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Arrondeau C, Urueña-Méndez G, Marchessaux F, Goutaudier R, Ginovart N. Activation of the mPFC-NAc Pathway Reduces Motor Impulsivity but Does Not Affect Risk-Related Decision-Making in Innately High-Impulsive Male Rats. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25387. [PMID: 39314180 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders (SUD) are characterized by exacerbated motor and risk-related impulsivities, which are associated with decreased cortical activity. In rodents, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been separately implicated in impulsive behaviors, but studies on the specific role of the mPFC-NAc pathway in these behaviors are limited. Here, we investigated whether heightened impulsive behaviors are associated with reduced mPFC activity in rodents and determined the involvement of the mPFC-NAc pathway in motor and risk-related impulsivities. We used the Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rat lines, which display divergent phenotypes in impulsivity. To investigate alterations in cortical activity in relation to impulsivity, regional brain glucose metabolism was measured using positron emission tomography and [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG). Using chemogenetics, the activity of the mPFC-NAc pathway was either selectively activated in high-impulsive RHA rats or inhibited in low-impulsive RLA rats, and the effects of these manipulations on motor and risk-related impulsivity were concurrently assessed using the rat gambling task. We showed that basal [18F]FDG uptake was lower in the mPFC and NAc of RHA compared to RLA rats. Activation of the mPFC-NAc pathway in RHA rats reduced motor impulsivity, without affecting risk-related decision-making. Conversely, inhibition of the mPFC-NAc pathway had no effect in RLA rats. Our results suggest that the mPFC-NAc pathway controls motor impulsivity, but has limited involvement in risk-related decision-making in our current model. Our findings suggest that reducing fronto-striatal activity may help attenuate motor impulsivity in patients with impulse control dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Arrondeau
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ginna Urueña-Méndez
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Florian Marchessaux
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Raphaël Goutaudier
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Ginovart
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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2
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Messanvi F, Visocky V, Senneca C, Berkun K, Taori M, Bradley SP, Wang H, Tejeda H, Chudasama Y. Galanin receptor 1 expressing neurons in hippocampal-prefrontal circuitry modulate goal directed attention and impulse control. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.29.605653. [PMID: 39131306 PMCID: PMC11312591 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.29.605653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
While amino acid neurotransmitters are the main chemical messengers in the brain, they are co-expressed with neuropeptides which are increasingly recognized as modulators of cognitive pathways. For example, the neuropeptide galanin has been implicated in a wide range of pathological conditions in which frontal and temporal structures are compromised. In a recent study in rats, we discovered that direct pharmacological stimulation of galanin receptor type 1 (GalR1) in the ventral prefrontal cortex (vPFC) and ventral hippocampus (vHC) led to opposing effects on attention and impulse control behavior. In the present study, we investigate how subtypes of neurons expressing GalR1 in these two areas differentially contribute to these behaviors. We first establish that GalR1 is predominantly expressed in glutamatergic neurons in both the vPFC and HC. We develop a novel viral approach to gain genetic access to GalR1-expressing neurons and demonstrate that optogenetic excitation of GalR1 expressing neurons in the vPFC, but not vHC, selectively disrupts attention in a complex behavioral task. Finally, using fiber photometry, we measure the bulk calcium dynamics in GalR1-expressing neurons during the same task to demonstrate opposing activity in vPFC and vHC. These results are consistent with our previous work demonstrating differential behavioral effects induced by GalR1 activating in vPFC and vHC. These results indicate the distinct neuromodulatory and behavioral contributions of galanin mediated by subclasses of neurons in the hippocampal and prefrontal circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fany Messanvi
- Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vladimir Visocky
- Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carolyn Senneca
- Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kathleen Berkun
- Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Maansi Taori
- Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sean P Bradley
- Rodent Behavioral Core, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Huikun Wang
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hugo Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yogita Chudasama
- Section on Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Rodent Behavioral Core, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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3
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Broomer MC, Beacher NJ, Wang MW, Lin DT. Examining a punishment-related brain circuit with miniature fluorescence microscopes and deep learning. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 11:100154. [PMID: 38680653 PMCID: PMC11044849 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2024.100154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
