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Claverie D, Cressant A, Thomasson J, Castellarin C, Grandperret V, Barbier L, Troubat R, Canini F, Belzung C, El-Hage W. rTMS mechanisms for posttraumatic stress disorder treatment in a mouse model. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 179:33-43. [PMID: 39241409 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disease that may follow traumatic exposure. Current treatments fail in about 30% of patients. Although repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied to the prefrontal cortex has been shown to be effective in the treatment of PTSD, the mechanisms need further investigation. OBJECTIVE Using a PTSD animal model, we verify the beneficial effect of rTMS, and explore the changes it induces on two putative PTSD mechanisms, GABA/glutamate neurotransmission and neuroinflammation. METHODS PTSD-like symptoms were elicited in twenty-six mice using a foot-shock conditioning procedure. Fourteen of the 26 were then treated using rTMS (12 were untreated). In the control group (n = 30), 18 were treated with rTMS and 12 were untreated. Animals were sacrificed after re-exposure. The infralimbic (IL) cortex, basolateral amygdala (BLA) and ventral CA1 (vCA1) were isolated using laser microdissection. mRNA was then investigated using PCR array analysis targeting GABA/glutamate and inflammatory pathways. RESULTS The rTMS treatment significantly decreased the contextual fear memory phenotype. These changes were associated with reduced mRNA expression related to inflammation in the IL cortex and the vCA1, and lowered mRNA-related glutamate neurotransmission and increased GABA neurotransmission in the BLA. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that our rTMS treatment was associated with local anti-inflammatory effects and limbic effects, which seemed to counteract PTSD effects. Several of these changes (both stress- and rTMS-induced) have implications for the drug sensitivity of limbic brain areas, and may help in the design of future therapeutic protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Claverie
- Unité de Neurophysiologie du Stress, Département Neurosciences & Contraintes Opérationnelles, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; Réseau ABC des Psychotraumas, France(2).
| | - Arnaud Cressant
- Université de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain & Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253, Tours, France; Equipe Neurobiologie de la prise de décision, Département Neurosciences cognitives et des réseaux, Institut des Neurosciences de Paris-Saclay, Saclay, France
| | - Julien Thomasson
- Unité de Neurophysiologie du Stress, Département Neurosciences & Contraintes Opérationnelles, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Cédric Castellarin
- Unité d'Imagerie, Département Plateformes et Recherche Technologique, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Vincent Grandperret
- Unité de Biologie Moléculaire, Département Plateformes et Recherche Technologique, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Laure Barbier
- Unité de Biologie Moléculaire, Département Plateformes et Recherche Technologique, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Romain Troubat
- Unité de Neurophysiologie du Stress, Département Neurosciences & Contraintes Opérationnelles, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées (IRBA), Brétigny-sur-Orge, France; Réseau ABC des Psychotraumas, France(2); Université de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain & Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253, Tours, France
| | - Frédéric Canini
- Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Psychologie. Personnalité, Cognition, Changement Social (LIP - PC2S), Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Grenoble, France
| | - Catherine Belzung
- Réseau ABC des Psychotraumas, France(2); Université de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain & Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253, Tours, France
| | - Wissam El-Hage
- Réseau ABC des Psychotraumas, France(2); Université de Tours, INSERM, Imaging Brain & Neuropsychiatry iBraiN U1253, Tours, France
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2
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Qiu W, Yue X, Huang H, Ge L, Lu W, Cao Z, Rao Y, Tan X, Wang Y, Wu J, Chen Y, Qiu S, Li G. Structural characteristics of amygdala subregions in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Behav Brain Res 2024; 466:114992. [PMID: 38599250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114992] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients often suffer from depressive symptoms, which seriously affect cooperation in treatment and nursing. The amygdala plays a significant role in depression. This study aims to explore the microstructural alterations of the amygdala in T2DM and to investigate the relationship between the alterations and depressive symptoms. Fifty T2DM and 50 healthy controls were included. Firstly, the volumes of subcortical regions and subregions of amygdala were calculated by FreeSurfer. Covariance analysis (ANCOVA) was conducted between the two groups with covariates of age, sex, and estimated total intracranial volume to explore the differences in volume of subcortical regions and subregions of