1
|
Carrette LLG, Kimbrough A, Davoudian PA, Kwan AC, Collazo A, George O. Hyperconnectivity of Two Separate Long-Range Cholinergic Systems Contributes to the Reorganization of the Brain Functional Connectivity during Nicotine Withdrawal in Male Mice. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0019-23.2023. [PMID: 37295945 PMCID: PMC10306126 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0019-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic nicotine results in dependence with withdrawal symptoms on discontinuation of use, through desensitization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and altered cholinergic neurotransmission. Nicotine withdrawal is associated with increased whole-brain functional connectivity and decreased network modularity; however, the role of cholinergic neurons in those changes is unknown. To identify the contribution of nicotinic receptors and cholinergic regions to changes in the functional network, we analyzed the contribution of the main cholinergic regions to brain-wide activation of the immediate early-gene Fos during withdrawal in male mice and correlated these changes with the expression of nicotinic receptor mRNA throughout the brain. We show that the main functional connectivity modules included the main long-range cholinergic regions, which were highly synchronized with the rest of the brain. However, despite this hyperconnectivity, they were organized into two anticorrelated networks that were separated into basal forebrain-projecting and brainstem-thalamic-projecting cholinergic regions, validating a long-standing hypothesis of the organization of the brain cholinergic systems. Moreover, baseline (without nicotine) expression of Chrna2, Chrna3, Chrna10, and Chrnd mRNA of each brain region correlated with withdrawal-induced changes in Fos expression. Finally, by mining the Allen Brain mRNA expression database, we were able to identify 1755 gene candidates and three pathways (Sox2-Oct4-Nanog, JAK-STAT, and MeCP2-GABA) that may contribute to nicotine withdrawal-induced Fos expression. These results identify the dual contribution of the basal forebrain and brainstem-thalamic cholinergic systems to whole-brain functional connectivity during withdrawal; and identify nicotinic receptors and novel cellular pathways that may be critical for the transition to nicotine dependence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, California 92093
| | - Pasha A Davoudian
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
| | - Alex C Kwan
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853
| | - Andres Collazo
- Beckman Institute, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, California 92093
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Carrette LL, Kimbrough A, Davoudian PA, Kwan AC, Collazo A, George O. Hyperconnectivity of two separate long-range cholinergic systems contributes to the reorganization of the brain functional connectivity during nicotine withdrawal in male mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.29.534836. [PMID: 37034602 PMCID: PMC10081261 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.29.534836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Chronic nicotine results in dependence with withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of use, through desensitization of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and altered cholinergic neurotransmission. Nicotine withdrawal is associated with increased whole-brain functional connectivity and decreased network modularity, however, the role of cholinergic neurons in those changes is unknown. To identify the contribution of nicotinic receptors and cholinergic regions to changes in the functional network, we analyzed the contribution of the main cholinergic regions to brain-wide activation of the immediate early-gene FOS during withdrawal in male mice and correlated these changes with the expression of nicotinic receptor mRNA throughout the brain. We show that the main functional connectivity modules included the main long-range cholinergic regions, which were highly synchronized with the rest of the brain. However, despite this hyperconnectivity they were organized into two anticorrelated networks that were separated into basal forebrain projecting and brainstem-thalamic projecting cholinergic regions, validating a long-standing hypothesis of the organization of the brain cholinergic systems. Moreover, baseline (without nicotine) expression of Chrna2 , Chrna3 , Chrna10 , and Chrnd mRNA of each brain region correlated with withdrawal-induced changes in FOS expression. Finally, by mining the Allen Brain mRNA expression database, we were able to identify 1755 gene candidates and three pathways (Sox2-Oct4-Nanog, JAK-STAT, and MeCP2-GABA) that may contribute to nicotine withdrawal-induced FOS expression. These results identify the dual contribution of the basal forebrain and brainstem-thalamic cholinergic systems to whole-brain functional connectivity during withdrawal; and identify nicotinic receptors and novel cellular pathways that may be critical for the transition to nicotine dependence. Significance Statement Discontinuation of nicotine use in dependent users is associated with increased whole-brain activation and functional connectivity and leads to withdrawal symptoms. Here we investigated the contribution of the nicotinic cholinergic receptors and main cholinergic projecting brain areas in the whole-brain changes associated with withdrawal. This not only allowed us to visualize and confirm the previously described duality of the cholinergic brain system using this novel methodology, but also identify nicotinic receptors together with 1751 other genes that contribute, and could thus be targets for treatments against, nicotine withdrawal and dependence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92032, United States
| | - Pasha A. Davoudian
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, United States
| | - Alex C. Kwan
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
| | - Andres Collazo
- Beckman Institute, CalTech, Pasadena, CA, 91125, United States
