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Oliveras I, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Río-Álamos C, Tobeña A, Corda MG, Giorgi O, Fernández-Teruel A. Neurobehavioral Profiles of Six Genetically-based Rat Models of Schizophrenia- related Symptoms. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1934-1952. [PMID: 36809938 PMCID: PMC10514524 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230221093644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder with high heterogeneity in its symptoms clusters. The effectiveness of drug treatments for the disorder is far from satisfactory. It is widely accepted that research with valid animal models is essential if we aim at understanding its genetic/ neurobiological mechanisms and finding more effective treatments. The present article presents an overview of six genetically-based (selectively-bred) rat models/strains, which exhibit neurobehavioral schizophrenia-relevant features, i.e., the Apomorphine-susceptible (APO-SUS) rats, the Low-prepulse inhibition rats, the Brattleboro (BRAT) rats, the Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (SHR), the Wisket rats and the Roman High-Avoidance (RHA) rats. Strikingly, all the strains display impairments in prepulse inhibition of the startle response (PPI), which remarkably, in most cases are associated with novelty-induced hyperlocomotion, deficits of social behavior, impairment of latent inhibition and cognitive flexibility, or signs of impaired prefrontal cortex (PFC) function. However, only three of the strains share PPI deficits and dopaminergic (DAergic) psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion (together with prefrontal cortex dysfunction in two models, the APO-SUS and RHA), which points out that alterations of the mesolimbic DAergic circuit are a schizophrenia-linked trait that not all models reproduce, but it characterizes some strains that can be valid models of schizophrenia-relevant features and drug-addiction vulnerability (and thus, dual diagnosis). We conclude by putting the research based on these genetically-selected rat models in the context of the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework, suggesting that RDoC-oriented research programs using selectively-bred strains might help to accelerate progress in the various aspects of the schizophrenia-related research agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | | | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Maria Giuseppa Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
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2
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Watanabe K, Nakagawasai O, Kanno SI, Mitazaki S, Onogi H, Takahashi K, Watanabe KI, Tan-No K, Ishikawa M, Srivastava LK, Quirion R, Tadano T. Alterations in prefrontal cortical neuregulin-1 levels in post-pubertal rats with neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1008623. [PMID: 36620856 PMCID: PMC9813588 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1008623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic studies in humans have implicated the gene encoding neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) as a candidate susceptibility gene for schizophrenia. Furthermore, it has been suggested that NRG-1 is involved in regulating the expression and function of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and the GABAA receptor in several brain areas, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the hippocampus, and the cerebellum. Neonatal ventral hippocampal lesioned (NVHL) rats have been considered as a putative model for schizophrenia with characteristic post-pubertal alteration in response to stress and neuroleptics. In this study, we examined NRG-1, erb-b2 receptor tyrosine kinase 4 (erbB4), and phospho-erbB4 (p-erbB4) levels in the PFC and the distribution of NRG-1 in the NVHL rats by using immunoblotting and immunohistochemical analyses. Neonatal lesions were induced by bilateral injection of ibotenic acid in the ventral hippocampus of postnatal day 7 Sprague-Dawley (SD)-rats. NVHL rats showed significantly decreased levels of NRG-1 and p-erbB4 in the PFC compared to sham controls at post-pubertal period, while the level of erbB4 did not differ between sham and NVHL rats. Moreover, microinjection of NRG-1 into the mPFC improved NVHL-induced prepulse inhibition deficits. Our study suggests PFC NRG-1 alteration as a potential mechanism in schizophrenia-like behaviors in the NVHL model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenya Watanabe
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,Department of Pharmacy, Fukushima Medical University Hospital, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Osamu Nakagawasai
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,*Correspondence: Osamu Nakagawasai,
| | - Syu-ichi Kanno
- Division of Clinical Pharmaceutical Therapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Satoru Mitazaki
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,Laboratory of Forensic Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Takasaki-shi, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Onogi
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,Faculty of Health Science, Tohoku Fukushi University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Kohei Takahashi
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, International University of Health and Welfare, Otawara, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Kei-ichiro Watanabe
- Center for Research on Counseling and Support Services, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyō-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichi Tan-No
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | - Masaaki Ishikawa
- Division of Clinical Pharmaceutical Therapy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan
| | | | - Remi Quirion
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Takeshi Tadano
- Division of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai, Japan,Complementary and Alternative Medicine Clinical Research and Development, Graduate School of Medicine Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
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3
