1
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Sabaroedin K, Tiego J, Fornito A. Circuit-Based Approaches to Understanding Corticostriatothalamic Dysfunction Across the Psychosis Continuum. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:113-124. [PMID: 36253195 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine is known to play a role in the pathogenesis of psychotic symptoms, but the mechanisms driving dopaminergic dysfunction in psychosis remain unclear. Considerable attention has focused on the role of corticostriatothalamic (CST) circuits, given that they regulate and are modulated by the activity of dopaminergic cells in the midbrain. Preclinical studies have proposed multiple models of CST dysfunction in psychosis, each prioritizing different brain regions and pathophysiological mechanisms. A particular challenge is that CST circuits have undergone considerable evolutionary modification across mammals, complicating comparisons across species. Here, we consider preclinical models of CST dysfunction in psychosis and evaluate the degree to which they are supported by evidence from human resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging studies conducted across the psychosis continuum, ranging from subclinical schizotypy to established schizophrenia. In partial support of some preclinical models, human studies indicate that dorsal CST and hippocampal-striatal functional dysconnectivity are apparent across the psychosis spectrum and may represent a vulnerability marker for psychosis. In contrast, midbrain dysfunction may emerge when symptoms warrant clinical assistance and may thus be a trigger for illness onset. The major difference between clinical and preclinical findings is the strong involvement of the dorsal CST in the former, consistent with an increasing prominence of this circuitry in the primate brain. We close by underscoring the need for high-resolution characterization of phenotypic heterogeneity in psychosis to develop a refined understanding of how the dysfunction of specific circuit elements gives rise to distinct symptom profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Sabaroedin
- Departments of Radiology and Paediatrics, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Jeggan Tiego
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alex Fornito
- Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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2
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Siddik MAB, Fendt M. D-cycloserine rescues scopolamine-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility in rats measured by the attentional set-shifting task. Behav Brain Res 2022; 431:113961. [PMID: 35691513 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility facilitates adaptions to a changing environment in humans and animals and can be assessed with the attentional set shifting task (ASST). In various learning paradigms for laboratory rodents, the partial NMDA receptor agonist D-cycloserine has been found to have pro-cognitive effects. However, D-cycloserine has not yet been investigated for its effects on cognitive flexibility. The aim of the present study was to determine whether D-cycloserine is able to improve cognitive flexibility measured by the ASST in rats. Rats were first pre-treated with the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg) before the D-cycloserine administrations (20 mg/kg) to induce deficits in ASST performance. Our findings showed impaired ASST performance after scopolamine administration with significant effects on reversal phases and extra-dimensional shift. D-cycloserine treatment selectively improved the performance in the extra-dimensional shift and the last reversal phase, where scopolamine effects were most pronounced. These findings suggest that D-cycloserine can rescue deficits in cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Abu Bokor Siddik
- Department of Psychology, Govt. Azizul Haque College, Bogura, Bangladesh; Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
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3
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Loureiro CM, Fachim HA, Harte MK, Dalton CF, Reynolds GP. Subchronic PCP effects on DNA methylation and protein expression of NMDA receptor subunit genes in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of female rats. J Psychopharmacol 2022; 36:238-244. [PMID: 35102781 DOI: 10.1177/02698811211069109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction is implicated in schizophrenia, and NMDAR antagonists, such as phencyclidine (PCP), can induce behaviours that mimic aspects of the disorder. AIMS We investigated DNA methylation of Grin1, Grin2a and Grin2b promoter region and NR1 and NR2 protein expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus of adult female Lister-hooded rats following subchronic PCP (scPCP) administration. We also determined whether any alterations were tissue-specific. METHODS Rats were divided into two groups that received vehicle (0.9% saline) or 2 mg/kg PCP twice a day for 7 days (n = 10 per group). After behavioural testing (novel object recognition), to confirm a cognitive deficit, brains were dissected and NMDAR subunit DNA methylation and protein expression were analysed by pyrosequencing and ELISA. Line-1 methylation was determined as a measure of global methylation. Data were analysed using Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. RESULTS The scPCP administration led to Grin1 and Grin2b hypermethylation and reduction in NR1 protein in both PFC and hippocampus. No significant differences were observed in Line-1 or Grin2a methylation and NR2 protein. CONCLUSIONS The scPCP treatment resulted in increased DNA methylation at promoter sites of Grin1 and Grin2b NMDAR subunits in two brain areas implicated in schizophrenia, independent of any global change in DNA methylation, and are similar to our observations in a neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia - social isolation rearing post-weaning. Moreover, these alterations may contribute to the changes in protein expression for NMDAR subunits demonstrating the potential importance of epigenetic mechanisms in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila M Loureiro
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.,Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Helene A Fachim
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Salford Royal Foundation Trust, Salford, UK
| | - Michael K Harte
- Division of Pharmacy & Optometry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Caroline F Dalton
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Gavin P Reynolds
- Biomolecular Sciences Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
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4
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Ozawa T, Itokazu T, Ichitani Y, Yamada K. Pharmacologically induced N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor hypofunction impairs goal-directed food seeking in rats. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2021; 41:526-531. [PMID: 34542935 PMCID: PMC8698676 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Acute N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonism is an important pharmacological animal model of schizophrenia. In previous studies, schizophrenia patients show impaired goal-directed behavior in an outcome-specific devaluation procedure. In this study, we investigated whether the rat model of the NMDA receptor blockade also showed altered goal-directed behavior in a satiety-induced outcome devaluation paradigm. METHODS In experiments 1 and 2, we aimed to establish the satiety-induced outcome devaluation test using sucrose and lipid rewards in operant conditioning and free consumption paradigms. In experiment 3, we tested the effect of MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.) on outcome-specific devaluation. RESULTS Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated that 1-h ad libitum food consumption is sufficient to induce outcome-specific devaluation in both lever-press and free consumption tests in rats. Experiment 3 showed that the administration of MK-801 impaired satiety-induced devaluation in the lever-press test but not in the subsequent free consumption test. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that acute pharmacological NMDA receptor antagonism in rats is a useful animal model for impaired goal-directed behavior in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takaaki Ozawa
- Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Tatsumi Itokazu
- Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yukio Ichitani
- Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.,Faculty of Applied Psychology, Tokyo Seitoku University, Kita, Japan
| | - Kazuo Yamada
- Institute of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
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5
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Minchew HM, Radabaugh HL, LaPorte ML, Free KE, Cheng JP, Bondi CO. A combined therapeutic regimen of citalopram and environmental enrichment ameliorates attentional set-shifting performance after brain trauma. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 904:174174. [PMID: 34004206 PMCID: PMC8906929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have led to lasting deficits for an estimated 5.3 million American patients. Effective therapies for these patients remain scarce and each of the clinical trials stemming from success in experimental models has failed. We believe that the failures may be, in part, due to the lack of preclinical assessment of cognitive domains that widely affect clinical TBI. Specifically, the behavioral tasks in the TBI literature often do not focus on common executive impairments related to the frontal lobe such as cognitive flexibility. In previous work, we have demonstrated that the attentional set-shifting test (AST), a task analogous to the clinically-employed Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), could be used to identify cognitive flexibility impairments following controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. In this study, we hypothesized that both the administration of the antidepressant drug citalopram (CIT) and exposure to a preclinical model of neurorehabilitation, environmental enrichment (EE), would attenuate cognitive performance deficits on AST when provided alone and lead to greater benefits when administered in combination. Adult male rats were subjected to a moderate-severe CCI or sham injury. Rats were randomly divided into experimental groups that included surgical injury, drug therapy, and housing condition. We observed that both CIT and EE provided significant cognitive recovery when administered alone and reversal learning performance recovery increased the most when the therapies were combined (p < 0.05). Ongoing studies continue to evaluate novel ways of assessing more clinically relevant measurements of high order cognitive TBI-related impairments in the rat model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Minchew
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Hannah L Radabaugh
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Megan L LaPorte
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Kristin E Free
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Cheng
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Corina O Bondi
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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6
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McQuail JA, Beas BS, Kelly KB, Hernandez CM, Bizon JL, Frazier CJ. Attenuated NMDAR signaling on fast-spiking interneurons in prefrontal cortex contributes to age-related decline of cognitive flexibility. Neuropharmacology 2021; 197:108720. [PMID: 34273386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Ionotropic glutamate receptors of the NMDA and AMPA subtypes transduce excitatory signaling on neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in support of cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is reliably observed to decline at advanced ages, coinciding with changes in PFC glutamate receptor expression and neuronal physiology. However, the relationship between age-related impairment of cognitive flexibility and changes to excitatory signaling on distinct classes of PFC neurons is not known. In this study, one cohort of young adult (4 months) and aged (20 months) male F344 rats were characterized for cognitive flexibility on an operant set-shifting task. Expression of the essential NMDAR subunit, NR1, was correlated with individual differences in set-shifting abilities such that lower NR1 in the aged PFC was associated with worse set-shifting. In contrast, lower expression of two AMPAR subunits, GluR1 and GluR2, was not associated with set-shift abilities in aging. As NMDARs are expressed by both pyramidal cells and fast-spiking interneurons (FSI) in PFC, whole-cell patch clamp recordings were performed in a second cohort of age-matched rats to compare age-associated changes on these neuronal subtypes. Evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents were generated using a bipolar stimulator while AMPAR vs. NMDAR-mediated components were isolated using pharmacological tools. The results revealed a clear increase in AMPA/NMDA ratio in FSIs that was not present in pyramidal neurons. Together, these data indicate that loss of NMDARs on interneurons in PFC contributes to age-related impairment of cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A McQuail
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, 29208, USA.