In humans experiencing substance use disorder (SUD), abstinence from drug use is often motivated by a desire to avoid some undesirable consequence of further use: health effects, legal ramifications, etc. This process can be experimentally modeled in rodents by training and subsequently punishing an operant response in a context-induced reinstatement procedure. Understanding the biobehavioral mechanisms underlying punishment learning is critical to understanding both abstinence and relapse in individuals with SUD. To date, most investigations into the neural mechanisms of context-induced reinstatement following punishment have utilized discrete loss-of-function manipulations that do not capture ongoing changes in neural circuitry related to punishment-induced behavior change. Here, we describe a two-pronged approach to analyzing the biobehavioral mechanisms of punishment learning using miniature fluorescence microscopes and deep learning algorithms. We review recent advancements in both techniques and consider a target neural circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Broomer
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Beacher
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Michael W. Wang
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Da-Ting Lin
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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4
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Magnard R, Fouyssac M, Vachez YM, Cheng Y, Dufourd T, Carcenac C, Boulet S, Janak PH, Savasta M, Belin D, Carnicella S. Pramipexole restores behavioral inhibition in highly impulsive rats through a paradoxical modulation of frontostriatal networks. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:86. [PMID: 38336862 PMCID: PMC10858232 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02804-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Impulse control disorders (ICDs), a wide spectrum of maladaptive behaviors which includes pathological gambling, hypersexuality and compulsive buying, have been recently suggested to be triggered or aggravated by treatments with dopamine D2/3 receptor agonists, such as pramipexole (PPX). Despite evidence showing that impulsivity is associated with functional alterations in corticostriatal networks, the neural basis of the exacerbation of impulsivity by PPX has not been elucidated. Here we used a hotspot analysis to assess the functional recruitment of several corticostriatal structures by PPX in male rats identified as highly (HI), moderately impulsive (MI) or with low levels of impulsivity (LI) in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). PPX dramatically reduced impulsivity in HI rats. Assessment of the expression pattern of the two immediate early genes C-fos and Zif268 by in situ hybridization subsequently revealed that PPX resulted in a decrease in Zif268 mRNA levels in different striatal regions of both LI and HI rats accompanied by a high impulsivity specific reduction of Zif268 mRNA levels in prelimbic and cingulate cortices. PPX also decreased C-fos mRNA levels in all striatal regions of LI rats, but only in the dorsolateral striatum and nucleus accumbens core (NAc Core) of HI rats. Structural equation modeling further suggested that the anti-impulsive effect of PPX was mainly attributable to the specific downregulation of Zif268 mRNA in the NAc Core. Altogether, our results show that PPX restores impulse control in highly impulsive rats by modulation of limbic frontostriatal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Magnard
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Maxime Fouyssac
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EB, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Yvan M Vachez
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Yifeng Cheng
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
| | - Thibault Dufourd
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Carole Carcenac
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Sabrina Boulet
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Marc Savasta
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - David Belin
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, CB2 3EB, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastien Carnicella
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inserm, U1216, Grenoble Institut Neurosciences, 38000, Grenoble, France
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Schuller J, Koch M. Blockade of the orexin 1-receptors and 'cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript' in the nucleus accumbens shell alters impulse control in rats. Behav Brain Res 2023; 440:114268. [PMID: 36539163 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct and alterations in impulsiveness are often associated with psychiatric diseases, including drug addiction and binge eating disorder. Impulse control involves several brain regions. The present study assessed the role of the orexigenic, appetite stimulating neuropeptide orexin (OX) and the anorexigenic, appetite reducing neuropeptide cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) within the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) in impulse control in rats. The animals were ranked for their trait impulsivity based on a screening in the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). The rats' performances were analysed after bilateral infusions of the OX 1-receptor antagonist SB-334867 (SB) and CART-antibodies (CART-ABs) into the NAcSh. After SB infusions, there was no change in premature responses observed on average. Further analysis revealed a negative linear correlation between the effect of intra-NAcSh SB infusions on premature responses and trait impulsivity. The effect of SB ranged from an increase, no change to a decrease in premature responses in the individual animals with increasing trait impulsivity. Infusions of CART-ABs led to consistently enhanced impulse control with fewer irrelevant actions, independent of trait impulsivity. These data suggest that both OX, especially OX A, and CART in the NAcSh, can be considered endogenous regulators of impulsive action, dependent on underlying impulsivity in the case of OX and independent from trait impulsivity in the case of CART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Schuller
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, Hochschulring 18, D-28359 Bremen, Germany.
| | - Michael Koch
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, Hochschulring 18, D-28359 Bremen, Germany.