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92032, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Tang PCT, Chung JYF, Liao J, Chan MKK, Chan ASW, Cheng G, Li C, Huang XR, Ng CSH, Lam EWF, Zhang D, Ho YP, To KF, Leung KT, Jiang X, Ko H, Lee TL, Lan HY, Tang PMK. Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovers a neuron-like macrophage subset associated with cancer pain. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn5535. [PMID: 36206343 PMCID: PMC9544324 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn5535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Tumor innervation is a common phenomenon with unknown mechanism. Here, we discovered a direct mechanism of tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) for promoting de novo neurogenesis via a subset showing neuronal phenotypes and pain receptor expression associated with cancer-driven nocifensive behaviors. This subset is rich in lung adenocarcinoma associated with poorer prognosis. By elucidating the transcriptome dynamics of TAM with single-cell resolution, we discovered a phenomenon "macrophage to neuron-like cell transition" (MNT) for directly promoting tumoral neurogenesis, evidenced by macrophage depletion and fate-mapping study in lung carcinoma models. Encouragingly, we detected neuronal phenotypes and activities of the bone marrow-derived MNT cells (MNTs) in vitro. Adoptive transfer of MNTs into NOD/SCID mice markedly enhanced their cancer-associated nocifensive behaviors. We identified macrophage-specific Smad3 as a pivotal regulator for promoting MNT at the genomic level; its disruption effectively blocked the tumor innervation and cancer-dependent nocifensive behaviors in vivo. Thus, MNT may represent a precision therapeutic target for cancer pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip Chiu-Tsun Tang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Jeff Yat-Fai Chung
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Jinyue Liao
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Max Kam-Kwan Chan
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Alex Siu-Wing Chan
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Guangyao Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Chunjie Li
- Department of Head and Neck Oncology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiao-Ru Huang
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Calvin Sze-Hang Ng
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Eric W-F Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 651 Dongfeng East Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province 510060, China
| | - Dongmei Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi-Ping Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Ka-Fai To
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Kam-Tong Leung
- Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Xiaohua Jiang
- Key Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine of the Ministry of Education of China, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Ho Ko
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Tin-Lap Lee
- Reproduction, Development and Endocrinology Program, School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Hui-Yao Lan
- Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
- Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory on Immunological and Genetic Kidney Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 999077 Hong Kong SAR
| | - Patrick Ming-Kuen Tang
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Schröder R, Reuter M, Faßbender K, Plieger T, Poulsen J, Lui SSY, Chan RCK, Ettinger U. The role of the SLC6A3 3' UTR VNTR in nicotine effects on cognitive, affective, and motor function. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:489-507. [PMID: 34854936 PMCID: PMC8638222 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06028-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Nicotine has been widely studied for its pro-dopaminergic effects. However, at the behavioural level, past investigations have yielded heterogeneous results concerning effects on cognitive, affective, and motor outcomes, possibly linked to individual differences at the level of genetics. A candidate polymorphism is the 40-base-pair variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism (rs28363170) in the SLC6A3 gene coding for the dopamine transporter (DAT). The polymorphism has been associated with striatal DAT availability (9R-carriers > 10R-homozygotes), and 9R-carriers have been shown to react more strongly to dopamine agonistic pharmacological challenges than 10R-homozygotes. OBJECTIVES In this preregistered study, we hypothesized that 9R-carriers would be more responsive to nicotine due to genotype-related differences in DAT availability and resulting dopamine activity. METHODS N=194 non-smokers were grouped according to their genotype (9R-carriers, 10R-homozygotes) and received either 2-mg nicotine or placebo gum in a between-subject design. Spontaneous blink rate (SBR) was obtained as an indirect measure of striatal dopamine activity and smooth pursuit, stop signal, simple choice and affective processing tasks were carried out in randomized order. RESULTS Reaction times were decreased under nicotine compared to placebo in the simple choice and stop signal tasks, but nicotine and genotype had no effects on any of the other task outcomes. Conditional process analyses testing the mediating effect of SBR on performance and how this is affected by genotype yielded no significant results. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we could not confirm our main hypothesis. Individual differences in nicotine response could not be explained by rs28363170 genotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Reuter
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Kaja Faßbender
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Thomas Plieger
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jessie Poulsen
- Nicotine Science Center, Fertin Pharma A/S, Vejle, Denmark
| | - Simon S Y Lui
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience (NACN) Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ulrich Ettinger
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Acute Effects of Nicotine on Physiological Responses and Sport Performance in Healthy Baseball Players. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19010515. [PMID: 35010774 PMCID: PMC8745004 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
There is interest in whether nicotine could enhance attention in sporting performance, but evidence on the acute effect of nicotine on physical response and sports performance in baseball players remains scant. This was an observational study to examine whether nicotine gum chewed before exercise could provide acute effects on physiological responses and sport performance. Accordingly, heart rate variability (HRV), saliva cotinine concentration and α-amylase activity, cognitive function, muscle strength, and baseball-hitting performance were measured. Thirteen healthy male non-smoker baseball players were recruited. Conducting two sequences with 7-day intervals, they chewed nicotine gum (nicotine group) or flavor-matched placebo gum (placebo group) for 30 min. HRV and saliva analyses were conducted before gum consumption (S1), after gum consumption (S2), and after test completion (S3). Cognitive, muscle strength, and baseball-hitting performance tests were performed after nicotine or placebo gum chewing. The outcomes of all assessed variables were compared within and between the groups. Significant changes in HRV, α-amylase, testosterone, and cortisol were observed in the nicotine group at S2 and S3 (p < 0.05). Compared with the placebo group, the nicotine group exhibited enhanced motor reaction times, grooved pegboard test (GPT) results on cognitive function, and baseball-hitting performance, and small effect sizes were noted (d = 0.47, 0.46 and 0.41, respectively). Nicotine could induce changes in endocrine and sympathetic nerve activity and enhance cognitive function and baseball-hitting performance. However, no increase in muscle strength was observed after nicotine intake.