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Strittmatter Y, Spitzer MWH, Ging-Jehli N, Musslick S. A jsPsych touchscreen extension for behavioral research on touch-enabled interfaces. Behav Res Methods 2024:10.3758/s13428-024-02454-9. [PMID: 38995520 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-024-02454-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Online experiments are increasingly gaining traction in the behavioral sciences. Despite this, behavioral researchers have largely continued to use keyboards as the primary input devices for such online studies, overlooking the ubiquity of touchscreens in everyday use. This paper presents an open-source touchscreen extension for jsPsych, a JavaScript framework designed for conducting online experiments. We additionally evaluated the touchscreen extension assessing whether typical behavioral findings from two distinct perceptual decision-making tasks - the random-dot kinematogram and the Stroop task - can similarly be observed when administered via touchscreen devices compared to keyboard devices. Our findings indicate similar performance metrics for each paradigm between the touchscreen and keyboard versions of the experiments. Specifically, we observe similar psychometric curves in the random-dot kinematogram across the touchscreen and keyboard versions. Similarly, in the Stroop task, we detect significant task, congruency, and sequential congruency effects in both experiment versions. We conclude that our open-source touchscreen extension serves as a promising tool for data collection in online behavioral experiments on forced-choice tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Younes Strittmatter
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Markus W H Spitzer
- Department of Psychology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
| | - Nadja Ging-Jehli
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Sebastian Musslick
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, USA
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Germany
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2
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Jian-Min C, Zhi-Yuan W, Ke L, Cheng Z, Shi-Xuan W, Yi-Wei C, Guan-Yi L, Rui S, Xiao-Mei Z, Jin L, Ning W. Assessment of lisdexamfetamine on executive function in rats: A translational cognitive research. Exp Neurol 2024; 374:114718. [PMID: 38336285 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Executive function, including working memory, attention and inhibitory control, is crucial for decision making, thinking and planning. Lisdexamfetamine, the prodrug of d-amphetamine, has been approved for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and binge eating disorder, but whether it improves executive function under non-disease condition, as well as the underlying pharmacokinetic and neurochemical properties, remains unclear. Here, using trial unique non-matching to location task and five-choice serial reaction time task of rats, we found lisdexamfetamine (p.o) enhanced spatial working memory and sustained attention under various cognitive load conditions, while d-amphetamine (i.p) only improved these cognitive performances under certain high cognitive load condition. Additionally, lisdexamfetamine evoked less impulsivity than d-amphetamine, indicating lower adverse effect on inhibitory control. In vivo pharmacokinetics showed lisdexamfetamine produced a relative stable and lasting release of amphetamine base both in plasma and in brain tissue, whereas d-amphetamine injection elicited rapid increase and dramatical decrease in amphetamine base levels. Microdialysis revealed lisdexamfetamine caused lasting release of dopamine within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), whereas d-amphetamine produced rapid increase followed by decline to dopamine level. Moreover, lisdexamfetamine elicited more obvious efflux of noradrenaline than that of d-amphetamine. The distinct neurochemical profiles may be partly attributed to the different action of two drugs to membranous catecholamine transporters level within mPFC, detecting by Western Blotting. Taken together, due to its certain pharmacokinetic and catecholamine releasing profiles, lisdexamfetamine produced better pharmacological action to improving executive function. Our finding provided valuable evidence on the ideal pharmacokinetic and neurochemical characteristics of amphetamine-type psychostimulants in cognition enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Jian-Min
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China; Department of Pharmacy, Nanxishan Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 46th Chongxin Road, Guilin 541000, China
| | - Wang Zhi-Yuan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Liu Ke
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Zhang Cheng
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wu Shi-Xuan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Cao Yi-Wei
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lu Guan-Yi
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Song Rui
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Zhuang Xiao-Mei
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China.
| | - Li Jin
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wu Ning
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China.
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3
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Schachar RJ. Fifty years of executive control research in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder:What we have learned and still need to know. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105461. [PMID: 37949153 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
For 50 years, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been considered a disorder of executive control (EC), the higher-order, cognitive skills that support self-regulation, goal attainment and what we generally call "attention." This review surveys our current understanding of the nature of EC as it pertains to ADHD and considers the evidence in support of eight hypotheses that can be derived from the EC theory of ADHD. This paper provides a resource for practitioners to aid in clinical decision-making. To support theory building, I draw a parallel between the EC theory of ADHD and the common gene-common variant model of complex traits such as ADHD. The conclusion offers strategies for advancing collaborative research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Russell J Schachar
- Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G1X8, Canada.
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Rahbarnia A, Li Z, Fletcher PJ. Effects of psilocybin, the 5-HT 2A receptor agonist TCB-2, and the 5-HT 2A receptor antagonist M100907 on visual attention in male mice in the continuous performance test. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023:10.1007/s00213-023-06474-9. [PMID: 37855864 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06474-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression are characterized in part by attention deficits. Attention is modulated by the serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmitter system. The 5-HT2A agonist and hallucinogen psilocybin (PSI) is a promising treatment for disorders characterized by attention changes. However, few studies have investigated PSI's direct effect on attention. OBJECTIVE Using the rodent continuous performance task (CPT), we assessed PSI's effect on attention. We also evaluated the impact of 5-HT2A receptor agonist TCB-2 and antagonist M100907 for comparative purposes. METHODS In the CPT, mice learned to distinguish visual targets from non-targets for milkshake reward. Performance was then tested following injections of PSI (0.3, 1, and 3 mg/kg), TCB-2 (0.3, 1, and 3 mg/kg), or M100907 (0.1, 0.3, and 1 mg/kg). Subsequently, drug effects were then evaluated using a more difficult CPT with variable stimulus durations. Mice were then tested on the CPT following repeated PSI injections. Drug effects on locomotor activity were also measured. RESULTS In the CPT, all three drugs reduced hit and false alarm rate and induced conservative responding. PSI also reduced target discrimination. These effects were seen primarily at doses that also significantly reduced locomotor activity. No drug effects were seen on the more difficult CPT or following repeated PSI injections. CONCLUSIONS Psilocybin, TCB-2, and M100907 impaired performance of the CPT. However, this may be in part due to drug-induced locomotor changes. The results provide little support for the idea that psilocybin alters visual attention, or that 5-HT2A receptors modulate this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arya Rahbarnia
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Zhaoxia Li
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Paul J Fletcher
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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5
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Higgins GA, Silenieks LB. The Effects of Drug Treatments for ADHD in Measures of Cognitive Performance. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 57:321-362. [PMID: 35606638 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Based on core symptoms of inattention and deficient impulse control, and the identification of effective pharmacotherapies such as amphetamine (AMP; Adderall®), methylphenidate (MPH; Ritalin®), and atomoxetine (ATX; Strattera®), ADHD is a clinical condition which provides opportunity for translational research. Neuropsychological tests such as the 5-Choice and Continuous Performance Tasks, which measure aspects of attention and impulse control in animals and humans, provide scope for both forward (animal to human) and reverse (human to animal) translation. Rodent studies support pro-attentive effects of AMP and MPH and effectiveness in controlling some forms of impulsive behavior. In contrast, any pro-attentive effects of ATX appear to be less consistent, the most reliable effects of ATX are recorded in tests of impulsivity. These differences may account for AMP and MPH being recognized as first-line treatments for ADHD with a higher efficacy relative to ATX. DSM-5 classifies three "presentations" of ADHD: predominantly inattentive type (ADHD-I), predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type (ADHD-HI), or combined (ADHD-C). Presently, it is unclear whether AMP, MPH, or ATX has differential levels of efficacy across these presentation types. Nonetheless, these studies encourage confidence for the forward translation of NCEs in efforts to identify newer pharmacotherapies for ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy A Higgins
