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Nieves GM, Liston C. Divergent reward cue representations in prefrontal cortex underlie differences in reward motivation between adolescents and adults. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.07.565069. [PMID: 37986789 PMCID: PMC10659319 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.07.565069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
A prevailing view on postnatal brain development is that brain regions gradually acquire adult functions as they mature. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) regulates reward learning, motivation, and behavioral inhibition, and undergoes a protracted postnatal maturation. During adolescence, reward-seeking behavior is heightened compared to adulthood - a developmental difference that may be driven by a hypoactive mPFC, with decreased top-down control of impulsive reward-seeking. However, this hypothesis has been difficult to test directly, due in part to technical challenges of recording neuronal activity in vivo across this developmental period. Here, using a novel 2-photon imaging-compatible platform for recording mPFC activity during an operant reward conditioning task beginning early in life, we show that the adolescent mPFC is hyper-responsive to reward cues. Distinct populations of mPFC neurons encode reward-predictive cues across development, but representations of no-reward cues and unrewarded outcomes are relatively muted in adolescence. Chemogenetic inhibition of GABAergic neurons decreased motivation in adolescence but not in adulthood. Together, our findings indicate that reward-related activity in the adolescent mPFC does not gradually increase across development. On the contrary, adolescent mPFC neurons are hyper-responsive to reward-related stimuli and encode reward-predictive cues and outcomes through qualitatively different mechanisms relative to the adult mPFC, opening avenues to developing distinct, developmentally informed strategies for modulating reward-seeking behavior in adolescence and adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Manzano Nieves
- Department of Psychiatry and Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
| | - Conor Liston
- Department of Psychiatry and Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10021
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McKeon SD, Perica MI, Calabro FJ, Foran W, Hetherington H, Moon CH, Luna B. Prefrontal Excitation/ Inhibition Balance Supports Adolescent Enhancements in Circuit Signal to Noise Ratio. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.15.608100. [PMID: 39229165 PMCID: PMC11370379 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.15.608100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
The development and refinement of neuronal circuitry allow for stabilized and efficient neural recruitment, supporting adult-like behavioral performance. During adolescence, the maturation of PFC is proposed to be a critical period (CP) for executive function, driven by a break in balance between glutamatergic excitation and GABAergic inhibition (E/I) neurotransmission. During CPs, cortical circuitry fine-tunes to improve information processing and reliable responses to stimuli, shifting from spontaneous to evoked activity, enhancing the SNR, and promoting neural synchronization. Harnessing 7T MR spectroscopy and EEG in a longitudinal cohort (N = 164, ages 10-32 years, 283 neuroimaging sessions), we outline associations between age-related changes in glutamate and GABA neurotransmitters and EEG measures of cortical SNR. We find developmental decreases in spontaneous activity and increases in cortical SNR during our auditory steady state task using 40 Hz stimuli. Decreases in spontaneous activity were associated with glutamate levels in DLPFC, while increases in cortical SNR were associated with more balanced Glu and GABA levels. These changes were associated with improvements in working memory performance. This study provides evidence of CP plasticity in the human PFC during adolescence, leading to stabilized circuitry that allows for the optimal recruitment and integration of multisensory input, resulting in improved executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane D McKeon
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Maria I Perica
- The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Finnegan J Calabro
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Will Foran
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hoby Hetherington
- Resonance Research Incorporated, Billerica, MA, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Chan-Hong Moon
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Beatriz Luna
- The Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Obray JD, Wilkes ET, Scofield MD, Chandler LJ. Adolescent alcohol exposure promotes mechanical allodynia and alters synaptic function at inputs from the basolateral amygdala to the prelimbic cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.599360. [PMID: 38948749 PMCID: PMC11212875 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.599360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Binge drinking is common among adolescents despite mounting evidence linking it to various adverse health outcomes that include heightened pain perception. The prelimbic (PrL) cortex is vulnerable to insult from adolescent alcohol exposure and receives input from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) while sending projections to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) - two brain regions implicated in nociception. In this study, adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure was carried out in male and female rats using a vapor inhalation procedure. Assessments of mechanical and thermal sensitivity revealed that AIE exposure induced protracted mechanical allodynia. To investigate synaptic function at BLA inputs onto defined populations of PrL neurons, retrobeads and viral labelling were combined with optogenetics and slice electrophysiology. Recordings from retrobead labelled cells in the PrL revealed AIE reduced BLA driven feedforward inhibition of neurons projecting from the PrL to the vlPAG, resulting in augmented excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance and increased intrinsic excitability. Consistent with this finding, recordings from virally tagged PrL parvalbumin interneurons (PVINs) demonstrated that AIE exposure reduced both E/I balance at BLA inputs onto PVINs and PVIN intrinsic excitability. These findings provide compelling evidence that AIE alters synaptic function and intrinsic excitability within a prefrontal nociceptive circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Daniel Obray
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Erik T. Wilkes
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - Michael D. Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
- Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
| | - L. Judson Chandler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425
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Islam KUS, Blaess S. The impact of the mesoprefrontal dopaminergic system on the maturation of interneurons in the murine prefrontal cortex. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1403402. [PMID: 39035778 PMCID: PMC11257905 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1403402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) undergoes a protracted maturation process. This is true both for local interneurons and for innervation from midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons. In the striatum, dopaminergic (DA) neurotransmission is required for the maturation of medium spiny neurons during a critical developmental period. To investigate whether DA innervation influences the maturation of interneurons in the PFC, we used a conditional knockout (cKO) mouse model in which innervation from mDA neurons to the mPFC (mesoprefrontal innnervation) is not established during development. In this mouse model, the maturation of parvalbumin (PV) and calbindin (CB) interneuron populations in the PFC is dysregulated during a critical period in adolescence with changes persisting into adulthood. PV interneurons are particularly vulnerable to lack of mesoprefrontal input, showing an inability to maintain adequate PV expression with a concomitant decrease in Gad1 expression levels. Interestingly, lack of mesoprefrontal innervation does not appear to induce compensatory changes such as upregulation of DA receptor expression in PFC neurons or increased innervation density of other neuromodulatory (serotonergic and noradrenergic) innervation. In conclusion, our study shows that adolescence is a sensitive period during which mesoprefrontal input plays a critical role in promoting the maturation of specific interneuron subgroups. The results of this study will help to understand how a dysregulated mesoprefrontal DA system contributes to the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Blaess
- Neurodevelopmental Genetics, Institute of Reconstructive Neurobiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Bojesen KB, Rostrup E, Sigvard AK, Mikkelsen M, Edden RAE, Ebdrup BH, Glenthøj B. The Trajectory of Prefrontal GABA Levels in Initially Antipsychotic-Naïve Patients With Psychosis During 2 Years of Treatment and Associations With Striatal Cerebral Blood Flow and Outcome. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:703-713. [PMID: 38145706 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2023.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) function in the prefrontal cortex seems dysfunctional in patients with first-episode psychosis, but the impact of longer-term treatment and relationship to clinical outcomes and striatal activity are unknown. METHODS A longitudinal study of 39 antipsychotic-naïve and benzodiazepine-free patients with psychosis (22.4 ± 5.4 years, 64% women) and 54 matched healthy control participants (HCs) (22.2 ± 4.3 years, 61% women) who were followed up after 6 weeks (28 patients, 51 HCs), 6 months (17 patients, 47 HCs), and 2 years (21 patients, 43 HCs) was completed. GABA levels in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and striatal resting cerebral blood flow were assessed on a 3T magnetic resonance scanner at all visits. RESULTS GABA levels in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex were significantly lower in patients at baseline and after 6 weeks but not after 6 months or 2 years. Analyses of groups separately revealed decreased GABA levels after 2 years in HCs but stable levels in patients. Treatment increased striatal resting cerebral blood flow after 6 weeks and 6 months but not after 2 years. GABA levels were negatively associated with striatal resting cerebral blood flow in both groups at all visits. Last, lower baseline GABA levels in patients were related to less functional improvement after 2 years. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest a different trajectory of GABA levels and striatal perfusion in first-episode patients over 2 years of antipsychotic treatment compared with HCs and indicate a downregulatory role of prefrontal GABAergic function on the striatum. Moreover, abnormally low prefrontal GABA level at illness onset may be a marker for a more severe prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Borup Bojesen
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Mental Health Center Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark.
