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Witkin JM, Shafique H, Cerne R, Smith JL, Marini AM, Lipsky RH, Delery E. Mechanistic and therapeutic relationships of traumatic brain injury and γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA). Pharmacol Ther 2024; 256:108609. [PMID: 38369062 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108609] [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: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a highly prevalent medical condition for which no medications specific for the prophylaxis or treatment of the condition as a whole exist. The spectrum of symptoms includes coma, headache, seizures, cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety. Although it has been known for years that the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) is involved in TBI, no novel therapeutics based upon this mechanism have been introduced into clinical practice. We review the neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, neurochemical, and neuropharmacological relationships of GABA neurotransmission to TBI with a view toward new potential GABA-based medicines. The long-standing idea that excitatory and inhibitory (GABA and others) balances are disrupted by TBI is supported by the experimental data but has failed to invent novel methods of restoring this balance. The slow progress in advancing new treatments is due to the complexity of the disorder that encompasses multiple dynamically interacting biological processes including hemodynamic and metabolic systems, neurodegeneration and neurogenesis, major disruptions in neural networks and axons, frank brain lesions, and a multitude of symptoms that have differential neuronal and neurohormonal regulatory mechanisms. Although the current and ongoing clinical studies include GABAergic drugs, no novel GABA compounds are being explored. It is suggested that filling the gap in understanding the roles played by specific GABAA receptor configurations within specific neuronal circuits could help define new therapeutic approaches. Further research into the temporal and spatial delivery of GABA modulators should also be useful. Along with GABA modulation, research into the sequencing of GABA and non-GABA treatments will be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Witkin
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Departments of Neuroscience and Trauma Research, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA; RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Glen Rock, NJ, USA.
| | | | - Rok Cerne
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA; RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Glen Rock, NJ, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University/Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jodi L Smith
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ann M Marini
- Department of Neurology, Program in Neuroscience, and Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert H Lipsky
- Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Delery
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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2
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De Barros Oliveira R, Anselmi M, Marchette RCN, Roversi K, Fadanni GP, De Carvalho LM, Damasceno S, Heinrich IA, Leal RB, Cavalli J, Moreira-Júnior RE, Godard ALB, Izídio GS. Differential expression of alpha-synuclein in the hippocampus of SHR and SLA16 isogenic rat strains. Behav Brain Res 2024; 461:114835. [PMID: 38151185 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114835] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Two inbred strains, Lewis (LEW) and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR), are well-known for their contrasting behavior related to anxiety/emotionality. Studies with these two strains led to the discovery of the Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) on chromosome 4 (Anxrr16). To better understand the influences of this genomic region, the congenic rat strain SLA16 (SHR.LEW-Anxrr16) was developed. SLA16 rats present higher hyperactivity/impulsivity, deficits in learning and memory, and lower basal blood pressure than the SHR strain, even though genetic differences between them are only in chromosome 4. Thus, the present study proposed the alpha-synuclein and the dopaminergic system as candidates to explain the differential behavior of SHR and SLA16 strains. To accomplish this, beyond the behavioral analysis, we performed (I) the Snca gene expression and (II) quantification of the alpha-synuclein protein in the hippocampus (HPC), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and striatum (STR) of SHR and SLA16 strains; (III) sequencing of the 3'UTR of the Snca gene; and (IV) evaluation of miRNA binding in the 3'UTR site. A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) was identified in the 3'UTR of the Snca gene, which exhibited upregulation in the HPC of SHR compared to SLA16 females. Alpha-synuclein protein was higher in the HPC of SHR males compared to SLA16 males. The results of this work suggested that differences in alpha-synuclein HPC content could be influenced by miRNA regulation and associated with behavioral differences between SHR and SLA16 animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel De Barros Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Mayara Anselmi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | | | - Katiane Roversi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Pasetto Fadanni
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Luana Martins De Carvalho
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Samara Damasceno
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Bainy Leal
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Juliana Cavalli
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Curitibanos, Brazil
| | | | - Ana Lúcia Brunialti Godard
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Geison Souza Izídio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
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3
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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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Alahmadi AA, Alotaibi NO, Hakami NY, Almutairi RS, Darwesh AM, Abdeen R, Alghamdi J, Abdulaal OM, Alsharif W, Sultan SR, Kanbayti IH. Gender and cytoarchitecture differences: Functional connectivity of the hippocampal sub-regions. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20389. [PMID: 37780771 PMCID: PMC10539667 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20389] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The hippocampus plays a significant role in learning, memory encoding, and spatial navigation. Typically, the hippocampus is investigated as a whole region of interest. However, recent work has developed fully detailed atlases based on cytoarchitecture properties of brain regions, and the hippocampus has been sub-divided into seven sub-areas that have structural differences in terms of distinct numbers of cells, neurons, and other structural and chemical properties. Moreover, gender differences are of increasing concern in neuroscience research. Several neuroscience studies have found structural and functional variations between the brain regions of females and males, and the hippocampus is one of these regions. Aim The aim of this study to explore whether the cytoarchitecturally distinct sub-regions of the hippocampus have varying patterns of functional connectivity with different networks of the brain and how these functional connections differ in terms of gender differences. Method This study investigated 200 healthy participants using seed-based resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). The primary aim of this study was to explore the resting connectivity and gender distinctions associated with specific sub-regions of the hippocampus and their relationship with major functional brain networks. Results The findings revealed that the majority of the seven hippocampal sub-regions displayed functional connections with key brain networks, and distinct patterns of functional connectivity were observed between the hippocampal sub-regions and various functional networks within the brain. Notably, the default and visual networks exhibited the most consistent functional connections. Additionally, gender-based analysis highlighted evident functional resemblances and disparities, particularly concerning the anterior section of the hippocampus. Conclusion This study highlighted the functional connectivity patterns and involvement of the hippocampal sub-regions in major brain functional networks, indicating that the hippocampus should be investigated as a region of multiple distinct functions and should always be examined as sub-regions of interest. The results also revealed clear gender differences in functional connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adnan A.S. Alahmadi
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- NMR Research Unit, Department of Neuroinflammation, Queen Square MS Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nada O. Alotaibi
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah Y. Hakami
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raghad S. Almutairi
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afnan M.F. Darwesh
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rawan Abdeen
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Jamaan Alghamdi
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Osamah M. Abdulaal
- Diagnostic Radiology Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Walaa Alsharif
- Diagnostic Radiology Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madina, Saudi Arabia
| | - Salahaden R. Sultan
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahem H. Kanbayti
- Radiologic Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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5
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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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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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7
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Frankfurt M, Nassrallah Z, Luine V. Steroid Hormone Interaction with Dendritic Spines: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disease. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:349-366. [PMID: 37962800 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_8] [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: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines, key sites for neural plasticity, are influenced by gonadal steroids. In this chapter, we review the effects of gonadal steroids on dendritic spine density in areas important to cognitive function, the hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Most of these animal model studies investigated the effects of estrogen in females, but we also include more recent data on androgen effects in both males and females. The underlying genomic and non-genomic mechanisms related to gonadal steroid-induced spinogenesis are also reviewed. Subsequently, we discuss possible reasons for the observed sex differences in many neuropsychiatric diseases, which appear to be caused, in part, by aberrant synaptic connections that may involve dendritic spine pathology. Overall, knowledge concerning the regulation of dendritic spines by gonadal hormones has grown since the initial discoveries in the 1990s, and current research points to a potential role for aberrant spine functioning in many neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Frankfurt
- Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, Hempstead, NY, USA.