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A Videogame as a Tool for Clinical Screening of Possible Vulnerability to Impulsivity and Attention Disturbances in Children. CHILDREN 2022; 9:children9111652. [DOI: 10.3390/children9111652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
An attention disturbance is a problem that affects many school-aged children. The assessment in children is usually report-based, and as a result, controversy surrounds the diagnosis. To solve this issue, the aim of this study was to develop a new tool to detect possible attention-related problems and impulsive behavior in 4- and 5-year-old children. This tool was developed as an Android app and could be used to provide an early indicator of possible future development problems. A sample of 103 children (48 girls and 55 boys) was randomly selected from primary schools and assessed by Pinky-Piggy, a videogame application based on a classical paradigm in experimental psychology. Data from this app were compared with a Child Neuropsychological Maturity Questionnaire. The subjects displayed different patterns of response to play a very simple game called Pinky-Piggy. The application discriminated between high-responders and low responders. The results showed a relationship between these two profiles and the levels of attention and neurodevelopment in each group. The tool could identify different types of profiles and demonstrated its potential to evaluate endophenotypes to predict attentional problems related to impulsive behavior. Additionally, it required less time and fewer tests to identify possible at-risk populations, thus assisting in clinical diagnosis.
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7
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Babiczky Á, Matyas F. Molecular characteristics and laminar distribution of prefrontal neurons projecting to the mesolimbic system. eLife 2022; 11:78813. [PMID: 36063145 PMCID: PMC9444245 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortical influence over the mesolimbic system - including the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) - is implicated in various cognitive processes and behavioral malfunctions. The functional versatility of this system could be explained by an underlying anatomical complexity; however, the detailed characterization of the medial prefrontal cortical (mPFC) innervation of the NAc and VTA is still lacking. Therefore, combining classical retrograde and conditional viral tracing techniques with multiple fluorescent immunohistochemistry, we sought to deliver a precise, cell- and layer-specific anatomical description of the cortico-mesolimbic pathways in mice. We demonstrated that NAc- (mPFCNAc) and VTA-projecting mPFC (mPFCVTA) populations show different laminar distribution (layers 2/3-5a and 5b-6, respectively) and express different molecular markers. Specifically, calbindin and Ntsr1 are specific to mPFCNAc neurons, while mPFCVTA neurons express high levels of Ctip2 and FoxP2, indicating that these populations are mostly separated at the cellular level. We directly tested this with double retrograde tracing and Canine adenovirus type 2-mediated viral labeling and found that there is indeed minimal overlap between the two populations. Furthermore, whole-brain analysis revealed that the projection pattern of these populations is also different throughout the brain. Taken together, we demonstrated that the NAc and the VTA are innervated by two, mostly nonoverlapping mPFC populations with different laminar distribution and molecular profile. These results can contribute to the advancement in our understanding of mesocorticolimbic functions and its disorders in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ákos Babiczky
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Psychology/Cognitive Science, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Matyas
- Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Anatomy and Histology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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8
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Piszczek L, Constantinescu A, Kargl D, Lazovic J, Pekcec A, Nicholson JR, Haubensak W. Dissociation of impulsive traits by subthalamic metabotropic glutamate receptor 4. eLife 2022; 11:62123. [PMID: 34982027 PMCID: PMC8803315 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62123] [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: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral strategies require gating of premature responses to optimize outcomes. Several brain areas control impulsive actions, but the neuronal basis of natural variation in impulsivity between individuals remains largely unknown. Here, by combining a Go/No-Go behavioral assay with resting-state (rs) functional MRI in mice, we identified the subthalamic nucleus (STN), a known gate for motor control in the basal ganglia, as a major hotspot for trait impulsivity. In vivo recorded STN neural activity encoded impulsive action as a separable state from basic motor control, characterized by decoupled STN/substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) mesoscale networks. Optogenetic modulation of STN activity bidirectionally controlled impulsive behavior. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations showed that these impulsive actions are modulated by metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4) function in STN and its coupling to SNr in a behavioral trait-dependent manner, and independently of general motor function. In conclusion, STN circuitry multiplexes motor control and trait impulsivity, which are molecularly dissociated by mGlu4. This provides a potential mechanism for the genetic modulation of impulsive behavior, a clinically relevant predictor for developing psychiatric disorders associated with impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukasz Piszczek
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreea Constantinescu
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominic Kargl
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jelena Lazovic
- Preclinical Imaging Facility, Vienna BioCenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Vienna, Austria
| | - Anton Pekcec
- Div Research Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Janet R Nicholson
- Div Research Germany, Boehringer Ingelheim, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Wulf Haubensak
