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Hinkle JJ, Olschowka JA, Williams JP, O'Banion MK. Pharmacologic Manipulation of Complement Receptor 3 Prevents Dendritic Spine Loss and Cognitive Impairment After Acute Cranial Radiation. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2024; 119:912-923. [PMID: 38142839 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2023.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Cranial irradiation induces healthy tissue damage that can lead to neurocognitive complications, negatively affecting patient quality of life. One damage indicator associated with cognitive impairment is loss of neuronal spine density. We previously demonstrated that irradiation-mediated spine loss is microglial complement receptor 3 (CR3) and sex dependent. We hypothesized that these changes are associated with late-delayed cognitive deficits and amenable to pharmacologic intervention. METHODS AND MATERIALS Our model of cranial irradiation (acute, 10 Gy gamma) used male and female CR3-wild type and CR3-deficient Thy-1 YFP mice of C57BL/6 background. Forty-five days after irradiation and behavioral testing, we quantified spine density and markers of microglial reactivity in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. In a separate experiment, male Thy-1 YFP C57BL/6 mice were treated with leukadherin-1, a modulator of CR3 function. RESULTS We found that male mice demonstrate irradiation-mediated spine loss and cognitive deficits but that female and CR3 knockout mice do not. These changes were associated with greater reactivity of microglia in male mice. Pharmacologic manipulation of CR3 with LA1 prevented spine loss and cognitive deficits in irradiated male mice. CONCLUSIONS This work improves our understanding of irradiation-mediated mechanisms and sex dependent responses and may help identify novel therapeutics to reduce irradiation-induced cognitive decline and improve patient quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J Hinkle
- Department of Neuroscience and Del Monte Neuroscience Institute
| | | | | | - M Kerry O'Banion
- Department of Neuroscience and Del Monte Neuroscience Institute; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York.
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2
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Mayne P, Das J, Zou S, Sullivan RKP, Burne THJ. Perineuronal nets are associated with decision making under conditions of uncertainty in female but not male mice. Behav Brain Res 2024; 461:114845. [PMID: 38184206 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114845] [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: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex influences decision-making processes in significant ways, differentiating the responses animals choose when faced with a range of stimuli. The neurobiological underpinnings that dictate sex differences in decision-making tasks remains an important open question, yet single-sex studies of males form most studies in behavioural neuroscience. Here we used female and male BALB/c mice on two spatial learning and memory tasks and examined the expression of perineuronal nets (PNNs) and parvalbumin interneurons (PV) in regions correlated with spatial memory. Mice underwent the aversive active place avoidance (APA) task or the appetitive trial-unique nonmatching-to-location (TUNL) touchscreen task. Mice in the APA cohort learnt to avoid the foot-shock and no differences were observed on key measures of the task nor in the number and intensity of PNNs and PV. On the delay but not separation manipulation in the TUNL task, females received more incorrect trials and less correct trials compared to males. Furthermore, females in this cohort exhibited higher intensity PNNs and PV cells in the agranular and granular retrosplenial cortex, compared to males. These data show that female and male mice perform similarly on spatial learning tasks. However, sex differences in neural circuitry may underly differences in making decisions under conditions of uncertainty on an appetitive task. These data emphasise the importance of using mice of both sexes in studies of decision-making neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe Mayne
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Joyosmita Das
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Simin Zou
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Robert K P Sullivan
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Thomas H J Burne
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, QLD 4076, Australia.
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3
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Le AA, Palmer LC, Chavez J, Gall CM, Lynch G. Sex differences in the context dependency of episodic memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1349053. [PMID: 38516050 PMCID: PMC10956361 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1349053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Context contributes to multiple aspects of human episodic memory including segmentation and retrieval. The present studies tested if, in adult male and female mice, context influences the encoding of odors encountered in a single unsupervised sampling session of the type used for the routine acquisition of episodic memories. The three paradigms used differed in complexity (single vs. multiple odor cues) and period from sampling to testing. Results show that males consistently encode odors in a context-dependent manner: the mice discriminated novel from previously sampled cues when tested in the chamber of initial cue sampling but not in a distinct yet familiar chamber. This was independent of the interval between cue encounters or the latency from initial sampling to testing. In contrast, female mice acquired both single cues and the elements of multi-cue episodes, but recall of that information was dependent upon the surrounding context only when the cues were presented serially. These results extend the list of episodic memory features expressed by rodents and also introduce a striking and unexpected sex difference in context effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza A. Le
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Linda C. Palmer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Jasmine Chavez
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Christine M. Gall
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Gary Lynch
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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4
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Yarmohammadi-Samani P, Vatanparast J. Sex-specific dendritic morphology of hippocampal pyramidal neurons in the adolescent and young adult rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2024; 84:47-63. [PMID: 37933732 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10307] [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: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons are the major sources of hippocampal efferents. The structural features of these neurons are presumed to be involved in various normal/abnormal cognitive and emotional outcomes by influencing the pattern of synaptic inputs and neuronal signal processing. Although many studies have described hippocampal structure differences between males and females, these reports mainly focused on gross anatomical features in adult or aged models, and such distinctions on neuronal morphology and dendritic spine density during adolescence, a period of high vulnerability to neurodevelopmental disorders, have received much less attention. In this work, we analyzed dendritic architecture and density of spines in CA1 and CA3 neurons of male and female rats in early adolescence (postnatal day, PND 40) and compared them with those in late adolescence/young adulthood (PND 60). On PND 40, CA1 neurons of male rats showed more Sholl intersections and spine density in apical and basal dendrites compared to those in females. The Sholl intersections in basal dendrites of CA3 neurons were also more in males, whereas the number of apical dendrite intersections was not significantly different between sexes. In male rats, there was a notable decrease in the number of branch and terminal points in the basal dendrite of CA1 neurons of young adults when compared to their sex-matched adolescent rats. On the other hand, CA1 neurons in young adult females also showed more Sholl intersections in apical and basal dendrites compared to adolescent females. Meanwhile, the total cable length, the number of branches, and terminal points of apical dendrites in CA3 neurons also exhibited a significant reduction in young adult male rats compared to their sex-matched adolescents. In young adult rats, both apical and basal dendrites of CA3 neurons in males showed fewer intersections with Sholl circles, but there were no significant differences in dendritic spine density or count estimation between males and females. On the other hand, young adult female rats had more Sholl intersections and dendritic spine count on the basal dendrites of CA3 neurons compared to adolescent females. Although no significant sex- and age-dependent difference in neuronal density was detected in CA1 and CA3 subareas, CA3 pyramidal neurons of both male and female rats showed reduced soma area compared to adolescent rats. Our findings show that the sex differences in the dendritic structure of CA1 and CA3 neurons vary by age and also by the compartments of dendritic arbors. Such variations in the morphology of hippocampal pyramidal neurons may take part as a basis for normal cognitive and affective differences between the sexes, as well as distinct sensitivity to interfering factors and the prevalence of neuropsychological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jafar Vatanparast
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
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5
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Le AA, Lauterborn JC, Jia Y, Cox CD, Lynch G, Gall CM. Metabotropic NMDA Receptor Signaling Contributes to Sex Differences in Synaptic Plasticity and Episodic Memory. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.26.577478. [PMID: 38328108 PMCID: PMC10849651 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.26.577478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Men generally outperform women on encoding spatial components of episodic memory whereas the reverse holds for semantic elements. Here we show that female mice outperform males on tests for non-spatial aspects of episodic memory ("what", "when"), suggesting that the human findings are influenced by neurobiological factors common to mammals. Analysis of hippocampal synaptic plasticity mechanisms and encoding revealed unprecedented, sex-specific contributions of non-classical metabotropic NMDA receptor (NMDAR) functions. While both sexes used non-ionic NMDAR signaling to trigger actin polymerization needed to consolidate long-term potentiation (LTP), NMDAR GluN2B subunit antagonism blocked these effects in males only and had the corresponding sex-specific effect on episodic memory. Conversely, blocking estrogen receptor alpha eliminated metabotropic stabilization of LTP and episodic memory in females only. The results show that sex differences in metabotropic signaling critical for enduring synaptic plasticity in hippocampus have significant consequences for encoding episodic memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza A. Le
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
| | - Julie C. Lauterborn
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
| | - Yousheng Jia
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
| | - Conor D. Cox
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
| | - Gary Lynch
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
- Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California; Irvine, 92868, USA
| | - Christine M. Gall
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
- Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California; Irvine, 92697, USA
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6
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Tao Y, Shen W, Zhou H, Li Z, Pi T, Wu H, Shi H, Huang F, Wu X. Sex differences in a corticosterone-induced depression model in mice: Behavioral, neurochemical, and molecular insights. Brain Res 2024; 1823:148678. [PMID: 37979605 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148678] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Depression is characterized by a significant sex disparity, with higher rates observed in women compared to men. This study aimed to investigate the impact of sex on depressive behaviors and explore the underlying mechanisms using a corticosterone (CORT)-induced depression model in mice. Behavioral tests, Nissl staining, UPLC-MS/MS, and Western blot analysis were performed to assess behavioral changes, as well as neuronal alterations, neurotransmitter levels, and protein expressions in the hippocampus. The mice in the model group exhibited sex-specific anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Nissl staining revealed structural abnormalities in the CA3 region of the hippocampus in females. Neurotransmitter analysis indicated decreased serotonin and norepinephrine levels in both sexes, while glutamate levels were elevated in females. Furthermore, female mice demonstrated elevated serum CORT levels. Western blot analysis revealed sex-specific alterations in specific protein expression. Female mice exhibited downregulated glucocorticoid receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression, whereas male mice showed minimal changes. Additionally, female mice displayed reduced phosphorylated AKT, phosphorylated PI3K, and phosphorylated mTOR levels. These findings enhance our understanding of sex-specific differences in the CORT-induced depression model and provide insights into the underlying mechanisms of depression. This research emphasizes sex in depression studies and supports tailored interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Tao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Wei Shen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Houyuan Zhou
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Zikang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Ting Pi
- Kunming Yan'an Hospital Chenggong Hospital, PR China
| | - Hui Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Hailian Shi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Fei Huang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China.
| | - Xiaojun Wu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Compound Chinese Medicines, The Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory for Standardization of Chinese Medicines, The MOE Innovation Centre for Basic Medicine Research on Qi-Blood TCM Theories, Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, PR China.