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Fernández-Teruel A, Oliveras I, Cañete T, Rio-Álamos C, Tapias-Espinosa C, Sampedro-Viana D, Sánchez-González A, Sanna F, Torrubia R, González-Maeso J, Driscoll P, Morón I, Torres C, Aznar S, Tobeña A, Corda MG, Giorgi O. Neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental profiles of a heuristic genetic model of differential schizophrenia- and addiction-relevant features: The RHA vs. RLA rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:597-617. [PMID: 34571119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The Roman High- (RHA) and Low-(RLA) avoidance rat lines/strains were generated through bidirectional selective breeding for rapid (RHA) vs. extremely poor (RLA) two-way active avoidance acquisition. Compared with RLAs and other rat strains/stocks, RHAs are characterized by increased impulsivity, deficits in social behavior, novelty-induced hyper-locomotion, impaired attentional/cognitive abilities, vulnerability to psychostimulant sensitization and drug addiction. RHA rats also exhibit decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus, increased functional activity of the mesolimbic dopamine system and a dramatic deficit of central metabotropic glutamate-2 (mGlu2) receptors (due to a stop codon mutation at cysteine 407 in Grm2 -cys407*-), along with increased density of 5-HT2A receptors in the PFC, alterations of several synaptic markers and increased density of pyramidal "thin" (immature) dendrític spines in the PFC. These characteristics suggest an immature brain of RHA rats, and are reminiscent of schizophrenia features like hypofrontality and disruption of the excitation/inhibition cortical balance. RHA rats represent a promising heuristic model of neurodevelopmental schizophrenia-relevant features and comorbidity with drug addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Carles Tapias-Espinosa
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Sánchez-González
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | | | - Ignacio Morón
- Department of Psychobiology and Centre of Investigation of Mind, Brain, and Behaviour (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - Carmen Torres
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Susana Aznar
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg Copenhagen University Hospital, 2400, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy.
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4
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Sbisa A, van den Buuse M, Gogos A. The effect of estrogenic compounds on psychosis-like behaviour in female rats. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193853. [PMID: 29579065 PMCID: PMC5868772 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
17β-estradiol treatment has shown benefit against schizophrenia symptoms, however long-term use may be associated with negative side-effects. Selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as raloxifene and tamoxifen, have been proposed as suitable alternatives to 17β-estradiol. An isomer of 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol, is considered less carcinogenic, and non-feminising in males, however little is known about its potential as a treatment for schizophrenia. Moreover, the mechanism underlying the therapeutic action of estrogens remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the ability of these estrogenic compounds to attenuate psychosis-like behaviour in rats. We used two acute pharmacologically-induced assays of psychosis-like behaviour: psychotomimetic drug-induced hyperlocomotion and disruption of prepulse inhibition (PPI). Female Long Evans rats were either intact, ovariectomised (OVX), or OVX and chronically treated with 17β-estradiol, 17α-estradiol, raloxifene or tamoxifen. Only 17β-estradiol treatment attenuated locomotor hyperactivity induced by the indirect dopamine receptor agonist, methamphetamine. 17β-estradiol- and tamoxifen-treated rats showed attenuated methamphetamine- and apomorphine (dopamine D1/D2 receptor agonist)-induced disruption of PPI. Raloxifene-treated rats showed attenuated apomorphine-induced PPI disruption only. Baseline PPI was significantly reduced following OVX, and this deficit was reversed by all estrogenic compounds. Further, PPI in OVX rats was increased following administration of apomorphine. This study confirms a protective effect of 17β-estradiol in two established animal models of psychosis, while tamoxifen showed beneficial effects against PPI disruption. In contrast, 17α-estradiol and raloxifene showed little effect on dopamine receptor-mediated psychosis-like behaviours. This study highlights the utility of some estrogenic compounds to attenuate psychosis-like behaviour in rats, supporting the notion that estrogens have therapeutic potential for psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Sbisa
- Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,The College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Andrea Gogos
- Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Swerdlow NR, Bhakta SG, Talledo JA, Franz DM, Hughes EL, Rana BK, Light GA. Effects of Amphetamine on Sensorimotor Gating and Neurocognition in Antipsychotic-Medicated Schizophrenia Patients. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:708-717. [PMID: 29154367 PMCID: PMC5809803 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle is being explored both as an indicator of target engagement for, and a biomarker predicting the sensitivity to, procognitive effects of drugs. We now report the effects of the pro-attentional drug, d-amphetamine, on PPI and neurocognition in antipsychotic-medicated schizophrenia patients and healthy subjects (HS) who were also tested in a targeted cognitive training (TCT) module. 44 HS and 38 schizophrenia patients completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of the effects of a single dose of amphetamine (10 mg po) on PPI and MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) performance; TCT results were previously reported from 60 of these subjects. Moderators predicting AMPH sensitivity were assessed, including the rs4680 single-nucleotide polymorphism for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). After placebo, patients exhibited PPI deficits with 60 ms prepulse intervals; these deficits were 'rescued' by amphetamine. The magnitude of amphetamine-enhanced PPI was greater in patients than in HS (p<0.032), and was associated with positive symptoms (p<0.007), antipsychotic load (p<0.015), hedonic effects of AMPH (p<0.003), and with the presence of at least one methionine allele in rs4680 (p<0.008). No significant effects of amphetamine on MCCB performance were detected in either group, though pro-attentional effects of amphetamine in patients were associated with greater amphetamine-enhanced TCT learning. Amphetamine acutely 'normalized' PPI in antipsychotic-medicated schizophrenia patients; no concurrent acute neurocognitive changes were detected by the MCCB. Findings suggest that in the context of appropriate antipsychotic medication, a low dose of amphetamine enhances brain processes associated with higher function in schizophrenia patients, without accompanying changes in MCCB performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA, Tel: +619-543-6270, Fax: +619-543-2493, E-mail:
| | - Savita G Bhakta
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jo A Talledo
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Daniel M Franz
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Erica L Hughes
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Brinda K Rana
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gregory A Light
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
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6
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Ko CY, Wang SC, Liu YP. Sensorimotor gating deficits are inheritable in an isolation-rearing paradigm in rats. Behav Brain Res 2016; 302:115-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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7
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Powell SB, Swerdlow NR. Social Isolation Rearing and Sensorimotor Gating in Rat Models of Relevance to Schizophrenia. HANDBOOK OF BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800981-9.00009-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Bell RL, Hauser SR, McClintick J, Rahman S, Edenberg HJ, Szumlinski KK, McBride WJ. Ethanol-Associated Changes in Glutamate Reward Neurocircuitry: A Minireview of Clinical and Preclinical Genetic Findings. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2015; 137:41-85. [PMID: 26809998 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we have reviewed the role of glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, in a number of neurochemical, -physiological, and -behavioral processes mediating the development of alcohol dependence. The findings discussed include results from both preclinical as well as neuroimaging and postmortem clinical studies. Expression levels for a number of glutamate-associated genes and/or proteins are modulated by alcohol abuse and dependence. These changes in expression include metabotropic receptors and ionotropic receptor subunits as well as different glutamate transporters. Moreover, these changes in gene expression parallel the pharmacologic manipulation of these same receptors and transporters. Some of these gene expression changes may have predated alcohol abuse and dependence because a number of glutamate-associated polymorphisms are related to a genetic predisposition to develop alcohol dependence. Other glutamate-associated polymorphisms are linked to age at the onset of alcohol-dependence and initial level of response/sensitivity to alcohol. Finally, findings of innate and/or ethanol-induced glutamate-associated gene expression differences/changes observed in a genetic animal model of alcoholism, the P rat, are summarized. Overall, the existing literature indicates that changes in glutamate receptors, transporters, enzymes, and scaffolding proteins are crucial for the development of alcohol dependence and there is a substantial genetic component to these effects. This indicates that continued research into the genetic underpinnings of these glutamate-associated effects will provide important novel molecular targets for treating alcohol abuse and dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
| | - Sheketha R Hauser
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Jeanette McClintick
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana , USA
| | - Shafiqur Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, USA
| | - Howard J Edenberg
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana , USA
| | - Karen K Szumlinski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - William J McBride
- Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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9
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Peinado A, Abrams CK. Patterns of Spontaneous Local Network Activity in Developing Cerebral Cortex: Relationship to Adult Cognitive Function. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0131259. [PMID: 26098958 PMCID: PMC4476761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Detecting neurodevelopμental disorders of cognition at the earliest possible stages could assist in understanding them mechanistically and ultimately in treating them. Finding early physiological predictors that could be visualized with functional neuroimaging would represent an important advance in this regard. We hypothesized that one potential source of physiological predictors is the spontaneous local network activity prominent during specific periods in development. To test this we used calcium imaging in brain slices and analyzed variations in the frequency and intensity of this early activity in one area, the entorhinal cortex (EC), in order to correlate early activity with level of cognitive function later in life. We focused on EC because of its known role in different types of cognitive processes and because it is an area where spontaneous activity is prominent during early postnatal development in rodent models of cortical development. Using rat strains (Long-Evans, Wistar, Sprague-Dawley and Brattleboro) known to differ in cognitive performance in adulthood we asked whether neonatal animals exhibit corresponding strain-related differences in EC spontaneous activity. Our results show significant differences in this activity between strains: compared to a high cognitive-performing strain, we consistently found an increase in frequency and decrease in intensity in neonates from three lower performing strains. Activity was most different in one strain considered a model of schizophrenia-like psychopathology. While we cannot necessarily infer a causal relationship between early activity and adult cognition our findings suggest that the pattern of spontaneous activity in development could be an early predictor of a developmental trajectory advancing toward sub-optimal cognitive performance in adulthood. Our results further suggest that the strength of dopaminergic signaling, by setting the balance between excitation and inhibition, is a potential underlying mechanism that could explain the observed differences in early spontaneous activity patterns.
