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Daniels S, El Mansari M, Hamoudeh R, Blier P. Ketamine promptly normalizes excess norepinephrine and enhances dopamine neuronal activity in Wistar Kyoto rats. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1276309. [PMID: 38026921 PMCID: PMC10644068 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1276309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ketamine acts primarily by blocking the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor at the phencyclidine site. The rapid antidepressant properties of ketamine were demonstrated in the clinic and several behavioral models of depression in rodents. We hypothesized that the normalization of abnormal activity of monoamine neurons in Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats contributes to the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine. A single administration of ketamine (10 mg/kg, i. p) or saline was administered to anesthetized WKY rats before in vivo electrophysiological recordings of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) serotonin (5-HT), locus coeruleus (LC) norepinephrine (NE) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neuronal activity. Pyramidal neurons from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were also recorded before and after a ketamine injection. In the VTA, ketamine elicited a significant increase in the population activity of DA neurons. This enhancement was consistent with findings in other depression-like models in which such a decreased population activity was observed. In the LC, ketamine normalized increased NE neuron burst activity found in WKY rats. In the DRN, ketamine did not significantly reverse 5-HT neuronal activity in WKY rats, which is dampened compared to Wistar rats. Ketamine did not significantly alter the neuronal activity of mPFC pyramidal neurons. These findings demonstrate that ketamine normalized NE neuronal activity and enhanced DA neuronal activity in WKY rats, which may contribute to its rapid antidepressant effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mostafa El Mansari
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Ogawa S, Parhar IS. Role of Habenula in Social and Reproductive Behaviors in Fish: Comparison With Mammals. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:818782. [PMID: 35221943 PMCID: PMC8867168 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.818782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors such as mating, parenting, fighting, and avoiding are essential functions as a communication tool in social animals, and are critical for the survival of individuals and species. Social behaviors are controlled by a complex circuitry that comprises several key social brain regions, which is called the social behavior network (SBN). The SBN further integrates social information with external and internal factors to select appropriate behavioral responses to social circumstances, called social decision-making. The social decision-making network (SDMN) and SBN are structurally, neurochemically and functionally conserved in vertebrates. The social decision-making process is also closely influenced by emotional assessment. The habenula has recently been recognized as a crucial center for emotion-associated adaptation behaviors. Here we review the potential role of the habenula in social function with a special emphasis on fish studies. Further, based on evolutional, molecular, morphological, and behavioral perspectives, we discuss the crucial role of the habenula in the vertebrate SDMN.
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Bertone-Cueto NI, Makarova J, Mosqueira A, García-Violini D, Sánchez-Peña R, Herreras O, Belluscio M, Piriz J. Volume-Conducted Origin of the Field Potential at the Lateral Habenula. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 13:78. [PMID: 31998083 PMCID: PMC6961596 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Field potentials (FPs) are easily reached signals that provide information about the brain's processing. However, FP should be interpreted cautiously since their biophysical bases are complex. The lateral habenula (LHb) is a brain structure involved in the encoding of aversive motivational values. Previous work indicates that the activity of the LHb is relevant for hippocampal-dependent learning. Moreover, it has been proposed that the interaction of the LHb with the hippocampal network is evidenced by the synchronization of LHb and hippocampal FPs during theta rhythm. However, the origin of the habenular FP has not been analyzed. Hence, its validity as a measurement of LHb activity has not been proven. In this work, we used electrophysiological recordings in anesthetized rats and feed-forward modeling to investigate biophysical basis of the FP recorded in the LHb. Our results indicate that the FP in the LHb during theta rhythm is a volume-conducted signal from the hippocampus. This result highlight that FPs must be thoroughly analyzed before its biological interpretation and argues against the use of the habenular FP signal as a readout of the activity of the LHb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Iván Bertone-Cueto
- Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica “Houssay” (IFIBIO “Houssay”), Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Alejo Mosqueira
- Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica “Houssay” (IFIBIO “Houssay”), Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | | | | | - Mariano Belluscio
- Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica “Houssay” (IFIBIO “Houssay”), Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Joaquin Piriz