| | - Zeinab Nassrallah
- Department of Science Education Zucker School of Medicine, 500 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Victoria Luine
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, New York, NY, USA
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8
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Granata L, Gildawie KR, Ismail N, Brenhouse HC, Kopec AM. Immune signaling as a node of interaction between systems that sex-specifically develop during puberty and adolescence. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 57:101143. [PMID: 35933922 PMCID: PMC9357835 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is pivotal for neural and behavioral development across species. During this period, maturation occurs in several biological systems, the most well-recognized being activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis marking pubertal onset. Increasing comparative studies of sex differences have enriched our understanding of systems integration during neurodevelopment. In recent years, immune signaling has emerged as a key node of interaction between a variety of biological signaling processes. Herein, we review the age- and sex-specific changes that occur in neural, hypothalamic-pituitary, and microbiome systems during adolescence. We then describe how immune signaling interacts with these systems, and review recent preclinical evidence indicating that immune signaling may play a central role in integrating changes in their typical and atypical development during adolescence. Finally, we discuss the translational relevance of these preclinical studies to human health and wellness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Granata
- Northeastern University, 125 Nightingale Hall, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Kelsea R Gildawie
- Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Rd. North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
| | - Nafissa Ismail
- University of Ottawa, 136 Jean-Jacques Lussier, Vanier Hall 2076A, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Canada.
| | | | - Ashley M Kopec
- Albany Medical College, 43 New Scotland Ave., Albany, NY 12208, USA.
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Bowman R, Frankfurt M, Luine V. Sex differences in cognition following variations in endocrine status. Learn Mem 2022; 29:234-245. [PMID: 36206395 PMCID: PMC9488023 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053509.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Spatial memory, mediated primarily by the hippocampus, is responsible for orientation in space and retrieval of information regarding location of objects and places in an animal's environment. Since the hippocampus is dense with steroid hormone receptors and is capable of robust neuroplasticity, it is not surprising that changes in spatial memory performance occur following a variety of endocrine alterations. Here, we review cognitive changes in both spatial and nonspatial memory tasks following manipulations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and gonadal axes and after exposure to endocrine disruptors in rodents. Chronic stress impairs male performance on numerous behavioral cognitive tasks and enhances or does not impact female cognitive function. Sex-dependent changes in cognition following stress are influenced by both organizational and activational effects of estrogen and vary depending on the developmental age of the stress exposure, but responses to gonadal hormones in adulthood are more similar than different in the sexes. Also discussed are possible underlying neural mechanisms for these steroid hormone-dependent, cognitive effects. Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, given at low levels during adolescent development, impairs spatial memory in adolescent male and female rats and object recognition memory in adulthood. BPA's negative effects on memory may be mediated through alterations in dendritic spine density in areas that mediate these cognitive tasks. In summary, this review discusses the evidence that endocrine status of an animal (presence or absence of stress hormones, gonadal hormones, or endocrine disruptors) impacts cognitive function and, at times, in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Bowman
- Department of Psychology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut 06825, USA
| | - Maya Frankfurt
- Department of Psychology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut 06825, USA
- Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York 11549, USA
| | - Victoria Luine
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College of City University of New York, New York, New York 10065, USA
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10
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Jennen L, Mazereel V, Lecei A, Samaey C, Vancampfort D, van Winkel R. Exercise to spot the differences: a framework for the effect of exercise on hippocampal pattern separation in humans. Rev Neurosci 2022; 33:555-582. [PMID: 35172422 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2021-0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Exercise has a beneficial effect on mental health and cognitive functioning, but the exact underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In this review, we focus on the effect of exercise on hippocampal pattern separation, which is a key component of episodic memory. Research has associated exercise with improvements in pattern separation. We propose an integrated framework mechanistically explaining this relationship. The framework is divided into three pathways, describing the pro-neuroplastic, anti-inflammatory and hormonal effects of exercise. The pathways are heavily intertwined and may result in functional and structural changes in the hippocampus. These changes can ultimately affect pattern separation through direct and indirect connections. The proposed framework might guide future research on the effect of exercise on pattern separation in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise Jennen
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, ON V Herestraat 49, bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Victor Mazereel
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, ON V Herestraat 49, bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Leuvensesteenweg 517, 3070 Leuven-Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Aleksandra Lecei
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, ON V Herestraat 49, bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Celine Samaey
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, ON V Herestraat 49, bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Davy Vancampfort
- University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Leuvensesteenweg 517, 3070 Leuven-Kortenberg, Belgium.,KU Leuven Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, ON IV Herestraat 49, bus 1510, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ruud van Winkel
- KU Leuven, Department of Neurosciences, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, ON V Herestraat 49, bus 1029, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Leuvensesteenweg 517, 3070 Leuven-Kortenberg, Belgium
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Sex differences in the rodent hippocampal opioid system following stress and oxycodone associated learning processes. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 212:173294. [PMID: 34752798 PMCID: PMC8748406 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2021.173294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, opioid abuse has risen especially among women. In both sexes hippocampal neural circuits involved in associative memory formation and encoding of motivational incentives are critically important in the transition from initial drug use to drug abuse/dependence. Opioid circuits, particularly the mossy fiber pathway, are crucial for associative memory processes important for addiction. Our anatomical studies, especially those utilizing electron microscopic immunocytochemistry, have provided unique insight into sex differences in the distribution of opioid peptides and receptors in specific hippocampal circuits and how these distributions are altered following stress and oxycodone-associative learning processes. Here we review the hippocampal opioid system in rodents with respect to ovarian hormones effects and baseline sex differences then sex differences following acute and chronic stress. Next, we review sex differences in the hippocampal opioid system in unstressed and chronically stressed rats following oxycodone conditioned place preference. We show that opioid peptides and receptors are distributed within hippocampal circuits in females with elevated estrogen states in a manner that would enhance sensitivity to endogenous and exogenous opioids. Moreover, chronic stress primes the opioid system in females in a manner that would promote opioid-associative learning processes. In contrast, chronic stress has limited effects on the opioid system in males and reduces its capacity to support opioid-mediated learning processes. Interestingly, acute stress appears to prime males for opioid associative learning. On a broader scale the findings highlighted in this review have important implications in understanding sex differences in opioid drug use and abuse.
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12
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Long-lasting Postnatal Sensory Deprivation Alters Dendritic Morphology of Pyramidal Neurons in the Rat Hippocampus: Behavioral Correlates. Neuroscience 2022; 480:79-96. [PMID: 34785272 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The role of normal sensory inputs in the development of sensory cortices is well known, however, their impacts on the hippocampus, an integrator of sensory modalities with important roles in cognitive functions, has received much less attention. Here, we applied a long-term sensory deprivation paradigm by trimming the rats' whiskers bilaterally, from postnatal day 3 to 59. Female sensory-deprived (SD) rats showed more on-wall rearing and visits to the center of the open-field box, shorter periods of grooming, less defecation and less anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus-maze compared to controls, who had their intact whiskers brushed. Passive avoidance memory retention was sex-dependently impaired in the female SD rats. In the radial arm maze, however, reference spatial memory was impaired only in the male SD rats. Nonetheless, working memory errors increased in both sexes of SD rats. Besides depletion of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in SD rats, Sholl analysis of Golgi-Cox stained neurons revealed that prolonged sensory deprivation has retracted the arborization of CA1 basal dendrites in SD group, while solely female SD rats had diminished CA1 apical dendrites. Sholl analysis of CA3 neurons in SD animals also disclosed significantly more branched apical dendrites in males and basal dendrites in females. Sensory deprivation also led to a considerable spine loss and variation of different spine types in a sex-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that experience-dependent structural plasticity is capable of spreading far beyond the manipulated sensory zones and the inevitable functional alterations can be expressed in a multifactorial sex-dependent manner.