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7
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Kundakovic M, Tickerhoof M. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex differences in the brain and behavior. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:18-35. [PMID: 37968206 PMCID: PMC10841872 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are found across brain regions, behaviors, and brain diseases. Sexual differentiation of the brain is initiated prenatally but it continues throughout life, as a result of the interaction of three major factors: gonadal hormones, sex chromosomes, and the environment. These factors are thought to act, in part, via epigenetic mechanisms which control chromatin and transcriptional states in brain cells. In this review, we discuss evidence that epigenetic mechanisms underlie sex-specific neurobehavioral changes during critical organizational periods, across the estrous cycle, and in response to diverse environments throughout life. We further identify future directions for the field that will provide novel mechanistic insights into brain sex differences, inform brain disease treatments and women's brain health in particular, and apply to people across genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA.
| | - Maria Tickerhoof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
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8
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Malik S, Park CHJ, Kim JH. Age-specific sex effects in extinction of conditioned fear in rodents. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1298164. [PMID: 38161359 PMCID: PMC10756678 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1298164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sajida Malik
- School of Medicine, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Chun Hui J. Park
- School of Medicine, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- School of Medicine, Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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9
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Zhvania M, Japaridze N, Tizabi Y, Lomidze N, Pochkhidze N, Rzayev F, Gasimov E. Differential effects of aging on hippocampal ultrastructure in male vs. female rats. Biogerontology 2023; 24:925-935. [PMID: 37515624 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10052-z] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Age-related decline in physical and cognitive functions are facts of life that do not affect everyone to the same extent. We had reported earlier that such cognitive decline is both sex- and context-dependent. Moreover, age-associated ultrastructural changes were observed in the hippocampus of male rats. In this study, we sought to determine potential differences in ultrastructural changes between male and female rats at various stages of life. We performed quantitative electron microscopic evaluation of hippocampal CA1 region, an area intimately involved in cognitive behavior, in both male and female adolescent, adult and old Wistar rats. Specifically, we measured the number of docking synaptic vesicles in axo-dendritic synapses, the length of active zone as well as the total number of synaptic vesicles. Distinct age- and sex-dependent effects were observed in several parameters. Thus, adult female rats had the lowest synaptic active zone compared to both adolescent and old female rats. Moreover, the same parameter was significantly lower in adult and old female rats compared to their male counterparts. On the other hand, old male rats had significantly lower number of total synaptic vesicles compared to both adolescent and adult male rats as well as compared to their female counterparts. Taken together, it may be suggested that age- and sex-dependent ultrastructural changes in the hippocampus may underlie at least some of the differences in cognitive functions among these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mzia Zhvania
- School of Natural Sciences and Medicine, Ilia State University, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Avenue, 0162, Tbilisi, Georgia.
- Department of Brain Ultrastructure and Nanoarchitecture, Ivane Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine, Tbilisi, Georgia.
| | - Nadezhda Japaridze
- Department of Brain Ultrastructure and Nanoarchitecture, Ivane Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine, Tbilisi, Georgia
- New Vision University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Yousef Tizabi
- Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nino Lomidze
- School of Natural Sciences and Medicine, Ilia State University, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Avenue, 0162, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Department of Brain Ultrastructure and Nanoarchitecture, Ivane Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Nino Pochkhidze
- School of Natural Sciences and Medicine, Ilia State University, 3/5 K. Cholokashvili Avenue, 0162, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Department of Brain Ultrastructure and Nanoarchitecture, Ivane Beritashvili Center of Experimental Biomedicine, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Fuad Rzayev
- Department of Histology, Embryology and Cytology, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, Azerbaijan
| | - Eldar Gasimov
- Department of Histology, Embryology and Cytology, Azerbaijan Medical University, Baku, Azerbaijan
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10
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Simmons CM, Moseley SC, Ogg JD, Zhou X, Johnson M, Wu W, Clark BJ, Wilber AA. A thalamo-parietal cortex circuit is critical for place-action coordination. Hippocampus 2023; 33:1252-1266. [PMID: 37811797 PMCID: PMC10872801 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23578] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
The anterior and lateral thalamus (ALT) contains head direction cells that signal the directional orientation of an individual within the environment. ALT has direct and indirect connections with the parietal cortex (PC), an area hypothesized to play a role in coordinating viewer-dependent and viewer-independent spatial reference frames. This coordination between reference frames would allow an individual to translate movements toward a desired location from memory. Thus, ALT-PC functional connectivity would be critical for moving toward remembered allocentric locations. This hypothesis was tested in rats with a place-action task that requires associating an appropriate action (left or right turn) with a spatial location. There are four arms, each offset by 90°, positioned around a central starting point. A trial begins in the central starting point. After exiting a pseudorandomly selected arm, the rat had to displace the correct object covering one of two (left versus right) feeding stations to receive a reward. For a pair of arms facing opposite directions, the reward was located on the left, and for the other pair, the reward was located on the right. Thus, each reward location had a different combination of allocentric location and egocentric action. Removal of an object was scored as correct or incorrect. Trials in which the rat did not displace any objects were scored as "no selection" trials. After an object was removed, the rat returned to the center starting position and the maze was reset for the next trial. To investigate the role of the ALT-PC network, muscimol inactivation infusions targeted bilateral PC, bilateral ALT, or the ALT-PC network. Muscimol sessions were counterbalanced and compared to saline sessions within the same animal. All inactivations resulted in decreased accuracy, but only bilateral PC inactivations resulted in increased non selecting, increased errors, and longer latency responses on the remaining trials. Thus, the ALT-PC circuit is critical for linking an action with a spatial location for successful navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Simmons
- Department of Psychology, Program of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Shawn C Moseley
- Department of Psychology, Program of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Jordan D Ogg
- Department of Psychology, Program of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- Department of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Madeline Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Program of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Statistics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Aaron A Wilber
- Department of Psychology, Program of Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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11
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Lipatova O, Campolattaro MM, Lockhart BK, Hammad MB. Differential effects of acute stress on spatial learning and memory in the open-field tower maze across the female estrous cycle. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 206:107862. [PMID: 37944635 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107862] [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: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the present investigation was to test how acute stress and levels of circulating estrogens together influence acquisition and retention of spatial learning, as well as explorative behaviors in female rats. We used the hippocampus-dependent Open-field Tower Maze (OFTM) task to assess acquisition followed by a retention test (reacquisition) that was given 48 h later. Immediately prior to acquisition, experimental rats were exposed to an acute restraint stress and were trained under bright lights. Female rats' estrous cycles were tracked throughout training and testing. Exposure to stress did not affect learning when levels of estrogens were low (i.e., during estrus and metestrus). However, acute stress exposure significantly lowered spatial acquisition of the female rats in the phases with rising levels of estrogens (i.e., during diestrus and proestrus). Furthermore, this stress-induced diminishment during acquisition was evident at the beginning of the retention without any presentation of stress. The present findings provide insight about the interactive relationship between stress and sex hormones on cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Lipatova
- Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA, United States.
| | | | - Blakely K Lockhart
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Mariam B Hammad
- Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
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12
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Kim SR, Eom Y, Lee SH. Comprehensive analysis of sex differences in the function and ultrastructure of hippocampal presynaptic terminals. Neurochem Int 2023; 169:105570. [PMID: 37451344 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105570] [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: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in the brain, encompassing variations in specific brain structures, size, cognitive function, and synaptic connections, have been identified across numerous species. While previous research has explored sex differences in postsynaptic structures, synaptic plasticity, and hippocampus-dependent functions, the hippocampal presynaptic terminals remain largely uninvestigated. The hippocampus is a critical structure responsible for multiple brain functions. This study examined presynaptic differences in cultured hippocampal neurons derived from male and female mice using a combination of biochemical assays, functional analyses measuring exocytosis and endocytosis of synaptic vesicle proteins, ultrastructural analyses via electron microscopy, and presynaptic Ca2+-specific optical probes. Our findings revealed that female neurons exhibited a higher number of synaptic vesicles at presynaptic terminals compared to male neurons. However, no significant differences were observed in presynaptic protein expression, presynaptic terminal ultrastructure, synaptic vesicle exocytosis and endocytosis, or presynaptic Ca2+ alterations between male and female neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Rae Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea; Brain Research Core Facilities of Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu 41068, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yunkyung Eom
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sung Hoon Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea.