- The Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Department of Neuroscience, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Anderson MC, Floresco SB. Prefrontal-hippocampal interactions supporting the extinction of emotional memories: the retrieval stopping model. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:180-195. [PMID: 34446831 PMCID: PMC8616908 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01131-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Neuroimaging has revealed robust interactions between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus when people stop memory retrieval. Efforts to stop retrieval can arise when people encounter reminders to unpleasant thoughts they prefer not to think about. Retrieval stopping suppresses hippocampal and amygdala activity, especially when cues elicit aversive memory intrusions, via a broad inhibitory control capacity enabling prepotent response suppression. Repeated retrieval stopping reduces intrusions of unpleasant memories and diminishes their affective tone, outcomes resembling those achieved by the extinction of conditioned emotional responses. Despite this resemblance, the role of inhibitory fronto-hippocampal interactions and retrieval stopping broadly in extinction has received little attention. Here we integrate human and animal research on extinction and retrieval stopping. We argue that reconceptualising extinction to integrate mnemonic inhibitory control with learning would yield a greater understanding of extinction's relevance to mental health. We hypothesize that fear extinction spontaneously engages retrieval stopping across species, and that controlled suppression of hippocampal and amygdala activity by the prefrontal cortex reduces fearful thoughts. Moreover, we argue that retrieval stopping recruits extinction circuitry to achieve affect regulation, linking extinction to how humans cope with intrusive thoughts. We discuss novel hypotheses derived from this theoretical synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Anderson
- MRC Cognition & Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology, and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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10
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Nett KE, LaLumiere RT. Infralimbic cortex functioning across motivated behaviors: Can the differences be reconciled? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:704-721. [PMID: 34624366 PMCID: PMC8642304 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The rodent infralimbic cortex (IL) is implicated in higher order executive functions such as reward seeking and flexible decision making. However, the precise nature of its role in these processes is unclear. Early evidence indicated that the IL promotes the extinction and ongoing inhibition of fear conditioning and cocaine seeking. However, evidence spanning other behavioral domains, such as natural reward seeking and habit-based learning, suggests a more nuanced understanding of IL function. As techniques have advanced and more studies have examined IL function, identifying a unifying explanation for its behavioral function has become increasingly difficult. Here, we discuss evidence of IL function across motivated behaviors, including associative learning, drug seeking, natural reward seeking, and goal-directed versus habit-based behaviors, and emphasize how context-specific encoding and heterogeneous IL neuronal populations may underlie seemingly conflicting findings in the literature. Together, the evidence suggests that a major IL function is to facilitate the encoding and updating of contingencies between cues and behaviors to guide subsequent behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelle E Nett
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States.
| | - Ryan T LaLumiere
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
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11
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Zhuang Q, Xu L, Zhou F, Yao S, Zheng X, Zhou X, Li J, Xu X, Fu M, Li K, Vatansever D, Kendrick KM, Becker B. Segregating domain-general from emotional context-specific inhibitory control systems - ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex serve as emotion-cognition integration hubs. Neuroimage 2021; 238:118269. [PMID: 34139360 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitory control hierarchically regulates cognitive and emotional systems in the service of adaptive goal-directed behavior across changing task demands and environments. While previous studies convergently determined the contribution of prefrontal-striatal systems to general inhibitory control, findings on the specific circuits that mediate emotional context-specific impact on inhibitory control remained inconclusive. Against this background we combined an evaluated emotional Go/No Go task with fMRI in a large cohort of subjects (N=250) to segregate brain systems and circuits that mediate domain-general from emotion-specific inhibitory control. Particularly during a positive emotional context, behavioral results showed a lower accuracy for No Go trials and a faster response time for Go trials. While the dorsal striatum and lateral frontal regions were involved in inhibitory control irrespective of emotional context, activity in the ventral striatum (VS) and medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) varied as a function of emotional context. On the voxel-wise whole-brain network level, limbic and striatal systems generally exhibited highest changes in global brain connectivity during inhibitory control, while global brain connectivity of the left mOFC was less decreased during emotional contexts. Functional connectivity analyses moreover revealed that negative coupling between the VS with inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)/insula and mOFC varied as a function of emotional context. Together these findings indicate separable domain- general as well as emotional context-specific inhibitory brain systems which specifically encompass the VS and its connections with frontal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhuang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Xu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuxia Yao
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Zheng
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Jialin Li