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13
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Navakkode S, Gaunt JR, Pavon MV, Bansal VA, Abraham RP, Chong YS, Ch'ng TH, Sajikumar S. Sex-specific accelerated decay in time/activity-dependent plasticity and associative memory in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13502. [PMID: 34796608 PMCID: PMC8672784 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies have shown that female brains are more predisposed to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this disparity remain unknown. In several mouse models of AD, synaptic plasticity dysfunction is an early event and appears before significant accumulation of amyloid plaques and neuronal degeneration. However, it is unclear whether sexual dimorphism at the synaptic level contributes to the higher risk and prevalence of AD in females. Our studies on APP/PS1 (APPSwe/PS1dE9) mouse model show that AD impacts hippocampal long‐term plasticity in a sex‐specific manner. Long‐term potentiation (LTP) induced by strong tetanic stimulation (STET), theta burst stimulation (TBS) and population spike timing‐dependent plasticity (pSTDP) show a faster decay in AD females compared with age‐matched AD males. In addition, behavioural tagging (BT), a model of associative memory, is specifically impaired in AD females with a faster decay in memory compared with males. Together with the plasticity and behavioural data, we also observed an upregulation of neuroinflammatory markers, along with downregulation of transcripts that regulate cellular processes associated with synaptic plasticity and memory in females. Immunohistochemistry of AD brains confirms that female APP/PS1 mice carry a higher amyloid plaque burden and have enhanced microglial activation compared with male APP/PS1 mice. Their presence in the diseased mice also suggests a link between the impairment of LTP and the upregulation of the inflammatory response. Overall, our data show that synaptic plasticity and associative memory impairments are more prominent in females and this might account for the faster progression of AD in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheeja Navakkode
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
- Department of Physiology National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Jessica Ruth Gaunt
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| | - Maria Vazquez Pavon
- Department of Physiology National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | | | - Riya Prasad Abraham
- Department of Physiology National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Yee Song Chong
- Department of Physiology National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
| | - Toh Hean Ch'ng
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
- School of Biological Science Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore
| | - Sreedharan Sajikumar
- Department of Physiology National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
- Life Sciences Institute Neurobiology Programme National University of Singapore Singapore Singapore
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14
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Windisch KA, Mazid S, Johnson MA, Ashirova E, Zhou Y, Gergoire L, Warwick S, McEwen BS, Kreek MJ, Milner TA. Acute Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol administration differentially alters the hippocampal opioid system in adult female and male rats. Synapse 2021; 75:e22218. [PMID: 34255372 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Our prior studies demonstrated that the rat hippocampal opioid system can undergo sex-specific adaptations to external stimuli that can influence opioid-associated learning processes. This opioid system extensively overlaps with the cannabinoid system. Moreover, acute administration of Δ9 Tetrahydrocannabinoid (THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis, can alter cognitive behaviors that involve the hippocampus. Here, we use light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical methods to examine the effects of acute THC (5 mg/kg, i.p., 1 h) on mossy fiber Leu-Enkephalin (LEnk) levels and the distribution and phosphorylation levels of delta and mu opioid receptors (DORs and MORs, respectively) in CA3 pyramidal cells and parvalbumin dentate hilar interneurons of adult female and male Sprague-Dawley rats. In females with elevated estrogen states (proestrus/estrus stage), acute THC altered the opioid system so that it resembled that seen in vehicle-injected females with low estrogen states (diestrus) and males: (1) mossy fiber LEnk levels in CA2/3a decreased; (2) phosphorylated-DOR levels in CA2/3a pyramidal cells increased; and (3) phosphorylated-MOR levels increased in most CA3b laminae. In males, acute THC resulted in the internalization of MORs in parvalbumin-containing interneuron dendrites which would decrease disinhibition of granule cells. In both sexes, acute THC redistributed DORs to the near plasma membrane of CA3 pyramidal cell dendrites, however, the dendritic region varied with sex. Additionally, acute THC also resulted in a sex-specific redistribution of DORs within CA3 pyramidal cell dendrites which could differentially promote synaptic plasticity and/or opioid-associated learning processes in both females and males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A Windisch
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Sanoara Mazid
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Megan A Johnson
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Elina Ashirova
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Yan Zhou
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Lennox Gergoire
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Sydney Warwick
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Bruce S McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York
| | - Teresa A Milner
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York.,Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
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15
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Debarba LK, Jayarathne HSM, Miller RA, Garratt M, Sadagurski M. 17-a-estradiol has sex-specific effects on neuroinflammation that are partly reversed by gonadectomy. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 77:66-74. [PMID: 34309657 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
17-α-estradiol (17aE2) treatment from 4-months of age extends lifespan in male mice and can reduce neuroinflammatory responses in the hypothalamus of 12-month-old males. Although 17aE2 improves longevity in males, female mice are unaffected, suggesting a sexually dimorphic pattern of lifespan regulation. We tested whether the sex-specific effects of 17aE2 on neuroinflammatory responses are affected by gonadal removal and whether hypothalamic changes extend to other brain regions in old age. We show that sex-specific effects of 17aE2 on age-associated gliosis are brain region-specific and are partially dependent on gonadectomy. 17aE2 treatment started at 4 months of age protected 25-month-old males from hypothalamic inflammation. Castration before 17aE2 exposure reduced the effect of 17aE2 on hypothalamic astrogliosis in males. By contrast, sex-specific inhibition of microgliosis generated by 17aE2 was not significantly affected by castration. In the hippocampus, gonadectomy influenced the severity of gliosis and the responsiveness to 17aE2 in a region-dependent manner. The male-specific effects of 17aE2 correlate with increases in hypothalamic ERα expression, specifically in gonadally intact males, consistent with the idea that 17aE2 might act through this receptor. Our results indicate that neuroinflammatory responses to 17aE2 are partially controlled by the presence of sex-specific gonads. Loss of gonadal function and age-associated neuroinflammation could, therefore, influence late-life health and disease onset, leading to sexual dimorphism in both aging and in response to drugs that modify the pace of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas K Debarba
- Department of Biological Sciences, IBio (Integrative Biosciences Center), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, MI
| | - Hashan S M Jayarathne
- Department of Biological Sciences, IBio (Integrative Biosciences Center), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, MI
| | - Richard A Miller
- Department of Pathology and Geriatrics Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Michael Garratt