- Grupo de Neurociencia de Sistemas, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica “Houssay” (IFIBIO “Houssay”), Universidad de Buenos Aires, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Ely BA, Stern ER, Kim JW, Gabbay V, Xu J. Detailed mapping of human habenula resting-state functional connectivity. Neuroimage 2019; 200:621-634. [PMID: 31252057 PMCID: PMC7089853 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The habenula (Hb) inhibits dopaminergic reward signaling in response to negative outcomes and has been linked to numerous functional domains relevant to mental health, including reward prediction, motivation, and aversion processing. Despite its important neuroscientific and clinical implications, however, the human Hb remains poorly understood due to its small size and the associated technical hurdles to in vivo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigation. Using high-resolution 3 T fMRI data from 68 healthy young adults acquired through the Human Connectome Project, we developed a rigorous approach for mapping the whole-brain resting-state functional connectivity of the human Hb. Our study combined an optimized strategy for defining subject-level connectivity seeds to maximize Hb blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal sensitivity with high-quality surface-based alignment for robust functional localization and cortical sensitivity. We identified significant positive Hb connectivity with: (i) conserved brainstem targets, including the dopaminergic ventral tegmental area, serotonergic raphe nuclei, and periaqueductal gray; (ii) subcortical structures related to reward and motor function, including the nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum, pallidum, thalamus, and cerebellum; and (iii) cortical areas associated with the Salience Network and early sensory processing, including the dorsal anterior cingulate, anterior insula, and primary visual and auditory cortices. Hb connectivity was strongly biased towards task-positive brain regions, with weak or negative connectivity observed throughout the task-negative Default Mode Network. Our study provides a detailed characterization of Hb resting-state functional connectivity in healthy young adults, demonstrating both the feasibility and clinical potential of studying the human Hb using high-resolution 3 T fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Ely
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Emily R Stern
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA
| | - Joo-Won Kim
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vilma Gabbay
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Junqian Xu
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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Khalilzadeh E, Saiah GV. The possible mechanisms of analgesia produced by microinjection of morphine into the lateral habenula in the acute model of trigeminal pain in rats. Res Pharm Sci 2017. [PMID: 28626482 PMCID: PMC5465833 DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.207205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the effect of intra-habenular injection of morphine on acute trigeminal pain in rats. Also here, we examined the involvement of raphe nucleus opioid and 5HT3 receptors on the antinociceptive activity of intra habenular morphine to explore the possibility of existence of descending antinociceptive relay between the habenula and raphe nucleus. The numbers of eye wiping response elicited by applying a drop (40 μL) of NaCl (5 M) solution on the corneal surface were taken as an index of acute trigeminal nociception. Intra habenular microinjection of morphine at a dose of 2 μg was without effect, whereas at doses of 5 and 8 μg significantly produced antinociception. Microinjection of naltrexone (4 μg) and ondansetron (1 μg) into the dorsal raphe nucleus prior to intra-habenular saline did not produce any significant effect on corneal pain perception. Pretreatment of the raphe nucleus with ondansetron but not naltrexone prevented intra habenular morphine (8 μg) induced antinociception. Also, intra habenular injection of lidocaine (2%, 0.5 μL reduced corneal pain response. Moreover, intra-habenular microinjection of L-glutamic acid (1 and 2 μg/site) did not produce any analgesic activity in this model of pain. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the activation of the habenular μ opioid receptor by microinjection of morphine or inhibition of habenular neurons by microinjection of lidocaine produced an analgesic effect in the acute trigeminal model of pain in rats. The analgesic effect of intra habenular morphine was blocked by intra-dorsal raphe injection of serotonin 5-HT3 antagonist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Khalilzadeh
- Division of Physiology, Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, I.R. Iran
| | - Gholamreza Vafaei Saiah
- Division of Physiology, Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, I.R. Iran
