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Saedi Marghmaleki V, Radahmadi M, Alaei H, Khanahmad H. Protective Effects of Long-Term Escitalopram Administration on Memory and Hippocampal BDNF and BCL-2 Gene Expressions in Rats Exposed to Predictable and Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress. Brain Sci 2024; 14:420. [PMID: 38790399 PMCID: PMC11118218 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14050420] [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: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress and escitalopram (an anti-stress medication) can affect brain functions and related gene expression. This study investigated the protective effects of long-term escitalopram administration on memory, as well as on hippocampal BDNF and BCL-2 gene expressions in rats exposed to predictable and unpredictable chronic mild stress (PCMS and UCMS, respectively). Male rats were randomly assigned to different groups: control (Co), sham (Sh), predictable and unpredictable stress (PSt and USt, respectively; 2 h/day for 21 consecutive days), escitalopram (Esc; 10 mg/kg for 21 days), and predictable and unpredictable stress with escitalopram (PSt-Esc and USt-Esc, respectively). The passive avoidance test was used to assess behavioral variables. The expressions of the BDNF and BCL-2 genes were assessed using real-time quantitative PCR. Latency significantly decreased in the PSt and USt groups. Additionally, latency showed significant improvement in the PSt-Esc group compared to the PSt group. The expression of the BDNF gene significantly decreased only in the USt group. BDNF gene expression significantly increased in the PSt-Esc and USt-Esc groups compared to their respective stress-related groups, whereas the expression of the BCL-2 gene did not change significantly in both PSt-Esc and USt-Esc groups. PCMS and UCMS had devastating effects on memory. Escitalopram improved memory only under PCMS conditions. PCMS and UCMS exhibited fundamental differences in hippocampal BDNF and BCL-2 gene expressions. Furthermore, escitalopram increased hippocampal BDNF gene expression in the PCMS and UCMS subjects. Hence, neurogenesis occurred more significantly than anti-apoptosis under both PCMS and UCMS conditions with escitalopram.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vajihe Saedi Marghmaleki
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81746-73461, Iran;
| | - Maryam Radahmadi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81746-73461, Iran;
| | - Hojjatallah Alaei
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81746-73461, Iran;
| | - Hossein Khanahmad
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan 81746-73461, Iran;
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2
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Merz EC, Myers B, Hansen M, Simon KR, Strack J, Noble KG. Socioeconomic Disparities in Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Regulation and Prefrontal Cortical Structure. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:83-96. [PMID: 38090738 PMCID: PMC10714216 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage during childhood predicts an increased risk for mental health problems across the life span. Socioeconomic disadvantage shapes multiple aspects of children's proximal environments and increases exposure to chronic stressors. Drawing from multiple literatures, we propose that childhood socioeconomic disadvantage may lead to adaptive changes in the regulation of stress response systems including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These changes, in turn, affect the development of prefrontal cortical (PFC) circuitry responsible for top-down control over cognitive and emotional processes. Translational findings indicate that chronic stress reduces dendritic complexity and spine density in the medial PFC and anterior cingulate cortex, in part through altered HPA axis regulation. Socioeconomic disadvantage has frequently been associated with reduced gray matter in the dorsolateral and ventrolateral PFC and anterior cingulate cortex and lower fractional anisotropy in the superior longitudinal fasciculus, cingulum bundle, and uncinate fasciculus during middle childhood and adolescence. Evidence of socioeconomic disparities in hair cortisol concentrations in children has accumulated, although null findings have been reported. Coupled with links between cortisol levels and reduced gray matter in the PFC and anterior cingulate cortex, these results support mechanistic roles for the HPA axis and these PFC circuits. Future longitudinal studies should simultaneously consider multiple dimensions of proximal factors, including cognitive stimulation, while focusing on epigenetic processes and genetic moderators to elucidate how socioeconomic context may influence the HPA axis and PFC circuitry involved in cognitive and emotional control. These findings, which point to modifiable factors, can be harnessed to inform policy and more effective prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Merz
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Brent Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Melissa Hansen
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Katrina R. Simon
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Jordan Strack
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado
| | - Kimberly G. Noble
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York
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3
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Borsini A, Giacobbe J, Mandal G, Boldrini M. Acute and long-term effects of adolescence stress exposure on rodent adult hippocampal neurogenesis, cognition, and behaviour. