-Mateu
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Unidad de Docencia, Investigación y Formación en Salud Mental (UDIF-SM), Servicio Murciano de Salud, Murcia, Spain
- CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología Básica y Metodología, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - José Luis Ferran
- Department of Human Anatomy and Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Institute of Biomedical Research of Murcia—IMIB, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- *Correspondence: José Luis Ferran,
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12
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Bellés L, Dimiziani A, Tsartsalis S, Millet P, Herrmann FR, Ginovart N. Dopamine D2/3 Receptor Availabilities and Evoked Dopamine Release in Striatum Differentially Predict Impulsivity and Novelty Preference in Roman High- and Low-Avoidance Rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 24:239-251. [PMID: 33151278 PMCID: PMC7968620 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyaa084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impulsivity and novelty preference are both associated with an increased propensity to develop addiction-like behaviors, but their relationship and respective underlying dopamine (DA) underpinnings are not fully elucidated. METHODS We evaluated a large cohort (n = 49) of Roman high- and low-avoidance rats using single photon emission computed tomography to concurrently measure in vivo striatal D2/3 receptor (D2/3R) availability and amphetamine (AMPH)-induced DA release in relation to impulsivity and novelty preference using a within-subject design. To further examine the DA-dependent processes related to these traits, midbrain D2/3-autoreceptor levels were measured using ex vivo autoradiography in the same animals. RESULTS We replicated a robust inverse relationship between impulsivity, as measured with the 5-choice serial reaction time task, and D2/3R availability in ventral striatum and extended this relationship to D2/3R levels measured in dorsal striatum. Novelty preference was positively related to impulsivity and showed inverse associations with D2/3R availability in dorsal striatum and ventral striatum. A high magnitude of AMPH-induced DA release in striatum predicted both impulsivity and novelty preference, perhaps owing to the diminished midbrain D2/3-autoreceptor availability measured in high-impulsive/novelty-preferring Roman high-avoidance animals that may amplify AMPH effect on DA transmission. Mediation analyses revealed that while D2/3R availability and AMPH-induced DA release in striatum are both significant predictors of impulsivity, the effect of striatal D2/3R availability on novelty preference is fully mediated by evoked striatal DA release. CONCLUSIONS Impulsivity and novelty preference are related but mediated by overlapping, yet dissociable, DA-dependent mechanisms in striatum that may interact to promote the emergence of an addiction-prone phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Bellés
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Stergios Tsartsalis
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Millet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François R Herrmann
- Division of Geriatrics, Department of Rehabilitation and Geriatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Ginovart
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland,Correspondence: Nathalie Ginovart, PhD, Departments of Psychiatry and Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Room E07-2550A, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland ()
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13
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Hernandez CM, Orsini C, Wheeler AR, Ten Eyck TW, Betzhold SM, Labiste CC, Wright NG, Setlow B, Bizon JL. Testicular hormones mediate robust sex differences in impulsive choice in rats. eLife 2020; 9:58604. [PMID: 32985975 PMCID: PMC7521924 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairments in choosing optimally between immediate and delayed rewards are associated with numerous psychiatric disorders. Such ‘intertemporal’ choice is influenced by genetic and experiential factors; however, the contributions of biological sex are understudied and data to date are largely inconclusive. Rats were used to determine how sex and gonadal hormones influence choices between small, immediate and large, delayed rewards. Females showed markedly greater preference than males for small, immediate over large, delayed rewards (greater impulsive choice). This difference was neither due to differences in food motivation or reward magnitude perception, nor was it affected by estrous cycle. Ovariectomies did not affect choice in females, whereas orchiectomies increased impulsive choice in males. These data show that male rats exhibit less impulsive choice than females and that this difference is at least partly maintained by testicular hormones. These differences in impulsive choice could be linked to gender differences across multiple neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Caitlin Orsini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Alexa-Rae Wheeler
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Tyler W Ten Eyck
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Sara M Betzhold
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Chase C Labiste
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Noelle G Wright
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Barry Setlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, United States
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14