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Potential involvement of serotonergic signaling in ketamine's antidepressant actions: A critical review. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 71:27-38. [PMID: 27262695 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A single i.v. infusion of ketamine, classified as an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, may alleviate depressive symptoms within hours of administration in treatment resistant depressed patients, and the antidepressant effect may last for several weeks. These unique therapeutic properties have prompted researchers to explore the mechanisms mediating the antidepressant effects of ketamine, but despite many efforts, no consensus on its antidepressant mechanism of action has been reached. Recent preclinical reports have associated the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) with the antidepressant-like action of ketamine. Here, we review the current evidence for a serotonergic role in ketamine's antidepressant effects. The pharmacological profile of ketamine may include equipotent activity on several non-NMDA targets, and the current hypotheses for the mechanisms responsible for ketamine's antidepressant activity do not appear to preclude the possibility that non-glutamate neurotransmitters are involved in the antidepressant effects. At multiple levels, the serotonergic and glutamatergic systems interact, and such crosstalk could support the notion that changes in serotonergic neurotransmission may impact ketamine's antidepressant potential. In line with these prospects, ketamine may increase 5-HT levels in the prefrontal cortex of rats, plausibly via hippocampal NMDA receptor inhibition and activation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors. In addition, a number of preclinical studies suggest that the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine may depend on endogenous activation of 5-HT receptors. Recent imaging and behavioral data predominantly support a role for 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B receptors, but the full range of 5-HT receptors has currently not been systematically investigated in this context. Furthermore, the nature of any 5-HT dependent mechanism in ketamine's antidepressant effect is currently not understood, and therefore, more studies are warranted to confirm this hypothesis and explore the specific pathways that might implicate 5-HT.
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Abstract
The hippocampus plays an important role in emotional and cognitive processing, and both of these domains are affected in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Extensive preclinical research and the notion that modulation of serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission plays a key role in the therapeutic efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) support the view that 5-HT is important for hippocampal function in normal and disease-like conditions. The hippocampus is densely innervated by serotonergic fibers, and the majority of 5-HT receptor subtypes are expressed there. Furthermore, hippocampal cells often co-express multiple 5-HT receptor subtypes that can have either complementary or opposing effects on cell function, adding to the complexity of 5-HT neurotransmission. Here we review the current knowledge of how 5-HT, through its various receptor subtypes, modulates hippocampal output and the activity of hippocampal pyramidal cells in rodents. In addition, we discuss the relevance of 5-HT modulation for cognitive processing in rodents and possible clinical implications of these results in patients with MDD. Finally, we review the data on how SSRIs and vortioxetine, an antidepressant with multimodal activity, affect hippocampal function, including cognitive processing, from both a preclinical and clinical perspective.
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Gordon N, Goelman G. Understanding alterations in serotonin connectivity in a rat model of depression within the monoamine-deficiency and the hippocampal-neurogenesis frameworks. Behav Brain Res 2015; 296:141-148. [PMID: 26367472 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 09/06/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The monoamine-deficiency and the hippocampal-neurogenesis hypotheses of depression propose that alterations in the serotonin system and of hippocampal functionality are critical in the pathogenesis of depression. We measured the alterations in the connectivity level of the raphe nucleus in the chronic mild stress (CMS) rat model of depression using the manganese enhanced MRI method (MEMRI). Manganese ions were injected into the median raphe and their anterograde intracellular propagation was followed. Depression-like behavior was demonstrated using the sucrose preference tests. We show that the raphe's connectivity is differentially altered through chronic stress. In line with the monoamine-deficiency hypothesis, the connectivity of the raphe with the basal ganglia (BG) output nuclei, the hippocampus, the habenula and the entorhinal and insular cortices was reduced in CMS rats, suggesting an overall reduction in raphe excitability. Connectivity reductions were predominantly found in the right hemisphere, strengthening previous evidence pointing at a-symmetric hemispheric involvement in depression. Despite the general reduction in raphe connectivity, enhanced connectivity was found between the raphe and the septum, suggesting that alterations are connection-specific. On the basis of our results - while yet equivocal - we further discuss the possible coupling between the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems and two distinct mechanisms (direct and indirect) in which alterations in raphe connectivity may affect hippocampal dysfunction in chronic stress, thus linking the monoamine-deficiency and the hippocampal-neurogenesis hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Gordon
- MRI Lab, The human Biology Research Center, Department of Medical Biophysics, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120 Israel; Cognition and Philosophy Lab, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Gadi Goelman
- MRI Lab, The human Biology Research Center, Department of Medical Biophysics, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem 91120 Israel.