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hassani SA, Lendor S, Neumann A, Sinha Roy K, Banaie Boroujeni K, Hoffman KL, Pawliszyn J, Womelsdorf T. Dose-Dependent Dissociation of Pro-cognitive Effects of Donepezil on Attention and Cognitive Flexibility in Rhesus Monkeys. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 3:68-77. [PMID: 36712561 PMCID: PMC9874073 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Donepezil exerts pro-cognitive effects by nonselectively enhancing acetylcholine (ACh) across multiple brain systems. Two brain systems that mediate pro-cognitive effects of attentional control and cognitive flexibility are the prefrontal cortex and the anterior striatum, which have different pharmacokinetic sensitivities to ACh modulation. We speculated that these area-specific ACh profiles lead to distinct optimal dose ranges for donepezil to enhance the cognitive domains of attention and flexible learning. Methods To test for dose-specific effects of donepezil on different cognitive domains, we devised a multitask paradigm for nonhuman primates that assessed attention and cognitive flexibility. The nonhuman primates received either vehicle or variable doses of donepezil before task performance. We measured intracerebral donepezil and its strength in preventing the breakdown of ACh within the prefrontal cortex and anterior striatum using solid phase microextraction neurochemistry. Results The highest administered donepezil dose improved attention and made the subjects more robust against distractor interference, but it did not improve flexible learning. In contrast, only a lower dose range of donepezil improved flexible learning and reduced perseveration, but without distractor-dependent attentional improvement. Neurochemical measurements confirmed a dose-dependent increase of extracellular donepezil and decreases in choline within the prefrontal cortex and the striatum. Conclusions The donepezil dose for maximally improving attention differed from the dose range that enhanced cognitive flexibility despite the availability of the drug in two major brain systems supporting these functions. These results suggest that in our cohort of adult monkeys, donepezil traded improvements in attention for improvements in cognitive flexibility at a given dose range.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seyed A. Hassani
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sofia Lendor
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adam Neumann
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Kanchan Sinha Roy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Kari L. Hoffman
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Janusz Pawliszyn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada,Janusz Pawliszyn, Ph.D.
| | - Thilo Womelsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee,Address correspondence to Thilo Womelsdorf, Ph.D.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lockhofen DEL, Mulert C. Neurochemistry of Visual Attention. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:643597. [PMID: 34025339 PMCID: PMC8133366 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.643597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual attention is the cognitive process that mediates the selection of important information from the environment. This selection is usually controlled by bottom-up and top-down attentional biasing. Since for most humans vision is the dominant sense, visual attention is critically important for higher-order cognitive functions and related deficits are a core symptom of many neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Here, we summarize the importance and relative contributions of different neuromodulators and neurotransmitters to the neural mechanisms of top-down and bottom-up attentional control. We will not only review the roles of widely accepted neuromodulators, such as acetylcholine, dopamine and noradrenaline, but also the contributions of other modulatory substances. In doing so, we hope to shed some light on the current understanding of the role of neurochemistry in shaping neuron properties contributing to the allocation of attention in the visual field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christoph Mulert
- Center for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Justus-Liebig University, Hessen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Hahn B, Harvey AN, Concheiro-Guisan M, Huestis MA, Ross TJ, Stein EA. Nicotinic receptor modulation of the default mode network. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:589-597. [PMID: 33216167 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05711-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous neuroimaging studies of cognition involving nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist administration have repeatedly found enhanced task-induced deactivation of regions of the default mode network (DMN), a group of brain systems that is more active at rest and mediates task-independent thought processes. This effect may be related to pro-cognitive nAChR agonist effects OBJECTIVES: The present study sought to test whether nAChR modulation of the DMN is bi-directional, i.e., whether a nAChR antagonist would reduce task-induced deactivation. METHODS Eighteen healthy non-smokers underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a letter N-back task. Scans were performed after nicotine administration (7 mg/24 h, transdermally), after administration of the nAChR antagonist mecamylamine (7.5 mg, p.o.), and after double placebo, in counterbalanced sequence. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal was analyzed within ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) regions of interest-central hubs of the DMN in which consistent nAChR agonist-induced changes had previously been identified. RESULTS Nicotine enhanced hit rate in both the 0-back and 2-back condition, while mecamylamine slowed reaction time in the 2-back condition. Mecamylamine reduced task-induced deactivation of vmPFC and PCC. Nicotine had no significant effects on the BOLD signal. CONCLUSIONS The finding that nAChR tone reduction by mecamylamine weakened task-induced DMN deactivation indicates that a constant tone of nAChR activation helps regulate DMN activity in healthy individuals. This suggests that low nAChR tone may play a causal role in DMN dysregulation seen in conditions such as mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britta Hahn
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA.