| | - B Sofia Beas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Unit on the Neurobiology of Affective Memory, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kyle B Kelly
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Cellular, Development, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Jennifer L Bizon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Charles J Frazier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA; Department of Pharmacodynamics, University of Florida College of Pharmacy, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA.
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7
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Antioxidant treatment ameliorates prefrontal hypomyelination and cognitive deficits in a rat model of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1161-1171. [PMID: 33564104 PMCID: PMC8115238 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-00964-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia (SZ) is thought to arise from neurodevelopmental abnormalities that include interneuron hypomyelination in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here we report that RNA-sequencing of the medial (m)PFC of the APO-SUS rat model with SZ-relevant cognitive inflexibility revealed antioxidant metabolism as the most-enriched differentially expressed pathway. Antioxidant-related gene expression was altered throughout postnatal development and preceded hypomyelination. Furthermore, reduced glutathione levels and increased mitochondria numbers were observed in the mPFC. Strikingly, chronic treatment with the glutathione precursor N-acetylcysteine (NAC) from postnatal days 5-90 restored not only antioxidant-related mRNA expression and mitochondria numbers, but also myelin-related mRNA expression and mPFC-dependent cognitive dysfunction, while blood glutathione levels remained unaffected. The promyelinating effect of NAC was at least partly due to a positive effect on oligodendrocyte lineage progression. Together, our findings highlight that oxidative stress may contribute to cognitive symptoms in the APO-SUS rat model of SZ and encourage antioxidant therapy in early phases of SZ.
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8
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Mitchell EJ, Brett RR, Armstrong JD, Sillito RR, Pratt JA. Temporal dissociation of phencyclidine: Induced locomotor and social alterations in rats using an automated homecage monitoring system - implications for the 3Rs and preclinical drug discovery. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:709-715. [PMID: 32438848 PMCID: PMC7675779 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120920455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodent behavioural assays are widely used to delineate the mechanisms of psychiatric disorders and predict the efficacy of drug candidates. Conventional behavioural paradigms are restricted to short time windows and involve transferring animals from the homecage to unfamiliar apparatus which induces stress. Additionally, factors including environmental perturbations, handling and the presence of an experimenter can impact behaviour and confound data interpretation. To improve welfare and reproducibility these issues must be resolved. Automated homecage monitoring offers a more ethologically relevant approach with reduced experimenter bias. AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of an automated homecage system at detecting locomotor and social alterations induced by phencyclidine (PCP) in group-housed rats. PCP is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist commonly utilised to model aspects of schizophrenia. METHODS Rats housed in groups of three were implanted with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Each homecage was placed over a RFID reader baseplate for the automated monitoring of the social and locomotor activity of each individual rat. For all rats, we acquired homecage data for 24 h following administration of both saline and PCP (2.5 mg/kg). RESULTS PCP resulted in significantly increased distance travelled from 15 to 60 min post injection. Furthermore, PCP significantly enhanced time spent isolated from cage mates and this asociality occured from 60 to 105 min post treatment. CONCLUSIONS Unlike conventional assays, in-cage monitoring captures the temporal duration of drug effects on multiple behaviours in the same group of animals. This approach could benefit psychiatric preclinical drug discovery through improved welfare and increased between-laboratory replicability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma J Mitchell
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK,Emma J Mitchell, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral St, Glasgow, G4 0RE, UK.
| | - Ros R Brett
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - J Douglas Armstrong
- School of Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK,Actual Analytics Ltd, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Judith A Pratt
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
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9
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Abstract
Clozapine is established as the gold standard for antipsychotic treatment of patients suffering from treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Over virtually 3 decades, the level of inadequate response to clozapine was found to range from 40% to 60%. A heightened interest developed in the augmentation of clozapine to try to achieve response or maximize partial response. A large variety of drug groups have been investigated. This article focuses on the meta-analyses of these trials to discover reasonable evidence-based approaches to the management of patients not responding to clozapine.
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10
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Virtual screening-driven discovery of dual 5-HT 6/5-HT 2A receptor ligands with pro-cognitive properties. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 185:111857. [PMID: 31734022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A virtual screening campaign aimed at finding structurally new compounds active at 5-HT6R provided a set of candidates. Among those, one structure, 4-(5-{[(2-{5-fluoro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl}ethyl)amino]methyl}furan-2-yl)phenol (1, 5-HT6R Ki = 91 nM), was selected as a hit for further optimization. As expected, the chemical scaffold of selected compound was significantly different from all the serotonin receptor ligands published to date. Synthetic efforts, supported by molecular modelling, provided 43 compounds representing different substitution patterns. The derivative 42, 4-(5-{[(2-{5-fluoro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridin-3-yl}ethyl)amino]methyl}furan-2-yl)phenol (5-HT6R Ki = 25, 5-HT2AR Ki = 32 nM), was selected as a lead and showed a good brain/plasma concentration profile, and it reversed phencyclidine-induced memory impairment. Considering the unique activity profile, the obtained series might be a good starting point for the development of a novel antipsychotic or antidepressant with pro-cognitive properties.