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ
| | - Marianna Sadagurski
- Department of Biological Sciences, IBio (Integrative Biosciences Center), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, MI
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16
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Chronic adolescent stress causes sustained impairment of cognitive flexibility and hippocampal synaptic strength in female rats. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100303. [PMID: 33614865 PMCID: PMC7876631 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Females that experience chronic stress during development, particularly adolescence, are the most vulnerable group to stress-induced disease. While considerable attention has been devoted to stress-induced manifestation of anxiety, depression, and PTSD, evidence indicates that a history of chronic stress is also a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia - with females again in a higher risk group. This interplay between sex and stress history indicates specific mechanisms drive neural dysfunction across the lifespan. The presence of sex and stress steroid receptors in the hippocampus provides a point of influence for these variables to drive changes in cognitive function. Here, we used a rodent model of chronic adolescent stress (CAS) to determine the extent to which CAS modifies glutamatergic signaling resulting in cognitive dysfunction. Male and female Wistar rats born in-house remained non-stressed (NS), unmanipulated aside from standard cage cleaning, or were exposed to either physical restraint (60 min) or social defeat (CAS) each day (6 trials each), along with social isolation, throughout the adolescent period (PND 35-47). Cognition was assessed in adult (PND 80-130) male and female rats (n = 10-12) using the Barnes Maze task and the Attention Set-Shift task. Whole hippocampi were extracted from a second cohort of male and female rats (NS and CAS; n = 9-10) and processed for RNA sequencing. Brain tissue from the first cohort (n = 6) was processed for density of glutamatergic synaptic markers (GluA1, NMDA1a, and synaptophysin) or whole-cell patch clamping (n = 4) to determine glutamatergic activity in the hippocampus. Females with a history of chronic stress had shorter latencies to locate the goal box than NS controls during acquisition learning but showed an increased latency to locate the new goal box during reversal learning. This reversal deficit persisted across domains as females with a history of stress required more trials to reach criterion during the reversal phases of the Attention Set-Shift task compared to controls. Ovariectomy resulted in greater performance variability overall during reversal learning with CAS females showing worse performance. Males showed no effects of CAS history on learning or memory performance. Bioinformatic prediction using gene ontology categorization indicated that in females, postsynaptic membrane gene clusters, specifically genes related to glutamatergic synapse remodeling, were enriched with a history of stress. Structural analysis indicated that CAS did not alter glutamate receptor density in females. However, functionally, CAS females had a decreased AMPA/NMDA-dependent current ratio compared to controls indicating a weakening in synaptic strength in the hippocampus. Males showed only a slight change in density of NMDA1a labeling in the CA3 region with a history of stress. The data observed here suggest that females are at risk for impaired cognitive flexibility following a history of adolescent stress, possibly driven by changes in glutamatergic signaling.
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17
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Rubin BR, Johnson MA, Berman JM, Goldstein E, Pertsovskaya V, Zhou Y, Contoreggi NH, Dyer AG, Gray JD, Waters EM, McEwen BS, Kreek MJ, Milner TA. Sex and chronic stress alter delta opioid receptor distribution within rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells following behavioral challenges. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100236. [PMID: 33344692 PMCID: PMC7739044 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Following oxycodone (Oxy) conditioned place preference (CPP), delta opioid receptors (DORs) differentially redistribute in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells in female and male rats in a manner that would promote plasticity and opioid-associative learning processes. However, following chronic immobilization stress (CIS), males do not acquire Oxy-CPP and the trafficking of DORs in CA3 pyramidal neurons is attenuated. Here, we examined the subcellular distribution of DORs in CA1 pyramidal cells using electron microscopy in these same cohorts. CPP Saline (Sal)-females compared to Sal-males have more cytoplasmic and total DORs in dendrites and more DOR-labeled spines. Following Oxy-CPP, DORs redistribute from near-plasmalemma pools in dendrites to spines in males. CIS Control females compared to control males have more near-plasmalemmal dendritic DORs. Following CIS, dendritic DORs are elevated in the cytoplasm in females and near-plasmalemma in males. CIS plus CPP CIS Sal-females compared to CIS Sal-males have more DORs on the plasmalemma of dendrites and in spines. After Oxy, the distribution of DORs does not change in either females or males. Conclusion Following Oxy-CPP, DORs within CA1 pyramidal cells remain positioned in naïve female rats to enhance sensitivity to DOR agonists and traffic to dendritic spines in naïve males where they can promote plasticity processes. Following CIS plus behavioral enrichment, DORs are redistributed within CA1 pyramidal cells in females in a manner that could enhance sensitivity to DOR agonists. Conversely, CIS plus behavioral enrichment does not alter DORs in CA1 pyramidal cells in males, which may contribute to their diminished capacity to acquire Oxy-CPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batsheva R. Rubin
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Megan A. Johnson
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Jared M. Berman
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Ellen Goldstein
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Vera Pertsovskaya
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Yan Zhou
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Natalina H. Contoreggi
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Andreina G. Dyer
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Jason D. Gray
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Elizabeth M. Waters
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Bruce S. McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Teresa A. Milner
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, New York, NY, 10065, United States
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Avenue, New York, NY, 10065, United States
- Corresponding author. Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, 407 East 61st Street, RM 307 New York, NY 10065, United States.
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18
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Associations between Alzheimer's disease polygenic risk scores and hippocampal subfield volumes in 17,161 UK Biobank participants. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 98:108-115. [PMID: 33259984 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Hippocampal volume is an important biomarker of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and genetic risk of AD is associated with hippocampal atrophy. However, the hippocampus is not a uniform structure and has a number of subfields, the associations of which with age, sex, and polygenic risk score for AD (PRSAD) have been inadequately investigated. We examined these associations in 17,161 cognitively normal UK Biobank participants (44-80 years). Age was negatively associated with all the hippocampal subfield volumes and females had smaller volumes than men. Higher PRSAD was associated with lower volumes in the bilateral whole hippocampus, hippocampal-amygdala-transition-area, and hippocampal tail; right subiculum; left cornu ammonis 1, cornu ammonis 4, molecular layer, and granule cell layer of dentate gyrus. Older individuals (median age 63 years, n = 8984) showed greater subfield vulnerability to high PRSAD compared to the younger group (n = 8177), but the effect did not differ by sex. The pattern of subfield involvement in relation to the PRSAD in community dwelling healthy individuals sheds additional light on the pathogenesis of AD.