| | - Alexander N Harvey
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA
| | - Marta Concheiro-Guisan
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Marilyn A Huestis
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Thomas J Ross
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Elliot A Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, 251 Bayview Blvd, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Evidence for positive allosteric modulation of cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine by low-dose galantamine in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2020; 199:173043. [PMID: 33022302 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2020.173043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists may be of therapeutic potential in disease states characterized by nAChR hypofunction; however, effects tend to be of small magnitude and unlikely clinical significance. The co-administration of a nAChR positive allosteric modulator (PAM) may enable larger effects by potentiating nAChR responses to an agonist. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor galantamine is a nAChR PAM at a low dose range. A recent clinical study testing effects of a single small dose of galantamine found evidence for synergistic effects with nicotine on one of several cognitive measures. In that study, residual AChE inhibition may have obscured interactions on other measures. The present study aimed at examining small galantamine doses devoid of AChE inhibitory activity in a rodent model of attention. The effects of galantamine (0.03-0.25 mg/kg s.c.) were tested in the presence and absence of nicotine (0.1 mg/kg s.c.) in rats performing the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task, employing a within-subject factorial design. There were no effects on response accuracy of either nicotine or galantamine alone. However, the combination of nicotine and 0.06 mg/kg of galantamine significantly enhanced accuracy. AChE activity assays confirmed that, at this dose, galantamine was devoid of AChE inhibitory activity in the brain. The results suggest that cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine may be potentiated or uncovered by an extremely small dose of galantamine, well below its typical therapeutic range in humans. Furthermore, these findings provide a general proof-of-principle for a nAChR agonist and PAM combination strategy for cognitive enhancement.
Collapse
|
10
|
Jao NC, Tan MM, Matthews PA, Simon MA, Schnoll R, Hitsman B. Menthol Cigarettes, Tobacco Dependence, and Smoking Persistence: The Need to Examine Enhanced Cognitive Functioning as a Neuropsychological Mechanism. Nicotine Tob Res 2020; 22:466-472. [PMID: 30551213 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/nty264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the overall decline in the prevalence of cigarette use in the United States, menthol cigarette use among smokers is rising, and evidence shows that it may lead to more detrimental effects on public health than regular cigarette use. One of the mechanisms by which nicotine sustains tobacco use and dependence is due to its cognitive enhancing properties, and basic science literature suggests that menthol may also enhance nicotine's acute effect on cognition. AIMS AND METHODS The purpose of this review is to suggest that the cognitive enhancing effects of menthol may be a potentially important neuropsychological mechanism that has yet to be examined. In this narrative review, we provide an overview of basic science studies examining neurobiological and cognitive effects of menthol and menthol cigarette smoking. We also review studies examining menthol essential oils among humans that indicate menthol alone has acute cognitive enhancing properties. Finally, we present factors influencing the rising prevalence of menthol cigarette use among smokers and the importance of this gap in the literature to improve public health and smoking cessation treatment. CONCLUSIONS Despite the compelling evidence for menthol's acute cognitive enhancing and reinforcing effects, this mechanism for sustaining tobacco dependence and cigarette use has yet to be examined and validated among humans. On the basis of the basic science evidence for menthol's neurobiological effects on nicotinic receptors and neurotransmitters, perhaps clarifying menthol's effect on cognitive performance can help to elucidate the complicated literature examining menthol and tobacco dependence. IMPLICATIONS Menthol cigarette use has continued to be a topic of debate among researchers and policy makers, because of its implications for understanding menthol's contribution to nicotine dependence and smoking persistence, as well as its continued use as a prevalent flavoring in tobacco and nicotine products in the United States and internationally. As international tobacco regulation policies have begun to target menthol cigarettes, research studies need to examine how flavoring additives, specifically menthol, may acutely influence neurobiological and cognitive functioning as a potential mechanism of sustained smoking behavior to develop more effective treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy C Jao
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Marcia M Tan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Phoenix A Matthews
- Department of Health Systems Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Melissa A Simon
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.,Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| | - Robert Schnoll
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Brian Hitsman
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pichon S, Garibotto V, Wissmeyer M, Seimbille Y, Antico L, Ratib O, Vuilleumier P, Haller S, Picard F. Higher availability of α4β2 nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) in dorsal ACC is linked to more efficient interference control. Neuroimage 2020; 214:116729. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
|
12
|
Hahn B, Olmstead CK, Yuille MB, Chiappelli JJ, Wells AK. Attention-enhancing effects of propranolol and synergistic effects with nicotine. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 20:658-668. [PMID: 32405757 PMCID: PMC7272290 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-020-00794-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine increases the output of every major neurotransmitter. In previous studies designed to identify the secondary neurotransmitter systems mediating nicotine's attention-enhancing effects in a rat model, the β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol blocked these effects. The present study was designed to test whether this mechanism held true in humans, thus guiding development of novel nicotinic agonists for cognitive enhancement. Twenty-six nonsmokers completed a nicotine (7 mg/24 h transdermally) x propranolol (40 mg p.o., body weight-adjusted) interaction study. Over four test days, each participant received double-placebo, nicotine only, propranolol only, and nicotine plus propranolol in randomized sequence before cognitive testing. No drug effects were seen in a visuospatial attention task. In the Rapid Visual Information Processing Task, performed in two 15-min blocks, neither drug alone significantly affected hit rate, but both drugs combined acted synergistically to alleviate its decrement over time in the first block and displayed additive beneficial effects in the second. In a change detection task, propranolol enhanced accuracy and reduced reaction time independent of nicotine presence. Propranolol also enhanced subjective self-reports of vigor. Overall, the findings were contrary to those hypothesized. Propranolol displayed beneficial effects on cognition, especially on sustaining performance over time. β-adrenoceptor activation by nicotine-induced noradrenaline release appeared to limit performance-enhancing effects of nicotine, because they were unmasked by β-adrenoceptor antagonism. The results suggest that cognitive effects of changes in β-adrenoceptor tone are context-dependent; contrary to rodent paradigms, human cognitive paradigms require no physical orienting in space but prolonged periods of remaining stationary while sustaining predictable processing demands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britta Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA.