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11
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Davis-Reyes BD, Campbell VM, Land MA, Chapman HL, Stafford SJ, Anastasio NC. Profile of cortical N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit expression associates with inherent motor impulsivity in rats. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 168:204-213. [PMID: 31295463 PMCID: PMC6733662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Impulsivity is a multifaceted behavioral manifestation with implications in several neuropsychiatric disorders. Glutamate neurotransmission through the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), an important brain region in decision-making and goal-directed behaviors, plays a key role in motor impulsivity. We discovered that inherent motor impulsivity predicted responsiveness to D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial NMDAR agonist, which prompted the hypothesis that inherent motor impulsivity is associated with the pattern of expression of cortical NMDAR subunits (GluN1, GluN2A, GluN2B), specifically the protein levels and synaptosomal trafficking of the NMDAR subunits. Outbred male Sprague-Dawley rats were identified as high (HI) or low (LI) impulsive using the one-choice serial reaction time task. Following phenotypic identification, mPFC synaptosomal protein was extracted from HI and LI rats to assess the expression pattern of the NMDAR subunits. Synaptosomal trafficking and stabilization for the GluN2 subunits were investigated by co-immunoprecipitation for postsynaptic density 95 (PSD95) and synapse associated protein 102 (SAP102). HI rats had lower mPFC GluN1 and GluN2A, but higher GluN2B and pGluN2B synaptosomal protein expression versus LI rats. Further, higher GluN2B:PSD95 and GluN2B:SAP102 protein:protein interactions were detected in HI versus LI rats. Thus, the mPFC NMDAR subunit expression pattern and/or synaptosomal trafficking associates with high inherent motor impulsivity. Increased understanding of the complex regulation of NMDAR balance within the mPFC as it relates to inherent motor impulsivity may lead to a better understanding of risk factors for impulse-control disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brionna D Davis-Reyes
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Veronica M Campbell
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Michelle A Land
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Holly L Chapman
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Susan J Stafford
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Noelle C Anastasio
- Center for Addiction Research and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
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12
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Lee G, Zhou Y. NMDAR Hypofunction Animal Models of Schizophrenia. Front Mol Neurosci 2019; 12:185. [PMID: 31417356 PMCID: PMC6685005 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2019.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction hypothesis has been proposed to help understand the etiology and pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This hypothesis was based on early observations that NMDAR antagonists could induce a full range of symptoms of schizophrenia in normal human subjects. Accumulating evidence in humans and animal studies points to NMDAR hypofunctionality as a convergence point for various symptoms of schizophrenia. Here we review animal models of NMDAR hypofunction generated by pharmacological and genetic approaches, and how they relate to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In addition, we discuss the limitations of animal models of NMDAR hypofunction and their potential utility for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, United States
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13
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Macpherson T, Hikida T. Role of basal ganglia neurocircuitry in the pathology of psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 73:289-301. [PMID: 30734985 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, advances in human and animal-based techniques have greatly enhanced our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. Many of these studies have indicated connectivity between and alterations within basal ganglia structures to be particularly pertinent to the development of symptoms associated with several of these disorders. Here we summarize the connectivity, molecular composition, and function of sites within basal ganglia neurocircuits. Then we review the current literature from both human and animal studies concerning altered basal ganglia function in five common psychiatric disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance-related and addiction disorders, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia. Finally, we present a model based upon the findings of these studies that highlights the striatum as a particularly attractive target for restoring normal function to basal ganglia neurocircuits altered within psychiatric disorder patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Macpherson
- Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takatoshi Hikida
- Laboratory for Advanced Brain Functions, Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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14
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Yegla B, Foster TC, Kumar A. Behavior Model for Assessing Decline in Executive Function During Aging and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 2011:441-449. [PMID: 31273715 PMCID: PMC8223146 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9554-7_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Executive dysfunction is a characteristic of several psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. Interestingly, executive function, which is mediated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), commonly declines during aging. The attentional set-shifting task (AST) is commonly and extensively used to assess executive function in rodents, primates, and humans. When properly employed, this task can behaviorally assess attention, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. The following section uses research on age-related decline in executive function to demonstrate the methods employed and highlight areas that can confound a study if not employed properly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittney Yegla
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ashok Kumar
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA,Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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15
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Fairlie-Clarke K, Barbour M, Wilson C, Hridi SU, Allan D, Jiang HR. Expression and Function of IL-33/ST2 Axis in the Central Nervous System Under Normal and Diseased Conditions. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2596. [PMID: 30515150 PMCID: PMC6255965 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a well-recognized immunomodulatory cytokine which plays critical roles in tissue function and immune-mediated diseases. The abundant expression of IL-33 in brain and spinal cord prompted many scientists to explore its unique role in the central nervous system (CNS) under physiological and pathological conditions. Indeed emerging evidence from over a decade's research suggests that IL-33 acts as one of the key molecular signaling cues coordinating the network between the immune and CNS systems, particularly during the development of neurological diseases. Here, we highlight the recent advances in our knowledge regarding the distribution and cellular localization of IL-33 and its receptor ST2 in specific CNS regions, and more importantly the key roles IL-33/ST2 signaling pathway play in CNS function under normal and diseased conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Hui-Rong Jiang
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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16
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Zhao J, Liu X, Huo C, Zhao T, Ye H. Abnormalities in Prefrontal Cortical Gene Expression Profiles Relevant to Schizophrenia in MK-801-Exposed C57BL/6 Mice. Neuroscience 2018; 390:60-78. [PMID: 30102956 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, disturbs NMDAR function in rodents and induces psychological and behavioral changes similar to schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the effects of MK-801 treatment on gene expression are largely unknown. Here we performed RNA-sequencing on the prefrontal cortex of MK-801-exposed male mice in order to analyze gene expression and co-expression patterns related to SCZ and to identify mechanisms that underlie the molecular etiology of this disorder. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were more often associated with biological processes that included postsynaptic transmission, immune system process, response to external stimulus and hemostasis. In order to extract comprehensive biological information, we used an approach for biclustering, called FABIA, to simultaneously cluster transcriptomic data across genes and conditions. When combined with analyses using DAVID and STRING databases, we found that co-expression patterns were altered in synapse-related genes and genes central to the mitochondrial network. Abnormal co-expression of genes mediating synaptic vesicle cycling could disturb release, uptake and reuptake of glutamate, and the perturbation in co-expression patterns for mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes was extensive. Our study supports the hypothesis that research using MK-801-exposed male mice as an animal model of SCZ offers important insights into the pathogenesis of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialu Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Chunyue Huo
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Yanjing Medical College, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Tian Zhao
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Haihong Ye
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Center of Schizophrenia, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.
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17
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Nikiforuk A. Assessment of cognitive functions in animal models of schizophrenia. Pharmacol Rep 2018; 70:639-649. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2018.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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18
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Yohn SE, Conn PJ. Positive allosteric modulation of M 1 and M 4 muscarinic receptors as potential therapeutic treatments for schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology 2018; 136:438-448. [PMID: 28893562 PMCID: PMC5844786 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Current antipsychotic drugs provide symptomatic relief for positive symptoms of schizophrenia, but do not offer symptom management for negative and cognitive symptoms. In addition, many patients discontinue treatment due to adverse side effects. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop more effective and safe treatment options. Although the etiology of schizophrenia is unclear, considerable data from post-mortem, neuroimaging and neuropharmacology studies support a role of the muscarinic acetylcholine (mAChRs) in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Substantial evidence suggests that activation of mAChRs has the potential to treat all symptom domains of schizophrenia. Despite encouraging results in demonstrating efficacy, clinical trials of nonselective mAChR agonists were limited in their clinical utility due to dose-limiting peripheral side effects. Accordingly, efforts have been made to specifically target centrally located M1 and M4 mAChR subtypes devoid of adverse-effect liability. To circumvent this limitation, there have been tremendous advances in the discovery of ligands that bind at allosteric sites, binding sites distinct from the orthosteric site, which are structurally less conserved and thereby afford high levels of receptor subtype selectivity. The discovery of subtype-specific allosteric modulators has greatly advanced our understanding of the physiological role of various muscarinic receptor subtypes in schizophrenia and the potential utility of M1 and M4 mAChR subtypes as targets for the development of novel treatments for schizophrenia and related disorders. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Neuropharmacology on Muscarinic Receptors'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha E Yohn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States; Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, United States.