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13
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Lacoursiere SG, McAllister BB, Hadikin C, Tschetter WW, Lehmann H, Sutherland RJ. Hippocampal damage causes retrograde amnesia for objects' visual, but not odour, properties in male rats. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 58:3618-3629. [PMID: 37723853 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Damage to the hippocampus produces profound retrograde amnesia, but odour and object discrimination memories can be spared in the retrograde direction. Prior lesion studies testing retrograde amnesia for object/odour discriminations are problematic due to sparing of large parts of the hippocampus, which may support memory recall, and/or the presence of uncontrolled, distinctive odours that may support object discrimination. To address these issues, we used a simple object discrimination test to assess memory in male rats. Two visually distinct objects, paired with distinct odour cues, were presented. One object was associated with a reward. Following training, neurotoxic hippocampal lesions were made using N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). The rats were then tested on the preoperatively learned object discrimination problem, with and without the availability of odour or visual cues during testing. The rats were also postoperatively trained on a new object discrimination problem. Lesion sizes ranged from 67% to 97% of the hippocampus (average of 87%). On the preoperatively learned discrimination problem, the rats with hippocampal lesions showed preserved object discrimination memory when tested in the dark (i.e., without visual cues) but not when the explicit odour cues were removed from the objects. Hippocampal lesions increased the number of trials required to reach criterion but did not prevent rats from solving the postoperatively learned discrimination problem. Our results support the idea that long-term memories for odours, unlike recall of visual properties of objects, do not depend on the hippocampus in rats, consistent with previous observations that hippocampal damage does not cause retrograde amnesia for odour memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean G Lacoursiere
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Brendan B McAllister
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Crystal Hadikin
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Wayne W Tschetter
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Hugo Lehmann
- Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robert J Sutherland
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, The University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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14
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Baumgartner NE, Biraud MC, Lucas EK. Sex differences in socioemotional behavior and changes in ventral hippocampal transcription across aging in C57Bl/6J mice. Neurobiol Aging 2023; 130:141-153. [PMID: 37524006 PMCID: PMC10629502 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2023.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Socioemotional health is positively correlated with improved cognitive and physical aging. Despite known sex differences in socioemotional behaviors and the trajectory of aging, the interactive effects between sex and aging on socioemotional outcomes are poorly understood. We performed the most comprehensive assessment of sex differences in socioemotional behaviors in C57Bl/6J mice across aging to date. Compared to males, females exhibited decreased anxiety-like behavior and social preference but increased social recognition. With age, anxiety-like behavior, cued threat memory generalization, and social preference increased in both sexes. To investigate potential neural mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes, we analyzed transcriptional neuropathology markers in the ventral hippocampus and found age-related changes in genes related to activated microglia, angiogenesis, and cytokines. Sex differences emerged in the timing, direction, and magnitude of these changes, independent of reproductive senescence in aged females. Interestingly, female-specific upregulation of autophagy-related genes correlated with age-related behavioral changes selectively in females. These novel findings reveal critical sex differences in trajectories of ventral hippocampal aging that may contribute to sex- and age-related differences in socioemotional outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina E Baumgartner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Mandy C Biraud
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth K Lucas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
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15
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Fleischer AW, Frick KM. New perspectives on sex differences in learning and memory. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2023; 34:526-538. [PMID: 37500421 PMCID: PMC10617789 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2023.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Females have historically been disregarded in memory research, including the thousands of studies examining roles for the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and amygdala in learning and memory. Even when included, females are often judged based on male-centric behavioral and neurobiological standards, generating and perpetuating scientific stereotypes that females exhibit worse memories compared with males in domains such as spatial navigation and fear. Recent research challenges these dogmas by identifying sex-specific strategies in common memory tasks. Here, we discuss rodent data illustrating sex differences in spatial and fear memory, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying memory formation. The influence of sex steroid hormones in both sexes is discussed, as is the importance to basic and translational neuroscience of studying sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron W Fleischer
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA.
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16
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Knouse MC, Deutschmann AU, Nenov MN, Wimmer ME, Briand LA. Sex differences in pre- and post-synaptic glutamate signaling in the nucleus accumbens core. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:52. [PMID: 37596655 PMCID: PMC10439632 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00537-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glutamate signaling within the nucleus accumbens underlies motivated behavior and is involved in psychiatric disease. Although behavioral sex differences in these processes are well-established, the neural mechanisms driving these differences are largely unexplored. In these studies, we examine potential sex differences in synaptic plasticity and excitatory transmission within the nucleus accumbens core. Further understanding of baseline sex differences in reward circuitry will shed light on potential mechanisms driving behavioral differences in motivated behavior and psychiatric disease. METHODS Behaviorally naïve adult male and female Long-Evans rats, C57Bl/6J mice, and constitutive PKMζ knockout mice were killed and tissue containing the nucleus accumbens core was collected for ex vivo slice electrophysiology experiments. Electrophysiology recordings examined baseline sex differences in synaptic plasticity and transmission within this region and the potential role of PKMζ in long-term depression. RESULTS Within the nucleus accumbens core, both female mice and rats exhibit higher AMPA/NMDA ratios compared to male animals. Further, female mice have a larger readily releasable pool of glutamate and lower release probability compared to male mice. No significant sex differences were detected in spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude or frequency. Finally, the threshold for induction of long-term depression was lower for male animals than females, an effect that appears to be mediated, in part, by PKMζ. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that there are baseline sex differences in synaptic plasticity and excitatory transmission in the nucleus accumbens core. Our data suggest there are sex differences at multiple levels in this region that should be considered in the development of pharmacotherapies to treat psychiatric illnesses such as depression and substance use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa C Knouse
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Andre U Deutschmann
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Miroslav N Nenov
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Mathieu E Wimmer
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Lisa A Briand
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Weiss Hall, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
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17
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Cole KE, Parsons RG. Sex difference in the facilitation of fear learning by prior fear conditioning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.547102. [PMID: 37425868 PMCID: PMC10327064 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.547102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
There is now ample evidence that the strength and underlying mechanisms of memory formation can be drastically altered by prior experience. However, the prior work using rodent models on this topic has used only males as subjects, and as a result, we do know whether or not the effects of prior experience on subsequent learning are similar in both sexes. As a first step towards addressing this shortcoming rats of both sexes were given auditory fear conditioning, or fear conditioning with unsignaled shocks, followed an hour or a day later by a single pairing of light and shock. Fear memory for each experience was assessed by measuring freezing behavior to the auditory cue and fear-potentiated startle to the light. Results showed that males trained with auditory fear conditioning showed facilitated learning to the subsequent visual fear conditioning session when the two training sessions were separated by one hour or one day. Females showed evidence of facilitation in rats given auditory conditioning when they were spaced by an hour, but not when they were spaced by one day. Contextual fear conditioning did not support the facilitation of subsequent learning under any conditions. These results indicate that the mechanism by which prior fear conditioning facilitates subsequent learning differs between sexes, and they set the stage for mechanistic studies to understand the neurobiological basis of this sex difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kehinde E Cole
- Stony Brook University, Department of Psychology, 100 Nicolls Rd., Stony Brook, NY, 11794
| | - Ryan G Parsons
- Stony Brook University, Department of Psychology, 100 Nicolls Rd., Stony Brook, NY, 11794
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18
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Lupu DI, Cediel Ulloa A, Rüegg J. Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Hippocampal Development: The Role of Estrogen and Androgen Signaling. Neuroendocrinology 2023; 113:1193-1214. [PMID: 37356425 DOI: 10.1159/000531669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
Hormones are important regulators of key processes during fetal brain development. Thus, the developing brain is vulnerable to the action of chemicals that can interfere with endocrine signals. Epidemiological studies have pointed toward sexually dimorphic associations between neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as cognitive abilities, in children and prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). This points toward disruption of sex steroid signaling in the development of neural structures underlying cognitive functions, such as the hippocampus, an essential mediator of learning and memory processes. Indeed, during development, the hippocampus is subjected to the organizational effects of estrogens and androgens, which influence hippocampal cell proliferation, differentiation, dendritic growth, and synaptogenesis in the hippocampal fields of Cornu Ammonis and the dentate gyrus. These early organizational effects correlate with a sexual dimorphism in spatial cognition and are subject to exogenous chemical perturbations. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the organizational effects of estrogens and androgens on the developing hippocampus and the evidence for hippocampal-dependent learning and memory perturbations induced by developmental exposure to EDCs. We conclude that, while it is clear that sex hormone signaling plays a significant role during hippocampal development, a complete picture at the molecular and cellular levels would be needed to establish causative links between the endocrine modes of action exerted by EDCs and the adverse outcomes these chemicals can induce at the organism level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana-Ioana Lupu
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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19
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Kouhnavardi S, Cabatic M, Mañas-Padilla MC, Malabanan MA, Smani T, Cicvaric A, Muñoz Aranzalez EA, Koenig X, Urban E, Lubec G, Castilla-Ortega E, Monje FJ. miRNA-132/212 Deficiency Disrupts Selective Corticosterone Modulation of Dorsal vs. Ventral Hippocampal Metaplasticity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9565. [PMID: 37298523 PMCID: PMC10253409 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119565] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cortisol is a potent human steroid hormone that plays key roles in the central nervous system, influencing processes such as brain neuronal synaptic plasticity and regulating the expression of emotional and behavioral responses. The relevance of cortisol stands out in the disease, as its dysregulation is associated with debilitating conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease, chronic stress, anxiety and depression. Among other brain regions, cortisol importantly influences the function of the hippocampus, a structure central for memory and emotional information processing. The mechanisms fine-tuning the different synaptic responses of the hippocampus to steroid hormone signaling remain, however, poorly understood. Using ex vivo electrophysiology and wild type (WT) and miR-132/miR-212 microRNAs knockout (miRNA-132/212-/-) mice, we examined the effects of corticosterone (the rodent's equivalent to cortisol in humans) on the synaptic properties of the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. In WT mice, corticosterone predominantly inhibited metaplasticity in the dorsal WT hippocampi, whereas it significantly dysregulated both synaptic transmission and metaplasticity at dorsal and ventral regions of miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. Western blotting further revealed significantly augmented levels of endogenous CREB and a significant CREB reduction in response to corticosterone only in miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. Sirt1 levels were also endogenously enhanced in the miR-132/212-/- hippocampi but unaltered by corticosterone, whereas the levels of phospo-MSK1 were only reduced by corticosterone in WT, not in miR-132/212-/- hippocampi. In behavioral studies using the elevated plus maze, miRNA-132/212-/- mice further showed reduced anxiety-like behavior. These observations propose miRNA-132/212 as potential region-selective regulators of the effects of steroid hormones on hippocampal functions, thus likely fine-tuning hippocampus-dependent memory and emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shima Kouhnavardi
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maureen Cabatic
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Marife-Astrid Malabanan
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Tarik Smani
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, University of Seville, 41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Ana Cicvaric
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Edison Alejandro Muñoz Aranzalez
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Xaver Koenig
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ernst Urban
- Department for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, 2D 303, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gert Lubec
- Programme for Proteomics, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Francisco J. Monje
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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20
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Alotaibi MM, De Marco M, Venneri A. Sex differences in olfactory cortex neuronal loss in aging. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1130200. [PMID: 37323926 PMCID: PMC10265738 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1130200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Aging plays a major role in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, and impacts neuronal loss. Olfactory dysfunction can be an early alteration heralding the presence of a neurodegenerative disorder in aging. Studying alterations in olfaction-related brain regions might help detection of neurodegenerative diseases at an earlier stage as well as protect individuals from any danger caused by loss of sense of smell. Objective To assess the effect of age and sex on olfactory cortex volume in cognitively healthy participants. Method Neurologically healthy participants were divided in three groups based on their age: young (20-35 years; n = 53), middle-aged (36-65 years; n = 66) and older (66-85 years; n = 95). T1-weighted MRI scans acquired at 1.5 T were processed using SPM12. Smoothed images were used to extract the volume of olfactory cortex regions. Results ANCOVA analyses showed significant differences in volume between age groups in the olfactory cortex (p ≤ 0.0001). In women, neuronal loss started earlier than in men (in the 4th decade of life), while in men more substantial neuronal loss in olfactory cortex regions was detected only later in life. Conclusion Data indicate that age-related reduction in the volume of the olfactory cortex starts earlier in women than in men. The findings suggest that volume changes in olfaction-related brain regions in the aging population deserve further attention as potential proxies of increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majed M. Alotaibi
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Department of Medical Genomics Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Matteo De Marco
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Annalena Venneri
- Department of Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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21
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Garcia CP, Licht-Murava A, Orr AG. Effects of adenosine A 2A receptors on cognitive function in health and disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 170:121-154. [PMID: 37741689 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.04.006] [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] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Adenosine A2A receptors have been studied extensively in the context of motor function and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. In addition to these roles, A2A receptors have also been increasingly implicated in cognitive function and cognitive impairments in diverse conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, acute brain injury, and stress. We review the roles of A2A receptors in cognitive processes in health and disease, focusing primarily on the effects of reducing or enhancing A2A expression levels or activities in animal models. Studies reveal that A2A receptors in neurons and astrocytes modulate multiple aspects of cognitive function, including memory and motivation. Converging evidence also indicates that A2A receptor levels and activities are aberrantly increased in aging, acute brain injury, and chronic disorders, and these increases contribute to neurocognitive impairments. Therapeutically targeting A2A receptors with selective modulators may alleviate cognitive deficits in diverse neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. Further research on the exact neural mechanisms of these effects as well as the efficacy of selective A2A modulators on cognitive alterations in humans are important areas for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cinthia P Garcia
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Pharmacology Graduate Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Avital Licht-Murava
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Anna G Orr
- Appel Alzheimer's Disease Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States; Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States.