amygdala. Furthermore, the structural covariance within the amygdala subregions was performed. Moreover, we investigate the correlation between depressive symptoms and the volume of subcortical regions and amygdala subregions in T2DM. We observed a reduction in the volume of the bilateral cortico-amygdaloid transition area, left basal nucleus, bilateral accessory basal nucleus, left anterior amygdaloid area of amygdala, the left thalamus and left hippocampus in T2DM. T2DM patients showed decreased structural covariance connectivity between left paralaminar nucleus and the right central nucleus. Moreover, there was a negative correlation between self-rating depression scale scores and the volume of the bilateral cortico-amygdaloid transition area in T2DM. This study reveals extensive structural alterations in the amygdala subregions of T2DM patients. The reduction in the volume of the bilateral cortico-amygdaloid transition area may be a promising imaging marker for early recognition of depressive symptoms in T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Qiu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Xiaomei Yue
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Haoming Huang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China; Critical Care Unit, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Limin Ge
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Weiye Lu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Zidong Cao
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Yawen Rao
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Xin Tan
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Yan Wang
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Jinjian Wu
- The First Clinical Medical College, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Yuna Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China
| | - Shijun Qiu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510405, PR China.
| | - Gang Li
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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Bremshey S, Groß J, Renken K, Masseck OA. The role of serotonin in depression-A historical roundup and future directions. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38477031 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 280 million people, with probably much higher unrecorded cases. Depression is associated with symptoms such as anhedonia, feelings of hopelessness, sleep disturbances, and even suicidal thoughts. Tragically, more than 700 000 people commit suicide each year. Although depression has been studied for many decades, the exact mechanisms that lead to depression are still unknown, and available treatments only help a fraction of patients. In the late 1960s, the serotonin hypothesis was published, suggesting that serotonin is the key player in depressive disorders. However, this hypothesis is being increasingly doubted as there is evidence for the influence of other neurotransmitters, such as noradrenaline, glutamate, and dopamine, as well as larger systemic causes such as altered activity in the limbic network or inflammatory processes. In this narrative review, we aim to contribute to the ongoing debate on the involvement of serotonin in depression. We will review the evolution of antidepressant treatments, systemic research on depression over the years, and future research applications that will help to bridge the gap between systemic research and neurotransmitter dynamics using biosensors. These new tools in combination with systemic applications, will in the future provide a deeper understanding of the serotonergic dynamics in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Bremshey
- Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Neuropharmacology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Juliana Groß
- Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Kim Renken
- Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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Pearson-Leary J, Abramenko AP, Estela-Pro V, Feindt-Scott E, Yan J, Vigderman A, Luz S, Bangasser D, Ross R, Kubin L, Bhatnagar S. Differential recruitment of brain circuits during fear extinction in non-stressed compared to stress resilient animals. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2125. [PMID: 38267506 PMCID: PMC10808124 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50830-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysfunctional fear responses in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be partly explained by an inability to effectively extinguish fear responses elicited by trauma-related cues. However, only a subset of individuals exposed to traumatic stress develop PTSD. Therefore, studying fear extinction deficits in animal models of individual differences could help identify neural substrates underlying vulnerability or resilience to the effects of stress. We used a rat model of social defeat in which rats segregate into passively and actively coping rats. In previous work, we showed that passively coping rats exhibit disruptions in social interaction whereas actively coping rats do not display behaviors differently from controls, indicating their resilience. Here, adult male rats exposed to 7 days of social defeat were tested for fear extinction, retention of extinction, and persistence of