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Broms J, Antolin-Fontes B, Tingström A, Ibañez-Tallon I. Conserved expression of the GPR151 receptor in habenular axonal projections of vertebrates. J Comp Neurol 2015; 523:359-80. [PMID: 25116430 PMCID: PMC4270839 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Revised: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The habenula is a phylogenetically conserved brain structure in the epithalamus. It is a major node in the information flow between fronto-limbic brain regions and monoaminergic brainstem nuclei, and is thus anatomically and functionally ideally positioned to regulate emotional, motivational, and cognitive behaviors. Consequently, the habenula may be critically important in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression. Here we investigated the expression pattern of GPR151, a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), whose mRNA has been identified as highly and specifically enriched in habenular neurons by in situ hybridization and translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP). In the present immunohistochemical study we demonstrate a pronounced and highly specific expression of the GPR151 protein in the medial and lateral habenula of rodent brain. Specific expression was also seen in efferent habenular fibers projecting to the interpeduncular nucleus, the rostromedial tegmental area, the rhabdoid nucleus, the mesencephalic raphe nuclei, and the dorsal tegmental nucleus. Using confocal microscopy and quantitative colocalization analysis, we found that GPR151-expressing axons and terminals overlap with cholinergic, substance P-ergic, and glutamatergic markers. Virtually identical expression patterns were observed in rat, mouse, and zebrafish brains. Our data demonstrate that GPR151 is highly conserved, specific for a subdivision of the habenular neurocircuitry, and constitutes a promising novel target for psychiatric drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Broms
- Psychiatric Neuromodulation Unit, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | | | - Anders Tingström
- Psychiatric Neuromodulation Unit, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ines Ibañez-Tallon
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, U.S.A
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Zhao H, Zhang BL, Yang SJ, Rusak B. The role of lateral habenula-dorsal raphe nucleus circuits in higher brain functions and psychiatric illness. Behav Brain Res 2014; 277:89-98. [PMID: 25234226 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Revised: 09/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) play an important role in regulation of many physiological functions. The lateral nucleus of the habenular complex (LHb) is closely connected to the DRN both morphologically and functionally. The LHb is a key regulator of the activity of DRN serotonergic neurons, and it also receives reciprocal input from the DRN. The LHb is also a major way-station that receives limbic system input via the stria medullaris and provides output to the DRN and thereby indirectly connects a number of other brain regions to the DRN. The complex interactions of the LHb and DRN contribute to the regulation of numerous important behavioral and physiological mechanisms, including those regulating cognition, reward, pain sensitivity and patterns of sleep and waking. Disruption of these functions is characteristic of major psychiatric illnesses, so there has been a great deal of interest in how disturbed LHb-DRN interactions may contribute to the symptoms of these illnesses. This review summarizes recent research related to the roles of the LHb-DRN system in regulation of higher brain functions and the possible role of disturbed LHb-DRN function in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders, especially depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zhao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China.