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Meina Fu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Keshuang Li
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Deniz Vatansever
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China; Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, Center for Information in Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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12
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de Kloet SF, Bruinsma B, Terra H, Heistek TS, Passchier EMJ, van den Berg AR, Luchicchi A, Min R, Pattij T, Mansvelder HD. Bi-directional regulation of cognitive control by distinct prefrontal cortical output neurons to thalamus and striatum. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1994. [PMID: 33790281 PMCID: PMC8012364 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) steers goal-directed actions and withholds inappropriate behavior. Dorsal and ventral mPFC (dmPFC/vmPFC) circuits have distinct roles in cognitive control, but underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we use neuroanatomical tracing techniques, in vitro electrophysiology, chemogenetics and fiber photometry in rats engaged in a 5-choice serial reaction time task to characterize dmPFC and vmPFC outputs to distinct thalamic and striatal subdomains. We identify four spatially segregated projection neuron populations in the mPFC. Using fiber photometry we show that these projections distinctly encode behavior. Postsynaptic striatal and thalamic neurons differentially process synaptic inputs from dmPFC and vmPFC, highlighting mechanisms that potentially amplify distinct pathways underlying cognitive control of behavior. Chemogenetic silencing of dmPFC and vmPFC projections to lateral and medial mediodorsal thalamus subregions oppositely regulate cognitive control. In addition, dmPFC neurons projecting to striatum and thalamus divergently regulate cognitive control. Collectively, we show that mPFC output pathways targeting anatomically and functionally distinct striatal and thalamic subregions encode bi-directional command of cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sybren F de Kloet
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Bastiaan Bruinsma
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huub Terra
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tim S Heistek
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Emma M J Passchier
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexandra R van den Berg
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Luchicchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rogier Min
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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13
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Wang S, Zhang M, Liu S, Xu Y, Shao Z, Chen L, Li J, Yang W, Liu J, Yuan K. Impulsivity in heroin-dependent individuals: structural and functional abnormalities within frontostriatal circuits. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:2454-2463. [PMID: 33528803 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00445-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
High levels of impulsivity are a risk factor for the initiation of heroin use and a core behavioral characteristic of heroin dependence. Impulsivity also contributes to the maintenance of drug use and hinders effective therapy. Here we sought to identify neuroimaging markers of impulsivity in heroin-dependent individuals (HDI), with a focus on the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key region implicated in impulsivity and drug addiction generally. Volume and resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) differences of the bilateral NAc were investigated between 21 HDI and 21 age-, gender-, nicotine-, alcohol-matched healthy controls (HC). The neuroimaging results were then correlated with the Barratt Impulsivity Scales (BIS-11). Higher motor impulsivity (t = 2.347, p = 0.0253) and larger right NAc volume (F (1,38) = 4.719, p = 0.036) was observed in HDI. The right NAc volume was positively correlated with BIS total (r = 0.6196, p = 0.0239) /motor (r = 0.5921, p = 0.0330) scores in HC and BIS motor (r = 0.5145, p = 0.0170) score in HDI. A negative correlation was found between RSFC of the right NAc-bilateral superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and motor impulsivity in HDI (left: r=-0.6537, p = 0.0013; right: r=-0.6167, p = 0.0029) and HC (left: r=-0.6490,p = 0.0164; right: r=-0.6993, p = 0.0078). We aimed to reveal novel multimodality neuroimaging biomarkers of the higher impulsivity in HDI by focusing on the NAc and corresponding functional circuits. Higher motor impulsivity was observed in HDI. Furthermore, the volume of the right NAc and the RSFC strength of right NAc-SFG could be neuroimaging biomarkers for the severity of impulsivity in HDI. These potential biomarkers could be a target for novel treatments in HDI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicong Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Zhang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Xu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziqiang Shao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Longmao Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenhan Yang
- Department of Radiology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Department of Radiology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Kai Yuan