retention using contextual fear and ethologically-relevant fear tests. Passively coping rats exhibited elevated freezing in response to the previously extinguished context. Analyses of cFos expressing cells across select brain regions showed high correlations within dorsal hippocampal subregions, while passively coping rats had high correlations between the dorsal hippocampus CA1 and the central and basolateral subregions of the amygdala. Importantly, although control and actively coping rats showed similar levels of behavioral extinction, there was little similarity between activated structures, suggesting stress resilience in response to chronic social defeat involves an adaptive differential recruitment of brain circuits to successfully extinguish fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiah Pearson-Leary
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Valerie Estela-Pro
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Elizabeth Feindt-Scott
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jason Yan
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Abigail Vigderman
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sandra Luz
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Debra Bangasser
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Richard Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Leszek Kubin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Seema Bhatnagar
- Stress Neurobiology Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, The Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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5
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Li Y, Zhi W, Qi B, Wang L, Hu X. Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1216524. [PMID: 37600761 PMCID: PMC10433239 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear refers to an adaptive response in the face of danger, and the formed fear memory acts as a warning when the individual faces a dangerous situation again, which is of great significance to the survival of humans and animals. Excessive fear response caused by abnormal fear memory can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Fear memory has been studied for a long time, which is of a certain guiding effect on the treatment of fear-related disorders. With continuous technological innovations, the study of fear has gradually shifted from the level of brain regions to deeper neural (micro) circuits between brain regions and even within single brain regions, as well as molecular mechanisms. This article briefly outlines the basic knowledge of fear memory and reviews the neurobiological mechanisms of fear extinction and relapse, which aims to provide new insights for future basic research on fear emotions and new ideas for treating trauma and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Qi
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
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6
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Senba E, Kami K. Exercise therapy for chronic pain: How does exercise change the limbic brain function? NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 14:100143. [PMID: 38099274 PMCID: PMC10719519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
We are exposed to various external and internal threats which might hurt us. The role of taking flexible and appropriate actions against threats is played by "the limbic system" and at the heart of it there is the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens (brain reward system). Pain-related fear causes excessive excitation of amygdala, which in turn causes the suppression of medial prefrontal cortex, leading to chronification of pain. Since the limbic system of chronic pain patients is functionally impaired, they are maladaptive to their situations, unable to take goal-directed behavior and are easily caught by fear-avoidance thinking. We describe the neural mechanisms how exercise activates the brain reward system and enables chronic pain patients to take goal-directed behavior and overcome fear-avoidance thinking. A key to getting out from chronic pain state is to take advantage of the behavioral switching function of the basal nucleus of amygdala. We show that exercise activates positive neurons in this nucleus which project to the nucleus accumbens and promote reward behavior. We also describe fear conditioning and extinction are affected by exercise. In chronic pain patients, the fear response to pain is enhanced and the extinction of fear memories is impaired, so it is difficult to get out of "fear-avoidance thinking". Prolonged avoidance of movement and physical inactivity exacerbate pain and have detrimental effects on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. Based on the recent findings on multiple bran networks, we propose a well-balanced exercise prescription considering the adherence and pacing of exercise practice. We conclude that therapies targeting the mesocortico-limbic system, such as exercise therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, may become promising tools in the fight against chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiko Senba
- Department of Physical Therapy, Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science, 1-1-41 Sojiji, Ibaraki-City, Osaka 567-0801, Japan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