- Intervivo Solutions, Toronto, ON, Canada.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Rutherford LG, Milton AL. Deconstructing and reconstructing behaviour relevant to mental health disorders: The benefits of a psychological approach, with a focus on addiction. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 133:104514. [PMID: 34958822 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.104514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RUTHERFORD, L.G. and Milton, A.L. Deconstructing and reconstructing behaviour relevant to mental health disorders: what can psychology offer? NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XX(X)XXX-XXX, 2021. - Current treatments for mental health disorders are successful only for some patients, and there is an unmet clinical need for new treatment development. One challenge for treatment development has been how best to model complex human conditions in animals, where mechanism can be more readily studied with a range of neuroscientific techniques. We suggest that an approach to modelling based on associative animal learning theory provides a good framework for deconstructing complex mental health disorders such that they can be studied in animals. These individual simple models can subsequently be used in combination to 'reconstruct' a more complex model of the mental health disorder of interest. Using examples primarily from the field of drug addiction, we explore the 'psychological approach' and suggest that in addition to facilitating translation and backtranslation of tasks between animal models and patients, it is also highly concordant with the concept of triangulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy L Milton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Onofrychuk TJ, Cai S, McElroy DL, Roebuck AJ, Greba Q, Garai S, Thakur GA, Laprairie RB, Howland JG. Effects of the cannabinoid receptor 1 positive allosteric modulator GAT211 and acute MK-801 on visual attention and impulsivity in rats assessed using the five-choice serial reaction time task. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 109:110235. [PMID: 33373679 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Altered interactions between endocannabinoid and glutamate signaling may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and acute psychosis. As cognitive disturbances are involved in schizophrenia, increased understanding of the roles of these neurotransmitter systems in cognition may lead to the development of novel therapeutics for disorder. In the present study, we examined the effects of a recently synthesized cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) positive allosteric modulator GAT211 in a rodent model of acute psychosis induced by systemic treatment with MK-801. To assess cognitive function, we used the Five-Choice Serial Reaction Time (5CSRT) task, conducted in touchscreen-equipped operant conditioning chambers. Our measures of primary interest were accuracy - indicative of visual attentional capacity - and the number of premature responses - indicative of impulsivity. We also measured latencies, omissions, and perseverative responding during all test sessions. Thirteen adult male Long Evans rats were trained on the 5CSRT and were then tested using a repeated measures design with acute MK-801 (0 or 0.15 mg/kg, i.p.) and GAT211 (0, 3, or 10 mg/kg, i.p.) administration. Acute MK-801 severely impaired accuracy, increased omissions, and increased the number of premature responses. MK-801 also significantly increased correct response latencies, without significant effects on incorrect or reward correction latencies. GAT211 had no significant effects when administered alone, or in combination with acute MK-801. These data confirm the dramatic effects of acute MK-801 treatment on behavioral measures of attention and impulsivity. Continued investigation of CB1R positive allosteric modulators as potential treatments for the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia and related disorders should be pursued in other rodent models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Onofrychuk
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Shuang Cai
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Dan L McElroy
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | | | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Sumanta Garai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ganesh A Thakur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Robert B Laprairie
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada.
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8
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Lopez-Cruz L, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM, Heath CJ. Using touchscreen-delivered cognitive assessments to address the principles of the 3Rs in behavioral sciences. Lab Anim (NY) 2021; 50:174-184. [PMID: 34140683 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-021-00791-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite considerable advances in both in silico and in vitro approaches, in vivo studies that involve animal model systems remain necessary in many research disciplines. Neuroscience is one such area, with studies often requiring access to a complete nervous system capable of dynamically selecting between and then executing a full range of cognitive and behavioral outputs in response to a given stimulus or other manipulation. The involvement of animals in research studies is an issue of active public debate and concern and is therefore carefully regulated. Such regulations are based on the principles of the 3Rs of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. In the sub-specialty of behavioral neuroscience, Full/Absolute Replacement remains a major challenge, as the complete ex vivo recapitulation of a system as complex and dynamic as the nervous system has yet to be achieved. However, a number of very positive developments have occurred in this area with respect to Relative Replacement and to both Refinement and Reduction. In this review, we discuss the Refinement- and Reduction-related benefits yielded by the introduction of touchscreen-based behavioral assessment apparatus. We also discuss how data generated by a specific panel of behavioral tasks developed for this platform might substantially enhance monitoring of laboratory animal welfare and provide robust, quantitative comparisons of husbandry techniques to define and ensure maintenance of best practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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Martis LS, Højgaard K, Holmes MC, Elfving B, Wiborg O. Vortioxetine ameliorates anhedonic-like behaviour and promotes strategic cognitive performance in a rodent touchscreen task. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9113. [PMID: 33907240 PMCID: PMC8079376 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88462-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression-associated cognitive impairments are among the most prevalent and persistent symptoms during remission from a depressive episode and a major risk factor for relapse. Consequently, development of antidepressant drugs, which also alleviate cognitive impairments, is vital. One such potential antidepressant is vortioxetine that has been postulated to exhibit both antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects. Hence, we tested vortioxetine for combined antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects in male Long-Evans rats exposed to the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm. This well-established CMS paradigm evokes cognitive deficits in addition to anhedonia, a core symptom of depression. Learning and memory performance was assessed in the translational touchscreen version of the paired-associates learning task. To identify the mechanistic underpinning of the neurobehavioural results, transcriptional profiling of genes involved in the stress response, neuronal plasticity and genes of broad relevance in neuropsychiatric pathologies were assessed. Vortioxetine substantially relieved the anhedonic-like state in the CMS rats and promoted acquisition of the cognitive test independent of hedonic phenotype, potentially due to an altered cognitive strategy. Minor alterations in gene expression profiling in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were found. In summary, our findings suggest that vortioxetine exhibits an antidepressant effect as well as behavioural changes in a translational learning task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena-Sophie Martis
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kristoffer Højgaard
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Megan C Holmes
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Betina Elfving
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ove Wiborg
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
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10
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Palmer D, Dumont JR, Dexter TD, Prado MAM, Finger E, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM. Touchscreen cognitive testing: Cross-species translation and co-clinical trials in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 182:107443. [PMID: 33895351 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Translating results from pre-clinical animal studies to successful human clinical trials in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease presents a significant challenge. While this issue is clearly multifaceted, the lack of reproducibility and poor translational validity of many paradigms used to assess cognition in animal models are central contributors to this challenge. Computer-automated cognitive test batteries have the potential to substantially improve translation between pre-clinical studies and clinical trials by increasing both reproducibility and translational validity. Given the structured nature of data output, computer-automated tests also lend themselves to increased data sharing and other open science good practices. Over the past two decades, computer automated, touchscreen-based cognitive testing methods have been developed for non-human primate and rodent models. These automated methods lend themselves to increased standardization, hence reproducibility, and have become increasingly important for the elucidation of the neurobiological basis of cognition in animal models. More recently, there have been increased efforts to use these methods to enhance translational validity by developing task batteries that are nearly identical across different species via forward (i.e., translating animal tasks to humans) and reverse (i.e., translating human tasks to animals) translation. An additional benefit of the touchscreen approach is that a cross-species cognitive test battery makes it possible to implement co-clinical trials-an approach developed initially in cancer research-for novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. Co-clinical trials bring together pre-clinical and early clinical studies, which facilitates testing of novel treatments in mouse models with underlying genetic or other changes, and can help to stratify patients on the basis of genetic, molecular, or cognitive criteria. This approach can help to determine which patients should be enrolled in specific clinical trials and can facilitate repositioning and/or repurposing of previously approved drugs. This has the potential to mitigate the resources required to study treatment responses in large numbers of human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Palmer