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:4124-4137. [PMID: 37612364 PMCID: PMC10827658 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02229-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence represents a critical period for brain and behavioural health and characterised by the onset of mood, psychotic and anxiety disorders. In rodents, neurogenesis is very active during adolescence, when is particularly vulnerable to stress. Whether stress-related neurogenesis changes influence adolescence onset of psychiatric symptoms remains largely unknown. A systematic review was conducted on studies investigating changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, hippocampal-dependent cognitive functions, and behaviour, occurring after adolescence stress exposure in mice both acutely (at post-natal days 21-65) and in adulthood. A total of 37 studies were identified in the literature. Seven studies showed reduced hippocampal cell proliferation, and out of those two reported increased depressive-like behaviours, in adolescent rodents exposed to stress. Three studies reported a reduction in the number of new-born neurons, which however were not associated with changes in cognition or behaviour. Sixteen studies showed acutely reduced hippocampal neuroplasticity, including pre- and post-synaptic plasticity markers, dendritic spine length and density, and long-term potentiation after stress exposure. Cognitive impairments and depressive-like behaviours were reported by 11 of the 16 studies. Among studies who looked at adolescence stress exposure effects into adulthood, seven showed that the negative effects of stress observed during adolescence on either cell proliferation or hippocampal neuroplasticity, cognitive deficits and depressive-like behaviour, had variable impact in adulthood. Treating adolescent mice with antidepressants, glutamate receptor inhibitors, glucocorticoid antagonists, or healthy diet enriched in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A, prevented or reversed those detrimental changes. Future research should investigate the translational value of these preclinical findings. Developing novel tools for measuring hippocampal neurogenesis in live humans, would allow assessing neurogenic changes following stress exposure, investigating relationships with psychiatric symptom onset, and identifying effects of therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Borsini
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Juliette Giacobbe
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Gargi Mandal
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Maura Boldrini
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Division, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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4
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Borjeni MS, Korani M, Meftahi GH, Davoodian N, Hadipour M, Jahromi GP. Laterality dissociation of ventral hippocampus inhibition in learning and memory, glial activation and neural arborization in response to chronic stress in male Wistar rats. J Chem Neuroanat 2022; 121:102090. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2022.102090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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5
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Maternal stress prior to conception impairs memory and decreases right dorsal hippocampal volume and basilar spine density in the prefrontal cortex of adult male offspring. Behav Brain Res 2022; 416:113543. [PMID: 34425182 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Chronic parental stress impacts offspring functioning throughout life. Chronic variable stress prior to conception impairs offspring development in terms of behavior, neuroanatomy, and neurobiology. Previously, our lab demonstrated that even a consistent stressor experienced by the sire or the dam shapes offspring development beginning in early life. Here, we show how consistent maternal stress prior to conception influences the brain and behavior of offspring in adolescence and adulthood. Female Long-Evans rats were exposed to elevated platform stress twice daily for 27 consecutive days immediately prior to mating with non-stressed males. Male and female offspring were assessed in the open field and elevated plus maze in adolescence, and open field, elevated plus maze, Whishaw tray reaching, and Morris water task in adulthood. Offspring were then euthanized, and their brains were stained with Golgi-Cox solution and then examined for dendritic spine density and hippocampal volume. Major findings include deficits in spatial memory, decreased medial prefrontal cortex spine density, and reduced right dorsal hippocampal volume in male offspring only. This work illustrates that the effects of consistent maternal stress prior to conception are lifelong and highly sexually dimorphic.
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Moreno-Martínez S, Tendilla H, Sandoval V, Flores G, Terrón JA. Chronic restraint stress induces anxiety-like behavior and remodeling of dendritic spines in the central nucleus of the amygdala. Behav Brain Res 2021; 416:113523. [PMID: 34390801 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the anxiogenic effects of chronic stress do not correlate with dendritic remodeling in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). We analyzed the effect of chronic restraint stress (CRS; 20 min/day for 14 days), relative to control (CTRL) conditions on anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and the open field tests, and dendritic morphology, dendritic spine density and spine type numbers in pyramidal neurons of the CeA. Reversal of CRS-induced effects was explored in animals allowed a 14-day stress-free recovery after treatments. CRS decreased the frequency and time in the open arms and increased the anxiety index in the EPM, and reduced visits and time in the center of the open field. Morphological assays in these animals revealed no effect of CRS on dendritic complexity in CeA neurons; however, a decrease in dendritic spine density together with decreased and increased amounts of mushroom and thin spines, respectively, was detected. Subsequent to a stress-free recovery, a significant reduction in open arm entries together with an increased anxiety index was detected in CRS-exposed animals; open field parameters did not change significantly. A decreased density of total dendritic spines, in parallel with higher and lower numbers of thin and stubby spines, respectively, was observed in CeA neurons. Results suggest that CRS-induced anxiety-like behavior might be accounted for by a reduction in synaptic connectivity of the CeA. This effect, which is long lasting, could mediate the persisting anxiogenic effects of chronic stress after exposure to it has ended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saidel Moreno-Martínez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico
| | - Hiram Tendilla
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Pue., Mexico
| | - Vicente Sandoval
- Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México D. F., Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Pue., Mexico
| | - José A Terrón
- Departamento de Farmacología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV-IPN), México City, Mexico.