- School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China. .,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging Ministry of Education, Xi'an, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Jupp B, Sawiak SJ, van der Veen B, Lemstra S, Toschi C, Barlow RL, Pekcec A, Bretschneider T, Nicholson JR, Robbins TW, Dalley JW. Diminished Myoinositol in Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Modulates the Endophenotype of Impulsivity. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:3392-3402. [PMID: 31897490 PMCID: PMC7197196 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Maladaptive impulsivity manifests in a variety of disorders, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and substance use disorder. However, the etiological mechanisms of impulsivity remain poorly understood. In the present study, we used in-vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to investigate neurometabolite content in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum of rats exhibiting low- versus high-impulsive (LI, HI) behavior on a visual attentional task. We validated our 1H-MRS findings using regionally resolved ex-vivo mass spectroscopy, transcriptomics, and site-directed RNA interference in the ventromedial PFC. We report a significant reduction in myoinositol levels in the PFC but not the striatum of HI rats compared with LI rats. Reduced myoinositol content was localized to the infralimbic (IL) cortex, where significant reductions in transcript levels of key proteins involved in the synthesis and recycling of myoinositol (IMPase1) were also present. Knockdown of IMPase1in the IL cortex increased impulsivity in nonimpulsive rats when the demand on inhibitory response control was increased. We conclude that diminished myoinositol levels in ventromedial PFC causally mediate a specific form of impulsivity linked to vulnerability for stimulant addiction in rodents. Myoinositol and related signaling substrates may thus offer novel opportunities for treating neuropsychiatric disorders comorbid with impulsive symptomology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Jupp
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Steve J Sawiak
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Suzanne Lemstra
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Chiara Toschi
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Rebecca L Barlow
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss 88397, Germany
| | - Anton Pekcec
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss 88397, Germany
| | - Tom Bretschneider
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss 88397, Germany
| | - Janet R Nicholson
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss 88397, Germany
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK,Department of Psychiatry, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK,Address correspondence to Professor Jeffrey W. Dalley, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing St, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
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15
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Hori Y, Ihara N, Sugai C, Ogura J, Honda M, Kato K, Isomura Y, Hanakawa T. Ventral striatum links motivational and motor networks during operant-conditioned movement in rats. Neuroimage 2019; 184:943-953. [PMID: 30296556 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 09/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Voluntary actions require motives. It is already known that the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) assess the motivational values. However, it remains unclear how the motivational process gains access to the motor execution system in the brain. Here we present evidence that the ventral striatum (VS) plays a hub-like role in mediating motivational and motor processing in operant behavior. We used positron emission tomography (PET) to detect the neural activation areas associated with motivational action. Using obtained regions, partial correlation analysis was performed to examine how the motivational signals propagate to the motor system. The results revealed that VS activity propagated to both MPFC and primary motor cortex through the thalamus. Moreover, muscimol injection into the VS suppressed the motivational behavior, supporting the idea of representations of motivational signals in VS that trigger motivational behavior. These results suggest that the VS-thalamic pathway plays a pivotal role for both motivational processing through interactions with the MPFC and for motor processing through interactions with the motor BG circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Hori
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Naoki Ihara
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Chiaki Sugai
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Jun Ogura
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Manabu Honda
- Department of Functional Brain Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Koichi Kato
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Isomura
- Brain Science Institute, Tamagawa University, Machida City, Tokyo 194-8610, Japan
| | - Takashi Hanakawa
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan; Department of Functional Brain Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira City, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan.
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16
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Whittaker JR, Foley SF, Ackling E, Murphy K, Caseras X. The Functional Connectivity Between the Nucleus Accumbens and the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex as an Endophenotype for Bipolar Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:803-809. [PMID: 30227973 PMCID: PMC6218647 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alterations in functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and frontal cortices have been previously associated with the presence of psychiatric syndromes, including bipolar disorder (BD). Whether these alterations are a consequence or a risk factor for mental disorders remains unresolved. METHODS This study included 35 patients with BD, 30 nonaffected siblings of patients with BD, and 23 healthy control subjects to probe functional connectivity at rest between NAcc and the rest of the brain in a cross-sectional design. Blood oxygen level-dependent time series at rest from NAcc were used as seed region in a voxelwise correlational analysis. The strength of the correlations found was compared across groups after Fisher's Z transformation. RESULTS We found increased functional connectivity between the NAcc and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex-comprising mainly the subgenual anterior cingulate-in patients compared with healthy control subjects. Participants at increased genetic risk but yet resilient-nonaffected siblings-showed functional connectivity values midway between the former two groups. CONCLUSIONS Our results are indicative of the potential for the connectivity between NAcc and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex to represent an endophenotype for BD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Whittaker