| | - Katsuya Kami
- Department of Rehabilitation, Wakayama Faculty of Health Care Sciences, Takarazuka University of Medical and Health Care, 2252 Nakanoshima, Wakayama City, Wakayama 640-8392, Japan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama City, Wakayama 641-8509, Japan
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7
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Correia P, Demeter K, Varga J, Urbán E, Török B, Balázsfi D, Bakos N, Haller J, Zelena D. The effectiveness of extinction training in male rats: Temporal considerations and brain mechanisms. Behav Brain Res 2023; 441:114285. [PMID: 36610549 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114285] [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: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The extinction of conditioned fear is frequently used in laboratories as a model for human exposure therapy and is crucial for studies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the efficacy of specific protocols can vary greatly, and the underlying brain mechanisms are not sufficiently clarified. To address this issue, variable starting time (one or twenty-eight days after fear conditioning) and extinction protocols were used, and the efficacy and durability of fear extinction were also studied. Changes in the behavior, stress hormone levels and neuronal activation patterns of stressed rats were analyzed. Conditioned fear was rapidly and efficiently extinguished by all the protocols investigated. However, when these extinction protocols were initiated one day after fear training, conditioned fear relapsed spontaneously four weeks later. In contrast, when extinction trials were started 28 days after conditioning, no relapse occurred. Hormone measurements taken by the end of extinction trials indicated that adrenocorticotropin, but not corticosterone responses reflected behavioral extinction without any sign of relapse. The last extinction training increased the activation of the medial prefrontal cortex and decreased the activation of the central and medial amygdala when extinction began one day after fear conditioning. By contrast, the activation of the basolateral amygdala and the entire hippocampus decreased by the last training session when extinction started 28 days after fear conditioning. Our findings show that extinction training can extinguish remote fear memories more effectively than recent ones, and that the brain mechanisms underlying remote and recent fear memory extinction differ. Laboratory models should also focus on a later time point to increase their translational value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Correia
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Janos Szentagothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Kornél Demeter
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Behavioral Studies Unit, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Varga
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Eszter Urbán
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bibiána Török
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Janos Szentagothai School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Diána Balázsfi
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikoletta Bakos
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - József Haller
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dóra Zelena
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, Centre for Neuroscience, Szentágothai Research Centre, Pécs, Hungary.
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8
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Differential Modulation of Dorsal Raphe Serotonergic Activity in Rat Brain by the Infralimbic and Prelimbic Cortices. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054891. [PMID: 36902322 PMCID: PMC10003771 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The reciprocal connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR) is involved in mood control and resilience to stress. The infralimbic subdivision (IL) of the mPFC is the rodent equivalent of the ventral anterior cingulate cortex, which is intimately related to the pathophysiology/treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Boosting excitatory neurotransmission in the IL-but not in the prelimbic cortex, PrL-evokes depressive-like or antidepressant-like behaviors in rodents, which are associated with changes in serotonergic (5-HT) neurotransmission. We therefore examined the control of 5-HT activity by both of the mPFC subdivisions in anesthetized rats. The electrical stimulation of IL and PrL at 0.9 Hz comparably inhibited 5-HT neurons (53% vs. 48%, respectively). However, stimulation at higher frequencies (10-20 Hz) revealed a greater proportion of 5-HT neurons sensitive to IL than to PrL stimulation (86% vs. 59%, at 20 Hz, respectively), together with a differential involvement of GABAA (but not 5-HT1A) receptors. Likewise, electrical and optogenetic stimulation of IL and PrL enhanced 5-HT release in DR in a frequency-dependent manner, with greater elevations after IL stimulation at 20 Hz. Hence, IL and PrL differentially control serotonergic activity, with an apparent superior role of IL, an observation that may help to clarify the brain circuits involved in MDD.