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7
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Bueno-Fernandez C, Perez-Rando M, Alcaide J, Coviello S, Sandi C, Castillo-Gómez E, Nacher J. Long term effects of peripubertal stress on excitatory and inhibitory circuits in the prefrontal cortex of male and female mice. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100322. [PMID: 33869684 PMCID: PMC8045050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of stressful events is especially important during early life, because certain cortical regions, especially the prefrontal cortex (PFC), are still developing. Consequently, aversive experiences that occur during the peripubertal period can cause long-term alterations in neural connectivity, physiology and related behaviors. Although sex influences the stress response and women are more likely to develop stress-related psychiatric disorders, knowledge about the effects of stress on females is still limited. In order to analyze the long-term effects of peripubertal stress (PPS) on the excitatory and inhibitory circuitry of the adult PFC, and whether these effects are sex-dependent, we applied an unpredictable chronic PPS protocol based on psychogenic stressors. Using two strains of transgenic mice with specific fluorescent cell reporters, we studied male and diestrus females to know how PPS affects the structure and connectivity of parvalbumin expressing (PV+) interneurons and pyramidal neurons. We also studied the expression of molecules related to excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, as well as alterations in the expression of plasticity-related molecules. The structure of pyramidal neurons was differentially affected by PPS in male and female mice: while the former had a decreased dendritic spine density, the latter displayed an increase in this parameter. PPS affected the density of puncta expressing excitatory and inhibitory synaptic markers exclusively in the female mPFC. Similarly, only in female mice we observed an increased complexity of the dendritic tree of PV+ neurons. Regarding the perisomatic innervation on pyramidal and PV + neurons by basket cells, we found a significant increase in the density of puncta in stressed animals, with interesting differences between the sexes and the type of basket cell analyzed. Finally, the PPS protocol also altered the total number of somata expressing the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) when we analyzed both sexes together. These results highlight the strong programming effects of aversive experiences during early life for the establishment of cortical circuitry and the special impact of these stressful events on females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bueno-Fernandez
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Marta Perez-Rando
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Julia Alcaide
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Simona Coviello
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esther Castillo-Gómez
- Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Valencia, Spain.,Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain.,Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain.,Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, 46010, Valencia, Spain
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8
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Kaul D, Schwab SG, Mechawar N, Matosin N. How stress physically re-shapes the brain: Impact on brain cell shapes, numbers and connections in psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:193-215. [PMID: 33556389 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Severe stress is among the most robust risk factors for the development of psychiatric disorders. Imaging studies indicate that life stress is integral to shaping the human brain, especially regions involved in processing the stress response. Although this is likely underpinned by changes to the cytoarchitecture of cellular networks in the brain, we are yet to clearly understand how these define a role for stress in human psychopathology. In this review, we consolidate evidence of macro-structural morphometric changes and the cellular mechanisms that likely underlie them. Focusing on stress-sensitive regions of the brain, we illustrate how stress throughout life may lead to persistent remodelling of the both neurons and glia in cellular networks and how these may lead to psychopathology. We support that greater translation of cellular alterations to human cohorts will support parsing the psychological sequalae of severe stress and improve our understanding of how stress shapes the human brain. This will remain a critical step for improving treatment interventions and prevention outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle blvd, Verdun, Qc, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
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9
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Kaul D, Smith CC, Stevens J, Fröhlich AS, Binder EB, Mechawar N, Schwab SG, Matosin N. Severe childhood and adulthood stress associates with neocortical layer-specific reductions of mature spines in psychiatric disorders. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100270. [PMID: 33344723 PMCID: PMC7739192 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe stress exposure causes the loss of dendritic spines on cortical pyramidal neurons and induces psychiatric-like symptoms in rodent models. These effects are strongest following early-life stress and are most persistent on apical dendrites. However, the long-term impacts and temporal effects of stress exposure on the human brain remain poorly understood. Using a novel postmortem cohort of psychiatric cases with severe stress experienced in childhood, adulthood, or no severe stress, and matched controls, we aimed to determine the impact of stress timing on pyramidal neuron structure in the human orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We performed Golgi Cox staining and manually measured the morphology and density of over 22,000 dendritic spines on layer-specific pyramidal neuron apical dendrites. We also quantified glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein as a marker of stress dysregulation. Both childhood and adulthood stress were associated with large reductions in mature mushroom spine density (up to 56% loss) in both the superficial (II/III) and deeper layers (V) of the OFC. However, childhood stress caused more substantial reductions to both total and mature mushroom spines. No difference in glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein were seen between groups, although both negatively correlated with total spine density within the whole cohort. These findings indicate that severe stress, especially when experienced during childhood, persistently affects the fine morphological properties of neurons in the human OFC. This may impact on cell connectivity in this brain area, and at least partly explain the social and emotional symptoms that originate in the OFC in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Caine C Smith