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Julie R Dumont
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tyler D Dexter
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Finger
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, Ontario, Canada; Parkwood Institute, St. Josephs Health Care, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Benzina N, N'Diaye K, Pelissolo A, Mallet L, Burguière E. A cross-species assessment of behavioral flexibility in compulsive disorders. Commun Biol 2021; 4:96. [PMID: 33479495 PMCID: PMC7820021 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01611-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Lack of behavioral flexibility has been proposed as one underlying cause of compulsions, defined as repetitive behaviors performed through rigid rituals. However, experimental evidence has proven inconsistent across human and animal models of compulsive-like behavior. In the present study, applying a similarly-designed reversal learning task in two different species, which share a common symptom of compulsivity (human OCD patients and Sapap3 KO mice), we found no consistent link between compulsive behaviors and lack of behavioral flexibility. However, we showed that a distinct subgroup of compulsive individuals of both species exhibit a behavioral flexibility deficit in reversal learning. This deficit was not due to perseverative, rigid behaviors as commonly hypothesized, but rather due to an increase in response lability. These cross-species results highlight the necessity to consider the heterogeneity of cognitive deficits in compulsive disorders and call for reconsidering the role of behavioral flexibility in the aetiology of compulsive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabil Benzina
- Institut du Cerveau, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 47 bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Karim N'Diaye
- Institut du Cerveau, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 47 bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Pelissolo
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, DMU IMPACT, Département Médical-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Université Paris-Est Créteil, 40 rue de Mesly, 94000, Créteil, France
- INSERM U955, IMRB, 8 rue du Général Sarrail, 94010, Créteil cedex, France
| | - Luc Mallet
- Institut du Cerveau, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 47 bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
- Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, DMU IMPACT, Département Médical-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, Université Paris-Est Créteil, 40 rue de Mesly, 94000, Créteil, France
- Department of Mental Health and Psychiatry, Global Health Institute, University of Geneva, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1202, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eric Burguière
- Institut du Cerveau, ICM, Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, 47 bd de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
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Ang MJ, Lee S, Kim JC, Kim SH, Moon C. Behavioral Tasks Evaluating Schizophrenia-like Symptoms in Animal Models: A Recent Update. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 19:641-664. [PMID: 32798374 PMCID: PMC8573744 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666200814175114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects more than 21 million people worldwide. Both genetics and the environment play a role in its etiology and pathogenesis. Symptoms of schizophrenia are mainly categorized into positive, negative, and cognitive. One major approach to identify and understand these diverse symptoms in humans has been to study behavioral phenotypes in a range of animal models of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE We aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the behavioral tasks commonly used for measuring schizophrenia-like behaviors in rodents together with an update of the recent study findings. METHODS Articles describing phenotypes of schizophrenia-like behaviors in various animal models were collected through a literature search in Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, with a focus on advances over the last 10 years. RESULTS Numerous studies have used a range of animal models and behavioral paradigms of schizophrenia to develop antipsychotic drugs for improved therapeutics. In establishing animal models of schizophrenia, the candidate models were evaluated for schizophrenia-like behaviors using several behavioral tasks for positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms designed to verify human symptoms of schizophrenia. Such validated animal models were provided as rapid preclinical avenues for drug testing and mechanistic studies. CONCLUSION Based on the most recent advances in the field, it is apparent that a myriad of behavior tests are needed to confirm and evaluate the congruency of animal models with the numerous behaviors and clinical signs exhibited by patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Changjong Moon
- Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Animal Behavior, College of Veterinary Medicine and BK21 Plus Project Team, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61186, South Korea, Tel: +82-62-530-2838; E-mail:
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13
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Wulaer B, Hada K, Sobue A, Itoh N, Nabeshima T, Nagai T, Yamada K. Overexpression of astroglial major histocompatibility complex class I in the medial prefrontal cortex impairs visual discrimination learning in mice. Mol Brain 2020; 13:170. [PMID: 33317605 PMCID: PMC7734728 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00710-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immune molecules, such as cytokines, complement, and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins, in the central nervous system are often associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuronal MHC class I (MHCI), such as H-2D, regulate neurite outgrowth, the establishment and function of cortical connections, and activity-dependent refinement in mice. We previously established mice expressing MHCI specifically in astrocytes of the media prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using the adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector under the control of the GfaABC1D promoter. Mice expressing the soluble form of H-2D (sH-2D) in the mPFC (sH-2D-expressing mice) showed abnormal behaviors, including social interaction deficits and cognitive dysfunctions. However, the pathophysiological significance of astroglial MHCI on higher brain functions, such as learning, memory, and behavioral flexibility, remains unclear. Therefore, cognitive function in mice expressing sH-2D in astrocytes of the mPFC was tested using the visual discrimination (VD) task. Methods sH-2D-expressing mice were subjected to the VD and reversal learning tasks, and morphological analysis. Results In the pretraining, sH-2D-expressing mice required significantly more trials to reach the learning criterion than control mice. The total number of sessions, trials, normal trials, and correction trials to reach the VD criterion were also significantly higher in sH-2D-expressing mice than in control mice. A morphological study showed that dendritic complexity and spine density were significantly reduced in the dorsal striatum of sH-2D-expressing mice. Conclusion Collectively, the present results suggest that the overexpression of astroglial MHCI in the mPFC results in impaired VD learning, which may be accompanied by decreased dendritic complexity in the dorsal striatum and mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bolati Wulaer
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan.,Advanced Diagnostic System Research Laboratory, Fujita Health University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Hada
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan
| | - Akira Sobue
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan
| | - Norimichi Itoh
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Nabeshima
- Advanced Diagnostic System Research Laboratory, Fujita Health University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Taku Nagai
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan
| | - Kiyofumi Yamada
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8560, Japan.
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14
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Sullivan JA, Dumont JR, Memar S, Skirzewski M, Wan J, Mofrad MH, Ansari HZ, Li Y, Muller L, Prado VF, Prado MAM, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ. New frontiers in translational research: Touchscreens, open science, and the mouse translational research accelerator platform. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12705. [PMID: 33009724 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases and other brain disorders are accompanied by impairments in high-level cognitive functions including memory, attention, motivation, and decision-making. Despite several decades of extensive research, neuroscience is little closer to discovering new treatments. Key impediments include the absence of validated and robust cognitive assessment tools for facilitating translation from animal models to humans. In this review, we describe a state-of-the-art platform poised to overcome these impediments and improve the success of translational research, the Mouse Translational Research Accelerator Platform (MouseTRAP), which is centered on the touchscreen cognitive testing system for rodents. It integrates touchscreen-based tests of high-level cognitive assessment with state-of-the art neurotechnology to record and manipulate molecular and circuit level activity in vivo in animal models during human-relevant cognitive performance. The platform also is integrated with two Open Science platforms designed to facilitate knowledge and data-sharing practices within the rodent touchscreen community, touchscreencognition.org and mousebytes.ca. Touchscreencognition.org includes the Wall, showcasing touchscreen news and publications, the Forum, for community discussion, and Training, which includes courses, videos, SOPs, and symposia. To get started, interested researchers simply create user accounts. We describe the origins of the touchscreen testing system, the novel lines of research it has facilitated, and its increasingly widespread use in translational research, which is attributable in part to knowledge-sharing efforts over the past decade. We then identify the unique features of MouseTRAP that stand to potentially revolutionize translational research, and describe new initiatives to partner with similar platforms such as McGill's M3 platform (m3platform.org).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline A Sullivan