| | - Cory K Olmstead
- Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA
| | - Marie B Yuille
- Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA
| | - Joshua J Chiappelli
- Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA
| | - Ashleigh K Wells
- Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Lewis AS, Picciotto MR. Regulation of aggressive behaviors by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: Animal models, human genetics, and clinical studies. Neuropharmacology 2020; 167:107929. [PMID: 32058178 PMCID: PMC7080580 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric disorders are frequently complicated by aggressive behaviors. For some individuals, existing behavioral and psychopharmacological treatments are ineffective or confer significant side effects, necessitating development of new ways to treat patients with severe aggression. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a large and diverse family of ligand-gated ion channels expressed throughout the brain that influence behaviors highly relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders, including attention, mood, and impulsivity. Nicotine and other drugs targeting nAChRs can reduce aggression in animal models of offensive, defensive, and predatory aggression, as well as in human laboratory studies. Human genetic studies have suggested a relationship between the CHRNA7 gene encoding the alpha-7 nAChR and aggressive behavior, although these effects are heterogeneous and strongly influenced by genetic background and environment. Here we review animal, human genetic, and clinical studies supporting a consistent role of nicotine and nAChR signaling in modulation of aggressive behaviors. We integrate findings from recent studies of aggression neuroscience, discuss the circuitry that may be involved in these effects of nAChRs, and identify multiple key questions that must be answered prior to safe and effective translation for human patients. This article is part of the special issue on 'Contemporary Advances in Nicotine Neuropharmacology'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alan S Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Cognitive Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lesage E, Sutherland MT, Ross TJ, Salmeron BJ, Stein EA. Nicotine dependence (trait) and acute nicotinic stimulation (state) modulate attention but not inhibitory control: converging fMRI evidence from Go-Nogo and Flanker tasks. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:857-865. [PMID: 31995811 PMCID: PMC7075893 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0623-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive deficits during nicotine withdrawal may contribute to smoking relapse. However, interacting effects of chronic nicotine dependence and acute nicotine withdrawal on cognitive control are poorly understood. Here we examine the effects of nicotine dependence (trait; smokers (n = 24) vs. non-smoking controls; n = 20) and acute nicotinic stimulation (state; administration of nicotine and varenicline, two FDA-approved smoking cessation aids, during abstinence), on two well-established tests of inhibitory control, the Go-Nogo task and the Flanker task, during fMRI scanning. We compared performance and neural responses between these four pharmacological manipulations in a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design. As expected, performance in both tasks was modulated by nicotine dependence, abstinence, and pharmacological manipulation. However, effects were driven entirely by conditions that required less inhibitory control. When demand for inhibitory control was high, abstinent smokers showed no deficits. By contrast, acutely abstinent smokers showed performance deficits in easier conditions and missed more trials. Go-Nogo fMRI results showed decreased inhibition-related neural activity in right anterior insula and right putamen in smokers and decreased dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activity on nicotine across groups. No effects were found on inhibition-related activity during the Flanker task or on error-related activity in either task. Given robust nicotinic effects on physiology and behavioral deficits in attention, we are confident that pharmacological manipulations were effective. Thus findings fit a recent proposal that abstinent smokers show decreased ability to divert cognitive resources at low or intermediate cognitive demand, while performance at high cognitive demand remains relatively unaffected, suggesting a primary attentional deficit during acute abstinence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Lesage
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Gent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - M T Sutherland
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - T J Ross
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - B J Salmeron