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Julia Stevens
- NSW Brain Tissue Resource Centre, Discipline of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Anna S Fröhlich
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle Blvd, Verdun, Qc, Canada, H4H 1R3
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, 2522, Australia.,Dept. of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804, Munich, Germany
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10
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Mareckova K, Miles A, Andryskova L, Brazdil M, Nikolova YS. Temporally and sex-specific effects of maternal perinatal stress on offspring cortical gyrification and mood in young adulthood. Hum Brain Mapp 2020; 41:4866-4875. [PMID: 33010202 PMCID: PMC7643354 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress during pregnancy and shortly thereafter is associated with altered offspring brain development that may increase risk of mood and anxiety disorders. Cortical gyrification is established during the prenatal period and the first 2 years of life and is altered in psychiatric disorders. Here, we sought to characterize the effects of perinatal stress exposure on offspring gyrification patterns and mood dysregulation in young adulthood. Participants included 85 young adults (56.5% women; 23–24 years) from the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC) with perinatal stress data across four distinct timepoints and structural MRI data from young adulthood. Perinatal stress exposure was measured as maternal stress during first and second half of pregnancy, first 6 months, and 6–18 months after birth. Cortical gyrification and mood dysregulation were quantified using local gyrification index (LGI), computed with Freesurfer, and the Profile of Mood States questionnaire, respectively. Perinatal stress predicted cortical gyrification in young adulthood, and its timing influenced location, direction, and sex‐specificity of effects. In particular, whereas early prenatal stress was associated with sex‐dependent medium‐to‐large effects in large temporal, parietal, and occipital regions (f2 = 0.19–0.38, p < .001), later perinatal stress was associated with sex‐independent small‐to‐medium effects in smaller, more anterior regions (f2 = 0.10–0.19, p < .003). Moreover, in females, early prenatal stress predicted higher LGI in a large temporal region, which was further associated with mood disturbance in adulthood (r = 0.399, p = .006). These findings point out the long‐term implications of perinatal stress exposure for cortical morphology and mood dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Mareckova
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Amy Miles
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
| | - Lenka Andryskova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Brazdil
- Brain and Mind Research, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Yuliya S Nikolova
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Barfield ET, Sequeira MK, Parsons RG, Gourley SL. Morphological Responses of Excitatory Prelimbic and Orbitofrontal Cortical Neurons to Excess Corticosterone in Adolescence and Acute Stress in Adulthood. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:45. [PMID: 33013327 PMCID: PMC7506158 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence indicates that chronic stress and excess glucocorticoids induce neuronal remodeling in prefrontal cortical (PFC) regions. Adolescence is also characterized by a structural reorganization of PFC neurons, yet interactions between stress- and age-related structural plasticity are still being determined. We quantified dendritic spine densities on apical dendrites of excitatory neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, prelimbic subregion (PL). Densities decreased across adolescent development, as expected, and spine volume increased. Unexpectedly, exposure to excess corticosterone (CORT) throughout adolescence did not cause additional dendritic spine loss detectable in adulthood. As a positive control dendrite population expected to be sensitive to CORT, we imaged neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), confirming CORT-induced dendritic spine attrition on basal arbors of layer V neurons. We next assessed the effects of acute, mild stress in adulthood: On PL neurons, an acute stressor increased the density of mature, mushroom-shaped spines. Meanwhile, on OFC neurons, dendritic spine volumes and lengths were lower in mice exposed to both CORT and an acute stressor (also referred to as a "double hit"). In sum, prolonged exposure to excess glucocorticoids during adolescence can have morphological and also metaplastic consequences, but they are not global. Anatomical considerations are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T. Barfield
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Michelle K. Sequeira
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Ryan G. Parsons
- Graduate Program in Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Shannon L. Gourley
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Emory University School of Medicine, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Graduate Training Programs in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
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12