| | - Egill Rostrup
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Mental Health Center Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark; Functional Imaging Unit, Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Rigshospitalet Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anne Korning Sigvard
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Mental Health Center Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark
| | - Mark Mikkelsen
- Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Richard A E Edden
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Bjørn Hylsebeck Ebdrup
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Mental Health Center Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Birte Glenthøj
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research and Center for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research, Mental Health Center Glostrup, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Kwon OH, Choe J, Kim D, Kim S, Moon C. Sensory Stimulation-dependent Npas4 Expression in the Olfactory Bulb during Early Postnatal Development. Exp Neurobiol 2024; 33:77-98. [PMID: 38724478 PMCID: PMC11089401 DOI: 10.5607/en23037] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of the olfactory system is influenced by sensory inputs, and it maintains neuronal generation and plasticity throughout the lifespan. The olfactory bulb contains a higher proportion of interneurons than other brain regions, particularly during the early postnatal period of neurogenesis. Although the relationship between sensory stimulation and olfactory bulb development during the postnatal period has been well studied, the molecular mechanisms have yet to be identified. In this study, we used western blotting and immunohistochemistry to analyze the expression of the transcription factor Npas4, a neuron-specific immediate-early gene that acts as a developmental regulator in many brain regions. We found that Npas4 is highly expressed in olfactory bulb interneurons during the early postnatal stages and gradually decreases toward the late postnatal stages. Npas4 expression was observed in all olfactory bulb layers, including the rostral migratory stream, where newborn neurons are generated and migrate to the olfactory bulb. Under sensory deprivation, the olfactory bulb size and the number of olfactory bulb interneurons were reduced. Furthermore, Npas4 expression and the expression of putative Npas4 downstream molecules were decreased. Collectively, these findings indicate that Npas4 expression induced by sensory input plays a role in the formation of neural circuits with excitatory mitral/tufted cells by regulating the survival of olfactory bulb interneurons during the early stages of postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oh-Hoon Kwon
- Convergence Research Advanced Centre for Olfaction, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Jiyun Choe
- Department of Brain Sciences, Graduate School, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Dokyeong Kim
- Department of Brain Sciences, Graduate School, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Sunghwan Kim
- Department of Brain Sciences, Graduate School, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
| | - Cheil Moon
- Convergence Research Advanced Centre for Olfaction, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
- Department of Brain Sciences, Graduate School, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
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Homberg JR, Brivio P, Greven CU, Calabrese F. Individuals being high in their sensitivity to the environment: Are sensitive period changes in play? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105605. [PMID: 38417743 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105605] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
All individuals on planet earth are sensitive to the environment, but some more than others. These individual differences in sensitivity to environments are seen across many animal species including humans, and can influence personalities as well as vulnerability and resilience to mental disorders. Yet, little is known about the underlying brain mechanisms. Key genes that contribute to individual differences in environmental sensitivity are the serotonin transporter, dopamine D4 receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor genes. By synthesizing neurodevelopmental findings of these genetic factors, and discussing them through the lens of mechanisms related to sensitive periods, which are phases of heightened neuronal plasticity during which a certain network is being finetuned by experiences, we propose that these genetic factors delay but extend postnatal sensitive periods. This may explain why sensitive individuals show behavioral features that are characteristic of a young brain state at the level of sensory information processing, such as reduced filtering or blockade of irrelevant information, resulting in a sensory processing system that 'keeps all options open'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Corina U Greven
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Center, London, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences "Rodolfo Paoletti", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Brinks AS, Carrica LK, Tagler DJ, Gulley JM, Juraska JM. Timing of methamphetamine exposure during adolescence differentially influences parvalbumin and perineuronal net immunoreactivity in the medial prefrontal cortex of female, but not male, rats. Dev Neurosci 2024:000538608. [PMID: 38547851 PMCID: PMC11436475 DOI: 10.1159/000538608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adolescence involves significant reorganization within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), including modifications to inhibitory neurotransmission that may be mediated through parvalbumin (PV) interneurons and their surrounding perineuronal nets (PNNs). These developmental changes, which can result in increased PV neuron activity in adulthood, may be disrupted by drug use resulting in lasting changes in mPFC function and behavior. Methamphetamine (METH), which is a readily available drug used by some adolescents, increases PV neuron activity and could influence the activity-dependent maturational process of these neurons. METHODS In the present study, we used male and female Sprague Dawley rats to test the hypothesis that METH exposure influences PV and PNN expression in a sex- and age-specific manner. Rats were injected daily with saline or 3.0 mg/kg METH from early adolescence (EA; 30-38 days old), late adolescence (LA; 40-48 days old), or young adulthood (60-68 days old). One day following exposure, effects of METH on PV cell and PNN expression were assessed using immunofluorescent labeling within the mPFC. RESULTS METH exposure did not alter male PV neurons or PNNs. Females exposed in early adolescence or adulthood had more PV expressing neurons while those exposed in later adolescence had fewer, suggesting distinct windows of vulnerability to changes induced by METH exposure. In addition, females exposed to METH had more PNNs and more intense PV neuron staining, further suggesting that METH exposure in adolescence uniquely influences development of inhibitory circuits in the female mPFC. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that the timing of METH exposure, even within adolescence, influences its neural effects in females.
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Brinks AS, Carrica LK, Tagler DJ, Gulley JM, Juraska JM. Timing of methamphetamine exposure during adolescence differentially influences parvalbumin and perineuronal net immunoreactivity in the medial prefrontal cortex of female, but not male, rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.25.554911. [PMID: 38464016 PMCID: PMC10925164 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.25.554911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Adolescence involves significant reorganization within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), including modifications to inhibitory neurotransmission mediated through parvalbumin (PV) interneurons and their surrounding perineuronal nets (PNNs). These developmental changes, which result in increased PV neuron activity in adulthood, may be disrupted by drug use resulting in lasting changes in mPFC function and behavior. Methamphetamine (METH), which is a readily available drug used by some adolescents, increases PV neuron activity and could influence the activity-dependent maturational process of these neurons. In the present study, we used male and female Sprague Dawley rats to test the hypothesis that METH exposure influences PV and PNN expression in a sex- and age-specific manner. Rats were injected daily with saline or 3.0 mg/kg METH from early adolescence (EA; 30-38 days old), late adolescence (LA; 40-48 days old), or young adulthood (60-68 days old). One day following exposure, effects of METH on PV cell and PNN expression were assessed using immunofluorescent labeling within the mPFC. METH exposure did not alter male PV neurons or PNNs. Females exposed in early adolescence or adulthood had more PV expressing neurons while those exposed in later adolescence had fewer, suggesting distinct windows of vulnerability to changes induced by METH exposure. In addition, females exposed to METH had more PNNs and more intense PV neuron staining, further suggesting that METH exposure in adolescence uniquely influences development of inhibitory circuits in the female mPFC. This study indicates that the timing of METH exposure, even within adolescence, influences its neural effects in females.
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Shi L, Kang S, Choi CY, Noonan BL, Carrica LK, Liang NC, Gulley JM. Effects of combined exposure to ethanol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence on synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex of Long Evans rats. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109765. [PMID: 37863313 PMCID: PMC10872915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109765] [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: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Significant exposure to alcohol or cannabis during adolescence can induce lasting disruptions of neuronal signaling in brain regions that are later to mature, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Considerably less is known about the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use, despite its common occurrence. Here, we used male and female Long-Evans rats to investigate the effects of early-life exposure to ethanol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or their combination on high frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced plasticity in the prelimbic region of the mPFC. Animals were injected daily from postnatal days 30-45 with vehicle or THC (escalating doses, 3-20 mg/kg) and allowed to drink vehicle (0.1% saccharin) or 10% ethanol immediately after each injection. In vitro brain slice electrophysiology was then used to record population responses of layer V neurons following HFS in layer II/III after 3-4 weeks of abstinence. We found that THC exposure reduced body weight gains observed in ad libitum fed rats, and reduced intake of saccharin and ethanol. Compared to controls, there was a significant reduction in HFS-induced long-term depression (LTD) in rats exposed to either drug alone, and an absence of LTD in rats exposed to the drug combination. Bath application of indiplon or AR-A014418, which enhance GABAA receptor function or inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), respectively, suggested the effects of ethanol, THC or their combination were due in part to lasting adaptations in GABA and GSK3β signaling. These results suggest the potential for long-lasting adaptations in mPFC output following co-exposure to alcohol and THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyuan Shi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Shuo Kang
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Chan Young Choi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Brynn L Noonan
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Lauren K Carrica
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Nu-Chu Liang
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA
| | - Joshua M Gulley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA; Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA.