| | - Bei-Lin Zhang
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Shao-Jun Yang
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, PR China
| | - Benjamin Rusak
- Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 2E2, Canada
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Nakamura K. The role of the dorsal raphé nucleus in reward-seeking behavior. Front Integr Neurosci 2013; 7:60. [PMID: 23986662 PMCID: PMC3753458 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2013.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2013] [Accepted: 07/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological experiments have shown that the modulation of brain serotonin levels has a strong impact on value-based decision making. Anatomical and physiological evidence also revealed that the dorsal raphé nucleus (DRN), a major source of serotonin, and the dopamine system receive common inputs from brain regions associated with appetitive and aversive information processing. The serotonin and dopamine systems also have reciprocal functional influences on each other. However, the specific mechanism by which serotonin affects value-based decision making is not clear. To understand the information carried by the DRN for reward-seeking behavior, we measured single neuron activity in the primate DRN during the performance of saccade tasks to obtain different amounts of a reward. We found that DRN neuronal activity was characterized by tonic modulation that was altered by the expected and received reward value. Consistent reward-dependent modulation across different task periods suggested that DRN activity kept track of the reward value throughout a trial. The DRN was also characterized by modulation of its activity in the opposite direction by different neuronal subgroups, one firing strongly for the prediction and receipt of large rewards, with the other firing strongly for small rewards. Conversely, putative dopamine neurons showed positive phasic responses to reward-indicating cues and the receipt of an unexpected reward amount, which supports the reward prediction error signal hypothesis of dopamine. I suggest that the tonic reward monitoring signal of the DRN, possibly together with its interaction with the dopamine system, reports a continuous level of motivation throughout the performance of a task. Such a signal may provide "reward context" information to the targets of DRN projections, where it may be integrated further with incoming motivationally salient information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kae Nakamura
- Department of Physiology, Kansai Medical University Hirakata, Japan ; Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency Kawaguchi, Japan
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Sourani D, Eitan R, Gordon N, Goelman G. The habenula couples the dopaminergic and the serotonergic systems: application to depression in Parkinson’s disease. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 36:2822-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08200.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Sourani D, Goelman G. The interaction between the dopaminergic and the serotonergic systems in the 6-OHDA rat model of Parkinson’s disease. Health (London) 2012. [DOI: 10.4236/health.2012.431179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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The lateral habenula regulates defensive behaviors through changes in 5-HT-mediated neurotransmission in the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter. Neurosci Lett 2010; 479:87-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2010.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2009] [Revised: 05/04/2010] [Accepted: 05/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Differential neuromodulation of acquisition and retrieval of avoidance learning by the lateral habenula and ventral tegmental area. J Neurosci 2010; 30:5876-83. [PMID: 20427648 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3604-09.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies suggest an opponent functional relationship between the lateral habenula (LHb) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Previous work has linked LHb activation to the inhibition of dopaminergic neurons during loss of reward, as well as to deficits in escape and avoidance learning. We hypothesized that a dopamine signal might underlie the negative reinforcement of avoidance responses and that LHb activation could block this signal and thereby cause avoidance deficits. To test this idea, we implanted stimulating electrodes in either the VTA or LHb of gerbils engaged in two-way active avoidance learning, a task that shows learning-associated dopamine changes and that is acquired faster following LHb lesions. We delivered brief electrical brain stimulation whenever the animal performed a correct response, i.e., when the successful avoidance of foot shock was hypothesized to trigger an intrinsic reward signal. During the acquisition phase, VTA stimulation improved avoidance performance, while LHb stimulation impaired it. VTA stimulation appeared to improve both acquisition and asymptotic performance of the avoidance response, as VTA-stimulated animals reached above-normal performance but reverted to normal responding when stimulation was discontinued. The effects of LHb stimulation during avoidance acquisition were long lasting and persisted even after stimulation was discontinued. However, when given after successful acquisition of avoidance behavior, LHb stimulation had no effect, indicating that LHb stimulation specifically impaired avoidance acquisition without affecting memory retrieval or motivation or ability to perform the avoidance response. These results demonstrate opponent roles of LHb and VTA during acquisition but not during retrieval of avoidance learning.