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22
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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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23
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Gulyaeva NV. Glucocorticoids Orchestrate Adult Hippocampal Plasticity: Growth Points and Translational Aspects. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:565-589. [PMID: 37331704 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923050012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The review analyzes modern concepts about the control of various mechanisms of the hippocampal neuroplasticity in adult mammals and humans by glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoid hormones ensure the coordinated functioning of key components and mechanisms of hippocampal plasticity: neurogenesis, glutamatergic neurotransmission, microglia and astrocytes, systems of neurotrophic factors, neuroinflammation, proteases, metabolic hormones, neurosteroids. Regulatory mechanisms are diverse; along with the direct action of glucocorticoids through their receptors, there are conciliated glucocorticoid-dependent effects, as well as numerous interactions between various systems and components. Despite the fact that many connections in this complex regulatory scheme have not yet been established, the study of the factors and mechanisms considered in the work forms growth points in the field of glucocorticoid-regulated processes in the brain and primarily in the hippocampus. These studies are fundamentally important for the translation into the clinic and the potential treatment/prevention of common diseases of the emotional and cognitive spheres and respective comorbid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia V Gulyaeva
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117485, Russia.
- Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry of Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, 115419, Russia
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24
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Gall CM, Le AA, Lynch G. Sex differences in synaptic plasticity underlying learning. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:764-782. [PMID: 33847004 PMCID: PMC10337639 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Although sex differences in learning behaviors are well documented, sexual dimorphism in the synaptic processes of encoding is only recently appreciated. Studies in male rodents have built upon the discovery of long-term potentiation (LTP), and acceptance of this activity-dependent increase in synaptic strength as a mechanism of encoding, to identify synaptic receptors and signaling activities that coordinate the activity-dependent remodeling of the subsynaptic actin cytoskeleton that is critical for enduring potentiation and memory. These molecular substrates together with other features of LTP, as characterized in males, have provided an explanation for a range of memory phenomena including multiple stages of consolidation, the efficacy of spaced training, and the location of engrams at the level of individual synapses. In the present report, we summarize these findings and describe more recent results from our laboratories showing that in females the same actin regulatory mechanisms are required for hippocampal LTP and memory but, in females only, the engagement of both modulatory receptors such as TrkB and synaptic signaling intermediaries including Src and ERK1/2 requires neuron-derived estrogen and signaling through membrane-associated estrogen receptor α (ERα). Moreover, in association with the additional ERα involvement, females exhibit a higher threshold for hippocampal LTP and spatial learning. We propose that the distinct LTP threshold in females contributes to as yet unappreciated sex differences in information processing and features of learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M. Gall
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Aliza A. Le
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Gary Lynch
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
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25
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Schecter RW, Jensen CM, Gavornik JP. Sex and estrous cycle affect experience-dependent plasticity in mouse primary visual cortex. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282349. [PMID: 37068089 PMCID: PMC10109517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex hormones can affect cellular physiology and modulate synaptic plasticity, but it is not always clear whether or how sex-dependent differences identified in vitro express themselves as functional dimorphisms in the brain. Historically, most experimental neuroscience has been conducted using only male animals and the literature is largely mute about whether including female mice in will introduce variability due to inherent sex differences or endogenous estrous cycles. Though this is beginning to change following an NIH directive that sex should be included as a factor in vertebrate research, the lack of information raises practical issues around how to design experimental controls and apply existing knowledge to more heterogeneous populations. Various lines of research suggest that visual processing can be affected by sex and estrous cycle stage. For these reasons, we performed a series of in vivo electrophysiological experiments to characterize baseline visual function and experience-dependent plasticity in the primary visual cortex (V1) of male and female mice. We find that sex and estrous stage have no statistically significant effect on baseline acuity measurements, but that both sex and estrous stage have can modulate two mechanistically distinct forms of experience dependent cortical plasticity. We also demonstrate that resulting variability can be largely controlled with appropriate normalizations. These findings suggest that V1 plasticity can be used for mechanistic studies focusing on how sex hormones effect experience dependent plasticity in the mammalian cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel W. Schecter
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Cambria M. Jensen
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey P. Gavornik
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Biology Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States of America
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26
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Kommaddi RP, Verma A, Muniz-Terrera G, Tiwari V, Chithanathan K, Diwakar L, Gowaikar R, Karunakaran S, Malo PK, Graff-Radford NR, Day GS, Laske C, Vöglein J, Nübling G, Ikeuchi T, Kasuga K, Ravindranath V. Sex difference in evolution of cognitive decline: studies on mouse model and the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network cohort. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:123. [PMID: 37045867 PMCID: PMC10097702 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02411-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Women carry a higher burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) compared to men, which is not accounted entirely by differences in lifespan. To identify the mechanisms underlying this effect, we investigated sex-specific differences in the progression of familial AD in humans and in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice. Activity dependent protein translation and associative learning and memory deficits were examined in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice and wild-type mice. As a human comparator group, progression of cognitive dysfunction was assessed in mutation carriers and non-carriers from DIAN (Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network) cohort. Female APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice did not show recall deficits after contextual fear conditioning until 8 months of age. Further, activity dependent protein translation and Akt1-mTOR signaling at the synapse were impaired in male but not in female mice until 8 months of age. Ovariectomized APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice displayed recall deficits at 4 months of age and these were sustained until 8 months of age. Moreover, activity dependent protein translation was also impaired in 4 months old ovariectomized APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice compared with sham female APPswe/PS1ΔE9 mice. Progression of memory impairment differed between men and women in the DIAN cohort as analyzed using linear mixed effects model, wherein men showed steeper cognitive decline irrespective of the age of entry in the study, while women showed significantly greater performance and slower decline in immediate recall (LOGIMEM) and delayed recall (MEMUNITS) than men. However, when the performance of men and women in several cognitive tasks (such as Wechsler's logical memory) are compared with the estimated year from expected symptom onset (EYO) we found no significant differences between men and women. We conclude that in familial AD patients and mouse models, females are protected, and the onset of disease is delayed as long as estrogen levels are intact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reddy Peera Kommaddi
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India.