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Santos-Silva T, dos Santos Fabris D, de Oliveira CL, Guimarães FS, Gomes FV. Prefrontal and Hippocampal Parvalbumin Interneurons in Animal Models for Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull 2024; 50:210-223. [PMID: 37584417 PMCID: PMC10754178 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbad123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Consistent with postmortem findings in patients, most animal models for schizophrenia (SCZ) present abnormal levels of parvalbumin (PV), a marker of fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons, in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP). However, there are discrepancies in the literature. PV reductions lead to a functional loss of PV interneurons, which is proposed to underly SCZ symptoms. Given its complex etiology, different categories of animal models have been developed to study SCZ, which may distinctly impact PV levels in rodent brain areas. STUDY DESIGN We performed a quantitative meta-analysis on PV-positive cell number/density and expression levels in the PFC and HIP of animal models for SCZ based on pharmacological, neurodevelopmental, and genetic manipulations. RESULTS Our results confirmed that PV levels are significantly reduced in the PFC and HIP regardless of the animal model. By categorizing into subgroups, we found that all pharmacological models based on NMDA receptor antagonism decreased PV-positive cell number/density or PV expression levels in both brain areas examined. In neurodevelopmental models, abnormal PV levels were confirmed in both brain areas in maternal immune activation models and HIP of the methylazoxymethanol acetate model. In genetic models, negative effects were found in neuregulin 1 and ERBB4 mutant mice in both brain regions and the PFC of dysbindin mutant mice. Regarding sex differences, male rodents exhibited PV reductions in both brain regions only in pharmacological models, while few studies have been conducted in females. CONCLUSION Overall, our findings support deficits in prefrontal and hippocampal PV interneurons in animal models for SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thamyris Santos-Silva
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Débora dos Santos Fabris
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Cilene Lino de Oliveira
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Center of Biological Sciences, University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis,Brazil
| | - Francisco S Guimarães
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Felipe V Gomes
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Ayala-Rodríguez JD, García-Colunga J. Maternal separation modifies spontaneous synaptic activity in the infralimbic cortex of stress-resilient male rats. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0294151. [PMID: 37943747 PMCID: PMC10635473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Glutamate and GABA signaling systems are necessary to maintain proper function of the central nervous system through excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance. Alteration of this balance in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), as an effect of early-life stress, may lead to the development of anxiety and depressive disorders. Few studies exist in the infralimbic division of the mPFC to understand the effect of early-life stress at different ages, which is the purpose of the present work. Newborn Sprague Dawley male rats were subjected to maternal separation (MS) for two weeks. First, tests measuring anxiety- and depression-like behaviors were performed on adolescent and adult rats subjected to MS (MS-rats). Then, to establish a relationship with behavioral results, electrophysiological recordings were performed in neurons of the infralimbic cortex in acute brain slices of infant, adolescent, and adult rats. In the behavioral tests, there were no significant differences in MS-rats compared to control rats at any age. Moreover, MS had no effect on the passive membrane properties nor neuronal excitability in the infralimbic cortex, whereas spontaneous synaptic activity in infralimbic neurons was altered. The frequency of spontaneous glutamatergic synaptic events increased in infant MS-rats, whereas in adolescent MS-rats both the frequency and the amplitude of spontaneous GABAergic events increased without any effect on glutamatergic synaptic responses. In adult MS-rats, these two parameters decreased in spontaneous GABAergic synaptic events, whereas only the frequency of glutamatergic events decreased. These data suggest that rats subjected to MS did not exhibit behavioral changes and presented an age-dependent E/I imbalance in the infralimbic cortex, possibly due to differential changes in neurotransmitter release and/or receptor expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús David Ayala-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
| | - Jesús García-Colunga
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Juriquilla, Querétaro, México
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13
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Usui K, Kirihara K, Araki T, Tada M, Koshiyama D, Fujioka M, Nishimura R, Ando S, Koike S, Sugiyama H, Shirakawa T, Toriyama R, Masaoka M, Fujikawa S, Endo K, Yamasaki S, Nishida A, Kasai K. Longitudinal change in mismatch negativity (MMN) but not in gamma-band auditory steady-state response (ASSR) is associated with psychological difficulties in adolescence. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11070-11079. [PMID: 37815245 PMCID: PMC10631957 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical period for psychological difficulties. Auditory mismatch negativity (MMN) and gamma-band auditory steady-state response (ASSR) are representative electrophysiological indices that mature during adolescence. However, the longitudinal association between MMN/ASSR and psychological difficulties among adolescents remains unclear. We measured MMN amplitude for duration and frequency changes and ASSR twice in a subsample (n = 67, mean age 13.4 and 16.1 years, respectively) from a large-scale population-based cohort. No significant longitudinal changes were observed in any of the electroencephalography indices. Changes in SDQ-TD were significantly associated with changes in duration MMN, but not frequency MMN and ASSR. Furthermore, the subgroup with higher SDQ-TD at follow-up showed a significant duration MMN decrease over time, whereas the subgroup with lower SDQ-TD did not. The results of our population neuroscience study suggest that insufficient changes in electroencephalography indices may have been because of the short follow-up period or non-monotonic change during adolescence, and indicated that the longitudinal association with psychological difficulties was specific to the duration MMN. These findings provide new insights that electrophysiological change may underlie the development of psychosocial difficulties emerging in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Usui
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Department of Community Mental Health & Law, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan
| | - Kenji Kirihara
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Disability Services Office, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Araki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Teikyo University Hospital, Mizonokuchi, Tokyo, 213-8507, Japan
| | - Mariko Tada
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Office for Mental Health Support, Center for Research on Counseling and Support Services, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Daisuke Koshiyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Mao Fujioka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Ryoichi Nishimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Shuntaro Ando
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Koike
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
- University of Tokyo Institute for Diversity & Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Center for Evolutionary Cognitive Sciences, Graduate School of Art and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Sugiyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Toru Shirakawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Systems Design, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, 192-0397 Japan
| | - Rie Toriyama
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Mio Masaoka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Shinya Fujikawa
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kaori Endo
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Syudo Yamasaki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nishida
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
- The International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
- University of Tokyo Institute for Diversity & Adaptation of Human Mind (UTIDAHM), Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
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14
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Grizzell JA, Vanbaelinghem M, Westerman J, Saddoris MP. Voluntary alcohol consumption during distinct phases of adolescence differentially alters adult fear acquisition, extinction and renewal in male and female rats. Stress 2023; 26:2278315. [PMID: 37916300 PMCID: PMC11042498 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2023.2278315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use during adolescence coincides with elevated risks of stress-related impairment in adults, particularly via disrupted developmental trajectories of vulnerable corticolimbic and mesolimbic systems involved in fear processing. Prior work has investigated the impact of binge-like alcohol consumption on adult fear and stress, but less is known about whether voluntarily consumed alcohol imparts differential effects based on adolescence phases and biological sex. Here, adolescent male and female Long Evans rats were granted daily access to alcohol (15%) during either early (Early-EtOH; P25-45) or late adolescence (Late-EtOH; P45-55) using a modified drinking-in-the-dark design. Upon adulthood (P75-80), rats were exposed to a three-context (ABC) fear renewal procedure. We found that male and female Early-EtOH rats showed faster acquisition of fear but less freezing during early phases of extinction and throughout fear renewal. In the extinction period specifically, Early-EtOH rats showed normal levels of freezing in the presence of fear-associated cues, but abnormally low freezing immediately after cue offset, suggesting a key disruption in contextual processing and/or novelty seeking brought by early adolescent binge consumption. While the effects of alcohol were most pronounced in the Early-EtOH rats (particularly in females), Late-EtOH rats displayed some changes in fear behavior including slower fear acquisition, faster extinction, and reduced renewal compared with controls, but primarily in males. Our results suggest that early adolescence in males and females and, to a lesser extent, late adolescence in males is a particularly vulnerable period wherein alcohol use can promote stress-related dysfunction in adulthood. Furthermore, our results provide multiple bases for future research focused on developmental correlates of alcohol mediated disruption in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Alex Grizzell
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
- Dept of Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322
| | - Maryam Vanbaelinghem
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
| | - Jessica Westerman
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
| | - Michael P Saddoris
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