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MESH Headings
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn/anatomy & histology
- Animals, Newborn/growth & development
- Cerebral Cortex/growth & development
- Cognition/physiology
- Entorhinal Cortex/anatomy & histology
- Entorhinal Cortex/growth & development
- Nerve Net/anatomy & histology
- Nerve Net/growth & development
- Nerve Net/physiology
- Rats
- Rats, Brattleboro/growth & development
- Rats, Brattleboro/physiology
- Rats, Long-Evans/growth & development
- Rats, Long-Evans/physiology
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley/growth & development
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley/physiology
- Rats, Wistar/growth & development
- Rats, Wistar/physiology
- Receptors, Dopamine D1/physiology
- Receptors, Dopamine D5/physiology
- Receptors, GABA-A/physiology
- Species Specificity
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Peinado
- Department of Neurology and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Charles K. Abrams
- Department of Neurology and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States of America
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Swerdlow NR, Light GA. Animal Models of Deficient Sensorimotor Gating in Schizophrenia: Are They Still Relevant? Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2015; 28:305-25. [PMID: 27311762 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2015_5012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of impaired sensorimotor gating, as assessed by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle, have demonstrated clear validity at face, predictive, and construct levels for schizophrenia therapeutics, neurophysiological endophenotypes, and potential causative insults for this group of disorders. However, with the growing recognition of the heterogeneity of the schizophrenias, and the less sanguine view of the clinical value of antipsychotic (AP) medications, our field must look beyond "validity," to assess the actual utility of these models. At a substantial cost in terms of research support and intellectual capital, what has come from these models, that we can say has actually helped schizophrenia patients? Such introspection is timely, as we are reassessing not only our view of the genetic and pathophysiological diversity of these disorders, but also the predominant strategies for SZ therapeutics; indeed, our field is gaining awareness that we must move away from a "find what's broke and fix it" approach, toward identifying spared neural and cognitive function in SZ patients, and matching these residual neural assets with learning-based therapies. Perhaps, construct-valid models that identify evidence of "spared function" in neural substrates might reveal opportunities for future therapeutics and allow us to study these substrates at a mechanistic level to maximize opportunities for neuroplasticity. Such an effort will require a retooling of our models, and more importantly, a re-evaluation of their utility. For animal models to remain relevant in the search for schizophrenia therapeutics, they will need to focus less on what is valid and focus more on what is useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0804, USA.