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19
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Lynch KM, Shi Y, Toga AW, Clark KA. Hippocampal Shape Maturation in Childhood and Adolescence. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:3651-3665. [PMID: 30272143 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a subcortical structure critical for learning and memory, and a thorough understanding of its neurodevelopment is important for studying these processes in health and disease. However, few studies have quantified the typical developmental trajectory of the structure in childhood and adolescence. This study examined the cross-sectional age-related changes and sex differences in hippocampal shape in a multisite, multistudy cohort of 1676 typically developing children (age 1-22 years) using a novel intrinsic brain mapping method based on Laplace-Beltrami embedding of surfaces. Significant age-related expansion was observed bilaterally and nonlinear growth was observed primarily in the right head and tail of the hippocampus. Sex differences were also observed bilaterally along the lateral and medial aspects of the surface, with females exhibiting relatively larger surface expansion than males. Additionally, the superior posterior lateral surface of the left hippocampus exhibited an age-sex interaction with females expanding faster than males. Shape analysis provides enhanced sensitivity to regional changes in hippocampal morphology over traditional volumetric approaches and allows for the localization of developmental effects. Our results further support evidence that hippocampal structures follow distinct maturational trajectories that may coincide with the development of learning and memory skills during critical periods of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M Lynch
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Yonggang Shi
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Arthur W Toga
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Kristi A Clark
- Keck School of Medicine of USC, USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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20
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Bettio LEB, Thacker JS, Rodgers SP, Brocardo PS, Christie BR, Gil-Mohapel J. Interplay between hormones and exercise on hippocampal plasticity across the lifespan. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1866:165821. [PMID: 32376385 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus is a brain structure known to play a central role in cognitive function (namely learning and memory) as well as mood regulation and affective behaviors due in part to its ability to undergo structural and functional changes in response to intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli. While structural changes are achieved through modulation of hippocampal neurogenesis as well as alterations in dendritic morphology and spine remodeling, functional (i.e., synaptic) changes can be noted through the strengthening (i.e., long-term potentiation) or weakening (i.e., long-term depression) of the synapses. While age, hormone homeostasis, and levels of physical activity are some of the factors known to module these forms of hippocampal plasticity, the exact mechanisms through which these factors interact with each other at a given moment in time are not completely understood. It is well known that hormonal levels vary throughout the lifespan of an individual and it is also known that physical exercise can impact hormonal homeostasis. Thus, it is reasonable to speculate that hormone modulation might be one of the various mechanisms through which physical exercise differently impacts hippocampal plasticity throughout distinct periods of an individual's life. The present review summarizes the potential relationship between physical exercise and different types of hormones (namely sex, metabolic, and stress hormones) and how this relationship may mediate the effects of physical activity during three distinct life periods, adolescence, adulthood, and senescence. Overall, the vast majority of studies support a beneficial role of exercise in maintaining hippocampal hormonal levels and consequently, hippocampal plasticity, cognition, and mood regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E B Bettio
- Division of Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Jonathan S Thacker
- Division of Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Shaefali P Rodgers
- Developmental, Cognitive & Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics, University of Houston, TX, USA
| | - Patricia S Brocardo
- Department of Morphological Sciences, Centre of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Brian R Christie
- Division of Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Joana Gil-Mohapel
- Division of Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Island Medical Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Victoria, BC, Canada.
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21
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Ashirova E, Contoreggi NH, Johnson MA, Al-Khayat FJ, Calcano GA, Rubin BR, O'Cinneide EM, Zhang Y, Zhou Y, Gregoire L, McEwen BS, Kreek MJ, Milner TA. Oxycodone injections not paired with conditioned place preference have little effect on the hippocampal opioid system in female and male rats. Synapse 2020; 75:e22182. [PMID: 32654187 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oxycodone (Oxy) conditioned place preference (CPP) in Sprague Dawley rats results in sex-specific alterations in hippocampal opioid circuits in a manner that facilitates opioid-associative learning processes, particularly in females. Here, we examined if Oxy (3 mg/kg, I.P.) or saline (Sal) injections not paired with behavioral testing similarly affect the hippocampal opioid system. Sal-injected females compared to Sal-injected males had: (1) higher densities of cytoplasmic delta opioid receptors (DOR) in GABAergic hilar dendrites suggesting higher baseline reserve DOR pools and (2) elevated phosphorylated DOR levels, but lower phosphorylated mu opioid receptor (MOR) levels in CA3a suggesting that the baseline pools of activated opioid receptors vary in females and males. In contrast to CPP studies, Oxy-injections in the absence of behavioral tests resulted in few changes in the hippocampal opioid system in either females or males. Specifically, Oxy-injected males compared to Sal-injected males had fewer DORs near the plasma membrane of CA3 pyramidal cell dendrites and in CA3 dendritic spines contacted by mossy fibers, and lower pMOR levels in CA3a. Oxy-injected females compared to Sal-injected females had higher total DORs in GABAergic dendrites and lower total MORs in parvalbumin-containing dendrites. Thus, unlike Oxy CPP, Oxy-injections redistributed opioid receptors in hippocampal neurons in a manner that would either decrease (males) or not alter (females) excitability and plasticity processes. These results indicate that the majority of changes within hippocampal opioid circuits that would promote opioid-associative learning processes in both females and males do not occur with Oxy administration alone, and instead must be paired with CPP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Ashirova
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalina H Contoreggi
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Megan A Johnson
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Fatima J Al-Khayat
- Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, Qatar Foundation, Education City, Doha, Qatar
| | - Gabriela A Calcano
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Batsheva R Rubin
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emma M O'Cinneide
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yan Zhou
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lennox Gregoire
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bruce S McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- The Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Teresa A Milner
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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22
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Marrocco J, Einhorn NR, Petty GH, Li H, Dubey N, Hoffman J, Berman KF, Goldman D, Lee FS, Schmidt PJ, McEwen BS. Epigenetic intersection of BDNF Val66Met genotype with premenstrual dysphoric disorder transcriptome in a cross-species model of estradiol add-back. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:572-583. [PMID: 30356121 PMCID: PMC7042769 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0274-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) affects over 5% of women, with symptoms similar to anxiety and major depression, and is associated with differential sensitivity to circulating ovarian hormones. Little is known about the genetic and epigenetic factors that increase the risk to develop PMDD. We report that 17β-estradiol (E2) affects the behavior and the epigenome in a mouse model carrying a single-nucleotide polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF Val66Met), in a way that recapitulates the hallmarks of PMDD. Ovariectomized mice heterozygous for the BDNF Met allele (Het-Met) and their matched wild-type (WT) mice were administered estradiol or vehicle in drinking water for 6 weeks. Using the open field and the splash test, we show that E2 add-back induces anxiety-like and depression-like behavior in Het-Met mice, but not in WT mice. RNA-seq of the ventral hippocampus (vHpc) highlights that E2-dependent gene expression is markedly different between WT mice and Het-Met mice. Through a comparative whole-genome RNA-seq analysis between mouse vHpc and lymphoblastoid cell line cultures from control women and women with PMDD, we discovered common epigenetic biomarkers that transcend species and cell types. Those genes include epigenetic modifiers of the ESC/E(Z) complex, an effector of response to ovarian steroids. Although the BDNF Met genotype intersects the behavioral and transcriptional traits of women with PMDD, we suggest that these similarities speak to the epigenetic factors by which ovarian steroids produce negative behavioral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Marrocco
- 0000 0001 2166 1519grid.134907.8Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Nathan R. Einhorn
- 0000 0001 2166 1519grid.134907.8Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Gordon H. Petty
- 0000 0001 2166 1519grid.134907.8Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
| | - Howard Li
- 0000 0004 0464 0574grid.416868.5Behavioral Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Neelima Dubey
- grid.440681.fDr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute, Pune, India
| | - Jessica Hoffman
- 0000 0001 0421 5525grid.265436.0Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Karen F. Berman
- 0000 0004 0464 0574grid.416868.5Section on Integrative Neuroimaging, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - David Goldman
- 0000 0004 0481 4802grid.420085.bLaboratory of Neurogenetics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Francis S. Lee
- 000000041936877Xgrid.5386.8Department of Psychiatry, Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY USA
| | - Peter J. Schmidt
- 0000 0004 0464 0574grid.416868.5Behavioral Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Bruce S. McEwen
- 0000 0001 2166 1519grid.134907.8Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY USA
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23