| | - Aditi Verma
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Graciela Muniz-Terrera
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
- The Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701, USA
| | - Vivek Tiwari
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | | | - Latha Diwakar
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Ruturaj Gowaikar
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Smitha Karunakaran
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Palash Kumar Malo
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
| | - Neill R Graff-Radford
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Gregory S Day
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Christoph Laske
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Munich, Germany
- Section for Dementia Research, Department of Cellular Neurology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonathan Vöglein
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Georg Nübling
- Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Munich, Germany
| | - Takeshi Ikeuchi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for Bioresources, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Kensaku Kasuga
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Center for Bioresources, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi-dori, Chuo-ku, Niigata City, Niigata, 951-8585, Japan
| | - Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
- Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, India
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27
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Holladay SD. Environmental contaminants, endocrine disruption, and transgender: Can "born that way" in some cases be toxicologically real? Hum Exp Toxicol 2023; 42:9603271231203382. [PMID: 37751728 DOI: 10.1177/09603271231203382] [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] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Gender is viewed by many as strictly binary based on a collection of body traits typical of a female or male phenotype, presence of a genotype that includes at least one copy of a Y chromosome, or ability to produce either egg or sperm cells. A growing non-binary view is that these descriptors, while compelling, may nonetheless fail to accurately capture an individual's true gender. The position of the American Psychological Association (APA) agrees with this view and is that transgender people are a defendable and real part of the human population. The considerable diversity of transgender expression then argues against any unitary or simple explanations, however, prenatal hormone levels, genetic influences, and early and later life experiences have been suggested as playing roles in development of transgender identities. The present review considers existing and emerging toxicologic data that may also support an environmental chemical contribution to some transgender identities, and suggest the possibility of a growing nonbinary brain gender continuum in the human population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven David Holladay
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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28
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Kondev V, Bluett R, Najeed M, Rosas-Vidal LE, Grueter BA, Patel S. Ventral hippocampal diacylglycerol lipase-alpha deletion decreases avoidance behaviors and alters excitation-inhibition balance. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 22:100510. [PMID: 36594052 PMCID: PMC9803955 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The endogenous cannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), plays a key role in the regulation of anxiety- and stress-related behavioral phenotypes and may represent a novel target for the treatment of anxiety disorders. However, recent studies have suggested a more complex role for 2-AG signaling in the regulation of stress responsivity, including increases in acute fear responses after 2-AG augmentation under some conditions. Thus, 2-AG signaling within distinct brain regions and circuits could regulate anxiety-like behavior and stress responsivity in opposing manners. The ventral hippocampus (vHPC) is a critical region for emotional processing, anxiety-like behaviors, and stress responding. Here, we use a conditional knock-out of the 2-AG synthesis enzyme, diacylglycerol lipase α (DAGLα), to study the role of vHPC 2-AG signaling in the regulation of affective behavior. We show that vHPC DAGLα deletion decreases avoidance behaviors both basally and following an acute stress exposure. Genetic deletion of vHPC DAGLα also promotes stress resiliency, with no effect on fear acquisition, expression, or contextual fear generalization. Using slice electrophysiology, we demonstrate that vHPC DAGLα deletion shifts vHPC activity towards enhanced inhibition. Together, these data indicate endogenous 2-AG signaling in the vHPC promotes avoidance and increases stress reactivity, confirming the notion that 2-AG signaling within distinct brain regions may exert divergent effects on anxiety states and stress adaptability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Kondev
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Rebecca Bluett
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Mustafa Najeed
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Luis E. Rosas-Vidal
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Brad A. Grueter
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA,Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, USA.
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29
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Sun J, Liu Y, Hao X, Baudry M, Bi X. Lack of UBE3A-Mediated Regulation of Synaptic SK2 Channels Contributes to Learning and Memory Impairment in the Female Mouse Model of Angelman Syndrome. Neural Plast 2022; 2022:3923384. [PMID: 36237484 PMCID: PMC9553421 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3923384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe developmental delay, motor impairment, language and cognition deficits, and often with increased seizure activity. AS is caused by deficiency of UBE3A, which is both an E3 ligase and a cofactor for transcriptional regulation. We previously showed that the small conductance potassium channel protein SK2 is a UBE3A substrate, and that increased synaptic SK2 levels contribute to impairments in synaptic plasticity and fear-conditioning memory, as inhibition of SK2 channels significantly improved both synaptic plasticity and fear memory in male AS mice. In the present study, we investigated UBE3a-mediated regulation of synaptic plasticity and fear-conditioning in female AS mice. Results from both western blot and immunofluorescence analyses showed that synaptic SK2 levels were significantly increased in hippocampus of female AS mice, as compared to wild-type (WT) littermates. Like in male AS mice, long-term potentiation (LTP) was significantly reduced while long-term depression (LTD) was enhanced at hippocampal CA3-CA1 synapses of female AS mice, as compared to female WT mice. Both alterations were significantly reduced by treatment with the SK2 inhibitor, apamin. The shunting effect of SK2 channels on NMDA receptor was significantly larger in female AS mice as compared to female WT mice. Female AS mice also showed impairment in both contextual and tone memory recall, and this impairment was significantly reduced by apamin treatment. Our results indicate that like male AS mice, female AS mice showed significant impairment in both synaptic plasticity and fear-conditioning memory due to increased levels of synaptic SK2 channels. Any therapeutic strategy to reduce SK2-mediated inhibition of NMDAR should be beneficial to both male and female patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiandong Sun
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Xiaoning Hao
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Michel Baudry
- College of Dental Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
| | - Xiaoning Bi
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California 91766, USA
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30
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Trott JM, Krasne FB, Fanselow MS. Sex differences in contextual fear learning and generalization: a behavioral and computational analysis of hippocampal functioning. Learn Mem 2022; 29:283-296. [PMID: 36206390 PMCID: PMC9488020 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053515.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There are sex differences in anxiety disorders with regard to occurrence and severity of episodes such that females tend to experience more frequent and more severe episodes. Contextual fear learning and generalization are especially relevant to anxiety disorders, which are often defined by expressing fear and/or anxiety in safe contexts. In contextual fear conditioning, a representation of the context must first be created, and then that representation must be paired with an aversive consequence. With some variation, the experiments presented here use a 3-d procedure in which day 1 consists of pre-exposure to the to-be-shocked context, day 2 consists of a single context-shock pairing after some placement-to-shock interval (PSI), and day 3 consists of testing in either the same or a novel context. With shorter pre-exposure periods, male rats showed more contextual fear, consistent with previous literature; however, after longer pre-exposure periods, female rats showed greater contextual fear. Additionally, while pre-exposure and PSI are both periods of time prior to the shock, it was found that they were not equivalent to each other. Animals with 120 sec of pre-exposure and a 30-sec PSI show a differential level and time course of fear expression than animals who received no pre-exposure and a 150-sec PSI, and this further depended on sex of the rat. Additionally, an experiment comparing recently versus remotely acquired contextual fear was run. Males were again shown to have greater contextual fear at both time points, and this contextual fear incubated/increased over time in males but not females. To facilitate identification of what processes caused sex differences, we used BaconX, a conceptual and computational model of hippocampal contextual learning. Computational simulations using this model predicted many of our key findings. Furthermore, these simulations suggest potential mechanisms with regard to hippocampal computation; namely, an increased feature sampling rate in males, which may account for the sex differences presented here and in prior literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Trott
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Franklin B Krasne
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
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31
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Stevanovic KD, Fry SA, DeFilipp JMS, Wu N, Bernstein BJ, Cushman JD. Assessing the importance of sex in a hippocampus-dependent behavioral test battery in C57BL/6NTac mice. LEARNING & MEMORY (COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y.) 2022; 29:203-215. [PMID: 35882502 PMCID: PMC9374270 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053599.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Inclusion of male and female subjects in behavioral neuroscience research requires a concerted effort to characterize sex differences in standardized behavioral assays. Sex differences in hippocampus-dependent assays have been widely reported but are still poorly characterized. In the present study, we conducted a parametric analysis of spontaneous alternation, object recognition, and fear conditioning in a commonly used control strain, C57BL/6NTac. Our findings show largely similar performance between males and females across the majority of behavioral end points. However, we identified an important difference in nonassociative fear sensitization, whereby females showed an enhanced fear response to the 75-dB tone that is used as the conditional stimulus. In addition, we observed an impairment in object location performance in females that was ameliorated by more extensive habituation to handling. Together, these findings argue that sex differences in nonassociative fear responses to both novel auditory cues and novel objects need to be considered when designing and interpreting cognitive assays in C57BL/6 mice. Furthermore, this elevated fear sensitization could serve as a novel approach to model the increased incidence of anxiety disorders in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Korey D Stevanovic
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Sydney A Fry
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Jemma M S DeFilipp
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Nicholas Wu
- University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | - Briana J Bernstein
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
| | - Jesse D Cushman
- Neurobehavioral Core Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, North Carolina 27709, USA
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32