- Department of Philosophy, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Rotman Institute of Philosophy, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Julie R Dumont
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Memar
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Miguel Skirzewski
- BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jinxia Wan
- Division of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
| | - Maryam H Mofrad
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Applied Mathematics, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Yulong Li
- Division of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China.,PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China.,Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lyle Muller
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Applied Mathematics, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Sokolenko E, Nithianantharajah J, Jones NC. MK-801 impairs working memory on the Trial-Unique Nonmatch-to-Location test in mice, but this is not exclusively mediated by NMDA receptors on PV+ interneurons or forebrain pyramidal cells. Neuropharmacology 2020; 171:108103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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16
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DeBrosse AC, Wheeler AM, Barrow JC, Carr GV. Inhibition of Catechol- O-methyltransferase Does Not Alter Effort-Related Choice Behavior in a Fixed Ratio/Concurrent Chow Task in Male Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:73. [PMID: 32508604 PMCID: PMC7253649 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Effort-related choice (ERC) tasks allow animals to choose between high-value reinforcers that require high effort to obtain and low-value/low-effort reinforcers. Dopaminergic neuromodulation regulates ERC behavior. The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes synaptically-released dopamine. COMT is the predominant regulator of dopamine turnover in regions of the brain with low levels of dopamine transporters (DATs), including the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here, we evaluated the effects of the COMT inhibitor tolcapone on ERC performance in a touchscreen-based fixed-ratio/concurrent chow task in male mice. In this task, mice were given the choice between engaging in a fixed number of instrumental responses to acquire a strawberry milk reward and consuming standard lab chow concurrently available on the chamber floor. We found no significant effects of tolcapone treatment on either strawberry milk earned or chow consumed compared to vehicle treatment. In contrast, we found that haloperidol decreased instrumental responding for strawberry milk and increased chow consumption as seen in previously published studies. These data suggest that COMT inhibition does not significantly affect effort-related decision making in a fixed-ratio/concurrent chow task in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne C. DeBrosse
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Abigail M. Wheeler
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - James C. Barrow
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Gregory V. Carr
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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17
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Scott GA, Cai S, Song Y, Liu MC, Greba Q, Howland JG. Task phase-specific involvement of the rat posterior parietal cortex in performance of the TUNL task. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12659. [PMID: 32348610 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) participates in cognitive processes including working memory (WM), sensory evidence accumulation, and perceptually guided decision making. However, surprisingly little work has used temporally precise manipulations to dissect its role in different epochs of behavior taking place over short timespans, such as WM tasks. As a result, a consistent view of the temporally precise role of the PPC in these processes has not been described. In the present study, we investigated the temporally specific role of the PPC in the Trial-Unique, Nonmatching-to-Location (TUNL) task, a touchscreen-based, visuospatial WM task that relies on the PPC. To disrupt PPC activity in a temporally precise manner, we applied mild intracranial electrical stimulation (ICES). We found that intra-PPC ICES (100 μA) significantly impaired accuracy in TUNL without significantly altering response latency. Moreover, we found that the impairment was specific to ICES applied during the delay and test phases of TUNL. Consistent with previous reports showing delay- and choice-specific neuronal activity in the PPC, the results provide evidence that the rat PPC is required for maintaining memory representations of stimuli over a delay period as well as for making successful comparisons and choices between test stimuli. In contrast, the PPC appears not to be critical for initial encoding of sample stimuli. This pattern of results may indicate that early encoding of visual stimuli is independent of the PPC or that the PPC becomes engaged only when visual stimuli are spatially complex or involve memory or decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin A Scott
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Shuang Cai
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Yuanyi Song
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Max C Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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18
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Daniels S, Horman T, Lapointe T, Melanson B, Storace A, Kennedy SH, Frey BN, Rizvi SJ, Hassel S, Mueller DJ, Parikh SV, Lam RW, Blier P, Farzan F, Giacobbe P, Milev R, Placenza F, Soares CN, Turecki G, Uher R, Leri F. Reverse translation of major depressive disorder symptoms: A framework for the behavioural phenotyping of putative biomarkers. J Affect Disord 2020; 263:353-366. [PMID: 31969265 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reverse translating putative biomarkers of depression from patients to animals is complex because Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a highly heterogenous condition. This review proposes an approach to reverse translation based on relating relevant bio-behavioural functions in laboratory rodents to MDD symptoms. METHODS This systematic review outlines symptom clusters assessed by psychometric tests of MDD and antidepressant treatment response including the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Symptoms were related to relevant behavioural assays in laboratory rodents. RESULTS The resulting battery of tests includes passive coping, anxiety-like behaviours, sleep, caloric intake, cognition, psychomotor functions, hedonic reactivity and aversive learning. These assays are discussed alongside relevant clinical symptoms of MDD, providing a framework through which reverse translation of a biomarker can be interpreted. LIMITATIONS Certain aspects of MDD may not be quantified by tests in laboratory rodents, and their biological significance may not always be of clinical relevance. CONCLUSIONS Using this reverse translation approach, it is possible to clarify the functional significance of a putative biomarker in rodents and hence translate its contribution to specific clinical symptoms, or clusters of symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Daniels
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas Horman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas Lapointe
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brett Melanson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alexandra Storace
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sidney H Kennedy
- University of Toronto Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Sakina J Rizvi
- University of Toronto Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Daniel J Mueller
- The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Raymond W Lam
- The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Pierre Blier
- The Royal Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Faranak Farzan
- Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Peter Giacobbe
- University of Toronto Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Franca Placenza
- University of Toronto Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | - Rudolf Uher
- Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Ontario, Canada.
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19
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Martínez de Lagrán M. Mapping behavioral landscapes in Down syndrome animal models. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2020; 251:145-179. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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20
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Sykes L, Haddon J, Lancaster TM, Sykes A, Azzouni K, Ihssen N, Moon AL, Lin TCE, Linden DE, Owen MJ, O’Donovan MC, Humby T, Wilkinson LS, Thomas KL, Hall J. Genetic Variation in the Psychiatric Risk Gene CACNA1C Modulates Reversal Learning Across Species. Schizophr Bull 2019; 45:1024-1032. [PMID: 30304534 PMCID: PMC6737471 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sby146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variation in CACNA1C, which encodes the alpha-1 subunit of Cav1.2 L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), has been strongly linked to risk for psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. How genetic variation in CACNA1C contributes to risk for these disorders is however not fully known. Both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with impairments in reversal learning (RL), which may contribute to symptoms seen in these conditions. We used a translational RL paradigm to investigate whether genetic variation in CACNA1C affects RL in both humans and transgenic rats. Associated changes in gene expression were explored using in situ hybridization and quantitative PCR in rats and the BRAINEAC online human database. Risk-associated genetic variation in CACNA1C in healthy human participants was associated with impairments in RL. Consistent with this finding, rats bearing a heterozygous deletion of Cacna1c were impaired in an analogous touchscreen RL task. We investigated the possible molecular mechanism underlying this impairment and found that Cacna1c +/- rats show decreased expression of Bdnf in prefrontal cortex. Examination of BRAINEAC data showed that human risk-associated genetic variation in CACNA1C is also associated with altered expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the prefrontal cortex in humans. These results indicate that genetic variation in CACNA1C may contribute to risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder by impacting behavioral flexibility, potentially through altered regulation of BDNF expression in the prefrontal cortex. Tests of RL may be useful for translational studies and in the development of therapies targeting VGCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Sykes