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Narayanan SN, Bairy LK, Srinivasamurthy SK. Determining factors for optimal neuronal and glial Golgi-Cox staining. Histochem Cell Biol 2020; 154:431-448. [PMID: 32533234 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-020-01891-9] [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] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Golgi staining allows for the analysis of neuronal arborisations and connections and is considered a powerful tool in basic and clinical neuroscience. The fundamental rules for improving neuronal staining using the Golgi-Cox method are not fully understood; both intrinsic and extrinsic factors may control the staining process. Therefore, various conditions were tested to improve the Golgi-Cox protocol for vibratome-cut rat brain sections. Optimal staining of cortical neurons was achieved after 72 h of impregnation. Well-stained neurons in both cortical and subcortical structures were observed after 96 h of impregnation. The dendritic arborisation pattern of cortical neurons derived from the 72-h impregnation group was comparable to those of the 96 and 168-h impregnation groups. The entire brain was stained well when the pH of the Golgi-Cox solution was 6.5 and that of the sodium carbonate solution was 11.2. Lack of brain perfusion or perfusion with 0.9% NaCl did not influence optimal neuronal staining. Perfusion with 37% formaldehyde, followed by impregnation, only resulted in glial staining, but perfusion with 4% formaldehyde facilitated both glial and neuronal staining. Whole brains required longer impregnation times for better staining. Although every factor had a role in determining optimal neuronal staining, impregnation time and the pH of staining solutions were key factors among them. This modified Golgi-Cox protocol provides a simple and economical procedure to stain both neurons and glia separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sareesh Naduvil Narayanan
- Department of Physiology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, PO Box 11172, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Laxminarayana Kurady Bairy
- Department of Pharmacology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, PO Box 11172, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Suresh Kumar Srinivasamurthy
- Department of Pharmacology, RAK College of Medical Sciences, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, PO Box 11172, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
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Aguilar-Hernández L, Gómez-Villalobos MDJ, Flores G. Cerebrolysin ameliorates prefrontal cortex and hippocampus neural atrophy of spontaneous hypertensive rats with hyperglycemia. Synapse 2020; 74:e22156. [PMID: 32232874 DOI: 10.1002/syn.22156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hyperglycemia of diabetes mellitus causes damage at the vascular level, which at the renal level represents diabetic nephropathy. In this pathology, there is arterial hypertension. In addition, several reports suggest that hyperglycemia and arterial hypertension affect interneuronal communication at the level of dendritic morphology. We studied these changes in an animal model with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus in the spontaneous hypertensive (SH) rat. Recent reports from our laboratory have demonstrated that cerebrolysin (CBL), a preparation of neuropeptides with protective and repairing properties, reduces dendritic deterioration in both pathologies, in separate studies. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of CBL using the animal model with hyperglycemia and arterial hypertension and assessed the dendritic morphology using a Golgi-Cox staining procedure. Our results suggest that CBL ameliorated the reduction in the number of dendritic spines in the PFC and hippocampus caused by hyperglycemia in the SH rat. In addition, CBL also increased distal dendritic length in the PFC and hippocampus in hyperglycemic SH rats. Consequently, the CBL could be a therapeutic tool used to reduce the damage at the level of dendritic communication present in both pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Aguilar-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Maria de Jesús Gómez-Villalobos
- Laboratorio de Investigación Cardiovascular, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
| | - Gonzalo Flores
- Laboratorio de Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Mexico
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Zimmermann KS, Richardson R, Baker KD. Maturational Changes in Prefrontal and Amygdala Circuits in Adolescence: Implications for Understanding Fear Inhibition during a Vulnerable Period of Development. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E65. [PMID: 30889864 PMCID: PMC6468701 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9030065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders that develop in adolescence represent a significant burden and are particularly challenging to treat, due in no small part to the high occurrence of relapse in this age group following exposure therapy. This pattern of persistent fear is preserved across species; relative to those younger and older, adolescents consistently show poorer extinction, a key process underpinning exposure therapy. This suggests that the neural processes underlying fear extinction are temporarily but profoundly compromised during adolescence. The formation, retrieval, and modification of fear- and extinction-associated memories are regulated by a forebrain network consisting of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the amygdala, and the hippocampus. These regions undergo robust maturational changes in early life, with unique alterations in structure and function occurring throughout adolescence. In this review, we focus primarily on two of these regions-the PFC and the amygdala-and discuss how changes in plasticity, synaptic transmission, inhibition/excitation, and connectivity (including modulation by hippocampal afferents to the PFC) may contribute to transient deficits in extinction retention. We end with a brief consideration of how exposure to stress during this adolescent window of vulnerability can permanently disrupt neurodevelopment, leading to lasting impairments in pathways of emotional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey S Zimmermann
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Rick Richardson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Kathryn D Baker
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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