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19
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Tait DS, Bowman EM, Neuwirth LS, Brown VJ. Assessment of intradimensional/extradimensional attentional set-shifting in rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 89:72-84. [PMID: 29474818 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The rat intradimensional/extradimensional (ID/ED) task, first described by Birrell and Brown 18 years ago, has become the predominant means by which attentional set-shifting is investigated in rodents: the use of rats in the task has been described in over 135 publications by researchers from nearly 90 universities and pharmaceutical companies. There is variation in the protocols used by different groups, including differences in apparatus, stimuli (both stimulus dimensions and exemplars within), and also the methodology. Nevertheless, most of these variations seem to be of little consequence: there is remarkable similarity in the profile of published data, with consistency of learning rates and in the size and reliability of the set-shifting and reversal 'costs'. However, we suspect that there may be inconsistent data that is unpublished or perhaps 'failed experiments' that may have been caused by unintended deviations from effective protocols. The purpose of this review is to describe our approach and the rationale behind certain aspects of the protocol, including common pitfalls that are encountered when establishing an effective local protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Tait
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK.
| | - Eric M Bowman
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Lorenz S Neuwirth
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, 11568, USA; SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, Old Westbury, NY, 11568, USA
| | - Verity J Brown
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary's Quad, South Street, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9JP, UK
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20
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Klein PM, Lu AC, Harper ME, McKown HM, Morgan JD, Beenhakker MP. Tenuous Inhibitory GABAergic Signaling in the Reticular Thalamus. J Neurosci 2018; 38:1232-1248. [PMID: 29273603 PMCID: PMC5792478 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1345-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of a low intracellular Cl- concentration ([Cl-]i) is critical for enabling inhibitory neuronal responses to GABAA receptor-mediated signaling. Cl- transporters, including KCC2, and extracellular impermeant anions ([A]o) of the extracellular matrix are both proposed to be important regulators of [Cl-]i Neurons of the reticular thalamic (RT) nucleus express reduced levels of KCC2, indicating that GABAergic signaling may produce excitation in RT neurons. However, by performing perforated patch recordings and calcium imaging experiments in rats (male and female), we find that [Cl-]i remains relatively low in RT neurons. Although we identify a small contribution of [A]o to a low [Cl-]i in RT neurons, our results also demonstrate that reduced levels of KCC2 remain sufficient to maintain low levels of Cl- Reduced KCC2 levels, however, restrict the capacity of RT neurons to rapidly extrude Cl- following periods of elevated GABAergic signaling. In a computational model of a local RT network featuring slow Cl- extrusion kinetics, similar to those we found experimentally, model RT neurons are predisposed to an activity-dependent switch from GABA-mediated inhibition to excitation. By decreasing the activity threshold required to produce excitatory GABAergic signaling, weaker stimuli are able to propagate activity within the model RT nucleus. Our results indicate the importance of even diminished levels of KCC2 in maintaining inhibitory signaling within the RT nucleus and suggest how this important activity choke point may be easily overcome in disorders such as epilepsy.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Precise regulation of intracellular Cl- levels ([Cl-]i) preserves appropriate, often inhibitory, GABAergic signaling within the brain. However, there is disagreement over the relative contribution of various mechanisms that maintain low [Cl-]i We found that the Cl- transporter KCC2 is an important Cl- extruder in the reticular thalamic (RT) nucleus, despite this nucleus having remarkably low KCC2 immunoreactivity relative to other regions of the adult brain. We also identified a smaller contribution of fixed, impermeant anions ([A]o) to lowering [Cl-]i in RT neurons. Inhibitory signaling among RT neurons is important for preventing excessive activation of RT neurons, which can be responsible for generating seizures. Our work suggests that KCC2 critically restricts the spread of activity within the RT nucleus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Klein
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
| | - Adam C Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
| | - Megan E Harper
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
| | - Hannah M McKown
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
| | - Jessica D Morgan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
| | - Mark P Beenhakker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
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Schifani C, Sukhanov I, Dorofeikova M, Bespalov A. Novel reinforcement learning paradigm based on response patterning under interval schedules of reinforcement. Behav Brain Res 2017; 331:276-281. [PMID: 28457882 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.04.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There is a need to develop cognitive tasks that address valid neuropsychological constructs implicated in disease mechanisms and can be used in animals and humans to guide novel drug discovery. Present experiments aimed to characterize a novel reinforcement learning task based on a classical operant behavioral phenomenon observed in multiple species - differences in response patterning under variable (VI) vs fixed interval (FI) schedules of reinforcement. Wistar rats were trained to press a lever for food under VI30s and later weekly test sessions were introduced with reinforcement schedule switched to FI30s. During the FI30s test session, post-reinforcement pauses (PRPs) gradually grew towards the end of the session reaching 22-43% of the initial values. Animals could be retrained under VI30s conditions, and FI30s test sessions were repeated over a period of several months without appreciable signs of a practice effect. Administration of the non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 ((5S,10R)-(+)-5-Methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine maleate) prior to FI30s sessions prevented adjustment of PRPs associated with the change from VI to FI schedule. This effect was most pronounced at the highest tested dose of MK-801 and appeared to be independent of the effects of this dose on response rates. These results provide initial evidence for the possibility to use different response patterning under VI and FI schedules with equivalent reinforcement density for studying effects of drug treatment on reinforcement learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Schifani
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuroscience Research, AbbVie, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
| | - Ilya Sukhanov
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mariia Dorofeikova
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anton Bespalov
- Department of Pharmacology, Neuroscience Research, AbbVie, Ludwigshafen, Germany; Institute of Pharmacology, Pavlov Medical University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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22
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Rodríguez G, Neugebauer NM, Yao KL, Meltzer HY, Csernansky JG, Dong H. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) administration after neonatal exposure to phencyclidine potentiates schizophrenia-related behavioral phenotypes in mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2017. [PMID: 28648819 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The clinical onset of schizophrenia often coincides with cannabis use in adolescents and young adults. However, the neurobiological consequences of this co-morbidity are not well understood. In this study, we examined the effects of Δ9-THC exposure during early adulthood on schizophrenia-related behaviors using a developmental mouse model of schizophrenia. Phencyclidine (PCP) or saline was administered once in neonatal mice (at P7; 10mg/kg). In turn, Δ9-THC or saline was administered sub-acutely later in life to cohorts of animals who had received either PCP or saline (P55-80, 5mg/kg). Mice who were administered PCP alone displayed behavioral changes in the Morris water waze (MWM) and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) task paradigm that were consistent with schizophrenia-related phenotypes, but not in the locomotor activity or novel object recognition (NOR) task paradigms. Mice who were administered PCP and then received Δ9-THC later in life displayed behavioral changes in the locomotor activity paradigm (p<0.001) that was consistent with a schizophrenia-related phenotype, as well as potentiated changes in the NOR (p<0.01) and MWM (p<0.05) paradigms as compared to mice that received PCP alone. Decreased cortical receptor expression of NMDA receptor 1 subunit (NR1) was observed in mice that received PCP and PCP+Δ9-THC, while mice that received Δ9-THC and PCP+Δ9-THC displayed decreases in CB1 receptor expression. These findings suggest that administration of Δ9-THC during the early adulthood can potentiate the development of schizophrenia-related behavioral phenotypes induced by neonatal exposure to PCP in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Rodríguez
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Nichole M Neugebauer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Katherine Lan Yao
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
| | - Herbert Y Meltzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
| | - John G Csernansky
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
| | - Hongxin Dong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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23
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Ham S, Kim TK, Chung S, Im HI. Drug Abuse and Psychosis: New Insights into Drug-induced Psychosis. Exp Neurobiol 2017; 26:11-24. [PMID: 28243163 PMCID: PMC5326711 DOI: 10.5607/en.2017.26.1.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Addictive drug use or prescribed medicine abuse can cause psychosis. Some representative symptoms frequently elicited by patients with psychosis are hallucination, anhedonia, and disrupted executive functions. These psychoses are categorized into three classifications of symptoms: positive, negative, and cognitive. The symptoms of DIP are not different from the symptoms of schizophrenia, and it is difficult to distinguish between them. Due to this ambiguity of distinction between the DIP and schizophrenia, the DIP animal model has been frequently used as the schizophrenia animal model. However, although the symptoms may be the same, its causes are clearly different in that DIP is acquired and schizophrenia is heritable. Therefore, in this review, we cover several DIP models such as of amphetamine, PCP/ketamine, scopolamine, and LSD, and then we also address three schizophrenia models through a genetic approach with a new perspective that distinguishes DIP from schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suji Ham
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea.; Department of Neuroscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
| | - Tae Kyoo Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea.; Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston 02215, USA
| | - Sooyoung Chung
- Center for Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea
| | - Heh-In Im
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea.; Department of Neuroscience, Korea University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea.; Center for Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul 02792, Korea
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24