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Kwan LY, Eaton DL, Andersen SL, Dow-Edwards D, Levin ED, Talpos J, Vorhees CV, Li AA. This is your teen brain on drugs: In search of biological factors unique to dependence toxicity in adolescence. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 81:106916. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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Aguirre CG, Stolyarova A, Das K, Kolli S, Marty V, Ray L, Spigelman I, Izquierdo A. Sex-dependent effects of chronic intermittent voluntary alcohol consumption on attentional, not motivational, measures during probabilistic learning and reversal. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234729. [PMID: 32555668 PMCID: PMC7302450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Forced alcohol (ethanol, EtOH) exposure has been shown to cause significant impairments on reversal learning, a widely-used assay of cognitive flexibility, specifically on fully-predictive, deterministic versions of this task. However, previous studies have not adequately considered voluntary EtOH consumption and sex effects on probabilistic reversal learning. The present study aimed to fill this gap in the literature. Methods Male and female Long-Evans rats underwent either 10 weeks of voluntary intermittent 20% EtOH access or water only (H2O) access. Rats were then pretrained to initiate trials and learn stimulus-reward associations via touchscreen response, and subsequently required to select between two visual stimuli, rewarded with probability 0.70 or 0.30. In the final phase, reinforcement contingencies were reversed. Results We found significant sex differences on several EtOH-drinking variables, with females reaching a higher maximum EtOH consumption, exhibiting more high-drinking days, and escalating their EtOH at a quicker rate compared to males. During early abstinence, EtOH drinkers (and particularly EtOH-drinking females) made more initiation omissions and were slower to initiate trials than H2O drinking controls, especially during pretraining. A similar pattern in trial initiations was also observed in discrimination, but not in reversal learning. EtOH drinking rats were unaffected in their reward collection and stimulus response times, indicating intact motivation and motor responding. Although there were sex differences in discrimination and reversal phases, performance improved over time. We also observed sex-independent drinking group differences in win-stay and lose-shift strategies specific to the reversal phase. Conclusions Females exhibit increased vulnerability to EtOH effects in early learning: there were sex-dependent EtOH effects on attentional measures during pretraining and discrimination phases. We also found sex-independent EtOH effects on exploration strategies during reversal. Future studies should aim to uncover the neural mechanisms for changes in attention and exploration in both acute and prolonged EtOH withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia G. Aguirre
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AI); (CGA)
| | - Alexandra Stolyarova
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Kanak Das
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Saisriya Kolli
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Vincent Marty
- The Brain Research Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- School of Dentistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States America
| | - Lara Ray
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- The Brain Research Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Addictions, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Igor Spigelman
- The Brain Research Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- School of Dentistry, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States America
| | - Alicia Izquierdo
- Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- The Brain Research Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Addictions, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (AI); (CGA)
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16
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Febo M, Rani A, Yegla B, Barter J, Kumar A, Wolff CA, Esser K, Foster TC. Longitudinal Characterization and Biomarkers of Age and Sex Differences in the Decline of Spatial Memory. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:34. [PMID: 32153384 PMCID: PMC7044155 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The current longitudinal study examined factors (sex, physical function, response to novelty, ability to adapt to a shift in light/dark cycle, brain connectivity), which might predict the emergence of impaired memory during aging. Male and female Fisher 344 rats were tested at 6, 12, and 18 months of age. Impaired spatial memory developed in middle-age (12 months), particularly in males, and the propensity for impairment increased with advanced age. A reduced response to novelty was observed over the course of aging, which is inconsistent with cross-sectional studies. This divergence likely resulted from differences in the history of environmental enrichment/impoverishment for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Animals that exhibited lower level exploration of the inner region on the open field test exhibited better memory at 12 months. Furthermore, males that exhibited a longer latency to enter a novel environment at 6 months, exhibited better memory at 12 months. For females, memory at 12 months was correlated with the ability to behaviorally adapt to a shift in light/dark cycle. Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, conducted at 12 months, indicated that the decline in memory was associated with altered functional connectivity within different memory systems, most notably between the hippocampus and multiple regions such as the retrosplenial cortex, thalamus, striatum, and amygdala. Overall, some factors, specifically response to novelty at an early age and the capacity to adapt to shifts in light cycle, predicted spatial memory in middle-age, and spatial memory is associated with corresponding changes in brain connectivity. We discuss similarities and differences related to previous longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, as well as the role of sex differences in providing a theoretical framework to guide future longitudinal research on the trajectory of cognitive decline. In addition to demonstrating the power of longitudinal studies, these data highlight the importance of middle-age for identifying potential predictive indicators of sexual dimorphism in the trajectory in brain and cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Asha Rani
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Brittney Yegla