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Thomas M Lancaster
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Arabella Sykes
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Karima Azzouni
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Niklas Ihssen
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - Anna L Moon
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Medicine, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Tzu-Ching E Lin
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - David E Linden
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Medicine, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael J Owen
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Medicine, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Michael C O’Donovan
- School of Medicine, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Trevor Humby
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lawrence S Wilkinson
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Medicine, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,School of Medicine, MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK,To whom correspondence should be addressed; Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK; tel: 02920-688-342, fax: +44 2920 687 068, e-mail:
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21
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Heath CJ, O'Callaghan C, Mason SL, Phillips BU, Saksida LM, Robbins TW, Barker RA, Bussey TJ, Sahakian BJ. A Touchscreen Motivation Assessment Evaluated in Huntington's Disease Patients and R6/1 Model Mice. Front Neurol 2019; 10:858. [PMID: 31447770 PMCID: PMC6696591 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Apathy is pervasive across many neuropsychiatric disorders but is poorly characterized mechanistically, so targeted therapeutic interventions remain elusive. A key impediment has been the lack of validated assessment tools to facilitate translation of promising findings between preclinical disease models and patients. Apathy is a common symptom in Huntington's disease. Due to its established genetic basis and the availability of defined animal models, this disease offers a robust translational framework for linking motivated behavior with underlying neurobiology and an ideal context in which to evaluate a quantitative, translational apathy assessment method. In this study we therefore aimed to demonstrate the validity of using touchscreen-delivered progressive ratio tasks to mirror apathy assessment in Huntington's disease patients and a representative mouse model. To do this we evaluated Huntington's disease patients (n = 23) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 20), and male R6/1 mice (n = 23) and wildtype controls (n = 29) for apathy-like behavior using touchscreen-delivered progressive ratio tasks. The primary outcome measure of the assessment was breakpoint, defined as the highest number of touchscreen responses emitted before task engagement ceased. Patients and R6/1 mice were both found to exhibit significantly reduced breakpoints relative to their respective control groups, consistent with apathy-like behavior. This performance was also not associated with motoric differences in either species. These data demonstrate the utility of touchscreen-delivered progressive ratio tasks in detecting clinically relevant motivational deficits in Huntington's disease. This approach may offer a platform from which clinically relevant mechanistic insights concerning motivation symptoms can be derived and provide an effective route for translation of promising preclinical findings into viable therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Heath
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Claire O'Callaghan
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah L. Mason
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin U. Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roger A. Barker
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy J. Bussey
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara J. Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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22
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Scott GA, Roebuck AJ, Greba Q, Howland JG. Performance of the trial-unique, delayed non-matching-to-location (TUNL) task depends on AMPA/Kainate, but not NMDA, ionotropic glutamate receptors in the rat posterior parietal cortex. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 159:16-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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23
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Winship IR, Dursun SM, Baker GB, Balista PA, Kandratavicius L, Maia-de-Oliveira JP, Hallak J, Howland JG. An Overview of Animal Models Related to Schizophrenia. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2019; 64:5-17. [PMID: 29742910 PMCID: PMC6364139 DOI: 10.1177/0706743718773728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder that is poorly treated with current therapies. In this brief review, we provide an update regarding the use of animal models to study schizophrenia in an attempt to understand its aetiology and develop novel therapeutic strategies. Tremendous progress has been made developing and validating rodent models that replicate the aetiologies, brain pathologies, and behavioural abnormalities associated with schizophrenia in humans. Here, models are grouped into 3 categories-developmental, drug induced, and genetic-to reflect the heterogeneous risk factors associated with schizophrenia. Each of these models is associated with varied but overlapping pathophysiology, endophenotypes, behavioural abnormalities, and cognitive impairments. Studying schizophrenia using multiple models will permit an understanding of the core features of the disease, thereby facilitating preclinical research aimed at the development and validation of better pharmacotherapies to alter the progression of schizophrenia or alleviate its debilitating symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian R Winship
- 1 Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Serdar M Dursun
- 2 Department of Psychiatry, Neurochemical Research Unit and Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.,3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil
| | - Glen B Baker
- 2 Department of Psychiatry, Neurochemical Research Unit and Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta.,3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil
| | - Priscila A Balista
- 4 Department of Pharmacy, Centro Universitario das Faculdades Metropolitanas Unidas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ludmyla Kandratavicius
- 5 Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil
| | - Joao Paulo Maia-de-Oliveira
- 3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil.,6 Department of Clinical Medicine, Rio Grande do Norte Federal University, Natal, Brazil
| | - Jaime Hallak
- 3 National Institute of Science and Technology-Translational Science, Brazil.,5 Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil.,7 Department of Psychiatry (NRU), University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - John G Howland
- 8 Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
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Buckley MG, Bast T. A new human delayed-matching-to-place test in a virtual environment reverse-translated from the rodent watermaze paradigm: Characterization of performance measures and sex differences. Hippocampus 2018; 28:796-812. [PMID: 30451330 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Revised: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Watermaze tests of place learning and memory in rodents and corresponding reverse-translated human paradigms in real or virtual environments are key tools to study hippocampal function. In common variants, the animal or human participant has to find a hidden goal that remains in the same place over many trials, allowing for incremental learning of the place with reference to distal cues surrounding the circular, featureless maze. Although the hippocampus is involved in incremental place learning, rodent studies have shown that the delayed-matching-to-place (DMP) watermaze test is a more sensitive assay of hippocampal function. On the DMP test, the goal location changes every four trials, requiring the rapid updating of place memory. Here, we developed a virtual DMP test reverse-translated from the rat watermaze DMP paradigm. In two replications, participants showed 1-trial place learning, evidenced by marked latency and path length savings between Trials 1 and 2 to the same goal location, and by search preference for the vicinity of the goal when Trial 2 was run as probe trial (during which the goal was removed). The performance was remarkably similar to rats' performance on the watermaze DMP test. In both replications, male participants showed greater savings and search preferences compared to female participants. Male participants also showed better mental rotation performance, although mental rotation scores did not consistently correlate with DMP performance measures, pointing to distinct neurocognitive mechanisms. The remarkable similarity between rodent and human DMP performance suggests similar underlying neuro-psychological mechanisms, including hippocampus dependence. The new virtual DMP test may, therefore, provide a sensitive tool to probe human hippocampal function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tobias Bast