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Crimmins BE, Lingawi NW, Chieng BC, Leung BK, Maren S, Laurent V. Basal forebrain cholinergic signaling in the basolateral amygdala promotes strength and durability of fear memories. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:605-614. [PMID: 36056107 PMCID: PMC9938249 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01427-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) complex receives dense cholinergic projections from the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) and the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB). The present experiments examined whether these projections regulate the formation, extinction, and renewal of fear memories. This was achieved by employing a Pavlovian fear conditioning protocol and optogenetics in transgenic rats. Silencing NBM projections during fear conditioning weakened the fear memory produced by that conditioning and abolished its renewal after extinction. By contrast, silencing HDB projections during fear conditioning had no effect. Silencing NBM or HDB projections during extinction enhanced the loss of fear produced by extinction, but only HDB silencing prevented renewal. Next, we found that systemic blockade of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors during fear conditioning mimicked the effects produced by silencing NBM projections during fear conditioning. However, this blockade had no effect when given during extinction. These findings indicate that basal forebrain cholinergic signaling in the BLA plays a critical role in fear regulation by promoting strength and durability of fear memories. We concluded that cholinergic compounds may improve treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder by durably stripping fear memories from their fear-eliciting capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron E. Crimmins
- grid.1005.40000 0004 4902 0432Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Nura W. Lingawi
- grid.1005.40000 0004 4902 0432Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Billy C. Chieng
- grid.1005.40000 0004 4902 0432Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Beatrice K. Leung
- grid.1005.40000 0004 4902 0432Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW Australia
| | - Stephen Maren
- grid.264756.40000 0004 4687 2082Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
| | - Vincent Laurent
- Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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10
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Brown A, Villaruel FR, Chaudhri N. Neural correlates of recall and extinction in a rat model of appetitive Pavlovian conditioning. Behav Brain Res 2023; 440:114248. [PMID: 36496079 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Extinction is a fundamental form of inhibitory learning that is important for adapting to changing environmental contingencies. While numerous studies have investigated the neural correlates of extinction using Pavlovian fear conditioning and appetitive operant reward-seeking procedures, less is known about the neural circuitry mediating the extinction of appetitive Pavlovian responding. Here, we aimed to generate an extensive brain activation map of extinction learning in a rat model of appetitive Pavlovian conditioning. Male Long-Evans rats were trained to associate a conditioned stimulus (CS; 20 s white noise) with the delivery of a 10% sucrose unconditioned stimulus (US; 0.3 ml/CS) to a fluid port. Control groups also received CS presentations, but sucrose was delivered either during the inter-trial interval or in the home-cage. After conditioning, 1 or 6 extinction sessions were conducted in which the CS was presented but sucrose was withheld. We performed Fos immunohistochemistry and network connectivity analyses on a set of cortical, striatal, thalamic, and amygdalar brain regions. Neural activity in the prelimbic cortex, ventral orbitofrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus was greater during recall relative to extinction. Conversely, prolonged extinction following 6 sessions induced increased neural activity in the infralimbic cortex, medial orbitofrontal cortex, and nucleus accumbens shell compared to home-cage controls. All these structures were similarly recruited during recall on the first extinction session. These findings provide novel evidence for the contribution of brain areas and neural networks that are differentially involved in the recall versus extinction of appetitive Pavlovian conditioned responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexa Brown
- Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Franz R Villaruel
- Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nadia Chaudhri
- Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Fam J, Chieng B, Westbrook RF, Laurent V, Holmes NM. Second-order fear conditioning involves formation of competing stimulus-danger and stimulus-safety associations. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:1843-1855. [PMID: 35524718 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