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Mazinani R, Nejati S, Khodaei M. Effects of memantine added to risperidone on the symptoms of schizophrenia: A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Psychiatry Res 2017; 247:291-295. [PMID: 27940324 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The "glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia" has changed attitudes in the development of new medications. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 20mg of memantine per day (as a NMDA receptor antagonist) added to risperidone among male patients with schizophrenia. In a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, 46 adult male patients with schizophrenia were evaluated in both intervention and control groups at weeks 0, 6 and 12. The positive and negative symptoms scale and the mini mental status examination were used to assess positive, negative and cognitive symptoms and general psychopathology. The mean age of the patients was 44.8 for the intervention group and 45.3 for the control group, and the mean times since diagnosis were 23.5 and 25.7 years in the intervention and the control group, respectively. Positive and general psychopathologic symptoms showed no significant differences between the two groups at baseline or after treatment; while negative symptoms improved significantly in the intervention group at week 12. Cognitive function was also significantly improved in the intervention group at weeks 6 and 12. Memantine is supported as an effective adjunct treatment to improve negative and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robabeh Mazinani
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Somayeh Nejati
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Substance Abuse and Dependence Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammadreza Khodaei
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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25
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A systematic review comparing sex differences in cognitive function in schizophrenia and in rodent models for schizophrenia, implications for improved therapeutic strategies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:979-1000. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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26
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Nikiforuk A, Kos T, Hołuj M, Potasiewicz A, Popik P. Positive allosteric modulators of alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors reverse ketamine-induced schizophrenia-like deficits in rats. Neuropharmacology 2016; 101:389-400. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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27
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McAllister KAL, Mar AC, Theobald DE, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ. Comparing the effects of subchronic phencyclidine and medial prefrontal cortex dysfunction on cognitive tests relevant to schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015. [PMID: 26194915 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE It is becoming increasingly clear that the development of treatments for cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia requires urgent attention, and that valid animal models of relevant impairments are required. With subchronic psychotomimetic agent phencyclidine (scPCP), a putative model of such impairment, the extent to which changes following scPCP do or do not resemble those following dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex is of importance. OBJECTIVES The present study carried out a comparison of the most common scPCP dosing regimen with excitotoxin-induced medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) dysfunction in rats, across several cognitive tests relevant to schizophrenia. METHODS ScPCP subjects were dosed intraperitoneal with 5 mg/kg PCP or vehicle twice daily for 1 week followed by 1 week washout prior to behavioural testing. mPFC dysfunction was induced via fibre-sparing excitotoxin infused into the pre-limbic and infralimbic cortex. Subjects were tested on spontaneous novel object recognition, touchscreen object-location paired-associates learning and touchscreen reversal learning. RESULTS A double-dissociation was observed between object-location paired-associates learning and object recognition: mPFC dysfunction impaired acquisition of the object-location task but not spontaneous novel object recognition, while scPCP impaired spontaneous novel object recognition but not object-location associative learning. Both scPCP and mPFC dysfunction resulted in a similar facilitation of reversal learning. CONCLUSIONS The pattern of impairment following scPCP raises questions around its efficacy as a model of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, particularly if importance is placed on faithfully replicating the effects of mPFC dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A L McAllister
- University of Cambridge Department of Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK. .,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK. .,, 20 Manchester Sq., London, W1U 3PZ, UK.
| | - A C Mar
- University of Cambridge Department of Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - D E Theobald
- University of Cambridge Department of Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - L M Saksida
- University of Cambridge Department of Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - T J Bussey
- University of Cambridge Department of Psychology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
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28
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Totah NK, Logothetis NK, Eschenko O. Atomoxetine accelerates attentional set shifting without affecting learning rate in the rat. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015. [PMID: 26202614 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4028-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Shifting to a new rule is a form of behavioral flexibility that is impaired in numerous psychiatric and neurological illnesses. Animal studies have revealed that this form of flexibility depends upon norepinephrine (NE) neurotransmission. Atomoxetine, a NE reuptake inhibitor, improves performance of humans in set shifting tasks. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to validate its effects in a rodent set shifting task. METHODS We tested the drug effect using an operant task that required a shift from a visual cue-guided behavior to a novel location-guided rule. RESULTS A 1.0-mg/kg dose significantly accelerated rule shifting without affecting learning strategies, such as win-stay or lose-shift. Fitting behavioral performance with a learning function provided a measure of learning rate. CONCLUSION This novel analysis revealed that atomoxetine accelerated shifting to the new rule without affecting learning rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelson K Totah
- Department of Physiology of Cognitive Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Spemannstr. 38, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany,
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29
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Svoboda J, Stankova A, Entlerova M, Stuchlik A. Acute administration of MK-801 in an animal model of psychosis in rats interferes with cognitively demanding forms of behavioral flexibility on a rotating arena. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:75. [PMID: 25883558 PMCID: PMC4381641 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with schizophrenia often manifest deficits in behavioral flexibility. Non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists such as MK-801 induce schizophrenia-like symptoms in rodents, including cognitive functions. Despite work exploring flexibility has been done employing behavioral paradigms with simple stimuli, much less is known about what kinds of flexibility are affected in an MK-801 model of schizophrenia-like behavior in the spatial domain. We used a rotating arena-based apparatus (Carousel) requiring rats to avoid an unmarked sector defined in either the reference frame of the rotating arena (arena frame task, AF) or the stationary room (room frame task, RF). We investigated behavioral flexibility in four conditions involving different cognitive loads. Each condition encompassed an initial (five sessions) and a test phase (five sessions) in which some aspects of the task were changed to test flexibility and in which rats were given saline, 0.05 mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg MK-801 thirty minutes prior to a session. In the first condition, rats acquired avoidance in RF with clockwise rotation of the arena while in the test phase the arena rotated counterclockwise. In the second condition, rats initially acquired avoidance in RF with the sector on the north and then it was reversed to south (spatial reversal). In the third and fourth conditions, rats initially performed an AF (RF, respectively) task, followed by an RF (AF, respectively) task, testing the ability of cognitive set-shifting. We found no effect of MK-801 either on simple motor adjustment after reversal of arena rotation or on spatial reversal within the RF. In contrast, administration of MK-801 at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg interfered with set-shifting in both conditions. Furthermore, we observed MK-801 0.1 mg/kg elevated locomotion in all cases. These data suggest that blockade of NMDA receptors by acute system administration of MK-801 preferentially affects set-shifting in the cognitive domain rather than reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Svoboda
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Stankova
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic ; Laboratory of Neurobehavioral Studies, National Institute of Mental Health Klecany, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Entlerova
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Stuchlik
- Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, Czech Republic ; Laboratory of Neurobehavioral Studies, National Institute of Mental Health Klecany, Prague, Czech Republic
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Pratt JA, Morris BJ. The thalamic reticular nucleus: a functional hub for thalamocortical network dysfunction in schizophrenia and a target for drug discovery. J Psychopharmacol 2015; 29:127-37. [PMID: 25586397 DOI: 10.1177/0269881114565805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The thalamus (comprising many distinct nuclei) plays a key role in facilitating sensory discrimination and cognitive processes through connections with the cortex. Impaired thalamocortical processing has long been considered to be involved in schizophrenia. In this review we focus on the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) providing evidence for it being an important communication hub between the thalamus and cortex and how it may play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. We first highlight the functional neuroanatomy, neurotransmitter localisation and physiology of the TRN. We then present evidence of the physiological roles of the TRN in relation to oscillatory activity, cognition and behaviour. Next we discuss the role of the TRN in rodent models of risk factors for schizophrenia (genetic and pharmacological) and provide evidence for TRN deficits in schizophrenia. Finally we discuss new drug targets for schizophrenia in relation to restoring TRN circuitry dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith A Pratt
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK Psychiatric Research Institute of Neuroscience in Glasgow (PsyRING), University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK
| | - Brian J Morris
- Psychiatric Research Institute of Neuroscience in Glasgow (PsyRING), University of Glasgow and University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Abstract
Attentional set-shifting, as a measure of executive flexibility, has been a staple of investigations into human cognition for over six decades. Mediated by the frontal cortex in mammals, the cognitive processes involved in forming, maintaining and shifting an attentional set are vulnerable to dysfunction arising from a number of human neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases) and other neurological disorders (such as schizophrenia, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Our understanding of these diseases and disorders, and the cognitive impairments induced by them, continues to advance, in tandem with an increasing number of tools at our disposal. In this chapter, we review and compare commonly used attentional set-shifting tasks (the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task and Intradimensional/Extradimensional tasks) and their applicability across species. In addition to humans, attentional set-shifting has been observed in a number of other animals, with a substantial body of literature describing performance in monkeys and rodents. We consider the task designs used to investigate attentional set-shifting in these species and the methods used to model human diseases and disorders, and ultimately the comparisons and differences between species-specific tasks, and between performance across species.