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Valverde O, Célérier E, Baranyi M, Vanderhaeghen P, Maldonado R, Sperlagh B, Vassart G, Ledent C. GPR3 receptor, a novel actor in the emotional-like responses. PLoS One 2009; 4:e4704. [PMID: 19259266 PMCID: PMC2649507 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2008] [Accepted: 01/14/2009] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
GPR3 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor endowed with constitutive Gs signaling activity, which is expressed broadly in the central nervous system, with maximal expression in the habenula. We investigated the consequences of its genetic deletion in several behavioral paradigms and on neurotransmission. Compared to wild-type, hippocampal neurons from Gpr3(-/-) mice displayed lower basal intracellular cAMP levels, consistent with the strong constitutive activity of GPR3 in transiently transfected cells. Behavioral analyses revealed that Gpr3(-/-) mice exhibited a high level of avoidance of novel and unfamiliar environment, associated with increased stress reactivity in behavioral despair paradigms and aggressive behavior in the resident-intruder test. On the contrary, no deficit was found in the learning ability to avoid an aversive event in active avoidance task. The reduced ability of Gpr3(-/-) mice to cope with stress was unrelated to dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, with Gpr3(-/-) mice showing normal corticosterone production under basal or stressful conditions. In contrast, dramatic alterations of monoamine contents were found in hippocampus, hypothalamus and frontal cortex of Gpr3(-/-) mice. Our results establish a link between tonic stimulation of the cAMP signaling pathway by GPR3 and control of neurotransmission by monoamines throughout the forebrain. GPR3 qualifies as a new player in the modulation of behavioral responses to stress and constitutes a novel promising pharmacological target for treatment of emotional disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Valverde
- Grup de Recerca de Neurobiologia del Comportament, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Evelyne Célérier
- Laboratori de Neurofarmacologia, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mária Baranyi
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Rafael Maldonado
- Laboratori de Neurofarmacologia, Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Beata Sperlagh
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gilbert Vassart
- IRIBHM, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Catherine Ledent
- IRIBHM, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Campus Erasme, Brussels, Belgium
- * E-mail:
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O'Reilly KC, Shumake J, Bailey SJ, Gonzalez-Lima F, Lane MA. Chronic 13-cis-retinoic acid administration disrupts network interactions between the raphe nuclei and the hippocampal system in young adult mice. Eur J Pharmacol 2009; 605:68-77. [PMID: 19168052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.12.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2008] [Revised: 12/11/2008] [Accepted: 12/18/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we showed that chronic administration of 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cis-RA) induces depression-related behaviors in mice and that 13-cis-RA alters components of the serotonergic system in vitro. Work by others has shown that 13-cis-RA reduces hippocampal neurogenesis in mice and orbitofrontal cortex metabolism in humans. In the current study, we measured cytochrome oxidase activity, a metabolic marker that reflects steady state neuronal energy demand, in various regions of the brain to determine the effects of 13-cis-RA on neuronal metabolic activity and network interactions between the raphe nuclei and the hippocampal system. Brain cytochrome oxidase activity in young adult male mice was analyzed following 6 weeks of daily 13-cis-RA (1 mg/kg) or vehicle injection and behavioral testing. Chronic 13-cis-RA administration significantly decreased cytochrome oxidase activity only in the inferior rostral linear nucleus of the raphe. However, covariance analysis of interregional correlations in cytochrome oxidase activity revealed that 13-cis-RA treatment caused a functional uncoupling between the dorsal raphe nuclei and the hippocampus. Furthermore, a path analysis indicated that a network comprising lateral habenula to dorsal raphe to hippocampus was effectively uncoupled in 13-cis-RA treated animals. Finally, cytochrome oxidase activity in the dentate gyrus of 13-cis-RA treated mice was inversely correlated with depression-related behavior. Taken together, these data show that 13-cis-RA alters raphe metabolism and disrupts functional connectivity between the raphe nuclei and the hippocampal formation, which may contribute to the observed increase in depression-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kally C O'Reilly
- Institute of Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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18
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Involvement of the lateral habenula in the regulation of generalized anxiety- and panic-related defensive responses in rats. Life Sci 2008; 82:1256-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2008.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2008] [Revised: 03/24/2008] [Accepted: 04/17/2008] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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19