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Paiva-Santos MA, Leão AHFF, Kurita JPF, Becegato MS, Lima AC, Bioni VS, Meurer YSR, Cunha DMG, Medeiros AM, Silva RH. Sex differences in the acute ethanol effects on object recognition memory: influence of estrous cycle. Behav Pharmacol 2022; 33:322-332. [PMID: 35502955 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Effects of acute ethanol (EtOH) on memory depend on several factors, including type of behavioral task. Sex differences in EtOH effects have been reported in humans and animals, and recognition memory can be influenced by circulating sex hormones. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of sex and estrous cycle in the acute effects of EtOH on novel object recognition memory in rats. Male and female Wistar rats were part of one of the groups: control, 0.6-g/kg EtOH and 1.8-g/kg EtOH (administered intraperitoneally before the training session). The estrous cycle was evaluated by vaginal smear. The task was conducted in an open field arena. During training, animals were exposed to two identical objects, and test sessions were performed 1 h (short-term) and 24 h (long-term) later. One of the objects was changed in each test. Increased novel object exploration was shown by male and female controls in the short- and long-term tests, respectively. In the short-term test, females did not show preference for the novel object, and EtOH 1.8 g/kg impaired performance in males. In the long-term test, both sexes showed object discrimination, and 1.8-g/kg EtOH reduced preference for the new object in male rats. The phase of the cycle, the performance on proestrus was worse compared with other phases, and EtOH failed to impair performance mainly on estrous. In conclusion, while male rats displayed ethanol-induced recognition memory deficit, female rats were unaffected by EtOH impairing effects. In addition, the performance of female rats was influenced by the estrous cycle phases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - João P F Kurita
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo
| | - Marcela S Becegato
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo
| | - Alvaro C Lima
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo
| | - Vinicius S Bioni
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo
| | - Ywlliane S R Meurer
- Memory and Cognition Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa
| | - Débora M G Cunha
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo
| | - André M Medeiros
- Department of Health Sciences, Center of Health and Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, Brazil
| | - Regina H Silva
- Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo
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Abstract
Chronic pain affects 20% of adults and is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Women and girls are disproportionally affected by chronic pain. About half of chronic pain conditions are more common in women, with only 20% having a higher prevalence in men. There are also sex and gender differences in acute pain sensitivity. Pain is a subjective experience made up of sensory, cognitive, and emotional components. Consequently, there are multiple dimensions through which sex and gender can influence the pain experience. Historically, most preclinical pain research was conducted exclusively in male animals. However, recent studies that included females have revealed significant sex differences in the physiological mechanisms underlying pain, including sex specific involvement of different genes and proteins as well as distinct interactions between hormones and the immune system that influence the transmission of pain signals. Human neuroimaging has revealed sex and gender differences in the neural circuitry associated with pain, including sex specific brain alterations in chronic pain conditions. Clinical pain research suggests that gender can affect how an individual contextualizes and copes with pain. Gender may also influence the susceptibility to develop chronic pain. Sex and gender biases can impact how pain is perceived and treated clinically. Furthermore, the efficacy and side effects associated with different pain treatments can vary according to sex and gender. Therefore, preclinical and clinical research must include sex and gender analyses to understand basic mechanisms of pain and its relief, and to develop personalized pain treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie R Osborne
- Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Karen D Davis
- Krembil Brain Institute, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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34
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Kundakovic M, Rocks D. Sex hormone fluctuation and increased female risk for depression and anxiety disorders: From clinical evidence to molecular mechanisms. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:101010. [PMID: 35716803 PMCID: PMC9715398 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Women are at twice the risk for anxiety and depression disorders as men are, although the underlying biological factors and mechanisms are largely unknown. In this review, we address this sex disparity at both the etiological and mechanistic level. We dissect the role of fluctuating sex hormones as a critical biological factor contributing to the increased depression and anxiety risk in women. We provide parallel evidence in humans and rodents that brain structure and function vary with naturally-cycling ovarian hormones. This female-unique brain plasticity and associated vulnerability are primarily driven by estrogen level changes. For the first time, we provide a sex hormone-driven molecular mechanism, namely chromatin organizational changes, that regulates neuronal gene expression and brain plasticity but may also prime the (epi)genome for psychopathology. Finally, we map out future directions including experimental and clinical studies that will facilitate novel sex- and gender-informed approaches to treat depression and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Kundakovic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - Devin Rocks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA
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35
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Lee CW, Hsu LF, Wu IL, Wang YL, Chen WC, Liu YJ, Yang LT, Tan CL, Luo YH, Wang CC, Chiu HW, Yang TCK, Lin YY, Chang HA, Chiang YC, Chen CH, Lee MH, Peng KT, Huang CCY. Exposure to polystyrene microplastics impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in mice. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 430:128431. [PMID: 35150991 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.128431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a serious environmental issue worldwide, but its potential effects on health remain unknown. The administration of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) to mice for eight weeks impaired learning and memory behavior. PS-MPs were detected in the brain especially in the hippocampus of these mice. Concurrently, the hippocampus had decreased levels of immediate-early genes, aberrantly enhanced synaptic glutamate AMPA receptors, and elevated neuroinflammation, all of which are critical for synaptic plasticity and memory. Interestingly, ablation of the vagus nerve, a modulator of the gut-brain axis, improved the memory function of PS-MPs mice. These results indicate that exposure to PS-MPs in mice alters the expression of neuronal activity-dependent genes and synaptic proteins, and increases neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, subsequently causing behavioral changes through the vagus nerve-dependent pathway. Our findings shed light on the adverse impacts of PS-MPs on the brain and hippocampal learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiang-Wen Lee
- Department of Nursing, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, and Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Research Center, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Puzi City, Chiayi County 61363, Taiwan; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Puzi City, Chiayi County 61363, Taiwan; Department of Safety Health and Environmental Engineering, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City 243303, Taiwan
| | - Lee-Fen Hsu
- Department of Respiratory Care, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Puzi City, Chiayi County 613, Taiwan; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Puzi City, Chiayi County 613, Taiwan
| | - I-Lin Wu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Li Wang
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chen Chen
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yan-Jun Liu
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Lu-Tang Yang
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chong-Lun Tan
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yueh-Hsia Luo
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | | | - Hui-Wen Chiu
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan; Department of Medical Research, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City 235, Taiwan
| | - Thomas Chung-Kuang Yang
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yen-Yue Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Taoyuan Armed Forces General Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-An Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Chang Chiang
- Department of Nursing, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, and Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Research Center, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Puzi City, Chiayi County 61363, Taiwan
| | | | - Ming-Hsueh Lee
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Puzi City, Chiayi County 613, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-Ti Peng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Puzi City, Chiayi County 61363, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Guishan Dist., Taoyuan City 33303, Taiwan
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Sex Differences in the Spatial Behavior Functions of Adult-Born Neurons in Rats. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0054-22.2022. [PMID: 35473765 PMCID: PMC9116935 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0054-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis modifies hippocampal circuits and behavior, but removing newborn neurons does not consistently alter spatial processing, a core function of the hippocampus. Additionally, little is known about sex differences in neurogenesis since few studies have compared males and females. Since adult-born neurons regulate the stress response, we hypothesized that spatial functions may be more prominent under aversive conditions and may differ between males and females given sex differences in stress responding. We therefore trained intact and neurogenesis-deficient rats in the spatial water maze at temperatures that vary in their degree of aversiveness. In the standard water maze, ablating neurogenesis did not alter spatial learning in either sex. However, in cold water, ablating neurogenesis had divergent sex-dependent effects: relative to intact rats, male neurogenesis-deficient rats were slower to escape the maze and female neurogenesis-deficient rats were faster. Neurogenesis promoted temperature-related changes in search strategy in females, but it promoted search strategy stability in males. Females displayed greater recruitment (Fos expression) of the dorsal hippocampus than males, particularly in cold water. However, blocking neurogenesis did not alter Fos expression in either sex. Finally, morphologic analyses revealed greater experience-dependent plasticity in males. Adult-born neurons in males and females had similar morphology at baseline but training increased spine density and reduced presynaptic terminal size, specifically in males. Collectively, these findings indicate that adult-born neurons contribute to spatial learning in stressful conditions and they provide new evidence for sex differences in their behavioral functions.
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Taxier LR, Philippi SM, York JM, LaDu MJ, Frick KM. The detrimental effects of APOE4 on risk for Alzheimer's disease may result from altered dendritic spine density, synaptic proteins, and estrogen receptor alpha. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 112:74-86. [PMID: 35051676 PMCID: PMC8976726 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Women carriers of APOE4, the greatest genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), are at highest risk of developing AD, yet factors underlying interactions between APOE4 and sex are not well characterized. Here, we examined how sex and APOE3 or APOE4 genotypes modulate object and spatial memory, dendritic spine density and branching, and protein expression in 6-month-old male and female E3FAD and E4FAD mice (APOE+/+/5xFAD+/-). APOE4 negatively impacted object recognition and spatial memory, with male E3FADs exhibiting the best memory across 2 object-based tasks. In both sexes, APOE4 reduced basal dendritic spine density in the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus. APOE4 reduced dorsal hippocampal levels of PDS-95, synaptophysin, and phospho-CREB, yet increased levels of ERα. E4FAD females exhibited strikingly increased GFAP levels, in addition to the lowest levels of PSD-95 and pCREB. Overall, our results suggest that APOE4 negatively impacts object memory, dendritic spine density, and levels of hippocampal synaptic proteins and ERα. However, the general lack of sex differences or sex by genotype interactions suggests that the sex-specific effects of APOE4 on AD risk may be related to factors unexplored in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Taxier
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee WI, USA
| | - Sarah M Philippi
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee WI, USA
| | - Jason M York
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mary Jo LaDu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee WI, USA.