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - E A Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Javad-Moosavi BZ, Nasehi M, Vaseghi S, Jamaldini SH, Zarrindast MR. Activation and Inactivation of Nicotinic Receptnors in the Dorsal Hippocampal Region Restored Negative Effects of Total (TSD) and REM Sleep Deprivation (RSD) on Memory Acquisition, Locomotor Activity and Pain Perception. Neuroscience 2020; 433:200-211. [PMID: 32200080 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sleep deprivation (SD) is a common issue in today's society. Sleep is essential for proper cognitive functions, including learning and memory. Furthermore, sleep disorders can alter pain information processing. Meanwhile, hippocampal nicotinic receptors have a role in modulating pain and memory. The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of dorsal hippocampal (CA1) nicotinic receptors on behavioral changes induced by Total (TSD) and REM Sleep Deprivation (RSD). A modified water box and multi-platform apparatus were used to induce TSD and RSD, respectively. To investigate the interaction between nicotinic receptors and hippocampus-dependent memory, nicotinic receptor agonist (nicotine) or antagonist (mecamylamine) was injected into the CA1 region. The results showed, nicotine at the doses of 0.001 and 0.1 µg/rat and mecamylamine at the doses of 0.01 and 0.1 µg/rat decreased memory acquisition, while both at the doses of 0.01 and 0.1 µg/rat enhanced locomotor activity. Additionally, all doses used for both drugs did not alter pain perception. Also, 24 h TSD or RSD attenuated memory acquisition with no effect on locomotor activity and only TSD induced an analgesic effect. Intra-CA1 administration of subthreshold dose of nicotine (0.0001 µg/rat) and mecamylamine (0.001 µg/rat) did not alter memory acquisition, pain perception and locomotor activity in sham of TSD/RSD rats. Both drugs reversed all behavioral changes induced by TSD. Furthermore, both drugs reversed the effect of RSD on memory acquisition, while only mecamylamine reversed the effect of RSD on locomotor activity. In conclusion, CA1 nicotinic receptors play a significant role in TSD/RSD-induced behavioral changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammad Nasehi
- Cognitive and Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), Amir-Almomenin Hospital, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Salar Vaseghi
- Cognitive and Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), Amir-Almomenin Hospital, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Hamid Jamaldini
- Department of Genetic, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad-Reza Zarrindast
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Neuroendocrinology, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Institute for Cognitive Science Studies (ICSS), Tehran, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Evidence for positive allosteric modulation of cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine in healthy human subjects. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:219-230. [PMID: 31686175 PMCID: PMC6952331 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05363-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cognitive benefits of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists are well established but have generally been of small magnitude and uncertain clinical significance. A way of raising the effect size may be to facilitate agonist-induced responses by co-administering a nAChR positive allosteric modulator (PAM). OBJECTIVE The aim was to test whether galantamine, a PAM at several nAChR subtypes, can potentiate the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine. METHODS Twenty-six adult never-smokers were treated, in a double-blind counterbalanced sequence, with nicotine (7 mg/24 h, transdermally) and galantamine (4 mg, p.o.) combined, nicotine alone, galantamine alone, and double placebo. A low dose of galantamine was chosen to minimize acetylcholinesterase inhibition, which was verified in blood assays. In each condition, participants were tested with three cognitive tasks. RESULTS Nicotine significantly improved reaction time (RT) and signal detection in a visuospatial attention task and the Rapid Visual Information Processing Task. Galantamine did not modulate these effects. A trend toward RT reduction by galantamine correlated with acetylcholinesterase inhibition. In a change detection task, there were no effects of nicotine or galantamine alone on accuracy or RT. However, both drugs combined acted synergistically to reduce RT. This effect was not associated with acetylcholinesterase inhibition. CONCLUSIONS A pattern consistent with allosteric potentiation of nicotine effects by galantamine was observed on one of six performance measures. This may reflect specific nAChR subtype involvement, or additional pharmacological actions of galantamine may have overshadowed similar interactions on other measures. The finding suggests that allosteric potentiation of nAChR agonist-induced cognitive benefits is possible in principle.