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Gruber C, Kahl A, Lebenheim L, Kowski A, Dittgen A, Veh RW. Dopaminergic projections from the VTA substantially contribute to the mesohabenular pathway in the rat. Neurosci Lett 2007; 427:165-70. [PMID: 17949902 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2007.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2007] [Revised: 09/14/2007] [Accepted: 09/15/2007] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that the lateral habenular complex (LHb) is a source of negative reward signals in midbrain dopaminergic neurons. LHb activity, in turn, is modulated by locally released dopamine, which is largely derived from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) via the mesohabenular pathway. Unfortunately, the presumed importance of this modulation has not been appreciated so far, as its intensity had been largely underestimated in previous reports. Consequently, the present study used contemporary techniques to reexamine the origin of dopaminergic fibers to the LHb. For this purpose, the retrograde tract-tracer gold-coupled wheatgerm agglutinin was injected into the LHb of fourteen rats. Four of these animals providing the most representative information were selected for detailed analysis. In total, 343 retrogradely labeled neurons were detected in the VTAs of these animals. By far most of them were found in the anterior VTA, accumulating in its ventral paramedian fields. About 47% (162) of retrogradely labeled cells displayed tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity, suggesting that almost half of the mesohabenular neurons are dopaminergic. In addition, our data suggest that also incerto-hypothalamic and periventricular neurons contribute dopaminergic terminals to the LHb. The majority of LHb neurons, however, does not project to the origin of the mesohabenular pathway in the anterior VTA. Consequently, there might be no closed VTA-LHb-VTA loop. Instead, our data are in line with the idea that the anterior VTA via its projection to the medial part of the LHb may modulate the information flow from the limbic forebrain to monoaminergic midbrain nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Gruber
- Institut für Integrative Neuroanatomie, Centrum 2, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Philippstrasse 12, D-10115, Berlin, Germany
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20
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Lecourtier L, Kelly PH. A conductor hidden in the orchestra? Role of the habenular complex in monoamine transmission and cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2007; 31:658-72. [PMID: 17379307 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2006] [Revised: 01/09/2007] [Accepted: 01/21/2007] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Influences of the habenular complex on electrophysiological and neurochemical aspects of brain functioning are well known. However, its role in cognition has been sparsely investigated until recently. The habenular complex, composed of medial and lateral subdivisions, is a node linking the forebrain with midbrain and hindbrain structures. The lateral habenula is the principal actor in this direct dialogue, while the medial habenula mostly conveys information to the interpeduncular nucleus before this modulates further regions. Here we describe neuroanatomical and physiological aspects of the habenular complex, and its role in cognitive processes, including new behavioral, electrophysiological and imaging findings. Habenular complex lesions result in deficits in learning, memory and attention, some of which decline during repeated testing, while others become worse, consistent with multiple roles in cognition. The habenular complex is particularly responsive to feedback about errors. Electrophysiological studies indicate a role in metaplasticity, the modulation of neuroplasticity. These studies thus reveal important roles of the habenular complex in learning, memory and attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Lecourtier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, 446 Crawford Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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21
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Greenwood BN, Foley TE, Burhans D, Maier SF, Fleshner M. The consequences of uncontrollable stress are sensitive to duration of prior wheel running. Brain Res 2005; 1033:164-78. [PMID: 15694921 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2004.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/19/2004] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The behavioral consequences of uncontrollable stress, or learned helplessness (LH) behaviors, are thought to involve hyperactivity of serotonergic (5-HT) neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). Other brain regions implicated in LH and capable of affecting 5-HT systems, such as the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), amygdala, and habenula, could contribute to DRN 5-HT hyperactivity during uncontrollable stress. Six weeks of wheel running prevents LH and attenuates uncontrollable stress-induced c-Fos expression in DRN 5-HT neurons, although the duration of wheel running necessary for these effects is unknown. In the current study, 6 but not 3, weeks of wheel running blocked the shuttle box escape deficit and exaggerated fear produced by uncontrollable tail shock in sedentary rats. Corresponding to the duration-dependent effects of wheel running on LH behaviors, 6 weeks of wheel running was required to attenuate uncontrollable stress-induced 5-HT neural activity, indexed by c-Fos protein expression, in the DRN and c-Fos expression in the lateral ventral region of the BNST. Wheel running, regardless of duration, did not affect c-Fos expression anywhere in the amygdala or habenula. These data indicate that the behavioral effects of uncontrollable stress are sensitive to the duration of prior physical activity and are consistent with the hypothesis that attenuation of DRN 5-HT activity contributes to the prevention of LH by wheel running. The potential role of the BNST in the prevention of LH by wheel running is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin N Greenwood
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309-0354, USA