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Farooq J, Snyder K, Janesko-Feldman K, Gorse K, Vagni V, Kochanek PM, Jackson TC. RNA Binding Motif 5 Gene Deletion Modulates Cell Signaling in a Sex-Dependent Manner but not Hippocampal Cell Death. J Neurotrauma 2022; 39:577-589. [PMID: 35152732 PMCID: PMC8978574 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2021.0362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding motif 5 (RBM5) is a pro-death tumor suppressor gene in cancer cells. It remains to be determined if it is neurotoxic in the brain or rather if it plays a fundamentally different role in the central nervous system (CNS). Brain-specific RBM5 knockout (KO) mice were given a controlled cortical impact (CCI) traumatic brain injury (TBI). Markers of acute cellular damage and repair were measured in hippocampal homogenates 48 h post-CCI. Hippocampal CA1/CA3 cell counts were assessed 7 days post-CCI to determine if early changes in injury markers were associated with histological outcome. No genotype-dependent differences were found in the levels of apoptotic markers (caspase 3, caspase 6, and caspase 9). However, KO females had a paradoxical increase in markers of pro-death calpain activation (145/150-spectrin and breakdown products [SBDP]) and in DNA repair/survival markers. (pH2A.x and pCREB). CCI-injured male KOs had a significant increase in phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (pCaMKII). Despite sex/genotype-dependent differences in KOs in the levels of acute cell signaling targets involved in cell death pathways, 7 day hippocampal neuronal survival did not differ from that of wild types (WTs). Similarly, no differences in astrogliosis were observed. Finally, gene analysis revealed increased estrogen receptor α (ERα) levels in the KO hippocampus in females and may suggest a novel mechanism to explain sex-dimorphic effects on cell signaling. In summary, RBM5 inhibition did not affect hippocampal survival after a TBI in vivo but did modify targets involved in neural signal transduction/Ca2+ signaling pathways. Findings here support the view that RBM5 may serve a purpose in the CNS that is dissimilar from its traditional pro-death role in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Farooq
- University of South Florida, 7831, Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Tampa, Florida, United States
- USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, 33697, USF Health Heart Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Kara Snyder
- University of South Florida, 7831, Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Tampa, Florida, United States
- USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, 33697, USF Health Heart Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Keri Janesko-Feldman
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States,
| | - Kiersten Gorse
- University of South Florida, 7831, Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, Tampa, Florida, United States
- USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, 33697, USF Health Heart Institute, Tampa, Florida, United States
| | - Vincent Vagni
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States,
| | - Patrick M. Kochanek
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, John G. Rangos Research Center, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, 4401 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15224
- United States
| | - Travis C. Jackson
- University of South Florida, 7831, Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, 4202 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, Florida, United States, 33620-9951
- USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, 33697, USF Health Heart Institute, 560 Channelside Dr, Tampa, Florida, United States, 33602
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Silveira‐Rosa T, Mateus‐Pinheiro A, Correia JS, Silva JM, Martins‐Macedo J, Araújo B, Machado‐Santos AR, Alves ND, Silva M, Loureiro‐Campos E, Sotiropoulos I, Bessa JM, Rodrigues AJ, Sousa N, Patrício P, Pinto L. Suppression of adult cytogenesis in the rat brain leads to sex-differentiated disruption of the HPA axis activity. Cell Prolif 2022; 55:e13165. [PMID: 34970787 PMCID: PMC8828259 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The action of stress hormones, mainly glucocorticoids, starts and coordinates the systemic response to stressful events. The HPA axis activity is predicated on information processing and modulation by upstream centres, such as the hippocampus where adult-born neurons (hABN) have been reported to be an important component in the processing and integration of new information. Still, it remains unclear whether and how hABN regulates HPA axis activity and CORT production, particularly when considering sex differences. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using both sexes of a transgenic rat model of cytogenesis ablation (GFAP-Tk rat model), we examined the endocrinological and behavioural effects of disrupting the generation of new astrocytes and neurons within the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). RESULTS Our results show that GFAP-Tk male rats present a heightened acute stress response. In contrast, GFAP-Tk female rats have increased corticosterone secretion at nadir, a heightened, yet delayed, response to an acute stress stimulus, accompanied by neuronal hypertrophy in the basal lateral amygdala and increased expression of the glucocorticoid receptors in the ventral DG. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal that hABN regulation of the HPA axis response is sex-differentiated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago Silveira‐Rosa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - António Mateus‐Pinheiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Department of Internal MedicineCoimbra Hospital and University CenterCoimbraPortugal
- Bn’ML – Behavioral and Molecular LabBragaPortugal
| | - Joana Sofia Correia
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Joana Margarida Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Joana Martins‐Macedo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Bn’ML – Behavioral and Molecular LabBragaPortugal
| | - Bruna Araújo
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Ana Rita Machado‐Santos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Nuno Dinis Alves
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Present address:
Department of PsychiatryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Present address:
New York State Psychiatric InstituteNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Mariana Silva
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Eduardo Loureiro‐Campos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Ioannis Sotiropoulos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - João Miguel Bessa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Bn’ML – Behavioral and Molecular LabBragaPortugal
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Bn’ML – Behavioral and Molecular LabBragaPortugal
| | - Patrícia Patrício
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Bn’ML – Behavioral and Molecular LabBragaPortugal
| | - Luísa Pinto
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS)School of MedicineUniversity of MinhoBragaPortugal
- ICVS/3B’s ‐ PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga/GuimarãesPortugal
- Bn’ML – Behavioral and Molecular LabBragaPortugal
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Le AA, Lauterborn JC, Jia Y, Wang W, Cox CD, Gall CM, Lynch G. Prepubescent female rodents have enhanced hippocampal LTP and learning relative to males, reversing in adulthood as inhibition increases. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:180-190. [PMID: 35087246 PMCID: PMC8876130 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-01001-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Multiple studies indicate that adult male rodents perform better than females on spatial problems and have a lower threshold for long-term potentiation (LTP) of hippocampal CA3-to-CA1 synapses. We report here that, in rodents, prepubescent females rapidly encode spatial information and express low-threshold LTP, whereas age-matched males do not. The loss of low-threshold LTP across female puberty was associated with three inter-related changes: increased densities of α5 subunit-containing GABAARs at inhibitory synapses, greater shunting of burst responses used to induce LTP and a reduction of NMDAR-mediated synaptic responses. A negative allosteric modulator of α5-GABAARs increased burst responses to a greater degree in adult than in juvenile females and markedly enhanced both LTP and spatial memory in adults. The reasons for the gain of functions with male puberty do not involve these mechanisms. In all, puberty has opposite consequences for plasticity in the two sexes, albeit through different routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza A Le
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Julie C Lauterborn
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Yousheng Jia
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Weisheng Wang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Conor D Cox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Christine M Gall
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Gary Lynch
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Vasconcelos GS, Dos Santos Júnior MA, Monte AS, da Silva FER, Lima CNDC, Moreira Lima Neto AB, Medeiros IDS, Teixeira AL, de Lucena DF, Vasconcelos SMM, Macedo DS. Low-dose candesartan prevents schizophrenia-like behavioral alterations in a neurodevelopmental two-hit model of schizophrenia. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110348. [PMID: 33984421 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder with complex etiopathogenesis. Based on its neurodevelopmental features, an animal model induced by "two-hit" based on perinatal immune activation followed by peripubertal unpredictable stress was proposed. Sex influences the immune response, and concerning schizophrenia, it impacts the age of onset and symptoms severity. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying the influence of sex in schizophrenia is poorly understood. Our study aimed to evaluate sex influence on proinflammatory and oxidant alterations in male and female mice exposed to the two-hit model of schizophrenia, and its prevention by candesartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker with neuroprotective properties. The two-hit model induced schizophrenia-like behavioral changes in animals of both sexes. Hippocampal microglial activation alongside the increased expression of NF-κB, and proinflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin (IL)-1β and TNF-α, were observed in male animals. Conversely, females presented increased hippocampal and plasma levels of nitrite and plasma lipid peroxidation. Peripubertal administration of low-dose candesartan (0.3 mg/kg PO) prevented behavioral, hippocampal, and systemic changes in male and female mice. While these results indicate the influence of sex on inflammatory and oxidative changes induced by the two-hit model, candesartan was effective in both males and females. The present study advances the neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex influence in schizophrenia and opens new avenues to prevent this devasting mental disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germana Silva Vasconcelos
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Manuel Alves Dos Santos Júnior
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Aline Santos Monte
- University of International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony (Unilab-CE), Brazil
| | - Francisco Eliclécio Rodrigues da Silva
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Camila Nayane de Carvalho Lima
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Ingridy da Silva Medeiros
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Antonio Lucio Teixeira
- Institute of Education and Research, Santa Casa BH, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth Houston, United States of America
| | - David Freitas de Lucena
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Silvânia Maria Mendes Vasconcelos
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Danielle S Macedo
- Drug Research and Development Center, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM, CNPq), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Grković I, Mitrović N, Dragić M. Ectonucleotidases in the hippocampus: Spatial distribution and expression after ovariectomy and estradiol replacement. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2021; 118:199-221. [PMID: 35180927 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Extracellular purine nucleotides, such as adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), are important modulators of hippocampal function and plasticity. In the extracellular space, ATP is inherently short-lived molecule, which undergoes rapid enzymatic degradation to adenosine by ectonucleotidases. Given that ectonucleotidases have distinct and overlapping distribution in the hippocampus, and as ovarian hormones participate in a formation, maturation, and a refinement of synaptic contacts, both during development and in adulthood, the present chapter summarizes known data about spatial distribution of selected ecto-enzymes and estradiol-induced effects on ectonucleotidases in the rat hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Grković
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Nataša Mitrović
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences-National Institute of thе Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milorad Dragić
- Department for General Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Ceccarelli I, Bioletti L, Peparini S, Solomita E, Ricci C, Casini I, Miceli E, Aloisi AM. Estrogens and phytoestrogens in body functions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:648-663. [PMID: 34890602 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Estrogens are the hormones of reproduction in women as well as of many other important functions in the male and female body. They undergo significant changes in the different phases of life, e.g. during puberty, pregnancy or at menopause/andropause. Phytoestrogens are natural non-steroidal phenolic plant compounds that can mimic the activity of estrogens and their beneficial effects in women and in men. This narrative review summarizes the literature on the physiological role of estrogens and the several potential health benefits of phytoestrogens, with particular attention given to the possible role of phytoestrogens in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Ceccarelli
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Lucia Bioletti
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Sofia Peparini
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Erminia Solomita
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Comasia Ricci
- Department Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Ilenia Casini
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Elisangela Miceli
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Aloisi
- Department Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
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Frye HE, Izumi Y, Harris AN, Williams SB, Trousdale CR, Sun MY, Sauerbeck AD, Kummer TT, Mennerick S, Zorumski CF, Nelson EC, Dougherty JD, Morón JA. Sex Differences in the Role of CNIH3 on Spatial Memory and Synaptic Plasticity. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:766-780. [PMID: 34548146 PMCID: PMC8571071 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CNIH3 is an AMPA receptor (AMPAR) auxiliary protein prominently expressed in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a region that plays a critical role in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity. However, the effects of CNIH3 on AMPAR-dependent synaptic function and behavior have not been investigated. METHODS We assessed a gain-of-function model of Cnih3 overexpression in the dHPC and generated and characterized a line of Cnih3-/- C57BL/6 mice. We assessed spatial memory through behavioral assays, protein levels of AMPAR subunits and synaptic proteins by immunoblotting, and long-term potentiation in electrophysiological recordings. We also utilized a super-resolution imaging workflow, SEQUIN (Synaptic Evaluation and Quantification by Imaging of Nanostructure), for analysis of nanoscale synaptic connectivity in the dHPC. RESULTS Overexpression of Cnih3 in the dHPC improved short-term spatial memory in female mice but not in male mice. Cnih3-/- female mice exhibited weakened short-term spatial memory, reduced dHPC synapse density, enhanced expression of calcium-impermeable AMPAR (GluA2-containing) subunits in synaptosomes, and attenuated long-term potentiation maintenance compared with Cnih3+/+ control mice; Cnih3-/- males were unaffected. Further investigation revealed that deficiencies in spatial memory and changes in AMPAR composition and synaptic plasticity were most pronounced during the metestrus phase of the estrous cycle in female Cnih3-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS This study identified a novel effect of sex and estrous on CNIH3's role in spatial memory and synaptic plasticity. Manipulation of CNIH3 unmasked sexually dimorphic effects on spatial memory, synaptic function, AMPAR composition, and hippocampal plasticity. These findings reinforce the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in studies of memory and hippocampal synaptic function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah E Frye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Program in Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Yukitoshi Izumi
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Alexis N Harris
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Sidney B Williams
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Christopher R Trousdale
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Min-Yu Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Andrew D Sauerbeck
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Terrance T Kummer
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Steven Mennerick
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Charles F Zorumski
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Taylor Family Institute for Innovative Psychiatric Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Elliot C Nelson
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jose A Morón
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
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Fuss T. Mate Choice, Sex Roles and Sexual Cognition: Neuronal Prerequisites Supporting Cognitive Mate Choice. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.749499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Across taxa, mate choice is a highly selective process involving both intra- and intersexual selection processes aiming to pass on one’s genes, making mate choice a pivotal tool of sexual selection. Individuals adapt mate choice behavior dynamically in response to environmental and social changes. These changes are perceived sensorily and integrated on a neuronal level, which ultimately leads to an adequate behavioral response. Along with perception and prior to an appropriate behavioral response, the choosing sex has (1) to recognize and discriminate between the prospective mates and (2) to be able to assess and compare their performance in order to make an informed decision. To do so, cognitive processes allow for the simultaneous processing of multiple information from the (in-) animate environment as well as from a variety of both sexual and social (but non-sexual) conspecific cues. Although many behavioral aspects of cognition on one side and of mate choice displays on the other are well understood, the interplay of neuronal mechanisms governing both determinants, i.e., governing cognitive mate choice have been described only vaguely. This review aimed to throw a spotlight on neuronal prerequisites, networks and processes supporting the interaction between mate choice, sex roles and sexual cognition, hence, supporting cognitive mate choice. How does neuronal activity differ between males and females regarding social cognition? Does sex or the respective sex role within the prevailing mating system mirror at a neuronal level? How does cognitive competence affect mate choice? Conversely, how does mate choice affect the cognitive abilities of both sexes? Benefitting from studies using different neuroanatomical techniques such as neuronal activity markers, differential coexpression or candidate gene analyses, modulatory effects of neurotransmitters and hormones, or imaging techniques such as fMRI, there is ample evidence pointing to a reflection of sex and the respective sex role at the neuronal level, at least in individual brain regions. Moreover, this review aims to summarize evidence for cognitive abilities influencing mate choice and vice versa. At the same time, new questions arise centering the complex relationship between neurobiology, cognition and mate choice, which we will perhaps be able to answer with new experimental techniques.