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience@Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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Nilsson SRO, Heath CJ, Takillah S, Didienne S, Fejgin K, Nielsen V, Nielsen J, Saksida LM, Mariani J, Faure P, Didriksen M, Robbins TW, Bussey TJ, Mar AC. Continuous performance test impairment in a 22q11.2 microdeletion mouse model: improvement by amphetamine. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:247. [PMID: 30429456 PMCID: PMC6235862 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0295-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) confers high risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. These disorders are associated with attentional impairment, the remediation of which is important for successful therapeutic intervention. We assessed a 22q11.2DS mouse model (Df(h22q11)/+) on a touchscreen rodent continuous performance test (rCPT) of attention and executive function that is analogous to human CPT procedures. Relative to wild-type littermates, Df(h22q11)/+ male mice showed impaired attentional performance as shown by decreased correct response ratio (hit rate) and a reduced ability to discriminate target stimuli from non-target stimuli (discrimination sensitivity, or d'). The Df(h22q11)/+ model exhibited decreased prefrontal cortical-hippocampal oscillatory synchrony within multiple frequency ranges during quiet wakefulness, which may represent a biomarker of cognitive dysfunction. The stimulant amphetamine (0-1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) dose-dependently improved d' in Df(h22q11)/+ mice whereas the highest dose of modafinil (40 mg/kg, i.p.) exacerbated their d' impairment. This is the first report to directly implicate attentional impairment in a 22q11.2DS mouse model, mirroring a key endophenotype of the human disorder. The capacity of the rCPT to detect performance impairments in the 22q11.2DS mouse model, and improvement following psychostimulant-treatment, highlights the utility and translational potential of the Df(h22q11)/+ model and this automated behavioral procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon R. O. Nilsson
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000000121885934grid.5335.0MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000 0001 2109 4251grid.240324.3Neuroscience Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY USA ,0000 0004 1936 8753grid.137628.9Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY USA
| | - Christopher J. Heath
- 0000000096069301grid.10837.3dSchool of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Samir Takillah
- Fatigue and Vigilance team, Neuroscience and Operational Constraints Department, French Armed Forces Biomedical Research Institute (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France ,0000 0001 2188 0914grid.10992.33VIFASOM team (EA 7330), Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Hôtel Dieu, Paris, France ,0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), CNRS, INSERM, U1130, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), UMR 8246 Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Team Neurophysiology and Behavior, Paris, France ,Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), UMR 8256 Biological adaptation and ageing (B2A), Team Brain Development, Repair and Ageing, Paris, France ,APHP Hôpital, DHU Fast, Institut de la Longévité, Ivry-Sur-Seine, France
| | - Steve Didienne
- 0000 0001 2097 0141grid.121334.6Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), CNRS, INSERM, U1130, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), UMR 8246 Neuroscience Paris Seine (NPS), Team Neurophysiology and Behavior, Paris, France
| | - Kim Fejgin
- 0000 0004 0476 7612grid.424580.fH. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- 0000 0004 0476 7612grid.424580.fH. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacob Nielsen
- 0000 0004 0476 7612grid.424580.fH. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000000121885934grid.5335.0MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology, Western University, London, ON Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON Canada
| | - Jean Mariani
- Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), UMR 8256 Biological adaptation and ageing (B2A), Team Brain Development, Repair and Ageing, Paris, France ,APHP Hôpital, DHU Fast, Institut de la Longévité, Ivry-Sur-Seine, France
| | - Philippe Faure
- 0000 0001 2188 0914grid.10992.33VIFASOM team (EA 7330), Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Hôtel Dieu, Paris, France
| | - Michael Didriksen
- 0000 0004 0476 7612grid.424580.fH. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000000121885934grid.5335.0MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Timothy J. Bussey
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000000121885934grid.5335.0MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology, Western University, London, ON Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON Canada
| | - Adam C. Mar
- 0000 0001 2109 4251grid.240324.3Neuroscience Institute, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY USA ,0000 0004 1936 8753grid.137628.9Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY USA
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Martis LS, Brision C, Holmes MC, Wiborg O. Resilient and depressive-like rats show distinct cognitive impairments in the touchscreen paired-associates learning (PAL) task. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 155:287-296. [PMID: 30138691 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Depression-associated cognitive impairments persist after remission from affective symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD), decreasing quality of life and increasing risk of relapse in patients. Conventional antidepressants are ineffective in restoring cognitive functions. Therefore, novel antidepressants with improved efficacy for ameliorating cognitive symptoms are required. For tailoring such antidepressants, translational animal models are in demand. The chronic mild stress (CMS) model is a well-validated preclinical model of depression and known for eliciting the MDD core symptom "anhedonia" in stress-susceptible rats. Thus, cognitive performance was assessed in rats susceptible (depressive-like) or resilient to CMS and in unchallenged controls. The rodent analogue of the human touchscreen Paired-Associates Learning (PAL) task was used for cognitive assessment. Both stress groups exhibited a lack of response inhibition compared to controls while only the depressive-like group was impaired in task acquisition. The results indicate that cognitive deficits specifically associate with the anhedonic-like state rather than being a general consequence of stress exposure. Hence, we propose that the application of a translational touchscreen task on the etiologically valid CMS model, displaying depression-associated cognitive impairments, provides a novel platform for pro-cognitive and clinically pertinent antidepressant drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena-Sophie Martis
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark; Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Claudia Brision
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark
| | - Megan C Holmes
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom; Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Ove Wiborg
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark; Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark.
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Wolfensohn S. A review of the contributions of cross-discipline collaborative European IMI/EFPIA research projects to the development of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement strategies. Altern Lab Anim 2018; 46:91-102. [PMID: 29856646 DOI: 10.1177/026119291804600208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this review is to report on whether, and if so, how, scientific research projects organised and managed within collaborative consortia across academia and industry are contributing to the Three Rs (i.e. reduction, replacement and refinement of the use of animals in research). A number of major technological developments have recently opened up possibilities for more direct, human-based approaches leading to a reassessment of the role and use of experimental animals in pharmacological research and biomedicine. This report reviews how projects funded by one of the research funding streams, the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), are contributing to a better understanding of the challenges faced in using animal models. It also looks how the results from these various projects are impacting on the continued use of laboratory animals in research and development. From the progress identified, it is apparent that the approach of private-public partnership has demonstrated the value of multicentre studies, and how the spirit of collaboration and sharing of information can help address human health challenges. In so doing, this approach can reduce the dependence on animal use in areas where it has normally been viewed as necessary. The use of a collaborative platform enables the Three Rs to be addressed on multiple different levels, such that the selection of models to be tested, the protocols to be followed, and the interpretation of results generated, can all be optimised. This will, in turn, lead to an overall reduction in the use of laboratory animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Wolfensohn
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
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28
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Optimisation of cognitive performance in rodent operant (touchscreen) testing: Evaluation and effects of reinforcer strength. Learn Behav 2018; 45:252-262. [PMID: 28205186 PMCID: PMC5565648 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-017-0260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Operant testing is a widely used and highly effective method of studying cognition in rodents. Performance on such tasks is sensitive to reinforcer strength. It is therefore advantageous to select effective reinforcers to minimize training times and maximize experimental throughput. To quantitatively investigate the control of behavior by different reinforcers, performance of mice was tested with either strawberry milkshake or a known powerful reinforcer, super saccharin (1.5% or 2% (w/v) saccharin/1.5% (w/v) glucose/water mixture). Mice were tested on fixed (FR)- and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules in the touchscreen-operant testing system. Under an FR schedule, both the rate of responding and number of trials completed were higher in animals responding for strawberry milkshake versus super saccharin. Under a PR schedule, mice were willing to emit similar numbers of responses for strawberry milkshake and super saccharin; however, analysis of the rate of responding revealed a significantly higher rate of responding by animals reinforced with milkshake versus super saccharin. To determine the impact of reinforcer strength on cognitive performance, strawberry milkshake and super saccharin-reinforced animals were compared on a touchscreen visual discrimination task. Animals reinforced by strawberry milkshake were significantly faster to acquire the discrimination than animals reinforced by super saccharin. Taken together, these results suggest that strawberry milkshake is superior to super saccharin for operant behavioral testing and further confirms that the application of response rate analysis to multiple ratio tasks is a highly sensitive method for the detection of behavioral differences relevant to learning and motivation.