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22
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Lecourtier L, Neijt HC, Kelly PH. Habenula lesions cause impaired cognitive performance in rats: implications for schizophrenia. Eur J Neurosci 2004; 19:2551-60. [PMID: 15128408 DOI: 10.1111/j.0953-816x.2004.03356.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is a prominent feature of schizophrenia. Currently there is no well-accepted explanation of the aetiology of this disorder, but recent evidence indicates that dysfunction of the habenula may be involved. We therefore examined whether habenula lesions in Sprague-Dawley rats cause behavioural changes resembling those of schizophrenia. Rats received either habenula lesions, a sham operation or a small lesion of the overlying dorsal hippocampus as a check that effects observed were not due to incidental damage to this structure. As there are alterations of social behaviour, sensorimotor gating and cognition in schizophrenia, we examined comparable behaviours. Social interaction time was measured during a 5-min encounter with a novel juvenile conspecific. Prepulse inhibition of an acoustic startle response, as an index of sensorimotor gating, was measured with prepulses of various amplitudes, and spatial cognitive performance was assessed in the Morris water maze task. Histological analysis showed that habenula lesions substantially damaged both medial and lateral habenula bilaterally while largely sparing neighbouring structures. Assay of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the interpeduncular nucleus terminal region of the habenulo-interpeduncular tract, showed marked reduction (by 80%) in habenula-lesioned animals. Habenula-lesioned rats, but not the control group with small dorsal hippocampus lesions, showed marked impairment of Morris maze performance compared to the sham-operated control group. Social interaction time and prepulse inhibition were not significantly altered in either lesion group. The results are consistent with a role of the habenula in cognition, and with the view that pathology of the habenula may contribute to the cognitive impairments of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Lecourtier
- NS Research, WSJ-386. 262, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
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Shumake J, Edwards E, Gonzalez-Lima F. Opposite metabolic changes in the habenula and ventral tegmental area of a genetic model of helpless behavior. Brain Res 2003; 963:274-81. [PMID: 12560133 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(02)04048-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Congenitally helpless rats have been selectively bred to display an immediate helpless response to stress in order to model hereditary brain differences that contribute to depression vulnerability. Differences in regional brain metabolism between congenitally helpless and non-helpless rats were investigated using quantitative cytochrome oxidase histochemistry. The results indicated that congenitally helpless rats had 64-71% elevated metabolism in the habenula and a 25% elevation in the related interpeduncular nucleus. In contrast, helpless rats had 28% reduced metabolism in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and 14-16% reductions in the basal ganglia and basolateral and central amygdala. The opposite metabolic changes in the habenula and ventral tegmental area may be especially important for determining the congenitally helpless rat's global pattern of brain activity, which resembles the metabolic activity pattern produced by dopamine antagonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Shumake
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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24
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Amat J, Sparks PD, Matus-Amat P, Griggs J, Watkins LR, Maier SF. The role of the habenular complex in the elevation of dorsal raphe nucleus serotonin and the changes in the behavioral responses produced by uncontrollable stress. Brain Res 2001; 917:118-26. [PMID: 11602236 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(01)02934-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Previous research indicates that the serotonergic neurons of the caudal dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are activated to a greater degree by inescapable shock (IS) as compared to escapable shock (ES), causing a greater release of serotonin (5-HT) in the DRN and in target regions. This differential activation is necessary for the behavioral changes that occur after exposure to IS, but not to ES (i.e. learned helplessness/behavioral depression). Although the critical role of the DRN in learned helplessness is clear, the neural inputs to the caudal DRN which result in this selective activation are unknown. One structure that may be involved in the activation of the DRN and the induction of learned helplessness/behavioral depression is the habenular complex. In experiment 1, habenula lesions eliminated the differential rise in DRN extracellular 5-HT levels in response to IS and ES exposure by severely attenuating the rise in 5-HT for both groups. In experiment 2, sham operated and habenula lesioned rats were exposed to either ES, IS or no stress (home cage control; HCC). Twenty-four hours later, sham rats previously exposed to IS exhibited longer escape latencies as compared to both ES and HCC rats (i.e. learned helplessness). The habenular lesion eliminated the differences in escape latency between groups, thus eliminating the induction of learned helplessness/behavioral depression. These results suggest that the habenula is necessary for the differential activation of the DRN and the escape deficits produced by IS.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Amat
- Instituto de Medicina Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
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