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Posillico CK. Three's Company: Neuroimmune activation, sex, and memory at the tripartite synapse. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 16:100326. [PMID: 34589812 PMCID: PMC8474433 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The neuroimmune system is required for normal cognitive functions such as learning and memory in addition to its critical role in detecting and responding to invading pathogens and injury. Understanding the functional convergence of neurons, astrocytes, and microglia at the synapse, particularly in the hippocampus, is key to understanding the nuances of such diverse roles. In the healthy brain, communication between all three cells is important for regulating neuronal activation and synaptic plasticity mechanisms, and during neuroinflammation, the activity and functions of all three cells can produce and be modulated by inflammatory cytokines. An important remaining component to this system is the conclusive evidence of sex differences in hippocampal plasticity mechanisms, hormone modulation of synaptic plasticity, functional properties of hippocampal neurons, and in neuroimmune activation. Sex as a biological variable here is necessary to consider given sex differences in the prevalence of memory-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Post-Traumatic Stress disorder, both of which present with neuroimmune dysregulation. To make meaningful progress towards a deeper understanding of sex biases in memory-related disease prevalence, I propose that the next chapter of psychoneuroimmune research must focus on the signal integration and transduction at the synapse between experience-dependent plasticity mechanisms, neuroimmune activation, and the influence of biological sex.
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Ahmed MM, Block A, Busquet N, Gardiner KJ. Context Fear Conditioning in Down Syndrome Mouse Models: Effects of Trisomic Gene Content, Age, Sex and Genetic Background. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101528. [PMID: 34680922 PMCID: PMC8535510 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Down syndrome (DS), trisomy of the long arm of human chromosome 21 (Hsa21), is the most common genetic cause of intellectual disability (ID). Currently, there are no effective pharmacotherapies. The success of clinical trials to improve cognition depends in part on the design of preclinical evaluations in mouse models. To broaden understanding of the common limitations of experiments in learning and memory, we report performance in context fear conditioning (CFC) in three mouse models of DS, the Dp(16)1Yey, Dp(17)1Yey and Dp(10)1Yey (abbreviated Dp16, Dp17 and Dp10), separately trisomic for the human Hsa21 orthologs mapping to mouse chromosomes 16, 17 and 10, respectively. We examined female and male mice of the three lines on the standard C57BL/6J background at 3 months of age and Dp17 and Dp10 at 18 months of age. We also examined female and male mice of Dp17 and Dp10 at 3 months of age as F1 hybrids obtained from a cross with the DBA/2J background. Results indicate that genotype, sex, age and genetic background affect CFC performance. These data support the need to use both female and male mice, trisomy of sets of all Hsa21 orthologs, and additional ages and genetic backgrounds to improve the reliability of preclinical evaluations of drugs for ID in DS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Mahiuddin Ahmed
- Department of Neurology, Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Aaron Block
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Nicolas Busquet
- Department of Neurology, Animal Behavior and In Vivo Neurophysiology Core, NeuroTechnology Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Katheleen J. Gardiner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Castillo J, Carmona I, Commins S, Fernández S, Ortells JJ, Cimadevilla JM. Spatial Recognition Memory: Differential Brain Strategic Activation According to Sex. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:736778. [PMID: 34539360 PMCID: PMC8441006 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.736778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human spatial memory research has significantly progressed since the development of computerized tasks, with many studies examining sex-related performances. However, few studies explore the underlying electrophysiological correlates according to sex. In this study event-related potentials were compared between male and female participants during the performance of an allocentric spatial recognition task. Twenty-nine university students took part in the research. Results showed that while general performance was similar in both sexes, the brain of males and females displayed a differential activation. Males showed increased N200 modulation than females in the three phases of memory process (encoding, maintenance, and retrieval). Meanwhile females showed increased activation of P300 in the three phases of memory process compared to males. In addition, females exhibited more negative slow wave (NSW) activity during the encoding phase. These differences are discussed in terms of attentional control and the allocation of attentional resources during spatial processing. Our findings demonstrate that sex modulates the resources recruited to performed this spatial task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Castillo
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - Isabel Carmona
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - Sean Commins
- Department of Psychology, Maynooth University, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Sergio Fernández
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - Juan José Ortells
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
| | - José Manuel Cimadevilla
- Department of Psychology, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain.,Health Research Center, University of Almería, Almeria, Spain
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Schwabe MR, Lincoln CM, Ivers MM, Frick KM. Chemogenetic inactivation of the nucleus reuniens impairs object placement memory in female mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107521. [PMID: 34536525 PMCID: PMC8595750 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107521] [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: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Episodic memory is a complex process requiring input from several regions of the brain. Emerging evidence suggests that coordinated activity between the dorsal hippocampus (DH) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is required for episodic memory consolidation. However, the mechanisms through which the DH and mPFC interact to promote memory consolidation remain poorly understood. A growing body of research suggests that the nucleus reuniens of the thalamus (RE) is one of several structures that facilitate communication between the DH and mPFC during memory and may do so through bidirectional excitatory projections to both regions. Furthermore, recent work from other labs indicates that the RE is necessary for spatial working memory. However, it is not clear to what extent the RE is necessary for memory of object locations. The goal of this study was to determine whether activity in the RE is necessary for spatial memory as measured by the object placement (OP) task in female mice. A kappa-opioid receptor DREADD (KORD) virus was used to inactivate excitatory neurons in the RE pre- or post-training to establish a role for the RE in spatial memory acquisition and consolidation, respectively. RE inactivation prior to, or immediately after, object training blocked OP memory formation relative to chance and to control mice. Moreover, expression of the immediate early gene EGR-1 was reduced in the RE 1 hour after an object training trial, supporting the conclusion that reduced neuronal activity in the RE impairs the formation of object location memories. In summary, the findings of this study support a key role for the RE in spatial memory acquisition and consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda R Schwabe
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Carnita M Lincoln
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Margaret M Ivers
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States
| | - Karyn M Frick
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, United States.
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50
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Carlyle BC, Kandigian SE, Kreuzer J, Das S, Trombetta BA, Kuo Y, Bennett DA, Schneider JA, Petyuk VA, Kitchen RR, Morris R, Nairn AC, Hyman BT, Haas W, Arnold SE. Synaptic proteins associated with cognitive performance and neuropathology in older humans revealed by multiplexed fractionated proteomics. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 105:99-114. [PMID: 34052751 PMCID: PMC8338777 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is defined by the presence of abundant amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau neuropathology. While this neuropathology is necessary for AD diagnosis, it is not sufficient for causing cognitive impairment. Up to one third of community dwelling older adults harbor intermediate to high levels of AD neuropathology at death yet demonstrate no significant cognitive impairment. Conversely, there are individuals who exhibit dementia with no gross explanatory neuropathology. In prior studies, synapse loss correlated with cognitive impairment. To understand how synaptic composition changes in relation to neuropathology and cognition, multiplexed liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry was used to quantify enriched synaptic proteins from the parietal association cortex of 100 subjects with contrasting levels of AD pathology and cognitive performance. 123 unique proteins were significantly associated with diagnostic category. Functional analysis showed enrichment of serotonin release and oxidative phosphorylation categories in normal (cognitively unimpaired, low neuropathology) and "resilient" (unimpaired despite AD pathology) individuals. In contrast, frail individuals, (low pathology, impaired cognition) showed a metabolic shift towards glycolysis and increased presence of proteasome subunits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becky C Carlyle
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Savannah E Kandigian
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Johannes Kreuzer
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Sudeshna Das
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bianca A Trombetta
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yikai Kuo
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Cardiology Division, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Robert R Kitchen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Cardiology Division, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Robert Morris
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | | | - Bradley T Hyman
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wilhelm Haas
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Steven E Arnold
- Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Neurology, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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