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15
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Alex Grizzell J, Vanbaelinghem M, Westerman J, Saddoris MP. Voluntary alcohol consumption during distinct phases of adolescence differentially alters adult fear acquisition, extinction and renewal in male and female rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.03.560757. [PMID: 37873067 PMCID: PMC10592894 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.03.560757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use during adolescence coincides with elevated risks of stress-related impairment in adults, particularly via disrupted developmental trajectories of vulnerable corticolimbic and mesolimbic systems involved in fear processing. Prior work has investigated the impact of binge-like alcohol consumption on adult fear and stress, but less is known about whether voluntarily consumed alcohol imparts differential effects based on adolescence phases and biological sex. Here, adolescent male and female Long Evans rats were granted daily access to alcohol (15%) during either early (Early-EtOH; P25-45) or late adolescence (Late-EtOH; P45-55) using a modified drinking-in-the-dark design. Upon adulthood (P75-80), rats were exposed to a three-context (ABC) fear renewal procedure. We found that male and female Early-EtOH rats showed faster acquisition of fear but less freezing during early phases of extinction and throughout fear renewal. In the extinction period specifically, Early-EtOH rats showed normal levels of freezing in the presence of fear-associated cues, but abnormally low freezing immediately after cue offset, suggesting a key disruption in contextual processing and/or novelty seeking brought by early adolescent binge consumption. While the effects of alcohol were most pronounced in the Early-EtOH rats (particularly in females), Late-EtOH rats displayed some changes in fear behavior including slower fear acquisition, faster extinction, and reduced renewal compared with controls, but primarily in males. Our results suggest that early adolescence in males and females and, to a lesser extent, late adolescence in males is a particularly vulnerable period wherein alcohol use can promote stress-related dysfunction in adulthood. Furthermore, our results provide multiple bases for future research focused on developmental correlates of alcohol mediated disruption in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Alex Grizzell
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
- Dept of Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322
| | - Maryam Vanbaelinghem
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
| | - Jessica Westerman
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
| | - Michael P Saddoris
- Dept Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO, 80301
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16
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Perica MI, Luna B. Impact of stress on excitatory and inhibitory markers of adolescent cognitive critical period plasticity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105378. [PMID: 37643681 PMCID: PMC10591935 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of significant neurocognitive development. Prolonged maturation of prefrontal cortex (PFC) through adolescence has been found to support improvements in executive function. Changes in excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms of critical period plasticity have been found to be present in the PFC through adolescence, suggesting that environment may have a greater effect on development during this time. Stress is one factor known to affect neurodevelopment increasing risk for psychopathology. However, less is known about how stress experienced during adolescence could affect adolescent-specific critical period plasticity mechanisms and cognitive outcomes. In this review, we synthesize findings from human and animal literatures looking at the experience of stress during adolescence on cognition and frontal excitatory and inhibitory neural activity. Studies indicate enhancing effects of acute stress on cognition and excitation within specific contexts, while chronic stress generally dampens excitatory and inhibitory processes and impairs cognition. We propose a model of how stress could affect frontal critical period plasticity, thus potentially altering neurodevelopmental trajectories that could lead to risk for psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Perica
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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17
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Grent-'t-Jong T, Brickwedde M, Metzner C, Uhlhaas PJ. 40-Hz Auditory Steady-State Responses in Schizophrenia: Toward a Mechanistic Biomarker for Circuit Dysfunctions and Early Detection and Diagnosis. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 94:550-560. [PMID: 37086914 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.03.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
There is converging evidence that 40-Hz auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs) are robustly impaired in schizophrenia and could constitute a potential biomarker for characterizing circuit dysfunctions as well as enable early detection and diagnosis. Here, we provide an overview of the mechanisms involved in 40-Hz ASSRs, drawing on computational, physiological, and pharmacological data with a focus on parameters modulating the balance between excitation and inhibition. We will then summarize findings from electro- and magnetoencephalographic studies in participants at clinical high risk for psychosis, patients with first-episode psychosis, and patients with schizophrenia to identify the pattern of deficits across illness stages, the relationship with clinical variables, and the prognostic potential. Finally, data on genetics and developmental modifications will be reviewed, highlighting the importance of late modifications of 40-Hz ASSRs during adolescence, which are closely related to the underlying changes in GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) interneurons. Together, our review suggests that 40-Hz ASSRs may constitute an informative electrophysiological approach to characterize circuit dysfunctions in psychosis that could be relevant for the development of mechanistic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tineke Grent-'t-Jong
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marion Brickwedde
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Metzner
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Neural Information Processing Group, Institute of Software Engineering and Theoretical Computer Science, Technische Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Peter J Uhlhaas
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
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18
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Shi L, Kang S, Choi CY, Noonan BL, Carrica LK, Liang NC, Gulley JM. Effects of combined exposure to ethanol and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol during adolescence on synaptic plasticity in the prefrontal cortex of Long Evans rats. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.14.553087. [PMID: 37645740 PMCID: PMC10462006 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.14.553087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Significant exposure to alcohol or cannabis during adolescence can induce lasting disruptions of neuronal signaling in brain regions that are later to mature, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Considerably less is known about the effects of alcohol and cannabis co-use, despite its common occurrence. Here, we used male and female Long-Evans rats to investigate the effects of early-life exposure to ethanol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), or their combination on high frequency stimulation (HFS)-induced plasticity in the prelimbic region of the mPFC. Animals were injected daily from postnatal days 30 to 45 with vehicle or THC (escalating doses, 3-20 mg/kg) and allowed to drink vehicle (0.1% saccharin) or 10% ethanol immediately after each injection. In vitro brain slice electrophysiology was then used to record population responses of layer V neurons following HFS in layer II/III after 3-4 weeks of abstinence. We found that THC exposure reduced body weight gains observed in ad libitum fed rats, and reduced intake of saccharin and ethanol. Compared to controls, there was a significant reduction in HFS-induced long-term depression (LTD) in rats exposed to either drug alone, and an absence of LTD in rats exposed to the drug combination. Bath application of indiplon or AR-A014418, which enhance GABAA receptor function or inhibit glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), respectively, suggested the effects of ethanol, THC or their combination were due in part to lasting adaptations in GABA and GSK3β signaling. These results suggest the potential for long-lasting adaptations in mPFC output following co-exposure to alcohol and THC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linyuan Shi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | - Shuo Kang
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | - Chan Young Choi
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | - Brynn L. Noonan
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
| | | | - Nu-Chu Liang
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Joshua M. Gulley
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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19
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Uhlhaas PJ, Davey CG, Mehta UM, Shah J, Torous J, Allen NB, Avenevoli S, Bella-Awusah T, Chanen A, Chen EYH, Correll CU, Do KQ, Fisher HL, Frangou S, Hickie IB, Keshavan MS, Konrad K, Lee FS, Liu CH, Luna B, McGorry PD, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Nordentoft M, Öngür D, Patton GC, Paus T, Reininghaus U, Sawa A, Schoenbaum M, Schumann G, Srihari VH, Susser E, Verma SK, Woo TW, Yang LH, Yung AR, Wood SJ. Towards a youth mental health paradigm: a perspective and roadmap. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3171-3181. [PMID: 37580524 PMCID: PMC10618105 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02202-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Most mental disorders have a typical onset between 12 and 25 years of age, highlighting the importance of this period for the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of mental ill-health. This perspective addresses interactions between risk and protective factors and brain development as key pillars accounting for the emergence of psychopathology in youth. Moreover, we propose that novel approaches towards early diagnosis and interventions are required that reflect the evolution of emerging psychopathology, the importance of novel service models, and knowledge exchange between science and practitioners. Taken together, we propose a transformative early intervention paradigm for research and clinical care that could significantly enhance mental health in young people and initiate a shift towards the prevention of severe mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Uhlhaas
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Christopher G Davey
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
| | - Urvakhsh Meherwan Mehta
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Jai Shah
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - John Torous
- Division of Digital Psychiatry and Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Shelli Avenevoli
- Office of the Director, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tolulope Bella-Awusah
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Andrew Chanen