| | - Gregory A Light
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0804, USA
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11
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Moran PM, O'Tuathaigh CM, Papaleo F, Waddington JL. Dopaminergic function in relation to genes associated with risk for schizophrenia. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2014; 211:79-112. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63425-2.00004-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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12
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Río CD, Oliveras I, Cañete T, Blázquez G, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Genetic Rat Models of Schizophrenia-Relevant Symptoms. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/wjns.2014.43030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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13
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Rhein M, Muschler MR, Krauss JK, Bleich S, Frieling H, Schwabe K. Hypomethylation of neuregulin in rats selectively bred for reduced sensorimotor gating. Schizophr Res 2013; 150:262-5. [PMID: 23899995 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2013.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Revised: 06/14/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Low prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle is associated with reduced sensorimotor gating found in schizophrenia. In rats with breeding-induced low PPI neuregulin (NRG1) methylation was significantly decreased in brain regions associated with this phenotype and with schizophrenia, i.e., the medial prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens, and the ventral hippocampus, while methylation in the amygdala and dorsal hippocampus was less affected. The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) promoter region showed negligible changes between groups. Rats with low PPI may be used to understand the reduced epigenetic regulation found in schizophrenia, and eventually lead to the development of novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Rhein
- Molecular Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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Swerdlow NR, Light GA, Trim RS, Breier MR, Hines SR, Powell SB. Forebrain gene expression predicts deficits in sensorimotor gating after isolation rearing in male rats. Behav Brain Res 2013; 257:118-28. [PMID: 24076151 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Revised: 08/28/2013] [Accepted: 09/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Compared to socially housed (SH) rats, adult isolation-reared (IR) rats exhibit phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia (SZ), including reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle. PPI is normally regulated by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAC). We assessed PPI, auditory-evoked local field potentials (LFPs) and expression of seven PPI- and SZ-related genes in the mPFC and NAC, in IR and SH rats. Buffalo (BUF) rats were raised in same-sex groups of 2-3 (SH) or in isolation (IR). PPI was measured early (d53) and later in adulthood (d74); LFPs were measured approximately on d66. Brains were processed for RT-PCR measures of mPFC and NAC expression of Comt, Erbb4, Grid2, Ncam1, Slc1a2, Nrg1 and Reln. Male IR rats exhibited PPI deficits, most pronounced at d53; male and female IR rats had significantly elevated startle magnitude on both test days. Gene expression levels were not significantly altered by IR. PPI levels (d53) were positively correlated with mPFC expression of several genes, and negatively correlated with NAC expression of several genes, in male IR but not SH rats. Late (P90) LFP amplitudes correlated significantly with expression levels of 6/7 mPFC genes in male rats, independent of rearing. After IR that disrupts early adult PPI in male BUF rats, expression levels of PPI- and SZ-associated genes in the mPFC correlate positively with PPI, and levels in the NAC correlate negatively with PPI. These results support the model that specific gene-behavior relationships moderate the impact of early-life experience on SZ-linked behavioral and neurophysiological markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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15
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Webber ES, Mankin DE, McGraw JJ, Beckwith TJ, Cromwell HC. Ultrasonic vocalizations, predictability and sensorimotor gating in the rat. Behav Brain Res 2013; 253:32-41. [PMID: 23850353 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/08/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is a measure of sensorimotor gating in diverse groups of animals including humans. Emotional states can influence PPI in humans both in typical subjects and in individuals with mental illness. Little is known about emotional regulation during PPI in rodents. We used ultrasonic vocalization recording to monitor emotional states in rats during PPI testing. We altered the predictability of the PPI trials to examine any alterations in gating and emotional regulation. We also examined PPI in animals selectively bred for high or low levels of 50kHz USV emission. Rats emitted high levels of 22kHz calls consistently throughout the PPI session. USVs were sensitive to prepulses during the PPI session similar to startle. USV rate was sensitive to predictability among the different levels tested and across repeated experiences. Startle and inhibition of startle were not affected by predictability in a similar manner. No significant differences for PPI or startle were found related to the different levels of predictability; however, there was a reduction in USV signals and an enhancement of PPI after repeated exposure. Animals selectively bred to emit high levels of USVs emitted significantly higher levels of USVs during the PPI session and a reduced ASR compared to the low and random selective lines. Overall, the results support the idea that PPI tests in rodents induce high levels of negative affect and that manipulating emotional styles of the animals alters the negative impact of the gating session as well as the intensity of the startle response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily S Webber
- Department of Psychology & the J.P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43402, USA
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16