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jolie Barter
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Christopher A Wolff
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Karyn Esser
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, Myology Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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17
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Hammerslag LR, Belagodu AP, Aladesuyi Arogundade OA, Karountzos AG, Guo Q, Galvez R, Roberts BW, Gulley JM. Adolescent impulsivity as a sex-dependent and subtype-dependent predictor of impulsivity, alcohol drinking and dopamine D 2 receptor expression in adult rats. Addict Biol 2019; 24:193-205. [PMID: 29210144 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity is a personality trait associated with a heightened risk for drug use and other psychiatric conditions. Because impulsivity-related disorders typically emerge during adolescence, there has been interest in exploring methods for identifying adolescents that will be at risk to develop substance use disorders in adulthood. Here, we used a rodent model to assess inhibitory control (impulsive action) and impulsive decision making (impulsive choice) during adolescence (43-50 days old) or adulthood (93-100 days old) and then examined the impact of development on these impulsivity traits by re-testing rats 50 days later. Impulsive action was not stable from adolescence to adulthood in male rats and was lowest in adult male rats, relative to adolescents and female rats. Impulsive choice was stable across development and unaffected by age or sex. Next, we examined the connection between our model of impulsivity and two measures relevant to substance abuse research: the initiation of voluntary alcohol drinking and dopamine D2 receptor (D2 R) expression in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex. Consumption of saccharin-sweetened ethanol during 30-minute sessions in adulthood was associated with adolescent, but not adult, impulsive action, particularly in male rats. Prelimbic D2 R expression was reduced in individuals with high levels of impulsive choice, and this relationship appeared to be strongest among female rats. The results of this study demonstrate that impulsive choice, along with its connection to D2 R expression, is relatively unchanged by the process of development. For impulsive action, however, individual levels of impulsivity during adolescence predict drinking in adulthood despite changes in the measure during development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amogh P. Belagodu
- Neuroscience Program; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
| | | | - Angela G. Karountzos
- Department of Psychology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
| | - Qingrou Guo
- Department of Psychology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
| | - Roberto Galvez
- Neuroscience Program; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
- Department of Psychology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
| | - Brent W. Roberts
- Department of Psychology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
| | - Joshua M. Gulley
- Neuroscience Program; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
- Department of Psychology; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Champaign IL USA
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18
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Hughson AR, Horvath AP, Holl K, Palmer AA, Solberg Woods LC, Robinson TE, Flagel SB. Incentive salience attribution, "sensation-seeking" and "novelty-seeking" are independent traits in a large sample of male and female heterogeneous stock rats. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2351. [PMID: 30787409 PMCID: PMC6382850 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39519-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
There are a number of traits that are thought to increase susceptibility to addiction, and some of these are modeled in preclinical studies. For example, "sensation-seeking" is predictive of the initial propensity to take drugs; whereas "novelty-seeking" predicts compulsive drug-seeking behavior. In addition, the propensity to attribute incentive salience to reward cues can predict the propensity to approach drug cues, and reinstatement or relapse, even after relatively brief periods of drug exposure. The question addressed here is the extent to which these three 'vulnerability factors' are related; that is, predictive of one another. Some relationships have been reported in small samples, but here a large sample of 1,598 outbred male and female heterogeneous stock rats were screened for Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior (to obtain an index of incentive salience attribution; 'sign-tracking'), and subsequently tested for sensation-seeking and novelty-seeking. Despite the large N there were no significant correlations between these traits, in either males or females. There were, however, novel relationships between multiple measures of incentive salience attribution and, based on these findings, we generated a new metric that captures "incentive value". Furthermore, there were sex differences on measures of incentive salience attribution and sensation-seeking behavior that were not previously apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alesa R Hughson
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Aidan P Horvath
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Katie Holl
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA
| | - Abraham A Palmer
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute for Genomic Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Leah C Solberg Woods
- Department of Internal Medicine, Molecular Medicine, Center on Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, USA
| | - Terry E Robinson
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
| | - Shelly B Flagel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
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19