How do animals process experiences that provide contradictory information? The present study addressed this question using second-order fear conditioning in rats. In second-order conditioning, rats are conditioned to fear a stimulus, S1, through its pairings with foot-shock (stage 1); and some days later, a second stimulus, S2, through its pairings with the already-conditioned S1 (stage 2). However, as foot-shock is never presented during conditioning to S2, we hypothesized that S2 simultaneously encodes 2 contradictory associations: one that drives fear to S2 (S2-danger) and another that reflects the absence of the expected unconditioned stimulus and partially masks that fear (e.g. S2-safety). We tested this hypothesis by manipulating the substrates of danger and safety learning in the brain (using a chemogenetic approach) and assessing the consequences for second-order fear to S2. Critically, silencing activity in the basolateral amygdala (important for danger learning) reduced fear to S2, whereas silencing activity in the infralimbic cortex (important for safety learning) enhanced fear to S2. These bidirectional changes are consistent with our hypothesis that second-order fear conditioning involves the formation of competing S2-danger and S2-safety associations. More generally, they show that a single set of experiences can produce contradictory associations and that the brain resolves the contradiction by encoding these associations in distinct brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Fam
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Billy Chieng
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | | | - Vincent Laurent
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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López-Terrones E, Celada P, Riga MS, Artigas F. Preferential in vivo inhibitory action of serotonin in rat infralimbic versus prelimbic cortex: relevance for antidepressant treatments. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:3000-3013. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The infralimbic (IL) cortex is the rodent equivalent of human ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC), which plays a key role in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission in IL [but not in the adjacent prelimbic (PrL) cortex] evokes antidepressant-like or depressive-like behaviors, associated with changes in serotonin (5-HT) function, highlighting the relevance of glutamate/serotonin interactions in IL for emotional control. 5-HT modulates neuronal activity in PrL and cingulate (Cg) cortex but its effects in IL are largely unknown. We therefore compared the in vivo effects of 5-HT on pyramidal neuron activity in IL (n = 61) and PrL (n = 50) of anesthetized rats. IL pyramidal neurons were more responsive to physiological dorsal raphe stimulation (0.9 Hz) than PrL neurons (84% vs. 64%, respectively) and were inhibited to a greater extent (64% vs. 36%, respectively). Orthodromic activations (8% in PrL) were absent in IL, whereas biphasic responses were similar (20%) in both areas. Excitations were mediated by 5-HT2A-R activation, whereas inhibitions involved 3 different components: 5-HT1A-R, 5-HT3-R and GABAA-R, respectively. The remarkable inhibitory action of 5-HT in IL suggests that 5-HT-enhancing drugs may exert their antidepressant action by normalizing a glutamatergic hyperactivity in the vACC of MDD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena López-Terrones
- Depart. de Neurociències i Terapèutica Experimental , Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, IIBB-CSIC; 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pau Celada
- Depart. de Neurociències i Terapèutica Experimental , Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, IIBB-CSIC; 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) , 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maurizio S Riga
- Depart. de Neurociències i Terapèutica Experimental , Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, IIBB-CSIC; 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) , 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Centro Andaluz de Biología Molecular y Medicina Regenerativa (CABIMER-CSIC) , 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Francesc Artigas
- Depart. de Neurociències i Terapèutica Experimental , Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, IIBB-CSIC; 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) , 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM) , Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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Sydnor VJ, Cieslak M, Duprat R, Deluisi J, Flounders MW, Long H, Scully M, Balderston NL, Sheline YI, Bassett DS, Satterthwaite TD, Oathes DJ. Cortical-subcortical structural connections support transcranial magnetic stimulation engagement of the amygdala. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn5803. [PMID: 35731882 PMCID: PMC9217085 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn5803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala processes valenced stimuli, influences emotion, and exhibits aberrant activity across anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD. Interventions modulating amygdala activity hold promise as transdiagnostic psychiatric treatments. In 45 healthy participants, we investigated whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) elicits indirect changes in amygdala activity when applied to ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), a region important for emotion regulation. Harnessing in-scanner interleaved TMS/functional MRI (fMRI), we reveal that vlPFC neurostimulation evoked acute and focal modulations of amygdala fMRI BOLD signal. Larger TMS-evoked changes in the amygdala were associated with higher fiber density in a vlPFC-amygdala white matter pathway when stimulating vlPFC but not an anatomical control, suggesting this pathway facilitated stimulation-induced communication between cortex and subcortex. This work provides evidence of amygdala engagement by TMS, highlighting stimulation of vlPFC-amygdala circuits as a candidate treatment for transdiagnostic psychopathology. More broadly, it indicates that targeting cortical-subcortical structural connections may enhance the impact of TMS on subcortical neural activity and, by extension, subcortex-subserved behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie J. Sydnor