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Hailwood JM, Heath CJ, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ. Validation and optimisation of a touchscreen progressive ratio test of motivation in male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:2739-2753. [PMID: 30008032 PMCID: PMC6132691 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4969-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Across species, effort-related motivation can be assessed by testing behaviour under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. However, to date, PR tasks for rodents have been available using traditional operant response systems only. OBJECTIVES Touchscreen operant response systems allow the assessment of behaviour in laboratory rodents, using tasks that share high face validity with the computerised assessments used in humans. Here, we sought to optimise a rat touchscreen variant of PR and validate it by assessing the effects of a number of manipulations known to affect PR performance in non-touchscreen paradigms. METHODS Separate groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on PR schedules with either linear (PR4) or exponential (PREXP) schedules of reinforcement. PR performance was assessed in response to manipulations in reward outcome. Animals were tested under conditions of increased reward magnitude and following reward devaluation through a prefeeding procedure. Subsequently, the effects of systemic administration of the dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonist raclopride and the psychostimulant d-amphetamine were examined as traditional pharmacological methods for manipulating motivation. RESULTS Rats reinforced under PR4 and PREXP schedules consistently showed differential patterns of response rates within sessions. Furthermore, both PR4 and PREXP schedules were sensitive to suppression by prefeeding or raclopride administration. Performance under both schedules was facilitated by increasing reward magnitude or d-amphetamine administration. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these findings mirror those observed in lever-based PR paradigms in rats. This study therefore demonstrates the successful validation of the rat touchscreen PR task. This will allow for the assessment of motivation in rats, within the same touchscreen apparatus used for the assessment of complex cognitive processes in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Hailwood
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Christopher J. Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON Canada ,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON Canada
| | - Timothy J. Bussey
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK ,Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON Canada ,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON Canada
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Higgins GA, Silenieks LB. Rodent Test of Attention and Impulsivity: The 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 78:5.49.1-5.49.34. [PMID: 28892143 DOI: 10.1002/cpph.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is employed extensively to measure attention in rodents. The assay involves animals trained to respond to a brief, unpredictable visual stimulus presented in one of five locations. The effects of experimental manipulations on response speed and choice accuracy are measured, and each related to attentional performance. The 5-CSRTT is also used to measure motor impulsivity. Adapted from a human task, the 5-CSRTT can be employed with rodents or primates, highlighting its translational value. Another strength of this procedure is its adaptability to task modification. An example is the 5-choice continuous performance task, which has both target and non-target trial types. Overall, the 5-CSRTT has proven to be valuable for drug discovery efforts aimed at identifying new agents for the treatment of central nervous system disorders and for further understanding the neurobiological processes of attention and impulsivity. Its flexibility offers considerable scope to the experimenter, and in this respect the task continues to evolve. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy A Higgins
- InterVivoSolutions Inc, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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31
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Anderzhanova E, Kirmeier T, Wotjak CT. Animal models in psychiatric research: The RDoC system as a new framework for endophenotype-oriented translational neuroscience. Neurobiol Stress 2017; 7:47-56. [PMID: 28377991 PMCID: PMC5377486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2017.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The recently proposed Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) system defines psychopathologies as phenomena of multilevel neurobiological existence and assigns them to 5 behavioural domains characterizing a brain in action. We performed an analysis on this contemporary concept of psychopathologies in respect to a brain phylogeny and biological substrates of psychiatric diseases. We found that the RDoC system uses biological determinism to explain the pathogenesis of distinct psychiatric symptoms and emphasises exploration of endophenotypes but not of complex diseases. Therefore, as a possible framework for experimental studies it allows one to evade a major challenge of translational studies of strict disease-to-model correspondence. The system conforms with the concept of a normality and pathology continuum, therefore, supports basic studies. The units of analysis of the RDoC system appear as a novel matrix for model validation. The general regulation and arousal, positive valence, negative valence, and social interactions behavioural domains of the RDoC system show basic construct, network, and phenomenological homologies between human and experimental animals. The nature and complexity of the cognitive behavioural domain of the RDoC system deserve further clarification. These homologies in the 4 domains justifies the validity, reliably and translatability of animal models appearing as endophenotypes of the negative and positive affect, social interaction and general regulation and arousal systems’ dysfunction. The RDoC system encourages endophenotype-oriented experimental studies in human and animals. The system conforms with the normality-pathology continuum concept. The RDoC system appears to be a suitable framework for basic research. Four RDoC domains show construct and phenomenological homology in human and animals. Endophenotype-based models of affective psychopathologies appear most reliable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elmira Anderzhanova
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Kraepelinstrasse 2, 80804 Munich, Germany; FSBI "Zakusov Institute of Pharmacology", Baltiyskaya street, 8, 125315, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Carsten T Wotjak
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Kraepelinstrasse 2, 80804 Munich, Germany
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Turner KM, Simpson CG, Burne THJ. BALB/c Mice Can Learn Touchscreen Visual Discrimination and Reversal Tasks Faster than C57BL/6 Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:16. [PMID: 28197083 PMCID: PMC5281608 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Touchscreen technology is increasingly being used to characterize cognitive performance in rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders. Researchers are attracted to the automated system and translational potential for touchscreen-based tasks. However, training time is extensive and some mouse strains have struggled to learn touchscreen tasks. Here we compared the performance of commonly used C57BL/6 mice against the BALB/c mice, which are considered a poor performing strain, using a touchscreen task. BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice were trained to operate the touchscreens before learning a visual discrimination (VD) and reversal task. Following touchscreen testing, these strains were assessed for differences in locomotion and learned helplessness. BALB/c mice finished training in nearly half the number of sessions taken by C57BL/6 mice. Following training, mice learned a VD task where BALB/c mice again reached criteria in fewer than half the sessions required for C57BL/6 mice. Once acquired, there were no strain differences in % correct responses, correction trials or response latency. BALB/c mice also learnt the reversal task in significantly fewer sessions than C57BL/6 mice. On the open field test C57BL/6 mice traveled further and spent more time in the center, and spent less time immobile than BALB/c mice on the forced swim test (FST). After touchscreen testing, strains exhibited well-established behavioral traits demonstrating the extensive training and handling from touchscreen testing did not alter their behavioral phenotype. These results suggest that BALB/c mice can be examined using touchscreen tasks and that task adaptations may improve feasibility for researchers using different strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karly M Turner
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Thomas H J Burne
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of QueenslandSt Lucia, QLD, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental HealthRichlands, QLD, Australia
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33
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Rutkowski TP, Schroeder JP, Gafford GM, Warren ST, Weinshenker D, Caspary T, Mulle JG. Unraveling the genetic architecture of copy number variants associated with schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders. J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:1144-1160. [PMID: 27859486 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies show that the complex genetic architecture of schizophrenia (SZ) is driven in part by polygenic components, or the cumulative effect of variants of small effect in many genes, as well as rare single-locus variants with large effect sizes. Here we discuss genetic aberrations known as copy number variants (CNVs), which fall in the latter category and are associated with a high risk for SZ and other neuropsychiatric disorders. We briefly review recurrent CNVs associated with SZ, and then highlight one CNV in particular, a recurrent 1.6-Mb deletion on chromosome 3q29, which is estimated to confer a 40-fold increased risk for SZ. Additionally, we describe the use of genetic mouse models, behavioral tools, and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells as a means to study CNVs in the hope of gaining mechanistic insight into their respective disorders. Taken together, the genomic data connecting CNVs with a multitude of human neuropsychiatric disease, our current technical ability to model such chromosomal anomalies in mouse, and the existence of precise behavioral measures of endophenotypes argue that the time is ripe for systematic dissection of the genetic mechanisms underlying such disease. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy P Rutkowski
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jason P Schroeder
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Georgette M Gafford
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Stephen T Warren
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - David Weinshenker
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Tamara Caspary
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Jennifer G Mulle
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia.,Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
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Nilsson SR, Fejgin K, Gastambide F, Vogt MA, Kent BA, Nielsen V, Nielsen J, Gass P, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Stensbøl TB, Tricklebank MD, Didriksen M, Bussey TJ. Assessing the Cognitive Translational Potential of a Mouse Model of the 22q11.2 Microdeletion Syndrome. Cereb Cortex 2016; 26:3991-4003. [PMID: 27507786 PMCID: PMC5028007 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A chromosomal microdeletion at the 22q11.2 locus is associated with extensive cognitive impairments, schizophrenia and other psychopathology in humans. Previous reports indicate that mouse models of the 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) may model the genetic basis of cognitive deficits relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. To assess the models usefulness for drug discovery, a novel mouse (Df(h22q11)/+) was assessed in an extensive battery of cognitive assays by partners within the NEWMEDS collaboration (Innovative Medicines Initiative Grant Agreement No. 115008). This battery included classic and touchscreen-based paradigms with recognized sensitivity and multiple attempts at reproducing previously published findings in 22q11.2DS mouse models. This work represents one of the most comprehensive reports of cognitive functioning in a transgenic animal model. In accordance with previous reports, there were non-significant trends or marginal impairment in some tasks. However, the Df(h22q11)/+ mouse did not show comprehensive deficits; no robust impairment was observed following more than 17 experiments and 14 behavioral paradigms. Thus - within the current protocols - the 22q11.2DS mouse model fails to mimic the cognitive alterations observed in human 22q11.2 deletion carriers. We suggest that the 22q11.2DS model may induce liability for cognitive dysfunction with additional "hits" being required for phenotypic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ro Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Kim Fejgin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Francois Gastambide
- In Vivo Pharmacology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Miriam A Vogt
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Faculty, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Brianne A Kent
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Jacob Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Peter Gass
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Faculty, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Tine B Stensbøl
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Mark D Tricklebank
- In Vivo Pharmacology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Michael Didriksen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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Bhandari J, Daya R, Mishra RK. Improvements and important considerations for the 5-choice serial reaction time task-An effective measurement of visual attention in rats. J Neurosci Methods 2016; 270:17-29. [PMID: 27265297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is an automated operant conditioning task that measures rodent attention. The task allows the measurement of several parameters such as response accuracy, speed of processing, motivation, and impulsivity. The task has been widely used to investigate attentional processes in rodents for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and has expanded to other illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, and schizophrenia. NEW METHOD The 5-CSRTT is accompanied with two significant caveats: a time intensive training period and largely varied individual rat capability to learn and perform the task. Here we provide a regimented acquisition protocol to enhance training for the 5-CSRTT and discuss important considerations for researchers using the 5-CSRTT. RESULTS We offer guidelines to ensure that inferences on performance in the 5-CSRTT are in fact a result of experimental manipulation rather than training differences, or individual animal capability. According to our findings only rats that have been trained successfully within a limited time frame should be used for the remainder of the study. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) Currently the 5-CSRTT employs a training period of variable duration and procedure, and its inferences on attention must overcome heterogeneous innate animal differences. CONCLUSIONS The 5-CSRTT offers valuable and valid insights on various rodent attentional processes and their translation to the underpinnings of illnesses such as schizophrenia. The recommendations made here provide important criteria to ensure inferences made from this task are in fact relevant to the attentional processes being measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayant Bhandari
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Health Sciences Centre 4N73, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S4L8 Ontario, Canada.