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Barha CK, Hsu CL, Ten Brinke L, Liu-Ambrose T. Biological Sex: A Potential Moderator of Physical Activity Efficacy on Brain Health. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:329. [PMID: 31866852 PMCID: PMC6908464 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The number of older people worldwide living with cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases is growing at an unprecedented rate. Despite accumulating evidence that engaging in physical activity is a promising primary behavioral strategy to delay or avert the deleterious effects of aging on brain health, a large degree of variation exists in study findings. Thus, before physical activity and exercise can be prescribed as “medicine” for promoting brain health, it is imperative to understand how different biological factors can attenuate or amplify the effects of physical activity on cognition at the individual level. In this review article, we briefly discuss the current state of the literature, examining the relationship between physical activity and brain health in older adults and we present the argument that biological sex is a potent moderator of this relationship. Additionally, we highlight some of the potential neurobiological mechanisms underlying this sex difference for this relatively new and rapidly expanding line of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy K Barha
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Chun-Liang Hsu
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lisanne Ten Brinke
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Teresa Liu-Ambrose
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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24
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Tong D, Godale CM, Kadakia FK, Gu Z, Danzer CS, Alghamdi A, Zhao P, Loepke AW, Danzer SC. Immature murine hippocampal neurones do not develop long-term structural changes after a single isoflurane exposure. Br J Anaesth 2019; 123:818-826. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2019.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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25
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Hillerer KM, Slattery DA, Pletzer B. Neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex-related differences in stress-related disorders: Effects of neuroactive steroids on the hippocampus. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 55:100796. [PMID: 31580837 PMCID: PMC7115954 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Men and women differ in their vulnerability to a variety of stress-related illnesses, but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are not well understood. This is likely due to a comparative dearth of neurobiological studies that assess male and female rodents at the same time, while human neuroimaging studies often don't model sex as a variable of interest. These sex differences are often attributed to the actions of sex hormones, i.e. estrogens, progestogens and androgens. In this review, we summarize the results on sex hormone actions in the hippocampus and seek to bridge the gap between animal models and findings in humans. However, while effects of sex hormones on the hippocampus are largely consistent in animals and humans, methodological differences challenge the comparability of animal and human studies on stress effects. We summarise our current understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie sex-related differences in behavior and discuss implications for stress-related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Hillerer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Salzburger Landeskrankenhaus (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Clinical Research Center Salzburg (CRCS), Salzburg, Austria.
| | - David A Slattery
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Belinda Pletzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
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26
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Tronson NC, Keiser AA. A Dynamic Memory Systems Framework for Sex Differences in Fear Memory. Trends Neurosci 2019; 42:680-692. [PMID: 31473031 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Emerging research demonstrates that a pattern of overlapping but distinct molecular and circuit mechanisms are engaged by males and females during memory tasks. Importantly, sex differences in neural mechanisms and behavioral strategies are evident even when performance on a memory task is similar between females and males. We propose that sex differences in memory may be best understood within a dynamic memory systems framework. Specifically, sex differences in hormonal influences and neural circuit development result in biases in the circuits engaged and the information preferentially stored or retrieved in males and females. By using animal models to understand the neural networks and molecular mechanisms required for memory in both sexes, we can gain crucial insights into sex and gender biases in disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C Tronson
- Psychology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
| | - Ashley A Keiser
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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27
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Jain S, LaFrancois JJ, Botterill JJ, Alcantara-Gonzalez D, Scharfman HE. Adult neurogenesis in the mouse dentate gyrus protects the hippocampus from neuronal injury following severe seizures. Hippocampus 2019; 29:683-709. [PMID: 30672046 PMCID: PMC6640126 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that reducing the numbers of adult-born neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the mouse increases susceptibility to severe continuous seizures (status epilepticus; SE) evoked by systemic injection of the convulsant kainic acid (KA). However, it was not clear if the results would be the same for other ways to induce seizures, or if SE-induced damage would be affected. Therefore, we used pilocarpine, which induces seizures by a different mechanism than KA. Also, we quantified hippocampal damage after SE. In addition, we used both loss-of-function and gain-of-function methods in adult mice. We hypothesized that after loss-of-function, mice would be more susceptible to pilocarpine-induced SE and SE-associated hippocampal damage, and after gain-of-function, mice would be more protected from SE and hippocampal damage after SE. For loss-of-function, adult neurogenesis was suppressed by pharmacogenetic deletion of dividing radial glial precursors. For gain-of-function, adult neurogenesis was increased by conditional deletion of pro-apoptotic gene Bax in Nestin-expressing progenitors. Fluoro-Jade C (FJ-C) was used to quantify neuronal injury and video-electroencephalography (video-EEG) was used to quantify SE. Pilocarpine-induced SE was longer in mice with reduced adult neurogenesis, SE had more power and neuronal damage was greater. Conversely, mice with increased adult-born neurons had shorter SE, SE had less power, and there was less neuronal damage. The results suggest that adult-born neurons exert protective effects against SE and SE-induced neuronal injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Jain
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - John J. LaFrancois
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Justin J. Botterill
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - David Alcantara-Gonzalez
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Helen E. Scharfman
- Center for Dementia Research, The Nathan Kline Institute of Psychiatric Research, 140 Old Orangeburg Rd., Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
- Departments of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Neuroscience & Physiology, and Psychiatry, New York Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
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28
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Jiang L, Cao X, Jiang J, Li T, Wang J, Yang Z, Li C. Atrophy of hippocampal subfield CA2/3 in healthy elderly men is related to educational attainment. Neurobiol Aging 2019; 80:21-28. [PMID: 31077957 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A higher education level is a protective factor against cognitive decline in elders; however, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Modulated by both aging and education, the hippocampus is a starting point for understanding the long-lasting effect of education on the aging of human brain. Because the hippocampus possesses functionally heterogeneous subfields and exhibits sex differences, we examined hippocampal subfields in men and women separately. We performed both cross-sectional (n = 143) and longitudinal (n = 51) analyses on healthy participants aged 65-75 years, who underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Volumes of the hippocampi and their subfields were estimated by automated segmentation. We found significantly positive correlations between educational attainment and the volume of hippocampal CA2/3 in men but not in women. The longitudinal analysis focusing on this region validated the above results by showing that a higher education level attenuated the progression of atrophy during a 15-month follow-up period in the CA2/3 region in men. These findings suggest that, in men, education plays a role in the aging of specific hippocampal subfields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Jiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyi Cao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiangling Jiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Li
- Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Jijun Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT), Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong Universit, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong Universit, Shanghai, China; Brain Science and Technology Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Chunbo Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT), Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China; Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Science, Shanghai Jiao Tong Universit, Shanghai, China; Brain Science and Technology Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
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29
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Meitzen J, Britson KA, Tuomela K, Mermelstein PG. The expression of select genes necessary for membrane-associated estrogen receptor signaling differ by sex in adult rat hippocampus. Steroids 2019; 142:21-27. [PMID: 28962849 PMCID: PMC5874170 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
17β-estradiol can rapidly modulate neuron function via membrane estrogen receptors (ERs) in a sex-specific manner. For example, female rat hippocampal neurons express palmitoylated versions of ERα and ERβ that associate with the plasma membrane. These membrane-associated ERs are organized by caveolin proteins into functional signaling microdomains with metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). ER/mGluR signaling mediates several sex-specific estradiol actions on hippocampal neuron function. An important unanswered question regards the mechanism by which sex-specific membrane-associated ER signaling is generated, especially since it has been previously demonstrated that mGluR action is not sex-specific. One possibility is that the genes necessary for the ER membrane complex are differentially expressed between males and females, including genes that encode ERα and β, caveolin 1 and 3, and/or the palmitoylacyltransferases DHHC-7 and -21. Thus we used qPCR to test the hypothesis that these genes show sex differences in expression in neonatal and adult rat hippocampus. As an additional control we tested the expression of the 20 other DHHC palmitoylacyltransferases with no known connections to ER. In neonatal hippocampus, no sex differences were detected in gene expression. In adult hippocampus, the genes that encode caveolin 1 and DHHC-7 showed decreased expression in females compared to males. Thus, select genes differ by sex at specific developmental stages, arguing for a more nuanced model than simple widespread perinatal emergence of sex differences in all genes enabling sex-specific estradiol action. These findings enable the generation of new hypotheses regarding the mechanisms by which sex differences in membrane-associated ER signaling are programmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Meitzen
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States; W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States; Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States; Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.