- Orygen: National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Eric Y H Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Christoph U Correll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Departments of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hostra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA
| | - Kim Q Do
- Centre for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Helen L Fisher
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sophia Frangou
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Ian B Hickie
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Matcheri S Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- JARA-Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Francis S Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Cornell Medicall College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cindy H Liu
- Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Patrick D McGorry
- Orygen: National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- CORE-Copenhagen Research Centre for Mental Health, Mental Health Center Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Department of Clinical Medicine, Hellerup, Denmark
| | - Dost Öngür
- McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - George C Patton
- Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Tomáš Paus
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ulrich Reininghaus
- Department of Public Mental Health, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
- Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Akira Sawa
- The John Hopkins Schizophrenia Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michael Schoenbaum
- Division of Service and Intervention Research, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine, ISTBI, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vinod H Srihari
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Program for Specialized Treatment Early in Psychosis (STEP), New Haven, VIC, USA
| | - Ezra Susser
- Departments of Epidemiology and Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Swapna K Verma
- Department of Psychosis, Institute of Mental Health, Buangkok, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - T Wilson Woo
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Laboratory for Cellular Neuropathology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lawrence H Yang
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison R Yung
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Stephen J Wood
- Orygen: National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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20
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Bijlsma A, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Wierenga CJ. Social play behavior shapes the development of prefrontal inhibition in a region-specific manner. Cereb Cortex 2023:bhad212. [PMID: 37317037 PMCID: PMC10393492 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Experience-dependent organization of neuronal connectivity is critical for brain development. We recently demonstrated the importance of social play behavior for the developmental fine-tuning of inhibitory synapses in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats. When these effects of play experience occur and if this happens uniformly throughout the prefrontal cortex is currently unclear. Here we report important temporal and regional heterogeneity in the impact of social play on the development of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the medial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. We recorded in layer 5 pyramidal neurons from juvenile (postnatal day (P)21), adolescent (P42), and adult (P85) rats after social play deprivation (between P21 and P42). The development of these prefrontal cortex subregions followed different trajectories. On P21, inhibitory and excitatory synaptic input was higher in the orbitofrontal cortex than in the medial prefrontal cortex. Social play deprivation did not affect excitatory currents, but reduced inhibitory transmission in both medial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. Intriguingly, the reduction occurred in the medial prefrontal cortex during social play deprivation, whereas the reduction in the orbitofrontal cortex only became manifested after social play deprivation. These data reveal a complex interaction between social play experience and the specific developmental trajectories of prefrontal subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ate Bijlsma
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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21
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Delavari F, Rafi H, Sandini C, Murray RJ, Latrèche C, Van De Ville D, Eliez S. Amygdala subdivisions exhibit aberrant whole-brain functional connectivity in relation to stress intolerance and psychotic symptoms in 22q11.2DS. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:145. [PMID: 37142582 PMCID: PMC10160125 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02458-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The amygdala is a key region in emotional regulation, which is often impaired in psychosis. However, it is unclear if amygdala dysfunction directly contributes to psychosis, or whether it contributes to psychosis through symptoms of emotional dysregulation. We studied the functional connectivity of amygdala subdivisions in patients with 22q11.2DS, a known genetic model for psychosis susceptibility. We investigated how dysmaturation of each subdivision's connectivity contributes to positive psychotic symptoms and impaired tolerance to stress in deletion carriers. Longitudinally-repeated MRI scans from 105 patients with 22q11.2DS (64 at high-risk for psychosis and 37 with impaired tolerance to stress) and 120 healthy controls between the ages of 5 to 30 years were included. We calculated seed-based whole-brain functional connectivity for amygdalar subdivisions and employed a longitudinal multivariate approach to evaluate the developmental trajectory of functional connectivity across groups. Patients with 22q11.2DS presented a multivariate pattern of decreased basolateral amygdala (BLA)-frontal connectivity alongside increased BLA-hippocampal connectivity. Moreover, associations between developmental drops in centro-medial amygdala (CMA)-frontal connectivity to both impaired tolerance to stress and positive psychotic symptoms in deletion carriers were detected. Superficial amygdala hyperconnectivity to the striatum was revealed as a specific pattern arising in patients who develop mild to moderate positive psychotic symptoms. Overall, CMA-frontal dysconnectivity was found as a mutual neurobiological substrate in both impaired tolerance to stress and psychosis, suggesting a role in prodromal dysregulation of emotions in psychosis. While BLA dysconnectivity was found to be an early finding in patients with 22q11.2DS, which contributes to impaired tolerance to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farnaz Delavari
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Halima Rafi
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Developmental Clinical Psychology Research Unit, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Corrado Sandini
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ryan J Murray
- Psychiatry Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Campus Biotech, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Caren Latrèche
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dimitri Van De Ville
- Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva (UNIGE), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Eliez
- Developmental Imaging and Psychopathology Laboratory, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Genetic Medicine and Development, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
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22
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Woodward EM, Ringland A, Ackerman J, Coutellier L. Prepubertal ovariectomy confers resilience to stress-induced anxiety in adult female mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 148:105997. [PMID: 36470154 PMCID: PMC9898172 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The increased vulnerability to stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders in women, including anxiety disorders, does not emerge until pubertal onset, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in organizing sex-specific vulnerability to anxiety. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the prefrontal cortex are a potential target for these ovarian hormones. PV+ interneurons undergo maturation during the adolescent period and have been shown to be sensitive to stress and to mediate stress-induced anxiety in female mice. To test the idea that ovarian hormones at puberty are necessary for the acquisition of sensitivity to stress, hypothetically driving the response of PV+ interneurons to stress, we performed ovariectomy or sham surgery before pubertal onset in female mice. These mice then were exposed to four weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress in adulthood. We then assessed anxiety-like behavior and PV/FosB colocalization in the medial PFC. Additionally, we assessed stress-induced anxiety-like behavior in female mice following ovariectomy in adulthood to determine if puberty is a sensitive period for ovarian hormones in mediating vulnerability to stress. We found that prepubertal ovariectomy protects against the development of anxiety-like behavior in adulthood, an effect not found following ovariectomy in adulthood. This effect may be independent of ovarian hormones on prefrontal PV+ interneurons response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Amanda Ringland
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Jennifer Ackerman
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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23
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Petty A, Howes O, Eyles D. Animal Models of Relevance to the Schizophrenia Prodrome. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 3:22-32. [PMID: 36712558 PMCID: PMC9874082 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2021.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Patients with schizophrenia often undergo a prodromal phase prior to diagnosis. Given the absence of significant therapeutic improvements, attention has recently shifted to the possibility of intervention during this early stage to delay or diminish symptom severity or even prevent onset. Unfortunately, the 20 or so trials of intervention to date have not been successful in either preventing onset or improving long-term outcomes in subjects who are at risk of developing schizophrenia. One reason may be that the biological pathways an effective intervention must target are not static. The prodromal phase typically occurs during late adolescence, a period during which a number of brain circuits and structures are still maturing. We propose that developing a deeper understanding of which circuits/processes and brain structures are still maturing at this time and which processes drive the transition to schizophrenia will take us a step closer to developing better prophylactic interventions. Fortunately, such knowledge is now emerging from clinical studies, complemented by work in animal models. Our task here is to describe what would constitute an appropriate animal model to study and to potentially intervene in such processes. Such a model would allow invasive analysis of the cellular and molecular substrates of the progressive neurobiology that defines the schizophrenia prodrome and hopefully offer valuable insights into potential prophylactic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Petty
- Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - Darryl Eyles
- Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.,Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Wacol, Queensland, Australia
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24
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Bijlsma A, Omrani A, Spoelder M, Verharen JPH, Bauer L, Cornelis C, de Zwart B, van Dorland R, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Wierenga CJ. Social Play Behavior Is Critical for the Development of Prefrontal Inhibitory Synapses and Cognitive Flexibility in Rats. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8716-8728. [PMID: 36253083 PMCID: PMC9671579 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0524-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory driven activity during early life is critical for setting up the proper connectivity of the sensory cortices. We ask here whether social play behavior, a particular form of social interaction that is highly abundant during postweaning development, is equally important for setting up connections in the developing prefrontal cortex (PFC). Young male rats were deprived from social play with peers during the period in life when social play behavior normally peaks [postnatal day 21-42] (SPD rats), followed by resocialization until adulthood. We recorded synaptic currents in layer 5 cells in slices from medial PFC of adult SPD and control rats and observed that inhibitory synaptic currents were reduced in SPD slices, while excitatory synaptic currents were unaffected. This was associated with a decrease in perisomatic inhibitory synapses from parvalbumin-positive GABAergic cells. In parallel experiments, adult SPD rats achieved more reversals in a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task, which depends on the integrity of the PFC, by using a more simplified cognitive strategy than controls. Interestingly, we observed that one daily hour of play during SPD partially rescued the behavioral performance in the PRL, but did not prevent the decrease in PFC inhibitory synaptic inputs. Our data demonstrate the importance of unrestricted social play for the development of inhibitory synapses in the PFC and cognitive skills in adulthood and show that specific synaptic alterations in the PFC can result in a complex behavioral outcome.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study addressed the question whether social play behavior in juvenile rats contributes to functional development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We found that rats that had been deprived from juvenile social play (social play deprivation - SPD) showed a reduction in inhibitory synapses in the PFC and a simplified strategy to solve a complex behavioral task in adulthood. Providing one daily hour of play during SPD partially rescued the cognitive skills in these rats, but did not prevent the reduction in PFC inhibitory synapses. Our results demonstrate a key role for unrestricted juvenile social play in PFC development and emphasize the complex relation between PFC circuit connectivity and cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ate Bijlsma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Azar Omrani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcia Spoelder
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen P H Verharen
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa Bauer
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cosette Cornelis
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Beleke de Zwart
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - René van Dorland
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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25
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Peters KZ, Naneix F. The role of dopamine and endocannabinoid systems in prefrontal cortex development: Adolescence as a critical period. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:939235. [PMID: 36389180 PMCID: PMC9663658 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.939235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex plays a central role in the control of complex cognitive processes including action control and decision making. It also shows a specific pattern of delayed maturation related to unique behavioral changes during adolescence and allows the development of adult cognitive processes. The adolescent brain is extremely plastic and critically vulnerable to external insults. Related to this vulnerability, adolescence is also associated with the emergence of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders involving alterations of prefrontal functions. Within prefrontal microcircuits, the dopamine and the endocannabinoid systems have widespread effects on adolescent-specific ontogenetic processes. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the maturation of the dopamine system and the endocannabinoid system in the prefrontal cortex during adolescence. We discuss how they interact with GABA and glutamate neurons to modulate prefrontal circuits and how they can be altered by different environmental events leading to long-term neurobiological and behavioral changes at adulthood. Finally, we aim to identify several future research directions to help highlight gaps in our current knowledge on the maturation of these microcircuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Zara Peters
- Sussex Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom
| | - Fabien Naneix
- The Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Fabien Naneix
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26
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Perica MI, Calabro FJ, Larsen B, Foran W, Yushmanov VE, Hetherington H, Tervo-Clemmens B, Moon CH, Luna B. Development of frontal GABA and glutamate supports excitation/inhibition balance from adolescence into adulthood. Prog Neurobiol 2022; 219:102370. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2022.102370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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27
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Altered Development of Prefrontal GABAergic Functions and Anxiety-like Behavior in Adolescent Offspring Induced by Prenatal Stress. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081015. [PMID: 36009078 PMCID: PMC9406165 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal stress can afflict fetal brain development, putting the offspring at risk of cognitive deficits, including anxiety. The prefrontal cortex (PFC), a protracted maturing region, is notably affected by prenatal stress (PS). However, it remains unclear how PS interferes with the maturation of the GABAergic system, considering its functional adjustment in the PFC during adolescence. The present study thus investigated the long-lasting consequences of PS on the prefrontal GABAergic functions of adolescent offspring. Pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into controls and the PS group, which underwent restraint stress during the last week of gestation. Male pups from postnatal days (PND) 40–42 were submitted to the elevated plus maze (EPM) test. Proteins essentially involved in GABAergic signaling were then examined in PFC tissues, including the K+-Cl− cotransporter (KCC2), Na+-K+-Cl− cotransporter (NKCC1), α1 and α5 subunits of GABA type A receptors (GABAA receptors), and parvalbumin (PV), along with cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation (pCREB), which reacts in the plasticity regulation of PV-positive interneurons. The results revealed that the higher anxiety-like behavior of PS adolescent rats concurred with the significant decreases of the KCC2 and α1 subunits, with PV- and pCREB-lowered levels. The findings suggested that PS disrupts the continuance of PFC maturity by reducing the essential elements of GABAergic functions. These changes likely underlie the anxiety emerging in adolescence, possibly progressing to mental disorders.
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28
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Gilfarb RA, Leuner B. GABA System Modifications During Periods of Hormonal Flux Across the Female Lifespan. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:802530. [PMID: 35783228 PMCID: PMC9245048 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.802530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The female lifespan is marked by periods of dramatic hormonal fluctuation. Changes in the ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone, in addition to the progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone, are among the most significant and have been shown to have widespread effects on the brain. This review summarizes current understanding of alterations that occur within the GABA system during the major hormonal transition periods of puberty, the ovarian cycle, pregnancy and the postpartum period, as well as reproductive aging. The functional impacts of altered inhibitory activity during these times are also discussed. Lastly, avenues for future research are identified, which, if pursued, can broaden understanding of the GABA system in the female brain and potentially lead to better treatments for women experiencing changes in brain function at each of these hormonal transition periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A. Gilfarb
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Benedetta Leuner
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Benedetta Leuner,
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29
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Benoit LJ, Holt ES, Posani L, Fusi S, Harris AZ, Canetta S, Kellendonk C. Adolescent thalamic inhibition leads to long-lasting impairments in prefrontal cortex function. Nat Neurosci 2022; 25:714-725. [PMID: 35590075 PMCID: PMC9202412 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01072-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Impaired cortical maturation is a postulated mechanism in the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia. In the sensory cortex, activity relayed by the thalamus during a postnatal sensitive period is essential for proper cortical maturation. Whether thalamic activity also shapes prefrontal cortical maturation is unknown. We show that inhibiting the mediodorsal and midline thalamus in mice during adolescence leads to a long-lasting decrease in thalamo-prefrontal projection density and reduced excitatory drive to prefrontal neurons. It also caused prefrontal-dependent cognitive deficits during adulthood associated with disrupted prefrontal cross-correlations and task outcome encoding. Thalamic inhibition during adulthood had no long-lasting consequences. Exciting the thalamus in adulthood during a cognitive task rescued prefrontal cross-correlations, task outcome encoding and cognitive deficits. These data point to adolescence as a sensitive window of thalamocortical circuit maturation. Furthermore, by supporting prefrontal network activity, boosting thalamic activity provides a potential therapeutic strategy for rescuing cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Benoit
- Graduate Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Emma S Holt
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorenzo Posani
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Stefano Fusi
- Center for Theoretical Neuroscience, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Kavli Institute for Brain Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Z Harris
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Systems Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sarah Canetta
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christoph Kellendonk
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, USA.