| | - Ritesh Daya
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Health Sciences Centre 4N73, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S4L8 Ontario, Canada.
| | - Ram K Mishra
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Health Sciences Centre 4N73, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S4L8 Ontario, Canada.
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Izquierdo A, Brigman JL, Radke AK, Rudebeck PH, Holmes A. The neural basis of reversal learning: An updated perspective. Neuroscience 2016; 345:12-26. [PMID: 26979052 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 346] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Reversal learning paradigms are among the most widely used tests of cognitive flexibility and have been used as assays, across species, for altered cognitive processes in a host of neuropsychiatric conditions. Based on recent studies in humans, non-human primates, and rodents, the notion that reversal learning tasks primarily measure response inhibition, has been revised. In this review, we describe how cognitive flexibility is measured by reversal learning and discuss new definitions of the construct validity of the task that are serving as a heuristic to guide future research in this field. We also provide an update on the available evidence implicating certain cortical and subcortical brain regions in the mediation of reversal learning, and an overview of the principal neurotransmitter systems involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Izquierdo
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - J L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - A K Radke
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - P H Rudebeck
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10014, USA
| | - A Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Turner KM, Peak J, Burne THJ. Measuring Attention in Rodents: Comparison of a Modified Signal Detection Task and the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 9:370. [PMID: 26834597 PMCID: PMC4712267 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropsychiatric research has utilized cognitive testing in rodents to improve our understanding of cognitive deficits and for preclinical drug development. However, more sophisticated cognitive tasks have not been as widely exploited due to low throughput and the extensive training time required. We developed a modified signal detection task (SDT) based on the growing body of literature aimed at improving cognitive testing in rodents. This study directly compares performance on the modified SDT with a traditional test for measuring attention, the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on either the 5CSRTT or the SDT. Briefly, the 5CSRTT required rodents to pay attention to a spatial array of five apertures and respond with a nose poke when an aperture was illuminated. The SDT required the rat to attend to a light panel and respond either left or right to indicate the presence of a signal. In addition, modifications were made to the reward delivery, timing, control of body positioning, and the self-initiation of trials. It was found that less training time was required for the SDT, with both sessions to criteria and daily session duration significantly reduced. Rats performed with a high level of accuracy (>87%) on both tasks, however omissions were far more frequent on the 5CSRTT. The signal duration was reduced on both tasks as a manipulation of task difficulty relevant to attention and a similar pattern of decreasing accuracy was observed on both tasks. These results demonstrate some of the advantages of the SDT over the traditional 5CSRTT as being higher throughput with reduced training time, fewer omission responses and their body position was controlled at stimulus onset. In addition, rats performing the SDT had comparable high levels of accuracy. These results highlight the differences and similarities between the 5CSRTT and a modified SDT as tools for assessing attention in preclinical animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karly M Turner
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - James Peak
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Thomas H J Burne
- Queensland Brain Institute, The University of QueenslandSt. Lucia, QLD, Australia; Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental HealthRichlands, QLD, Australia
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Barnett JH, Blackwell AD, Sahakian BJ, Robbins TW. The Paired Associates Learning (PAL) Test: 30 Years of CANTAB Translational Neuroscience from Laboratory to Bedside in Dementia Research. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2016; 28:449-74. [PMID: 27646012 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2015_5001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The origins and rationale of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) as a cross-species translational instrument suitable for use in human neuropsychopharmacological studies are reviewed. We focus on its use for the early assessment and detection of Alzheimer's disease, in particular the Paired Associates Learning (PAL) test. We consider its psychometric properties, neural validation, and utility, including studies on large samples of healthy volunteers, patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease. We demonstrate how it can be applied in cross-species studies using experimental animals to bridge the cross-species translational 'gap'. We also show how the CANTAB PAL has bridged a second translational 'gap' through its application to the early detection of memory problems in primary care clinics, using iPad technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer H Barnett
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Cambridge Cognition, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Andrew D Blackwell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Cognition, Cambridge, UK
| | - Barbara J Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Medical Research Council/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Medical Research Council/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Marks WN, Cavanagh ME, Greba Q, Cain SM, Snutch TP, Howland JG. The Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg model of absence epilepsy exhibits alterations in fear conditioning and latent inhibition consistent with psychiatric comorbidities in humans. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 43:25-40. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Wendie N. Marks
- Department of Physiology; University of Saskatchewan; GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road Saskatoon SK Canada S7N 5E5
| | - Mary E. Cavanagh
- Department of Physiology; University of Saskatchewan; GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road Saskatoon SK Canada S7N 5E5
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Physiology; University of Saskatchewan; GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road Saskatoon SK Canada S7N 5E5
| | - Stuart M. Cain
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC Canada
| | - Terrance P. Snutch
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health; University of British Columbia; Vancouver BC Canada
| | - John G. Howland
- Department of Physiology; University of Saskatchewan; GB33, Health Sciences Building, 107 Wiggins Road Saskatoon SK Canada S7N 5E5
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shitij Kapur
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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A novel 2- and 3-choice touchscreen-based continuous trial-unique nonmatching-to-location task (cTUNL) sensitive to functional differences between dentate gyrus and CA3 subregions of the hippocampus. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015. [PMID: 26220610 PMCID: PMC4976805 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4019-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The touchscreen continuous trial-unique non-matching-to-location task (cTUNL) has been developed to optimise a battery of tasks under NEWMEDS (Novel Methods leading to New Medication in Depression and Schizophrenia, http://www.newmeds-europe.com ). It offers novel task features of both a practical and a theoretical nature compared to existing touchscreen tasks for spatial working memory. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine whether the cTUNL task is sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between dentate gyrus (DG) and CA3 hippocampal subregion contributions to performance. METHODS The effect of DG and CA3 dysfunction on memory for locations in the cTUNL task was tested. Rats were assessed on versions of the task-two-choice and three-choice-that differed in memory load. Performance was challenged using manipulations of delay and the spatial separation between target and sample locations. RESULTS Dysfunction of the DG disrupts performance across both delay and spatial separations in two-choice cTUNL when the delay is variable and unpredictable. Increasing the working memory load (three stimuli) increases sensitivity to DG dysfunction, with deficits apparent at fixed, short delays. In contrast, CA3 dysfunction did not disrupt performance. CONCLUSION Acquisition of cTUNL was rapid, and the task was sensitive to manipulations of delays and separations. A three-choice version of the task was found to be viable. Finally, both the two- and three-choice versions of the task were able to differentiate between limited dysfunction to different areas within the hippocampus. DG dysfunction affected performance when using unpredictable task parameters. CA3 dysfunction did not result in impairment, even at the longest delays tested.
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