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Freund N, Jordan CJ, Lukkes JL, Norman KJ, Andersen SL. Juvenile exposure to methylphenidate and guanfacine in rats: effects on early delay discounting and later cocaine-taking behavior. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:685-698. [PMID: 30411140 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5096-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Both methylphenidate (MPH), a catecholamine reuptake blocker, and guanfacine, an alpha2A agonist, are used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Childhood impulsivity, including delay discounting, is associated with increased substance use during adolescence. These effects can be mitigated by juvenile exposure to MPH, but less is known about the long-term effects of developmental exposure to guanfacine in males and females. OBJECTIVE This study aims to determine sex differences and dose-dependent effects of juvenile exposure to MPH or guanfacine on delay-discounting and later cocaine self-administration. METHODS The dose-dependent effects of vehicle, MPH (0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg p.o.) or guanfacine (0.003, 0.03, and 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) on discounting were determined in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats beginning at postnatal day (P)20. At P90, the amount, motivation, and sensitivity to cocaine following early drug exposure were determined with self-administration. RESULTS Guanfacine, but not MPH, significantly reduced weight by 22.9 ± 4.6% in females. MPH dose dependently decreased delay discounting in both juvenile males and females, while guanfacine was only effective in males. Discounting was associated with cocaine self-administration in vehicle males (R2 = -0.4, P < 0.05) and self-administration was reduced by guanfacine treatment (0.3 mg/kg). Guanfacine significantly decreased cocaine sensitivity in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that MPH is effective in reducing delay discounting in both sexes. Due to both weight loss and ineffectiveness on discounting in females, guanfacine should be used only in males to reduce delay discounting and later cocaine use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadja Freund
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Mailstop 333, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.,Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, LWL University Hospital Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Chloe J Jordan
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Mailstop 333, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.,Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jodi L Lukkes
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Kevin J Norman
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Susan L Andersen
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Mailstop 333, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
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20
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Modelling Differential Vulnerability to Substance Use Disorder in Rodents: Neurobiological Mechanisms. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2019; 258:203-230. [PMID: 31707470 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite the prevalence of drug use within society, only a subset of individuals actively taking addictive drugs lose control over their intake and develop compulsive drug-seeking and intake that typifies substance use disorder (SUD). Although research in this field continues to be an important and dynamic discipline, the specific neuroadaptations that drive compulsive behaviour in humans addicted to drugs and the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie an individual's innate susceptibility to SUD remain surprisingly poorly understood. Nonetheless, it is clear from research within the clinical domain that some behavioural traits are recurrently co-expressed in individuals with SUD, thereby inviting the hypothesis that certain behavioural endophenotypes may be predictive, or at least act in some way, to modify an individual's probability for developing this disorder. The analysis of such endophenotypes and their catalytic relationship to the expression of addiction-related behaviours has been greatly augmented by experimental approaches in rodents that attempt to capture diagnostically relevant aspects of this progressive brain disorder. This work has evolved from an early focus on aberrant drug reinforcement mechanisms to a now much richer account of the putatively impaired cognitive control processes that ultimately determine individual trajectories to compulsive drug-related behaviours. In this chapter we discuss the utility of experimental approaches in rodents designed to elucidate the neurobiological and genetic underpinnings of so-called risk traits and how these innate vulnerabilities collectively contribute to the pathogenesis of SUD.
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21
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Let's call the whole thing off: evaluating gender and sex differences in executive function. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:86-96. [PMID: 30143781 PMCID: PMC6235899 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0179-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The executive functions allow for purposeful, deliberate, and intentional interactions with the world-attention and focus, impulse control, decision making, and working memory. These measures have been correlated with academic outcomes and quality of life, and are impacted by deleterious environmental events throughout the life span, including gestational and early life insults. This review will address the topic of sex differences in executive function including a discussion of differences arising in response to developmental programming. Work on gender differences in human studies and sex differences in animal research will be reviewed. Overall, we find little support for significant gender or sex differences in executive function. An important variable that factors into the interpretation of potential sex differences include differing developmental trajectories. We conclude by discussing future directions for the field and a brief discussion of biological mechanisms.