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Swerdlow NR, Powell SB, Breier MR, Hines SR, Light GA. Coupling of gene expression in medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens after neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions accompanies deficits in sensorimotor gating and auditory processing in rats. Neuropharmacology 2013; 75:38-46. [PMID: 23810830 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2013.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Revised: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND After neonatal ventral hippocampal lesions (NVHLs), adult rats exhibit evidence of neural processing deficits relevant to schizophrenia, including reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle and impaired sensory processing. In intact rats, the regulation of PPI by the ventral hippocampus (VH) is mediated via interactions with medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAC). We assessed PPI, auditory-evoked responses and expression of 7 schizophrenia-related genes in mPFC and NAC, in adult rats after sham- or real NVHLs. METHODS Male inbred Buffalo (BUF) rat pups (d7; n=36) received either vehicle or ibotenic acid infusion into the VH. PPI and auditory-evoked dentate gyrus local field potentials (LFPs) were measured on d56 and d66, respectively. Brains were processed for RT-PCR measures of mPFC and NAC Comt, Erbb4, Grid2, Ncam1, Slc1a2, Nrg1 and Reln. RESULTS NVHL rats exhibited significant deficits in PPI (p=0.005) and LFPs (p<0.015) proportional to lesion size. Sham vs. NVHL rats did not differ in gene expression levels in mPFC or NAC. As we previously reported, multiple gene expression levels were highly correlated within- (mean r's≈0.5), but not across-brain regions (mean r's≈0). However, for three genes--Comt, Slc1a2 and Ncam1--after NVHLs, expression levels became significantly correlated, or "coupled," across the mPFC and NAC (p's<0.03, 0.002 and 0.05, respectively), and the degree of "coupling" increased with VH lesion size. CONCLUSIONS After NVHLs that disrupt PPI and auditory processing, specific gene expression levels suggest an abnormal functional coupling of the mPFC and NAC. This model of VH-mPFC-NAC network dysfunction after NVHLs may have implications for understanding the neural basis for PPI- and related sensory processing deficits in schizophrenia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., Mail Code 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
| | - Susan B Powell
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., Mail Code 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Michelle R Breier
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., Mail Code 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA
| | - Samantha R Hines
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., Mail Code 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA
| | - Gregory A Light
- Department of Psychiatry, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr., Mail Code 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
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Swerdlow NR, Hines SR, Herrera SD, Weber M, Breier MR. Opposite effects of tolcapone on amphetamine-disrupted startle gating in low vs. high COMT-expressing rat strains. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 106:128-31. [PMID: 23567203 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Revised: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Differential sensitivity to the prepulse inhibition (PPI)-disruptive effects of dopamine agonists in Sprague-Dawley (SD) vs. Long Evans (LE) rats is heritable, reflects differential activation of DA signaling, and is associated with differences in the brain expression of specific genes, including those of the catecholamine catabolic enzyme, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). In humans, both basal and drug-modified PPI differs significantly between individuals with polymorphisms conferring low- vs. high-activity of COMT. We used the COMT inhibitor, tolcapone, to assess the role of COMT activity in regulating the differential effects of the dopamine releaser, amphetamine (AMPH), on PPI in SD and LE rats. METHODS Acoustic startle and PPI were assessed in SD and LE male rats after pretreatment with tolcapone (vehicle vs. 30 mg/kg ip) and treatment with AMPH (vehicle vs. 4.5mg/kg sc), using 10-120 ms prepulse intervals. RESULTS After tolcapone, AMPH significantly potentiated PPI in LE rats, and significantly disrupted PPI in SD rats. These patterns could not be explained by drug effects on pulse alone startle magnitude. DISCUSSION The impact of COMT inhibition on AMPH-modified PPI was categorically different in strains exhibiting low vs. high levels of forebrain Comt expression, consistent with reports in humans that tolcapone has opposite effects on PPI among individuals with polymorphisms conferring low vs. high COMT activity. The present model provides a basis for understanding the mechanisms by which the effects of COMT inhibition on sensorimotor gating - and potentially, related neurocognitive and clinical functions - under hyperdopaminergic states are dependent on an individual's basal levels of COMT activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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Translational value of startle modulations. Cell Tissue Res 2013; 354:287-95. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-013-1599-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Accepted: 02/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Swerdlow NR. Update: studies of prepulse inhibition of startle, with particular relevance to the pathophysiology or treatment of Tourette Syndrome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2012; 37:1150-6. [PMID: 23017868 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2012] [Revised: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI) is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, in which the motor response to an abrupt, intense stimulus is inhibited by a weak lead stimulus. PPI is reduced in several brain disorders, including Tourette Syndrome (TS); it is regulated by forebrain circuitry, including portions of the basal ganglia implicated in the pathophysiology of TS, and is also heritable and under strong genetic control. PPI has been the focus of numerous translational models, because it is expressed by most mammalian species, with remarkable conservation of response characteristics and underlying neural circuitry between rodents and primates. Several of these models have recently explored causative factors in TS - from genes to specific basal ganglia perturbations - as well as potential TS therapeutics, including novel pharmacological and neurosurgical interventions. With the focus on Comprehensive Behavioral Interventions for Tics (CBIT) in the evolving treatment model for TS, future studies might apply PPI as a predictive measure for CBIT response, or for identifying medications that might augment CBIT efficacy. In the end, a measure based on a simple pontine-based reflex will have limitations in its ability to explicate any complex behavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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