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre - CUBRIC, Cardiff, United Kingdom; School of Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Sonya F Foley
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre - CUBRIC, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Edward Ackling
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences at Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Murphy
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre - CUBRIC, Cardiff, United Kingdom; School of Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Xavier Caseras
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics at Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences at Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
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17
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Silveira MM, Tremblay M, Winstanley CA. Dissociable contributions of dorsal and ventral striatal regions on a rodent cost/benefit decision-making task requiring cognitive effort. Neuropharmacology 2018; 137:322-331. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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18
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Hiser J, Koenigs M. The Multifaceted Role of the Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex in Emotion, Decision Making, Social Cognition, and Psychopathology. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:638-647. [PMID: 29275839 PMCID: PMC5862740 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 527] [Impact Index Per Article: 87.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) has been implicated in a variety of social, cognitive, and affective functions that are commonly disrupted in mental illness. In this review, we summarize data from a diverse array of human and animal studies demonstrating that the vmPFC is a key node of cortical and subcortical networks that subserve at least three broad domains of psychological function linked to psychopathology. One track of research indicates that the vmPFC is critical for the representation of reward- and value-based decision making, through interactions with the ventral striatum and amygdala. A second track of research demonstrates that the vmPFC is critical for the generation and regulation of negative emotion, through its interactions with the amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, periaqueductal gray, hippocampus, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. A third track of research shows the importance of the vmPFC in multiple aspects of social cognition, such as facial emotion recognition, theory-of-mind ability, and processing self-relevant information, through its interactions with the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, dorsomedial PFC, and amygdala. We then present meta-analytic data revealing distinct subregions within the vmPFC that correspond to each of these three functions, as well as the associations between these subregions and specific psychiatric disorders (depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, addiction, social anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). We conclude by describing several translational possibilities for clinical studies of vmPFC-based circuits, including neuropsychological assessment of transdiagnostic functions, anatomical targets for intervention, predictors of treatment response, markers of treatment efficacy, and subtyping within disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaryd Hiser
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI,
USA,Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI,
USA
| | - Michael Koenigs
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
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19
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Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Damage Is Associated with Decreased Ventral Striatum Volume and Response to Reward. J Neurosci 2017; 36:5047-54. [PMID: 27147657 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4236-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED The ventral striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) are two central nodes of the "reward circuit" of the brain. Human neuroimaging studies have demonstrated coincident activation and functional connectivity between these brain regions, and animal studies have demonstrated that the vmPFC modulates ventral striatum activity. However, there have been no comparable data in humans to address whether the vmPFC may be critical for the reward-related response properties of the ventral striatum. In this study, we used fMRI in five neurosurgical patients with focal vmPFC lesions to test the hypothesis that the vmPFC is necessary for enhancing ventral striatum responses to the anticipation of reward. In support of this hypothesis, we found that, compared with age- and gender-matched neurologically healthy subjects, the vmPFC-lesioned patients had reduced ventral striatal activity during the anticipation of reward. Furthermore, we observed that the vmPFC-lesioned patients had decreased volumes of the accumbens subregion of the ventral striatum. Together, these functional and structural neuroimaging data provide novel evidence for a critical role for the vmPFC in contributing to reward-related activity of the ventral striatum. These results offer new insight into the functional and structural interactions between key components of the brain circuitry underlying human affective function and decision-making. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Maladaptive decision-making is a common problem across multiple mental health disorders. Developing new pathophysiologically based strategies for diagnosis and treatment thus requires a better understanding of the brain circuits responsible for adaptive decision-making and related psychological subprocesses (e.g., reward valuation, anticipation, and motivation). Animal studies provide evidence that these functions are mediated through direct interactions between two key nodes of a posited "reward circuit," the ventral striatum and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). For the first time in humans, we demonstrate that damage to the vmPFC results in decreased ventral striatum activity during reward anticipation. These data provide unique evidence on the causal mechanisms by which the vmPFC and ventral striatum interact during the anticipation of rewards.