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mGluR5 positive allosteric modulation and its effects on MK-801 induced set-shifting impairments in a rat operant delayed matching/non-matching-to-sample task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:251-8. [PMID: 24973895 PMCID: PMC4278949 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3653-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/08/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR5) exert pro-cognitive effects in animal models of various neuropsychiatric diseases. However, few studies to date have examined ability of mGluR5 PAMs to reverse cognitive deficits in operant delayed matching/non-matching-to-sample (DMS/DNMS) tasks. OBJECTIVES This study aims to determine the ability of the mGluR5 PAM 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzamide (CDPPB) to reverse set-shifting deficits induced by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were initially trained to lever press for sucrose reinforcement under either DMS or DNMS conditions. Following successful acquisition of the task, reinforcement conditions were reversed (DNMS → DMS or DMS → DNMS). In Experiment 1, rats were treated daily prior to each session with vehicle/vehicle, vehicle/MK-801 (0.06 mg/kg) simultaneously, CDPPB (20 mg/kg)/MK-801 simultaneously, or CDPPB 30 min prior to MK-801. In Experiment 2, rats were treated with either vehicle/vehicle, vehicle/MK-801, or CDPPB 30 min prior to MK-801 only prior to sessions that followed task reversal. RESULTS In Experiment 1, no group differences in initial task acquisition were observed. Rats treated with vehicle/MK-801 showed significant set-shifting impairments following task reversal, which were partially attenuated by simultaneous administration of CDPPB/MK-801 and completely precluded by administration of CDPPB 30 min prior to MK-801. In Experiment 2, MK-801 did not impair reversal learning, and no other group differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS MK-801-induced deficits in operant set-shifting ability were prevented by pretreatment with CDPPB. MK-801 did not produce deficits in task learning when treatment was initiated following task reversal.
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Abstract
Components of human executive function, like rule generation and selection in response to stimuli (attention set-shifting) or overcoming a habit (reversal learning), can be reliably modelled in rodents. The rodent paradigms are based upon tasks that assess cognitive flexibility in clinical populations and have been effective in distinguishing the neurobiological substrates and the underlying neurotransmitter systems relevant to executive function. A review of the literature on the attentional set-shifting task highlights a prominent role for the medial region of the prefrontal cortex in the ability to adapt to a new rule (extradimensional shift) while the orbitofrontal cortex has been associated with the reversal learning component of the task. In other paradigms specifically developed to examine reversal learning in rodents, the orbitofrontal cortex also plays a prominent role. Modulation of dopamine, serotonin, and glutamatergic receptors can disrupt executive function, a feature commonly exploited to develop concepts underlying psychiatric disorders. While these paradigms do have excellent translational construct validity, they have been less effective as predictive preclinical models for cognitive enhancers, especially for cognition in health subjects. Accordingly, a more diverse battery of tasks may be necessary to model normal human executive function in the rodent for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Talpos
- Janssen R&D, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
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Rich ME, Caldwell HK. A Role for Oxytocin in the Etiology and Treatment of Schizophrenia. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2015; 6:90. [PMID: 26089815 PMCID: PMC4453483 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2015.00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder estimated to affect 51 million people worldwide. Several symptom domains characterize schizophrenia, including negative symptoms, such as social withdrawal and anhedonia, cognitive impairments, such as disorganized thinking and impaired memory, and positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions. While schizophrenia is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder with no single "cause," there is evidence that the oxytocin (Oxt) system may be dysregulated in some individuals. Further, treatment with intranasal Oxt reduces some of the heterogeneous symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Since Oxt is known for its modulatory effects on a variety of social and non-social behaviors, it is perhaps not surprising that it may contribute to some aspects of schizophrenia and could also be a useful therapeutic agent. In this review, we highlight what is known about Oxt's contributions to schizophrenia and schizophrenia-related behaviors and discuss its potential as a therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Elizabeth Rich
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, The School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | - Heather Kingsley Caldwell
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, The School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
- *Correspondence: Heather Kingsley Caldwell, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology and Behavior, Department of Biological Sciences, The School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, PO Box 5190, 121 Cunningham Hall, Kent, OH 44242, USA,
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Popik P, Holuj M, Nikiforuk A, Kos T, Trullas R, Skolnick P. 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) produces procognitive but not antipsychotic-like effects in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:1025-38. [PMID: 25260339 PMCID: PMC4336651 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3738-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE In addition to the negative and positive symptoms of schizophrenia, cognitive deficits, including prefrontal cortical dysfunction, are now recognized as core features of this disorder. Compounds increasing the NMDA receptor function via the strychnine-insensitive glycine receptors have been proposed as potential antipsychotics. Depending on the ambient concentrations of glutamate and glycine, 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) behaves as either a partial agonist or a functional antagonist at the strychnine-insensitive glycine receptors. OBJECTIVES We investigated the procognitive and antipsychotic-like effects of ACPC in rats treated with phencyclidine (PCP) or ketamine (KET), compounds that produce psychotic-like symptoms in humans and laboratory animals. METHODS Cognitive effects were investigated in the novel object recognition (NOR) and attentional set-shifting tests (ASST). In addition, the effects of ACPC were investigated in PCP-induced hyperactivity, conditioned avoidance response (CAR), and prepulse inhibition (PPI) tests. The effects on attention and impulsivity were measured in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). RESULTS ACPC (200-400 mg/kg) inhibited memory fading in naive rats and like clozapine prevented PCP- and KET-induced amnesia in the NOR. In naive animals, ACPC at 400 but not 200 mg/kg enhanced cognitive flexibility in the ASST, as the animals required fewer trials to reach the criteria during the extra-dimensional phase. In contrast, ACPC did not affect PCP-induced hyperactivity, CAR, and PPI as well as attention and impulsivity in the 5-CSRTT. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates that ACPC enhanced both object recognition memory and cognitive flexibility dependent on the prefrontal cortex, but did not affect impulsivity nor exhibit an antipsychotic-like profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Popik
- Behavioral Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343, Kraków, Poland,
| | - Malgorzata Holuj
- Behavioral Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Nikiforuk
- Behavioral Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Tomasz Kos
- Behavioral Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ramon Trullas
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, IDIBAPS-CSIC, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Phil Skolnick
- Division of Pharmacotherapies & Medical Consequences of Drug Abuse, NIDA, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-9551 USA
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Fellini L, Kumar G, Gibbs S, Steckler T, Talpos J. Re-evaluating the PCP challenge as a pre-clinical model of impaired cognitive flexibility in schizophrenia. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 24:1836-49. [PMID: 25300235 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Revised: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
NMDA-R antagonists are a popular translational pharmacological challenge to induce cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. Amongst their many cognitive and non-cognitive effects is an ability to impair cognitive flexibility in general, and reversal learning in particular. Here, we test the hypothesis that the NMDA-R antagonist phencyclidine when given acutely selectively effects reversal learning by simultaneously measuring reversal learning and baseline responding, or acquisition and baseline responding, under identical conditions. Animals were trained to simultaneously perform two different visual discriminations in a touch-screen equipped operant box. Accordingly the reward contingencies associated with one pair could be altered, while the second pair acted as an experimental control. As such, the effect of a manipulation on reversal learning, stimuli acquisition, or baseline responding can be more accurately evaluated through the use of a double visual discrimination. A similar approach was also used to investigate the influence of sub-chronic phencyclidine administration on cognitive flexibility. Phencyclidine (1mg/kg) given before testing caused a slowing in acquisition and reversal learning, while having a minimal effect on secondary measures. Sub-chronic phencyclidine administration had no significant effect on any of the measures used within this study. While acute phencyclidine impairs reversal learning, it is clear from these results that other aspects of cognition (learning/relearning) are also impaired, potentially questioning the specificity of acute phencyclidine in conjunction with reversal learning paradigms as a model of impaired cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laetitia Fellini
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Gaurav Kumar
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Steven Gibbs
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Thomas Steckler
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - John Talpos
- Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
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McKibben CE, Reynolds GP, Jenkins TA. Analysis of sociability and preference for social novelty in the acute and subchronic phencyclidine rat. J Psychopharmacol 2014; 28:955-63. [PMID: 25122039 DOI: 10.1177/0269881114544778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Both acute and sub-chronic phencyclidine administration produce behavioural and pathophysiological changes that resemble some features of schizophrenia. The present study aimed to determine if acute and sub-chronic phencyclidine treatment in male rats produces deficits in sociability and social novelty preference, which may reflect aspects of the negative symptomatology observed in schizophrenia. Rats were treated with phencyclidine acutely (2 or 5 mg/kg) or subchronically (2 or 5 mg/kg bi-daily for one week followed by a one week wash-out period) or vehicle. Social affiliative behaviour was assessed using the sociability and preference for social novelty paradigm where social interaction time was measured in (a) a chamber containing an unfamiliar conspecific vs an empty chamber (sociability), or (b) a chamber containing an unfamiliar conspecific vs a chamber containing a familiar conspecific (preference for social novelty). Results showed that acute administration of phencyclidine produced a reduction in measures of sociability but had no effect on preference for social novelty while sub-chronic administration of phencyclidine had no effect on sociability or social novelty. This study provides further evidence for the usefulness of phencyclidine models in modelling the symptomatology of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E McKibben
- Division of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Gavin P Reynolds
- Division of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
| | - Trisha A Jenkins
- Division of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK School of Medical Sciences, Health Innovations Research Institute, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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Koola MM, Buchanan RW, Pillai A, Aitchison KJ, Weinberger DR, Aaronson ST, Dickerson FB. Potential role of the combination of galantamine and memantine to improve cognition in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2014; 157:84-9. [PMID: 24878431 PMCID: PMC4099270 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2014.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2014] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The Measurement and Treatment Research to Improve Cognition in Schizophrenia (MATRICS) and Treatment Units for Research on Neurocognition and Schizophrenia projects were designed to facilitate the development of new drugs for the treatment of cognitive impairments in people with schizophrenia. The MATRICS project identified three drug mechanisms of particular interest: dopaminergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic. As a group, while people with schizophrenia have moderate cognitive impairment, it is the best predictor of long-term outcome. Unfortunately, there are no approved medications for cognitive impairment in this population. Hence, the development of new pharmacological approaches is critical for reducing illness-related disability. The combination of an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) and memantine is more effective than either medication alone to improve cognition in Alzheimer's dementia. Galantamine is not only an AChEI, but also a positive allosteric modulator of the α4β2 and α7 nicotinic receptors. Hypofunction of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors has been implicated in the pathophysiology of cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia and hence memantine may positively impact cognition. Memantine decreases the tonic NMDA current and galantamine enhances the action potential mediated by a postsynaptic NMDA current. This results in an increased signal transmission; therefore, a greater signal-to-noise ratio occurs with the combination than memantine alone. Galantamine improves the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazol-propionate (AMPA)-mediated signaling which could be neuroprotective and may improve memory coding. The combination of galantamine and memantine may be particularly effective in schizophrenia in order to increase the selective cognition enhancement produced by either medication alone. In the future, multitarget-directed ligands may play a role in the treatment of complex diseases like schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maju Mathew Koola
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Robert W. Buchanan
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anilkumar Pillai
- Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Katherine J. Aitchison
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Daniel R. Weinberger
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Scott T. Aaronson
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Faith B. Dickerson
- Sheppard Pratt Health System, Baltimore, MD, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Risk genes for schizophrenia: Translational opportunities for drug discovery. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 143:34-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Scheggia D, Bebensee A, Weinberger DR, Papaleo F. The ultimate intra-/extra-dimensional attentional set-shifting task for mice. Biol Psychiatry 2014; 75:660-70. [PMID: 23810621 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2013.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Revised: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in executive control and cognitive flexibility, such as attentional set-shifting abilities, are core features of several neuropsychiatric diseases. The most widely used neuropsychological tests for the evaluation of attentional set shifting in humans are the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Intra-/Extra-Dimensional set-shift task (ID/ED). These tasks have proven clinical relevance and have been successfully adapted for monkeys. However, similar tasks currently available for rodents are limited, mainly because of their manual-based testing procedures. The current limitations of rodent attentional set-shifting tasks are hampering translational advances in psychiatric medicine. METHODS To closely mimic the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery ID/ED task in primates, we present the development of a novel operant-based two-chamber ID/ED "Operon" task for mice. RESULTS We show the ability of this novel task to measure attentional set shifting in mice and the effects of genetic and pharmacologic manipulations of dopamine and glutamate. In genetically modified mice with reduced catechol-O-methyltransferase activity there was selective improvement on extradimensional shift abilities and impairment of serial reversal learning. Chronic administration of phencyclidine produced a selective impairment of extradimensional shift while producing a generalized decrease in latency to respond. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that this novel ID/ED Operon task may be an effective preclinical tool for drug testing and large genetic screening relevant to the study of executive dysfunctions and cognitive symptoms of psychiatric disorders. These findings may help elucidate the biological validity of similar findings in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Scheggia
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Audrey Bebensee
- Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Daniel R Weinberger
- Clinical Brain Disorders Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus; Department of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Neuroscience and the Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padova, Italy.
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Blot K, Kimura SI, Bai J, Kemp A, Manahan-Vaughan D, Giros B, Tzavara E, Otani S. Modulation of Hippocampus-Prefrontal Cortex Synaptic Transmission and Disruption of Executive Cognitive Functions by MK-801. Cereb Cortex 2013; 25:1348-61. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bht329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
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Measuring the construct of executive control in schizophrenia: Defining and validating translational animal paradigms for discovery research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:2125-40. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2011] [Revised: 03/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/03/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Mouri A, Nagai T, Ibi D, Yamada K. Animal models of schizophrenia for molecular and pharmacological intervention and potential candidate molecules. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 53:61-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2012.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Revised: 10/23/2012] [Accepted: 10/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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Blot K, Bai J, Otani S. The effect of non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 on neuronal activity in rodent prefrontal cortex: an animal model for cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 107:448-51. [PMID: 23603055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2013.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Revised: 04/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia affects about 1% of the world population and is a major socio-economical problem in ours societies. Cognitive symptoms are particularly resistant to current treatments and are believed to be closely related to an altered function of prefrontal cortex (PFC). Particularly, abnormalities in the plasticity processes in the PFC are a candidate mechanism underlying cognitive symptoms, and the recent evidences in patients are in line with this hypothesis. Animal pharmacological models of cognitive symptoms, notably with non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists such as MK-801, are commonly used to investigate the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia. However, it is still unknown whether in these animal models, impairments in plasticity of PFC neurons are present. In this article, we briefly summarize the current knowledge on the effect of non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 on medial PFC (mPFC) neuronal activity and then introduce a form of plasticity found after acute exposure to MK-801, which was accompanied by cognitive deficits. These observations suggest a potential correlation between cognitive deficits and the aberrant plasticity in the mPFC in the animal model of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Blot
- INSERM U952/CNRS UMR 7224, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 9 quai Saint Bernard, 75252 Paris cedex 05, France.