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew Cieslak
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Romain Duprat
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Joseph Deluisi
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew W. Flounders
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hannah Long
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Morgan Scully
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Nicholas L. Balderston
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Yvette I. Sheline
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Dani S. Bassett
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Theodore D. Satterthwaite
- Penn Lifespan Informatics and Neuroimaging Center (PennLINC), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Center for Biomedical Image Computing and Analytics (CBICA), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Desmond J. Oathes
- Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress (CNDS), Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Penn Brain Science, Translation, Innovation, and Modulation Center (brainSTIM), Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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14
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Roughley S, Killcross S. The role of the infralimbic cortex in decision making processes. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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15
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Strauch C, Hoang TH, Angenstein F, Manahan-Vaughan D. Olfactory Information Storage Engages Subcortical and Cortical Brain Regions That Support Valence Determination. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:689-708. [PMID: 34379749 PMCID: PMC8841565 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The olfactory bulb (OB) delivers sensory information to the piriform cortex (PC) and other components of the olfactory system. OB-PC synapses have been reported to express short-lasting forms of synaptic plasticity, whereas long-term potentiation (LTP) of the anterior PC (aPC) occurs predominantly by activating inputs from the prefrontal cortex. This suggests that brain regions outside the olfactory system may contribute to olfactory information processing and storage. Here, we compared functional magnetic resonance imaging BOLD responses triggered during 20 or 100 Hz stimulation of the OB. We detected BOLD signal increases in the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON), PC and entorhinal cortex, nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum, ventral diagonal band of Broca, prelimbic–infralimbic cortex (PrL-IL), dorsal medial prefrontal cortex, and basolateral amygdala. Significantly stronger BOLD responses occurred in the PrL-IL, PC, and AON during 100 Hz compared with 20 Hz OB stimulation. LTP in the aPC was concomitantly induced by 100 Hz stimulation. Furthermore, 100 Hz stimulation triggered significant nuclear immediate early gene expression in aPC, AON, and PrL-IL. The involvement of the PrL-IL in this process is consistent with its putative involvement in modulating behavioral responses to odor experience. Furthermore, these results indicate that OB-mediated information storage by the aPC is embedded in a connectome that supports valence evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Strauch
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Thu-Huong Hoang
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - Frank Angenstein
- Functional Neuroimaging Group, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 39118 Magdeburg, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany.,Medical Faculty, Otto-von Guericke University, 39118 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Denise Manahan-Vaughan
- Department of Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
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Modulation of PARP-1 Activity in a Broad Time Window Attenuates Memorizing Fear. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126170. [PMID: 34201014 PMCID: PMC8226584 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala plays a critical role in the acquisition and consolidation of fear-related memories. Recent studies have demonstrated that ADP-ribosylation of histones, accelerated by PARPs, affects the chromatin structure and the binding of chromatin remodeling complexes with transcription factors. Inhibition of PARP-1 activity during the labile phase of re-consolidation may erase memory. Accordingly, we investigated the possibility of interfering with fear conditioning by PARP-1 inhibition. Herein, we demonstrate that injection of PARP-1 inhibitors, specifically into the CeA or i.p., in different time windows post-retrieval, attenuates freezing behavior. Moreover, the association of memory with pharmacokinetic timing of PARP inhibitor arrival to the brain enabled/achieved attenuation of a specific cue-associated memory of fear but did not hinder other memories (even traumatic events) associated with other cues. Our results suggest using PARP-1 inhibitors as a new avenue for future treatment of PTSD by disrupting specific traumatic memories in a broad time window, even long after the traumatic event. The safety of using these PARP inhibitors, that is, not interfering with other natural memories, is an added value.