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22
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Soares AR, Esteves M, Moreira PS, Cunha AM, Guimarães MR, Carvalho MM, Raposo-Lima C, Morgado P, Carvalho AF, Coimbra B, Melo A, Rodrigues AJ, Salgado AJ, Pêgo JM, Cerqueira JJ, Costa P, Sousa N, Almeida A, Leite-Almeida H. Trait determinants of impulsive behavior: a comprehensive analysis of 188 rats. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17666. [PMID: 30518850 PMCID: PMC6281674 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35537-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Impulsivity is a naturally occurring behavior that, when accentuated, can be found in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. The expression of trait impulsivity has been shown to change with a variety of factors, such as age and sex, but the existing literature does not reflect widespread consensus regarding the influence of modulating effects. We designed the present study to investigate, in a cohort of significant size (188 rats), the impact of four specific parameters, namely sex, age, strain and phase of estrous cycle, using the variable delay-to-signal (VDS) task. This cohort included (i) control animals from previous experiments; (ii) animals specifically raised for this study; and (iii) animals previously used for breeding purposes. Aging was associated with a general decrease in action impulsivity and an increase in delay tolerance. Females generally performed more impulsive actions than males but no differences were observed regarding delay intolerance. In terms of estrous cycle, no differences in impulsive behavior were observed and regarding strain, Wistar Han animals were, in general, more impulsive than Sprague-Dawley. In addition to further confirming, in a substantial study cohort, the decrease in impulsivity with age, we have demonstrated that both the strain and sex influences modulate different aspects of impulsive behavior manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rosa Soares
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Madalena Esteves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Pedro Silva Moreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Margarida Cunha
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Marco Rafael Guimarães
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Miguel Murteira Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Catarina Raposo-Lima
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Pedro Morgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana Franky Carvalho
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.,Department of General Surgery, Hospital of Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Coimbra
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António Melo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - António José Salgado
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - José Miguel Pêgo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - João José Cerqueira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Patrício Costa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Armando Almeida
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Hugo Leite-Almeida
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal. .,ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
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Donovan CH, Wong SA, Randolph SH, Stark RA, Gibb RL, Gruber AJ. Sex differences in rat decision-making: The confounding role of extraneous feeder sampling between trials. Behav Brain Res 2018; 342:62-69. [PMID: 29355674 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Although male and female rats appear to perform differently in some tasks, a clear picture of sex differences in decision-making has yet to develop. This is in part due to significant variability arising from differences in strains and tasks. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of sex on specific response elements in a reinforcement learning task so as to help identify potential explanations for this variability. We found that the primary difference between sexes was the propensity to approach feeders out of the task context. This extraneous feeder sampling affects choice on subsequent trials in both sexes by promoting a lose-shift response away from the last feeder sampled. Female rats, however, were more likely to engage in this extraneous feeder sampling, and therefore exhibited a greater rate of this effect. Once trials following extraneous sampling were removed, there were no significant sex differences in any of the tested measures. These data suggest that feeder approach outside of the task context, which is often not recorded, could produce a confound in sex-based differences of reinforcement sensitivity in some tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford H Donovan
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada
| | - Scott A Wong
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada
| | - Sienna H Randolph
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada
| | - Rachel A Stark
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada
| | - Robbin L Gibb
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada
| | - Aaron J Gruber
- Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive West, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 6T5, Canada.
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25
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Orsini CA, Setlow B. Sex differences in animal models of decision making. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:260-269. [PMID: 27870448 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The ability to weigh the costs and benefits of various options to make an adaptive decision is critical to an organism's survival and wellbeing. Many psychiatric diseases are characterized by maladaptive decision making, indicating a need for better understanding of the mechanisms underlying this process and the ways in which it is altered under pathological conditions. Great strides have been made in uncovering these mechanisms, but the majority of what is known comes from studies conducted solely in male subjects. In recent years, decision-making research has begun to include female subjects to determine whether sex differences exist and to identify the mechanisms that contribute to such differences. This Mini-Review begins by describing studies that have examined sex differences in animal (largely rodent) models of decision making. Possible explanations, both theoretical and biological, for such differences in decision making are then considered. The Mini-Review concludes with a discussion of the implications of sex differences in decision making for understanding psychiatric conditions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin A Orsini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Barry Setlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Center for Addiction Research and Education, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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26
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Age and impulsive behavior in drug addiction: A review of past research and future directions. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2017; 164:106-117. [PMID: 28778737 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 07/10/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Impulsive behavior is implicated in the initiation, maintenance, and relapse of drug-seeking behaviors involved in drug addiction. Research shows that changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan contribute to drug use and addiction. The goal of this review is to examine existing research on the relationship between impulsive behavior and drug use across the lifespan and to recommend directions for future research. Three domains of impulsive behavior are explored in this review: impulsive behavior-related personality traits, delay discounting, and prepotent response inhibition. First, we present previous research on these three domains of impulsive behavior and drug use across developmental stages. Then, we discuss how changes in impulsive behavior across the lifespan are implicated in the progression of drug use and addiction. Finally, we discuss the relatively limited attention given to middle-to-older adults in the current literature, consider the validity of the measures used to assess impulsive behavior in middle-to-older adulthood, and suggest recommendations for future research.