| | - Kyla A Britson
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Krista Tuomela
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Paul G Mermelstein
- Dept. of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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30
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Yagi S, Galea LAM. Sex differences in hippocampal cognition and neurogenesis. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:200-213. [PMID: 30214058 PMCID: PMC6235970 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0208-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences are reported in hippocampal plasticity, cognition, and in a number of disorders that target the integrity of the hippocampus. For example, meta-analyses reveal that males outperform females on hippocampus-dependent tasks in rodents and in humans, furthermore women are more likely to experience greater cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease and depression, both diseases characterized by hippocampal dysfunction. The hippocampus is a highly plastic structure, important for processing higher order information and is sensitive to the environmental factors such as stress. The structure retains the ability to produce new neurons and this process plays an important role in pattern separation, proactive interference, and cognitive flexibility. Intriguingly, there are prominent sex differences in the level of neurogenesis and the activation of new neurons in response to hippocampus-dependent cognitive tasks in rodents. However, sex differences in spatial performance can be nuanced as animal studies have demonstrated that there are task, and strategy choice dependent sex differences in performance, as well as sex differences in the subregions of the hippocampus influenced by learning. This review discusses sex differences in pattern separation, pattern completion, spatial learning, and links between adult neurogenesis and these cognitive functions of the hippocampus. We emphasize the importance of including both sexes when studying genomic, cellular, and structural mechanisms of the hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunya Yagi
- Department of Psychology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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31
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Abstract
Engaging in targeted exercise interventions is a promising, non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate the deleterious effects of aging and disease on brain health. However, despite its therapeutic potential, a large amount of variation exists in exercise efficacy in older adults aged 55 and older. In this review, we present the argument that biological sex may be an important moderator of the relationship between physical activity and cognition. Sex differences exist in dementia as well as in several associated risk factors, including genetics, cardiovascular factors, inflammation, hormones and social and psychological factors. Different exercise interventions, such as aerobic training and resistance training, influence cognition and brain health in older adults and these effects may be sex-dependent. The biological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain may be different in males and females. Specifically, we examine sex differences in neuroplasticity, neurotrophic factors and physiological effects of exercise to highlight the possible mediators of sex differences in exercise efficacy on cognition. Future studies should address the potential sex difference in exercise efficacy if we are to develop effective, evidence-based exercise interventions to promote healthy brain aging for all individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy K Barha
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Teresa Liu-Ambrose
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver, Canada
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32
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Chung BYT, Bailey CDC. Sex differences in the nicotinic excitation of principal neurons within the developing hippocampal formation. Dev Neurobiol 2018; 79:110-130. [PMID: 30354016 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampal formation (HF) plays an important role to facilitate higher order cognitive functions. Cholinergic activation of heteromeric nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) within the HF is critical for the normal development of principal neurons within this brain region. However, previous research investigating the expression and function of heteromeric nAChRs in principal neurons of the HF is limited to males or does not differentiate between the sexes. We used whole-cell electrophysiology to show that principal neurons in the CA1 region of the female mouse HF are excited by heteromeric nAChRs throughout postnatal development, with the greatest response occurring during the first two weeks of postnatal life. Excitability responses to heteromeric nAChR stimulation were also found in principal neurons in the CA3, dentate gyrus, subiculum, and entorhinal cortex layer VI (ECVI) of young postnatal female HF. A direct comparison between male and female mice found that principal neurons in ECVI display greater heteromeric nicotinic passive and active excitability responses in females. This sex difference is likely influenced by the generally more excitable nature of ECVI neurons from female mice, which display a higher resting membrane potential, greater input resistance, and smaller afterhyperpolarization potential of medium duration (mAHP). These findings demonstrate that heteromeric nicotinic excitation of ECVI neurons differs between male and female mice during a period of major circuitry development within the HF, which may have mechanistic implications for known sex differences in the development and function of this cognitive brain region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beryl Y T Chung
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
| | - Craig D C Bailey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
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33
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K Barha C, Liu-Ambrose T. Exercise and the Aging Brain: Considerations for Sex Differences. Brain Plast 2018. [DOI: 10.3233/bpl-1867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cindy K Barha
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Teresa Liu-Ambrose
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver, Canada
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34
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Valvassori SS, Borges C, Bavaresco DV, Varela RB, Resende WR, Peterle BR, Arent CO, Budni J, Quevedo J. Hypericum perforatum chronic treatment affects cognitive parameters and brain neurotrophic factor levels. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 40:367-375. [PMID: 30110089 PMCID: PMC6899380 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2017-2271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effects of Hypericum perforatum (hypericum) on cognitive behavior and neurotrophic factor levels in the brain of male and female rats. Methods: Male and female Wistar rats were treated with hypericum or water during 28 days by gavage. The animals were then subjected to the open-field test, novel object recognition and step-down inhibitory avoidance test. Nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels were evaluated in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. Results: Hypericum impaired the acquisition of short- and long-term aversive memory in male rats, evaluated in the inhibitory avoidance test. Female rats had no immediate memory acquisition and decreased short-term memory acquisition in the inhibitory avoidance test. Hypericum also decreased the recognition index of male rats in the object recognition test. Female rats did not recognize the new object in either the short-term or the long-term memory tasks. Hypericum decreased BDNF in the hippocampus of male and female rats. Hypericum also decreased NGF in the hippocampus of female rats. Conclusions: The long-term administration of hypericum appears to cause significant cognitive impairment in rats, possibly through a reduction in the levels of neurotrophic factors. This effect was more expressive in females than in males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira S Valvassori
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.,Laboratório de Sinalização Neural e Psicofarmacologia, PPGCS, UNASAU, UNESC, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Cenita Borges
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Daniela V Bavaresco
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.,Laboratório de Sinalização Neural e Psicofarmacologia, PPGCS, UNASAU, UNESC, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Roger B Varela
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.,Laboratório de Sinalização Neural e Psicofarmacologia, PPGCS, UNASAU, UNESC, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Wilson R Resende
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.,Laboratório de Sinalização Neural e Psicofarmacologia, PPGCS, UNASAU, UNESC, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Bruna R Peterle
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.,Laboratório de Sinalização Neural e Psicofarmacologia, PPGCS, UNASAU, UNESC, Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Camila O Arent
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - Josiane Budni
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil
| | - João Quevedo