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17
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Bouton ME, Maren S, McNally GP. BEHAVIORAL AND NEUROBIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF PAVLOVIAN AND INSTRUMENTAL EXTINCTION LEARNING. Physiol Rev 2021; 101:611-681. [PMID: 32970967 PMCID: PMC8428921 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00016.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This article reviews the behavioral neuroscience of extinction, the phenomenon in which a behavior that has been acquired through Pavlovian or instrumental (operant) learning decreases in strength when the outcome that reinforced it is removed. Behavioral research indicates that neither Pavlovian nor operant extinction depends substantially on erasure of the original learning but instead depends on new inhibitory learning that is primarily expressed in the context in which it is learned, as exemplified by the renewal effect. Although the nature of the inhibition may differ in Pavlovian and operant extinction, in either case the decline in responding may depend on both generalization decrement and the correction of prediction error. At the neural level, Pavlovian extinction requires a tripartite neural circuit involving the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. Synaptic plasticity in the amygdala is essential for extinction learning, and prefrontal cortical inhibition of amygdala neurons encoding fear memories is involved in extinction retrieval. Hippocampal-prefrontal circuits mediate fear relapse phenomena, including renewal. Instrumental extinction involves distinct ensembles in corticostriatal, striatopallidal, and striatohypothalamic circuits as well as their thalamic returns for inhibitory (extinction) and excitatory (renewal and other relapse phenomena) control over operant responding. The field has made significant progress in recent decades, although a fully integrated biobehavioral understanding still awaits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Bouton
- Department of Psychological Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont
| | - Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Gavan P McNally
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Vimalanathan A, Gidyk DC, Diwan M, Gouveia FV, Lipsman N, Giacobbe P, Nobrega JN, Hamani C. Endocannabinoid modulating drugs improve anxiety but not the expression of conditioned fear in a rodent model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Neuropharmacology 2020; 166:107965. [PMID: 31962287 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.107965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is a potential target for the treatment of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Similar to clinical PTSD, approximately 25-30% of rats that undergo cued fear conditioning exhibit impaired extinction learning. In addition to extinction-resistant fear, these "weak extinction" (WE) rats show persistent anxiety-like behaviors. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that behavioural differences between WE animals and those presenting normal extinction patterns (strong extinction; SE) could be mediated by the eCB system. Rats undergoing fear conditioning/extinction and fear recall sessions were initially segregated in weak and strong-extinction groups. Two weeks later, animals underwent a fear recall session followed by a novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test. In acute experiments, WE rats were injected with either the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 or the CB1 agonist WIN55,212-2 1 h prior to long-term recall and NSF testing. SE animals were injected with the inverse CB1 receptor agonist AM251. In chronic experiments, WE and SE rats were given daily injections of URB597 or AM251 between short and long-term recall sessions. We found that acute administration of WIN55,212-2 but not URB597 reduced anxiety-like behaviour in WE rats. In contrast, AM251 was anxiogenic in SE animals. Neither treatment was effective in altering freezing expression during fear recall. The chronic administration of AM251 to SE or URB597 to WE did not alter fear or anxiety-like behaviour or changed the expression of FAAH and CB1. Together, these results suggest that systemic manipulations of the eCB system may alter anxiety-like behaviour but not the behavioural expression of an extinction-resistant associative fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshayan Vimalanathan
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Darryl C Gidyk
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Mustansir Diwan
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Flavia V Gouveia
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Nir Lipsman
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Peter Giacobbe
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - José N Nobrega
- Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Clement Hamani
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Behavioural Neurobiology Laboratory, Research Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 250 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R8, Canada.
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Sangha S, Diehl MM, Bergstrom HC, Drew MR. Know safety, no fear. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:218-230. [PMID: 31738952 PMCID: PMC6981293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Every day we are bombarded by stimuli that must be assessed for their potential for harm or benefit. Once a stimulus is learned to predict harm, it can elicit fear responses. Such learning can last a lifetime but is not always beneficial for an organism. For an organism to thrive in its environment, it must know when to engage in defensive, avoidance behaviors and when to engage in non-defensive, approach behaviors. Fear should be suppressed in situations that are not dangerous: when a novel, innocuous stimulus resembles a feared stimulus, when a feared stimulus no longer predicts harm, or when there is an option to avoid harm. A cardinal feature of anxiety disorders is the inability to suppress fear adaptively. In PTSD, for instance, learned fear is expressed inappropriately in safe situations and is resistant to extinction. In this review, we discuss mechanisms of suppressing fear responses during stimulus discrimination, fear extinction, and active avoidance, focusing on the well-studied tripartite circuit consisting of the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Sangha
- Department of Psychological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| | - Maria M Diehl
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA.
| | - Hadley C Bergstrom
- Department of Psychological Science, Program in Neuroscience and Behavior, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA.
| | - Michael R Drew
- Center for Learning and Memory and Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Milton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Site, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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