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20
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Neufang S, Akhrif A, Herrmann CG, Drepper C, Homola GA, Nowak J, Waider J, Schmitt AG, Lesch KP, Romanos M. Serotonergic modulation of 'waiting impulsivity' is mediated by the impulsivity phenotype in humans. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e940. [PMID: 27824354 PMCID: PMC5314122 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In rodents, the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) has been established as a reliable measure of waiting impulsivity being defined as the ability to regulate a response in anticipation of reinforcement. Key brain structures are the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and prefrontal regions (for example, pre- and infralimbic cortex), which are, together with other transmitters, modulated by serotonin. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we examined 103 healthy males while performing the 5-CSRTT measuring brain activation in humans by means of a paradigm that has been widely applied in rodents. Subjects were genotyped for the tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2; G-703T; rs4570625) variant, an enzyme specific for brain serotonin synthesis. We addressed neural activation patterns of waiting impulsivity and the interaction between the NAcc and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) using dynamic causal modeling. Genetic influence was examined via interaction analyses between the TPH2 genotype (GG homozygotes vs T allele carriers) and the degree of impulsivity as measured by the 5-CSRTT. We found that the driving input of the vmPFC was reduced in highly impulsive T allele carriers (reflecting a reduced top-down control) in combination with an enhanced response in the NAcc after correct target processing (reflecting an augmented response to monetary reward). Taken together, we found a high overlap of our findings with reports from animal studies in regard to the underlying cognitive processes, the brain regions associated with waiting impulsivity and the neural interplay between the NAcc and vmPFC. Therefore, we conclude that the 5-CSRTT is a promising tool for translational studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Neufang
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany,Center of Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstrasse 15, Wuerzburg D-97080, Germany. E-mail:
| | - A Akhrif
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - C G Herrmann
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - C Drepper
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - G A Homola
- Department of Neuroradiology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - J Nowak
- Department of Neuroradiology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany,Department of Radiology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - J Waider
- Center of Mental Health, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - A G Schmitt
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - K-P Lesch
- Center of Mental Health, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - M Romanos
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
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21
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Buhusi M, Olsen K, Yang BZ, Buhusi CV. Stress-Induced Executive Dysfunction in GDNF-Deficient Mice, A Mouse Model of Parkinsonism. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:114. [PMID: 27445722 PMCID: PMC4914592 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Maladaptive reactivity to stress is linked to improper decision making, impulsivity, and discounting of delayed rewards. Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) alters dopaminergic function, re-shapes dopaminergic circuits in key areas involved in decision making, and impairs prefrontal-cortex dependent response inhibition and working memory. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is essential for regulating dopamine (DA) release in the basal ganglia and for the survival of dopaminergic neurons; GDNF-deficient mice are considered an animal model for aging-related Parkinsonism. Recently, GDNF expression in the striatum has been linked to resilience to stress. Here we investigated the effects of CUS on decision making in GDNF-heterozygous (HET) mice and their wild-type littermate controls (WT). Before CUS no differences in temporal discounting (TD) were found between genotypes. However, following CUS GDNF HET mice, having a partial reduction of GDNF levels, showed increased impulsive choice indexed by a reduction in percent Larger-Later (LL) choices in the TD paradigm, and a reduction in area under the TD curve. Moreover, stressed GDNF HET mice, but not their WT controls, showed decreased neuronal activation (number of cFos positive neurons) in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), nucleus accumbens (NA) core, and NA shell, suggestive of a maladaptive response to stress. Interestingly, area under the TD curve positively correlated with cFos activation in the NA core, and NA shell, but not with orbitofrontal activity. These results provide further evidence of the differential involvement of the OFC, NA core, and NA shell in impulsive choice, and identify GDNF-deficient mice as a double-hit (gene × environment) model of stress-related executive dysfunction, particularly relevant to substance abuse and Parkinson’s disease (PD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Buhusi
- Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA
| | - Kaitlin Olsen
- Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA
| | - Benjamin Z Yang
- Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA
| | - Catalin V Buhusi
- Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA
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Marek GJ, Day M, Hudzik TJ. The Utility of Impulsive Bias and Altered Decision Making as Predictors of Drug Efficacy and Target Selection: Rethinking Behavioral Screening for Antidepressant Drugs. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 356:534-48. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.115.229922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Adams WK, Sussman JL, Kaur S, D'souza AM, Kieffer TJ, Winstanley CA. Long-term, calorie-restricted intake of a high-fat diet in rats reduces impulse control and ventral striatal D2receptor signalling - two markers of addiction vulnerability. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 42:3095-104. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Revised: 10/26/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Wendy K. Adams
- Department of Psychology; University of British Columbia; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; 2215 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 British Columbia Canada
- UBC Institute of Mental Health; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Jacob L. Sussman
- Department of Psychology; University of British Columbia; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; 2215 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 British Columbia Canada
| | - Sukhbir Kaur
- Department of Psychology; University of British Columbia; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; 2215 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 British Columbia Canada
| | - Anna M. D'souza
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences; Life Sciences Institute; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Timothy J. Kieffer
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences; Life Sciences Institute; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Catharine A. Winstanley
- Department of Psychology; University of British Columbia; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; 2215 Wesbrook Mall Vancouver BC V6T 1Z3 British Columbia Canada
- UBC Institute of Mental Health; University of British Columbia; Vancouver British Columbia Canada
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