Collapse
|
17
|
Hahn B, Shrieves ME, Yuille MB, Buchanan RW, Wells AK. Nicotine effects on cognitive remediation training outcome in people with schizophrenia: A pilot study. Psychiatry Res 2019; 280:112498. [PMID: 31437659 PMCID: PMC6756954 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive remediation training can alleviate cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia, but the impact is limited by small effect sizes. The present study aimed at augmenting training effects by administering nicotine prior to training sessions. Twenty-five people with schizophrenia were enrolled in a 10-week, 5 days/week, computerized cognitive training regimen. Participants were randomized to two treatment groups: nicotine or placebo. Every Monday and Thursday, the nicotine group received a nicotine lozenge before the training, and the placebo group a placebo lozenge. Outcome measurements were conducted on a no-lozenge day in weeks 0, 4, 7, and 10, and at 4-week follow-up. The MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery composite score improved over time, but there was no group difference in this effect. A significant group difference emerged over time in the reasoning/problem solving sub-domain: the placebo group improved but not the nicotine group, suggesting that nicotine exposure negatively impacted training benefits on executive control processes. There were no effects on psychiatric symptoms. However, significant improvements were seen across groups on the Quality of Life Scale and the Cognitive Assessment Interview, measuring real-life functional outcome. In conclusion, the present study failed to find evidence that nicotine exposure during cognitive remediation training may potentiate training benefits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britta Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Meyhöfer I, Kasparbauer AM, Steffens M, Ettinger U. Effects of nicotine on smooth pursuit eye movements in healthy non-smokers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2259-2271. [PMID: 30874860 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05223-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The non-selective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist nicotine has been argued to improve attention via enhanced filtering of irrelevant stimuli. Here, we tested this hypothesis in the context of smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEMs), an oculomotor function previously shown to improve with nicotine in some but not all studies. OBJECTIVES In order to test whether nicotine improves performance particularly when the inhibition of distracting stimuli is required, SPEM was elicited in conditions with or without peripheral distractors. Additionally, different target frequencies were employed in order to parametrically vary general processing demands on the SPEM system. METHODS Healthy adult non-smokers (N = 18 females, N = 13 males) completed a horizontal sinusoidal SPEM task at different target frequencies (0.2 Hz, 0.4 Hz, 0.6 Hz) in the presence or absence of peripheral distractors in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design using a 2 mg nicotine gum. RESULTS Nicotine increased peak pursuit gain relative to placebo (p < .001), but an interaction with distractor condition (p = .001) indicated that this effect was most pronounced in the presence of distractors. Catch-up saccade frequency was reduced by nicotine (p = .01), particularly at higher target frequencies (two-way interaction, p = .04). However, a three-way interaction (p = .006) indicated that the reduction with nicotine was strongest at the highest target frequency (0.6 Hz) only without distractors, whereas in the presence of distractors, it was strongest at 0.4-Hz target frequency. There were no effects of nicotine on subjective state measures. CONCLUSIONS Together, these findings support a role of both distractor inhibition and general processing load in the effects of nicotine on smooth pursuit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inga Meyhöfer
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | | | - Maria Steffens
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ulrich Ettinger
- Department of Psychology, University of Bonn, Kaiser-Karl-Ring 9, 53111, Bonn, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Siennicka A, Quintana DS, Fedurek P, Wijata A, Paleczny B, Ponikowska B, Danel DP. Resting heart rate variability, attention and attention maintenance in young adults. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 143:126-131. [PMID: 31255739 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a widely used measure that reflects autonomic (parasympathetic) control of the heart. HRV has been linked with attentional performance, but it is unclear to what extent resting HRV is associated with both attention and attentional maintenance. In order to address this, we calculated HRV in seventy-four young and healthy volunteers (43 men, age: 21.6 ± 2.4), who completed the D2 Test of Attention (D2), which was used to calculate an index of Concentration Performance (CP) and a measure of attention maintenance, the coefficient of variation (CV). After accounting for the effects of sex and age on HRV, there was no significant association between HRV and CP (p = .2), but a significant relationship between HRV and CV (p = .03). Overall, our study demonstrates that attention maintenance, but not attentional performance, is associated with higher resting state HRV which suggests that attentional performance from D2 subtest-to-subtest may reflect HRV's facilitation of behaviour flexibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Siennicka
- Department of Physiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; Department of Cardiology, Military Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - D S Quintana
- NORMENT, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo, and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - P Fedurek
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
| | - A Wijata
- Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Zabrze, Poland
| | - B Paleczny
- Department of Physiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; Department of Cardiology, Military Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland
| | - B Ponikowska
- Department of Physiology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - D P Danel
- Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Bloom AJ. Mouse strain-specific acute respiratory effects of nicotine unrelated to nicotine metabolism. Toxicol Mech Methods 2019; 29:542-548. [PMID: 31172850 DOI: 10.1080/15376516.2019.1628141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Plethysmograph measurement of respiratory phenotypes provides a highly sensitive means to study nicotine response in experimental model animals. We measured average respiratory frequency, tidal volume, minute volume and inspiratory time in C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice subcutaneously administered 0.35 and 0.70 mg/kg nicotine. Both mouse strains showed significantly altered respiratory and locomotion phenotypes relative to saline-injected controls when administered the higher dose, but only C57BL/6J responded to the lower nicotine dose. Respiratory and locomotion phenotypes rarely differed significantly by sex. To investigate whether the strain-specific differences in nicotine sensitivity were related to differences in clearance, we followed up by measuring nicotine clearance in C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice (0.35 mg/kg subcutaneous) and found sex differences in both strains, but no difference between strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A J Bloom