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30
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Aouci R, El Soudany M, Maakoul Z, Fontaine A, Kurihara H, Levi G, Narboux-Nême N. Dlx5/6 Expression Levels in Mouse GABAergic Neurons Regulate Adult Parvalbumin Neuronal Density and Anxiety/Compulsive Behaviours. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111739. [PMID: 35681437 PMCID: PMC9179869 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuronal circuits integrating Parvalbumin-positive GABAergic inhibitory interneurons (PV) are essential for normal brain function and are often altered in psychiatric conditions. During development, Dlx5 and Dlx6 (Dlx5/6) genes are involved in the differentiation of PV-interneurons. In the adult, Dlx5/6 continue to be expressed at low levels in most telencephalic GABAergic neurons, but their importance in determining the number and distribution of adult PV-interneurons is unknown. Previously, we have shown that targeted deletion of Dlx5/6 in mouse GABAergic neurons (Dlx5/6VgatCre mice) results in altered behavioural and metabolic profiles. Here we evaluate the consequences of targeted Dlx5/6 gene dosage alterations in adult GABAergic neurons. We compare the effects on normal brain of homozygous and heterozygous (Dlx5/6VgatCre and Dlx5/6VgatCre/+ mice) Dlx5/6 deletions to those of Dlx5 targeted overexpression (GABAergicDlx5/+ mice). We find a linear correlation between Dlx5/6 allelic dosage and the density of PV-positive neurons in the adult prelimbic cortex and in the hippocampus. In parallel, we observe that Dlx5/6 expression levels in GABAergic neurons are also linearly associated with the intensity of anxiety and compulsivity-like behaviours. Our findings reinforce the notion that regulation of Dlx5/6 expression is involved in individual cognitive variability and, possibly, in the genesis of certain neuropsychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rym Aouci
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Team BBC, Département AVIV, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7221, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France; (R.A.); (M.E.S.); (Z.M.); (A.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Mey El Soudany
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Team BBC, Département AVIV, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7221, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France; (R.A.); (M.E.S.); (Z.M.); (A.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Zakaria Maakoul
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Team BBC, Département AVIV, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7221, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France; (R.A.); (M.E.S.); (Z.M.); (A.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Anastasia Fontaine
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Team BBC, Département AVIV, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7221, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France; (R.A.); (M.E.S.); (Z.M.); (A.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Hiroki Kurihara
- Department of Physiological Chemistry and Metabolism, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan;
| | - Giovanni Levi
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Team BBC, Département AVIV, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7221, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France; (R.A.); (M.E.S.); (Z.M.); (A.F.); (G.L.)
| | - Nicolas Narboux-Nême
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Team BBC, Département AVIV, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, UMR-7221, 7 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France; (R.A.); (M.E.S.); (Z.M.); (A.F.); (G.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-140-798-027
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31
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Sicher AR, Duerr A, Starnes WD, Crowley NA. Adolescent Alcohol and Stress Exposure Rewires Key Cortical Neurocircuitry. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:896880. [PMID: 35655755 PMCID: PMC9152326 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.896880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human adolescence is a period of development characterized by wide ranging emotions and behavioral risk taking, including binge drinking (Konrad et al., 2013). These behavioral manifestations of adolescence are complemented by growth in the neuroarchitecture of the brain, including synaptic pruning (Spear, 2013) and increases in overall white matter volume (Perrin et al., 2008). During this period of profound physiological maturation, the adolescent brain has a unique vulnerability to negative perturbations. Alcohol consumption and stress exposure, both of which are heightened during adolescence, can individually and synergistically alter these neurodevelopmental trajectories in positive and negative ways (conferring both resiliency and susceptibility) and influence already changing neurotransmitter systems and circuits. Importantly, the literature is rapidly changing and evolving in our understanding of basal sex differences in the brain, as well as the interaction between biological sex and life experiences. The animal literature provides the distinctive opportunity to explore sex-specific stress- and alcohol- induced changes in neurocircuits on a relatively rapid time scale. In addition, animal models allow for the investigation of individual neurons and signaling molecules otherwise inaccessible in the human brain. Here, we review the human and rodent literature with a focus on cortical development, neurotransmitters, peptides, and steroids, to characterize the field's current understanding of the interaction between adolescence, biological sex, and exposure to stress and alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avery R. Sicher
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Arielle Duerr
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - William D. Starnes
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Nicole A. Crowley
- The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Kovács LÁ, Füredi N, Ujvári B, Golgol A, Gaszner B. Age-Dependent FOSB/ΔFOSB Response to Acute and Chronic Stress in the Extended Amygdala, Hypothalamic Paraventricular, Habenular, Centrally-Projecting Edinger-Westphal, and Dorsal Raphe Nuclei in Male Rats. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:862098. [PMID: 35592695 PMCID: PMC9110804 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.862098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
FOS proteins are early-responding gene products that contribute to the formation of activator protein-1. Several acute and chronic stimuli lead to Fos gene expression, accompanied by an increase of nuclear FOS, which appears to decline with aging. FOSB is another marker to detect acute cellular response, while ΔFOSB mirrors long-lasting changes in neuronal activity upon chronic stress. The notion that the occurrence of stress-related mood disorders shows some age dependence suggests that the brain's stress sensitivity is also a function of age. To study age-dependent stress vulnerability at the immediate-early gene level, we aimed to describe how the course of aging affects the neural responses of FOSB/ΔFOSB in the acute restraint stress (ARS), and chronic variable mild stress (CVMS) in male rats. Fourteen brain areas [central, medial, basolateral (BLA) amygdala; dorsolateral- (BNSTdl), oval- (BNSTov), dorsomedial-, ventral- (BNSTv), and fusiform- (BNSTfu) divisions of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis; medial and lateral habenula, hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal nucleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, barrel field of somatosensory cortex (S1)] were examined in the course of aging. Eight age groups [1-month-old (M), 1.5 M, 2 M, 3 M, 6 M, 12 M, 18 M, and 24 M] of rats were exposed to a single ARS vs. controls. In addition, rats in six age groups (2, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 M) were subjected to CVMS. The FOSB/ΔFOSB immunoreactivity (IR) was a function of age in both controls, ARS- and CVMS-exposed rats. ARS increased the FOSB/ΔFOSB in all nuclei (except in BLA), but only BNSTfu, BNSTv, and PVN reacted throughout the examined lifespan. The CVMS did not increase the FOSB/ΔFOSB in BLA, BNSTov, BNSTdl, and S1. PVN showed a constantly maintained FOSB/ΔFOSB IR during the examined life period. The maximum stress-evoked FOSB/ΔFOSB signal was detected at 2-3 M periods in the ARS- and at 6 M, 18 M in CVMS- model. Corresponding to our previous observations on FOS, the FOSB/ΔFOSB response to stress decreased with age in most of the examined nuclei. Only the PVN exerted a sustained age-independent FOSB/ΔFOSB, which may reflect the long-lasting adaptation response and plasticity of neurons that maintain the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis response throughout the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Ákos Kovács
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Center for Neuroscience & Szentagothai Research Center, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Nóra Füredi
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Center for Neuroscience & Szentagothai Research Center, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Balázs Ujvári
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Abolfazl Golgol
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Balázs Gaszner
- Department of Anatomy, Research Group for Mood Disorders, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- Center for Neuroscience & Szentagothai Research Center, Pécs University, Pécs, Hungary
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Potrebić M, Pavković Ž, Puškaš N, Pešić V. The Influence of Social Isolation on Social Orientation, Sociability, Social Novelty Preference, and Hippocampal Parvalbumin-Expressing Interneurons in Peripubertal Rats - Understanding the Importance of Meeting Social Needs in Adolescence. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:872628. [PMID: 35592640 PMCID: PMC9113078 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.872628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The fulfillment of belonging needs underlies a variety of behaviors. In order to understand how social needs unmet during maturation shape everyday life, we examined social motivation and cognition in peripubertal rats, as a rodent model of adolescence, subjected to social isolation (SI) during early and early-to-mid adolescence. The behavioral correlates of social orientation (social space preference), sociability (preference for social over non-social novelty), and social novelty preference (SNP) were examined in group-housed (GH) and single-housed (SH) rats in a 3-chamber test. The response to social odors was examined to gain insights into the developmental role of social odors in motivated social behavior. Differentiation between appetitive (number of visits/approaches) and consummatory (exploratory time) aspects of motivated social behavior was done to determine which facet of social motivation characterizes maturation when social needs are met and which aspect dominates when social needs are unsatisfied. The SI-sensitive parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PVI) in the hippocampus were examined using immunohistochemistry. The main findings are the following: (1) in GH rats, the preference for social space is not evident regardless of animals' age, while sociability becomes apparent in mid-adolescence strictly through consummatory behavior, along with complete SNP (appetitive, consummatory); (2) SH promotes staying in a social chamber/space regardless of animals' age and produces an appetitive preference for it only in early-adolescent animals; (3) SH promotes sociability (appetitive, consummatory) regardless of the animals' age and prevents the SNP; (4) the preference for a social odor is displayed in all the groups through consummatory behavior, while appetitive behavior is evident only in SH rats; (5) the response to social odors does not commensurate directly to the response to conspecifics; (6) SH does not influence PVI in the hippocampus, except in the case of early-adolescence when a transient decrease in the dentate gyrus is observed. These results accentuate the developmental complexity of social motivation and cognition, and the power of SI in adolescence to infringe social maturation at different functional levels, promoting appetitive behavior toward peers overall but harming the interest for social novelty. The findings emphasize the importance of the fulfillment of basic social needs in the navigation through the social world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Potrebić
- Molecular Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Željko Pavković
- Molecular Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nela Puškaš
- Institute of Histology and Embryology “Aleksandar Đ. Kostić”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Vesna Pešić
- Molecular Neurobiology and Behavior, Department of Neurobiology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Neurocan regulates vulnerability to stress and the anti-depressant effect of ketamine in adolescent rats. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2522-2532. [PMID: 35264728 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Depression is more prevalent among adolescents than adults, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Using a subthreshold chronic stress model, here we show that developmentally regulated expressions of the perineuronal nets (PNNs), and one of the components, Neurocan in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) are important for the vulnerability to stress and depressive-like behaviors in both adolescent and adult rats. Reduction of PNNs or Neurocan with pharmacological or viral methods to mimic the expression of PNNs in the PrL during adolescence compromised resilience to stress in adult rats, while virally mediated overexpression of Neurocan reversed vulnerability to stress in adolescent rats. Ketamine, a recent-approved drug for treatment-resistant depression rescued impaired function of Parvalbumin-positive neurons function, increased expression of PNNs in the PrL, and reversed depressive-like behaviors in adolescent rats. Furthermore, we show that Neurocan mediates the anti-depressant effect of ketamine, virally mediated reduction of Neurocan in the PrL abolished the anti-depressant effect of ketamine in adolescent rats. Our findings show an important role of Neurocan in depression in adolescence, and suggest a novel mechanism for the anti-depressant effect of ketamine.