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Zimnisky R, Chang G, Gyertyán I, Kiss B, Adham N, Schmauss C. Cariprazine, a dopamine D(3)-receptor-preferring partial agonist, blocks phencyclidine-induced impairments of working memory, attention set-shifting, and recognition memory in the mouse. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 226:91-100. [PMID: 23079899 PMCID: PMC3572273 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2896-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2012] [Accepted: 09/19/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE A major challenge in the pharmacological treatment of psychotic disorders is the effective management of the associated cognitive dysfunctions. Novel concepts emphasize a potential benefit of partial agonists acting upon dopamine D(2)-like receptors in ameliorating these cognitive deficits, and pre-clinical studies suggest that D(3)-receptor-preferring compounds can exert pro-cognitive effects. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to use acute phencyclidine (PCP) treatment to model the cognitive deficits of schizophrenia in mice, and to test the efficacy of the novel, dopamine D(3)-receptor-preferring drug cariprazine in ameliorating the severity of PCP-triggered cognitive deficits. METHODS One group of wild-type or D(3)-receptor knockout mice was acutely treated with either saline or phencyclidine (PCP, 1 mg/kg). A separate group of mice was treated with cariprazine prior to PCP administration. Both groups were then tested in three cognitive tasks: social interaction/recognition and recognition memory, spatial working memory, and attention-set-shifting. RESULTS PCP effectively disrupted social recognition and social recognition memory, spatial working memory, and extradimensional attention set-shifting. Cariprazine pretreatment significantly attenuated the emergence of these cognitive deficits in PCP-treated wild-type mice, but not in PCP-treated D(3)-receptor knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS In an animal model of PCP-induced cognitive impairment, cariprazine pretreatment significantly diminished PCP-triggered cognitive deficits, and studies on knockout mice show that dopamine D(3) receptors contribute to this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross Zimnisky
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gloria Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Béla Kiss
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nika Adham
- Forest Research Institute, Jersey City, NJ, USA
| | - Claudia Schmauss
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
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Dawson N, Xiao X, McDonald M, Higham DJ, Morris BJ, Pratt JA. Sustained NMDA receptor hypofunction induces compromised neural systems integration and schizophrenia-like alterations in functional brain networks. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 24:452-64. [PMID: 23081884 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhs322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Compromised functional integration between cerebral subsystems and dysfunctional brain network organization may underlie the neurocognitive deficits seen in psychiatric disorders. Applying topological measures from network science to brain imaging data allows the quantification of complex brain network connectivity. While this approach has recently been used to further elucidate the nature of brain dysfunction in schizophrenia, the value of applying this approach in preclinical models of psychiatric disease has not been recognized. For the first time, we apply both established and recently derived algorithms from network science (graph theory) to functional brain imaging data from rats treated subchronically with the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist phencyclidine (PCP). We show that subchronic PCP treatment induces alterations in the global properties of functional brain networks akin to those reported in schizophrenia. Furthermore, we show that subchronic PCP treatment induces compromised functional integration between distributed neural systems, including between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, that have established roles in cognition through, in part, the promotion of thalamic dysconnectivity. We also show that subchronic PCP treatment promotes the functional disintegration of discrete cerebral subsystems and also alters the connectivity of neurotransmitter systems strongly implicated in schizophrenia. Therefore, we propose that sustained NMDA receptor hypofunction contributes to the pathophysiology of dysfunctional brain network organization in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Dawson
- Psychiatric Research Institute of Neuroscience in Glasgow (PsyRING), Glasgow, UK
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47
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Dendritic morphology changes in neurons from the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens in rats after lesion of the thalamic reticular nucleus. Neuroscience 2012; 223:429-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2012.07.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2012] [Revised: 07/01/2012] [Accepted: 07/20/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Chindo BA, Adzu B, Yahaya TA, Gamaniel KS. Ketamine-enhanced immobility in forced swim test: a possible animal model for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2012; 38:310-6. [PMID: 22561603 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2012.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Revised: 04/18/2012] [Accepted: 04/19/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic and highly complex psychiatric disorder characterised by cognitive dysfunctions, negative and positive symptoms. The major challenge in schizophrenia research is lack of suitable animal models that mimic the core behavioural aspects and symptoms of this devastating psychiatric disorder. In this study, we used classical and atypical antipsychotic drugs to examine the predictive validity of ketamine-enhanced immobility in forced swim test (FST) as a possible animal model for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. We also evaluated the effects of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) on the ketamine-enhanced immobility in FST. Repeated administration of a subanaesthetic dose of ketamine (30 mg kg(-1), i.p., daily for 5 days) enhanced the duration of immobility in FST 24 h after the final injection. The effect, which persisted for at least 21 days after withdrawal of the drug, was neither observed by single treatment with ketamine (30 mg kg(-1) i.p.) nor repeated treatment with amphetamine (1 and 2 mg kg(-1) i.p., daily for 5 days). The enhancing effects of ketamine (30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) i.p.) on the duration of immobility in the FST were attenuated by clozapine (1, 5 and 10 mg kg(-1) i.p.), risperidone (0.25 and 0.5 mg kg(-1) i.p.) and paroxetine (1 and 5 mg kg(-1) i.p.). Haloperidol (0.25 and 0.50 mg kg(-1) day(-1) i.p.) failed to attenuate the ketamine-enhanced immobility in the FST. The repeated ketamine administration neither affects locomotor activity nor motor coordination in rats under the same treatment conditions with the FST, suggesting that the effects of ketamine on the duration of immobility in this study was neither due to motor dysfunction nor peripheral neuromuscular blockade. Our results suggest that repeated treatment with subanaesthetic doses of ketamine enhance the duration of immobility in FST, which might be a useful animal model for the negative symptoms (particularly the depressive features) of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben A Chindo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Abuja, Nigeria.
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49
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Nicotine improves performance in an attentional set shifting task in rats. Neuropharmacology 2012; 64:314-20. [PMID: 22776507 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2012] [Revised: 06/23/2012] [Accepted: 06/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A large number of studies in both humans and experimental animals have demonstrated nicotine-induced improvements in various aspects of cognitive function, including attention and memory. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is thought to be critically involved in the modulation of executive function and these attentional processes are enhanced by nicotine acting at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The involvement of nicotinic processes on cognitive flexibility in particular has not been specifically investigated. The effects of nicotine on attentional flexibility were therefore evaluated using the rodent attentional set shifting task in rats. Nicotine injected both acutely and following repeated pre-exposure significantly improved both intradimensional and extradimensional set shifting performance in the task. Further investigation of the acute effects of nicotine demonstrated this improvement in attentional flexibility to be dose-dependent. These results implicate the nicotinic receptor system in the mediation of processes underlying cognitive flexibility and suggest that nicotine improves attentional flexibility in rats, both within and between perceptual dimensions of a compound stimulus. Nicotine-induced alterations in prefrontal circuitry may underlie these effects on cognitive flexibility. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled 'Cognitive Enhancers'.
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50
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Bissonette GB, Lande MD, Martins GJ, Powell EM. Versatility of the mouse reversal/set-shifting test: effects of topiramate and sex. Physiol Behav 2012; 107:781-6. [PMID: 22677721 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Revised: 05/19/2012] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The ability to learn a rule to guide behavior is crucial for cognition and executive function. However, in a constantly changing environment, flexibility in terms of learning and changing rules is paramount. Research suggests there may be common underlying causes for the similar rule learning impairments observed in many psychiatric disorders. One of these common anatomical manifestations involves deficits to the GABAergic system, particularly in the frontal cerebral cortical regions. Many common anti-epileptic drugs and mood stabilizers activate the GABA system with the reported adverse side effects of cognitive dysfunction. The mouse reversal/set-shifting test was used to evaluate effects in mice given topiramate, which is reported to impair attention in humans. Here we report that in mice topiramate prevents formation of the attentional set, but does not alter reversal learning. Differences in the GABA system are also found in many neuropsychiatric disorders that are more common in males, including schizophrenia and autism. Initial findings with the reversal/set-shifting task excluded female subjects. In this study, female mice tested on the standard reversal/set-shifting task showed similar reversal learning, but were not able to form the attentional set. The behavioral paradigm was modified and when presented with sufficient discrimination tasks, female mice performed the same as male mice, requiring the same number of trials to reach criterion and form the attentional set. The notable difference was that female mice had an extended latency to complete the trials for all discriminations. In summary, the reversal/set-shifting test can be used to screen for cognitive effects of potential therapeutic compounds in both male and female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory B Bissonette
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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