- a Department of Genetics , Washington University , St Louis , MO , USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Sun MK. Executive functioning: perspectives on neurotrophic activity and pharmacology. Behav Pharmacol 2018; 29:592-604. [PMID: 30179884 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Executive functioning is a high-level cognitive ability, regulating other abilities and behaviors to achieve desired goals. A typical executive task can be defined as the capacity to maintain one's attention on the current task, that is, responding only to the correct but not to distractive stimuli. Impairments of executive functions, or executive dysfunctions, have a growing impact on everyday life and academic achievement and are usually an early feature, and one of the core features, in brain injury and memory and behavioral disorders. Furthermore, emerging evidence indicates that memory therapeutics cannot achieve their clinical benefits in cognition if executive dysfunction is not effectively and simultaneously treated. Improvement of executive functions might be achieved through targeting some signaling pathways in the brain, including the brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling pathways. These agents may be useful either as stand-alone interventions for patients with executive dysfunction and/or psychiatric and memory disorders or as essential adjuncts to drugs that target the underlying pathology in various brain injury and memory and behavioral disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Kun Sun
- Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Tamaddonfard E, Erfanparast A, Abbas Farshid A, Delkhosh-Kasmaie F. Role of ventrolateral orbital cortex muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in modulation of capsaicin-induced orofacial pain-related behaviors in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 2017; 815:399-404. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.09.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
23
|
Grundey J, Amu R, Batsikadze G, Paulus W, Nitsche MA. Diverging effects of nicotine on motor learning performance: Improvement in deprived smokers and attenuation in non-smokers. Addict Behav 2017; 74:90-97. [PMID: 28600927 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Nicotine modulates cognition and neuroplasticity in smokers and non-smokers. A possible mechanism for its effect on learning and memory performance is its impact on long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). As neuroplasticity is closely connected to learning processes, we aimed to explore the effect of nicotine in healthy, young smokers and non-smokers on performance of the serial reaction time task (SRTT), a sequential motor learning paradigm. 20 nicotine-deprived smokers and 20 non-smokers participated in the study and were exposed to nicotine or placebo medication. Deprived smokers under placebo medication displayed reduced performance in terms of reaction time and error rates compared to the non-smoking group. After application of nicotine, performance in smokers improved while it deteriorated in non-smokers. These results indicate a restituting effect of nicotine in smokers in terms of cognitive parameters. This sheds further light on the proposed mechanism of nicotine on learning processes, which might be linked to the addictive component of nicotine, the probability of relapse and thus needs also be addressed in cessation treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Grundey
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - R Amu
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - G Batsikadze
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - W Paulus
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - M A Nitsche
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Georg-August University Medical Center Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen, Germany; Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors, Dortmund, Germany; Department of Neurology, BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
McGregor AL, D'Souza G, Kim D, Tingle MD. Varenicline improves motor and cognitive deficits and decreases depressive-like behaviour in late-stage YAC128 mice. Neuropharmacology 2017; 116:233-246. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
|
25
|
Effects of nicotine on response inhibition and interference control. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:1093-1111. [PMID: 28150023 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4542-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Nicotine is a cholinergic agonist with known pro-cognitive effects in the domains of alerting and orienting attention. However, its effects on attentional top-down functions such as response inhibition and interference control are less well characterised. Here, we investigated the effects of 7 mg transdermal nicotine on performance on a battery of response inhibition and interference control tasks. A sample of N = 44 healthy adult non-smokers performed antisaccade, stop signal, Stroop, go/no-go, flanker, shape matching and Simon tasks, as well as the attentional network test (ANT) and a continuous performance task (CPT). Nicotine was administered in a within-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, with order of drug administration counterbalanced. Relative to placebo, nicotine led to significantly shorter reaction times on a prosaccade task and on CPT hits but did not significantly improve inhibitory or interference control performance on any task. Instead, nicotine had a negative influence in increasing the interference effect on the Simon task. Nicotine did not alter inter-individual associations between reaction times on congruent trials and error rates on incongruent trials on any task. Finally, there were effects involving order of drug administration, suggesting practice effects but also beneficial nicotine effects when the compound was administered first. Overall, our findings support previous studies showing positive effects of nicotine on basic attentional functions but do not provide direct evidence for an improvement of top-down cognitive control through acute administration of nicotine at this dose in healthy non-smokers.
Collapse
|
26
|
Hahn B, Riegger KE, Elmer GI. Strain dependency of the effects of nicotine and mecamylamine in a rat model of attention. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:1427-34. [PMID: 26875755 PMCID: PMC4814296 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4236-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Processes of attention have a heritable component, suggesting that genetic predispositions may predict variability in the response to attention-enhancing drugs. Among lead compounds with attention-enhancing properties are nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists. OBJECTIVES This study aims to test, by comparing three rat strains, whether genotype may influence the sensitivity to nicotine in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), a rodent model of attention. METHODS Strains tested were Long Evans (LE), Sprague Dawley (SD), and Wistar rats. The 5-CSRTT requires responses to light stimuli presented randomly in one of five locations. The effect of interest was an increased percentage of responses in the correct location (accuracy), the strongest indicator of improved attention. RESULTS Nicotine (0.05-0.2 mg/kg s.c.) reduced omission errors and response latency and increased anticipatory responding in all strains. In contrast, nicotine dose-dependently increased accuracy in Wistar rats only. The nAChR antagonist mecamylamine (0.75-3 mg/kg s.c.) increased omissions, slowed responses, and reduced anticipatory responding in all strains. There were no effects on accuracy, which was surprising giving the clear improvement with nicotine in the Wistar group. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest strain differences in the attention-enhancing effects of nicotine, which would indicate that genetic predispositions predict variability in the efficacy of nAChR compounds for enhancing attention. The absence of effect of mecamylamine on response accuracy may suggest a contribution of nAChR desensitization to the attention-enhancing effects of nicotine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Britta Hahn
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, P.O. Box 21247, Baltimore, MD, 21228, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|