- Laboratório de Neurociências, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde (PPGCS), Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde (UNASAU), Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense (UNESC), Criciúma, SC, Brazil.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Experimental Models in Psychiatry, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
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35
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McAlinn HR, Reich B, Contoreggi NH, Kamakura RP, Dyer AG, McEwen BS, Waters EM, Milner TA. Sex Differences in the Subcellular Distribution of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Receptor 1 in the Rat Hippocampus following Chronic Immobilization Stress. Neuroscience 2018; 383:98-113. [PMID: 29753863 PMCID: PMC5994383 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor receptors (CRFR1) contribute to stress-induced adaptations in hippocampal structure and function that can affect learning and memory processes. Our prior studies showed that female rats with elevated estrogens compared to males have more plasmalemmal CRFR1 in CA1 pyramidal cells, suggesting a greater sensitivity to stress. Here, we examined the distribution of hippocampal CRFR1 following chronic immobilization stress (CIS) in female and male rats using immuno-electron microscopy. Without stress, total CRFR1 dendritic levels were higher in females in CA1 and in males in the hilus; moreover, plasmalemmal CRFR1 was elevated in pyramidal cell dendrites in CA1 in females and in CA3 in males. Following CIS, near-plasmalemmal CRFR1 increased in CA1 pyramidal cell dendrites in males but not to levels of control or CIS females. In CA3 and the hilus, CIS decreased cytoplasmic and total CRFR1 in dendrites in males only. These results suggest that in naive rats, CRF could induce a greater activation of CA1 pyramidal cells in females than males. Moreover, after CIS, which leads to even greater sex differences in CRFR1 by trafficking it to different subcellular compartments, CRF could enhance activation of CA1 pyramidal cells in males but to a lesser extent than either unstressed or CIS females. Additionally, CA3 pyramidal cells and inhibitory interneurons in males have heightened sensitivity to CRF, regardless of stress state. These sex differences in CRFR1 distribution and trafficking in the hippocampus may contribute to reported sex differences in hippocampus-dependent learning processes in baseline conditions and following chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena R McAlinn
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Batsheva Reich
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalina H Contoreggi
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Andreina G Dyer
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bruce S McEwen
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Waters
- Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Teresa A Milner
- Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
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36
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Riggins T, Geng F, Botdorf M, Canada K, Cox L, Hancock GR. Protracted hippocampal development is associated with age-related improvements in memory during early childhood. Neuroimage 2018. [PMID: 29518573 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is a structure that is critical for memory. Previous studies have shown that age-related differences in specialization along the longitudinal axis of this structure (i.e., subregions) and within its internal circuitry (i.e., subfields) relate to age-related improvements in memory in school-age children and adults. However, the influence of age on hippocampal development and its relations with memory ability earlier in life remains under-investigated. This study examined effects of age and sex on hippocampal subregion (i.e., head, body, tail) and subfield (i.e., subiculum, CA1, CA2-4/DG) volumes, and their relations with memory, using a large sample of 4- to 8-year-old children. Results examining hippocampal subregions suggest influences of both age and sex on the hippocampal head during early childhood. Results examining subfields within hippocampal head suggest these age effects may arise from CA1, whereas sex differences may arise from subiculum and CA2-4/DG. Memory ability was not associated with hippocampal subregion volume but was associated with subfield volume. Specifically, within the hippocampal head, relations between memory and CA1 were moderated by age; in younger children bigger was better, whereas in older children smaller was superior. Within the hippocampal body, smaller CA1 and larger CA2-4/DG contributed to better memory performance across all ages. Together, these results shed light on hippocampal development during early childhood and support claims that the prolonged developmental trajectory of the hippocampus contributes to memory development early in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Riggins
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States.
| | - Fengji Geng
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | | | - Kelsey Canada
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
| | - Lisa Cox
- University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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37
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Taylor AN, Tio DL, Paydar A, Sutton RL. Sex Differences in Thermal, Stress, and Inflammatory Responses to Minocycline Administration in Rats with Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma 2018; 35:630-638. [PMID: 29179648 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2017.5238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent inflammation, mediated in part by increases in cytokines, is a hallmark of traumatlc brain injury (TBI). Minocycline has been shown to inhibit post-TBI neuroinflammation in male rats and mice, but has not been tested in females. Here, we studied sex differences in thermal, stress, and inflammatory responses to TBI and minocycline. Female rats were ovariectomized under isoflurane anesthesia at 33-36 days of age. At 45-55 days of age, male and female rats were implanted intraperitoneally (i.p.) with calibrated transmitters for monitoring body temperature. Moderate cortical contusion injury (CCI) or sham surgery was performed when the rats attained 60-70 days of age. One hour after surgery, rats were injected i.p. with minocycline (50 mg/kg) or saline (0.3 mL); injections were repeated once daily for the next 3 days. At 28 days after CCI or sham surgery, 30 min restraint stress was initiated and blood samples were obtained by tail venipuncture before the onset of restraint and at 30, 60, and 90 min after stress onset. At 35 days after CCI or sham surgery, rats were decapitated and blood was collected for corticosterone (CORT) and cytokine analysis. The brains were removed and ipsilateral cortical tissue and hippocampus were dissected and subsequently assayed for interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Hyperthermia occurred during days 1-6 post-CCI in male rats, but only on the day of CCI in female rats, and minocycline prevented its occurrence in both sexes. Minocycline facilitated suppression of the CORT response to restraint stress in both sexes. In females, but not males, hippocampal IL-6 content increased post-CCI compared with sham-injured controls, whereas IL-1β content was augmented by minocycline. Hippocampal TNF-α was unaffected by CCI and minocycline. These results demonstrate sex differences in immediate thermal and long-lasting stress and cytokine responses to CCI, and only short-term protective effects of minocycline on hyperthermia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna N Taylor
- 1 Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles, California
| | - Delia L Tio
- 1 Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles, California
| | - Afshin Paydar
- 2 Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles, California
| | - Richard L Sutton
- 2 Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles, California
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38
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Aberrant activation of the human sex-determining gene in early embryonic development results in postnatal growth retardation and lethality in mice. Sci Rep 2017. [PMID: 28646221 PMCID: PMC5482865 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04117-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphisms are prevalent in development, physiology and diseases in humans. Currently, the contributions of the genes on the male-specific region of the Y chromosome (MSY) in these processes are uncertain. Using a transgene activation system, the human sex-determining gene hSRY is activated in the single-cell embryos of the mouse. Pups with hSRY activated (hSRYON) are born of similar sizes as those of non-activated controls. However, they retard significantly in postnatal growth and development and all die of multi-organ failure before two weeks of age. Pathological and molecular analyses indicate that hSRYON pups lack innate suckling activities, and develop fatty liver disease, arrested alveologenesis in the lung, impaired neurogenesis in the brain and occasional myocardial fibrosis and minimized thymus development. Transcriptome analysis shows that, in addition to those unique to the respective organs, various cell growth and survival pathways and functions are differentially affected in the transgenic mice. These observations suggest that ectopic activation of a Y-located SRY gene could exert male-specific effects in development and physiology of multiple organs, thereby contributing to sexual dimorphisms in normal biological functions and disease processes in affected individuals.
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