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27
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Remmelink E, Chau U, Smit AB, Verhage M, Loos M. A one-week 5-choice serial reaction time task to measure impulsivity and attention in adult and adolescent mice. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42519. [PMID: 28198416 PMCID: PMC5309744 DOI: 10.1038/srep42519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders emerge during adolescence. The study of executive functions in animal models of these disorders critically requires short-duration tasks measuring these functions before the animal ages. Here, a novel 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) protocol is presented, to measure attention and impulsivity within one week, without scheduled food deprivation and with little animal handling. Mice were allowed 24-h/day task access from their home-cage, during which they could self-pace task progression and earn unlimited food rewards depending on task performance. Manipulation of task parameters in this self-paced 5-CSRTT protocol (SP-5C) affected attentional performance and impulsivity to a similar extent as previously observed in the 5-CSRTT. Task activity followed intrinsic circadian rhythm, distinctive for the SP-5C protocol, with task performance stable over the day. The sensitivity of the SP-5C protocol to detect strain differences between C57BL/6J, DBA/2 J, BXD16 and BXD62 mice was demonstrated as well as its suitability for testing adolescent mice. Acute administration of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist scopolamine impaired attentional performance, providing initial pharmacological validation of the task. The SP-5C substantially shortens the assessment of impulsivity and attention, increases test efficiency and enables the assessment of adolescent mouse models of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Remmelink
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Uyen Chau
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - August B. Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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28
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Hunt PS, Burk JA, Barnet RC. Adolescent transitions in reflexive and non-reflexive behavior: Review of fear conditioning and impulse control in rodent models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 70:33-45. [PMID: 27339692 PMCID: PMC5074887 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of critical brain changes that pave the way for adult learning processes. However, the extent to which learning in adolescence is best characterized as a transitional linear progression from childhood to adulthood, or represents a period that differs from earlier and later developmental stages, remains unclear. Here we examine behavioral literature on associative fear conditioning and complex choice behavior with rodent models. Many aspects of fear conditioning are intact by adolescence and do not differ from adult patterns. Sufficient evidence, however, suggests that adolescent learning cannot be characterized simply as an immature precursor to adulthood. Across different paradigms assessing choice behavior, literature suggests that adolescent animals typically display more impulsive patterns of responding compared to adults. The extent to which the development of basic conditioning processes serves as a scaffold for later adult decision making is an additional research area that is important for theory, but also has widespread applications for numerous psychological conditions.
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29
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Lukkes JL, Freund N, Thompson BS, Meda S, Andersen SL. Preventative treatment in an animal model of ADHD: Behavioral and biochemical effects of methylphenidate and its interactions with ovarian hormones in female rats. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 26:1496-1506. [PMID: 27397110 PMCID: PMC5204118 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Clinical and preclinical studies on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show that juvenile males that are exposed to methylphenidate (MPH) show reduced risk for substance use later in life. In contrast, little is known about whether females have the same enduring treatment response to stimulants and how gonadal hormones influence their behavior later in life. Females received either a sham or 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) microinjection in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) at postnatal day (P)10. Subjects were then treated with Vehicle or MPH (2mg/kg, p.o.) between P20-35 and tested during late adolescence/young adulthood (P60); half of these subjects underwent ovariectomy at P55 to determine hormonal influences. Females with 6-OHDA were depleted of PFC dopamine by 61% and demonstrated increased impulsive choice (delayed discounting) and preferences for cocaine-associated environments relative to control females. Both MPH and ovariectomy reduced impulsive choice and cocaine preferences in 6-OHDA females, but had no enduring effect in Sham females. Ovariectomy itself did not significantly affect impulsivity. Juvenile MPH interacted strongly with 6-OHDA to increase D4, D5, Alpha-1A, Alpha-2A, and 5-HT-1A mRNA receptor expression in the PFC. MPH alone effected D1 mRNA, while 6-OHDA increased BDNF; all markers were decreased by ovariectomy. Together, these data suggest that 6-OHDA changes in dopamine are not only relevant for ADHD-like behaviors, but their long-term modulation by treatment and the influence of cyclical differences in menstrual cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jodi L Lukkes
- Laboratory for Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Nadja Freund
- Laboratory for Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Britta S Thompson
- Laboratory for Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, USA
| | - Shirisha Meda
- Laboratory for Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, USA
| | - Susan L Andersen
- Laboratory for Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA.
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