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Schalbetter SM, von Arx AS, Cruz-Ochoa N, Dawson K, Ivanov A, Mueller FS, Lin HY, Amport R, Mildenberger W, Mattei D, Beule D, Földy C, Greter M, Notter T, Meyer U. Adolescence is a sensitive period for prefrontal microglia to act on cognitive development. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabi6672. [PMID: 35235358 PMCID: PMC8890703 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi6672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a cortical brain region that regulates various cognitive functions. One distinctive feature of the PFC is its protracted adolescent maturation, which is necessary for acquiring mature cognitive abilities in adulthood. Here, we show that microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, contribute to this maturational process. We find that transient and cell-specific deficiency of prefrontal microglia in adolescence is sufficient to induce an adult emergence of PFC-associated impairments in cognitive functions, dendritic complexity, and synaptic structures. While prefrontal microglia deficiency in adolescence also altered the excitatory-inhibitory balance in adult prefrontal circuits, there were no cognitive sequelae when prefrontal microglia were depleted in adulthood. Thus, our findings identify adolescence as a sensitive period for prefrontal microglia to act on cognitive development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sina M. Schalbetter
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anina S. von Arx
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Cruz-Ochoa
- Laboratory of Neural Connectivity, Faculties of Medicine and Natural Sciences, Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kara Dawson
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andranik Ivanov
- Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Flavia S. Mueller
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Han-Yu Lin
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - René Amport
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Wiebke Mildenberger
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Daniele Mattei
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dieter Beule
- Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Csaba Földy
- Laboratory of Neural Connectivity, Faculties of Medicine and Natural Sciences, Brain Research Institute, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Greter
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Tina Notter
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, UK
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zürich-Vetsuisse, Zürich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
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36
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Tsai CW, Tsai SJ, Pan YJ, Lin HM, Pan TY, Yang FY. Transcranial Ultrasound Stimulation Reverses Behavior Changes and the Expression of Calcium-Binding Protein in a Rodent Model of Schizophrenia. Neurotherapeutics 2022; 19:649-659. [PMID: 35229268 PMCID: PMC9226253 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-022-01195-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunctions are a core feature of schizophrenia that may be linked to abnormalities in gamma-aminobutyric-acid (GABA)ergic neurons. Traditional antipsychotics show poor efficacy in treating cognitive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the restorative role of transcranial ultrasound stimulation (TUS) in counteracting dizocilpine (MK-801)-induced cognitive deficits and GABAergic interneuron dysfunction in a simulation of schizophrenia. Some rats subjected to MK-801 administration were treated with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) daily for 5 days, while other rats subjected to MK-801 administration received no LIPUS treatment. After LIPUS treatment, the neuroprotective effects of LIPUS in the LIPUS-treated rats were assessed through behavioral analysis, western blotting, and histological observations. Compared with the MK-801-treated group, the MK-801 plus LIPUS-treated rats revealed a preference for novel objects. The MK-801 plus LIPUS-treated rats also exhibited a significant decrease in swim times compared to the MK-801-treated rats. LIPUS stimulation significantly increased hippocampal levels of CB and PV and restored the cell densities of PV + and CB + in the cingulate cortex in the MK-801 plus LIPUS-treated group. In addition, LIPUS stimulation rebalanced the BDNF levels in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. Our findings indicate that LIPUS improves cognitive deficits and ameliorates neuropathology in MK-801-treated rats. These results suggest that LIPUS may constitute a potential novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Wen Tsai
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Jen Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
- Division of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ju Pan
- Department of Psychiatry, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan
- Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Mei Lin
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yu Pan
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Yi Yang
- Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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Larsen B, Cui Z, Adebimpe A, Pines A, Alexander-Bloch A, Bertolero M, Calkins ME, Gur RE, Gur RC, Mahadevan AS, Moore TM, Roalf DR, Seidlitz J, Sydnor VJ, Wolf DH, Satterthwaite TD. A developmental reduction of the excitation:inhibition ratio in association cortex during adolescence. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabj8750. [PMID: 35119918 PMCID: PMC8816330 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj8750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is hypothesized to be a critical period for the development of association cortex. A reduction of the excitation:inhibition (E:I) ratio is a hallmark of critical period development; however, it has been unclear how to assess the development of the E:I ratio using noninvasive neuroimaging techniques. Here, we used pharmacological fMRI with a GABAergic benzodiazepine challenge to empirically generate a model of E:I ratio based on multivariate patterns of functional connectivity. In an independent sample of 879 youth (ages 8 to 22 years), this model predicted reductions in the E:I ratio during adolescence, which were specific to association cortex and related to psychopathology. These findings support hypothesized shifts in E:I balance of association cortices during a neurodevelopmental critical period in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Larsen
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Zaixu Cui
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Azeez Adebimpe
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Adam Pines
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Max Bertolero
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Monica E. Calkins
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Raquel E. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ruben C. Gur
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Arun S. Mahadevan
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Tyler M. Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - David R. Roalf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Valerie J. Sydnor
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Daniel H. Wolf
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Theodore D. Satterthwaite
- Penn Lifespan Neuroinformatics Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Lifespan Brain Institute (LiBI) of Penn Medicine and CHOP, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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38
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Yang S, Tseng KY. Maturation of Corticolimbic Functional Connectivity During Sensitive Periods of Brain Development. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 53:37-53. [PMID: 34386969 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The maturation of key corticolimbic structures and the prefrontal cortex during sensitive periods of brain development from early life through adolescence is crucial for the acquisition of a variety of cognitive and affective processes associated with adult behavior. In this chapter, we first review how key cellular and circuit level changes during adolescence dictate the development of the prefrontal cortex and its capacity to integrate contextual and emotional information from the ventral hippocampus and the amygdala. We further discuss how afferent transmission from ventral hippocampal and amygdala inputs displays unique age-dependent trajectories that directly impact prefrontal functional maturation through adolescence. We conclude by proposing that time-sensitive strengthening of specific corticolimbic synapses is a critical contributing factor for the protracted maturation of cognitive and emotional regulation by the prefrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaolin Yang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kuei Y Tseng
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago - College of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
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39
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OUP accepted manuscript. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4619-4639. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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40
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Kalemaki K, Velli A, Christodoulou O, Denaxa M, Karagogeos D, Sidiropoulou K. The Developmental Changes in Intrinsic and Synaptic Properties of Prefrontal Neurons Enhance Local Network Activity from the Second to the Third Postnatal Weeks in Mice. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:3633-3650. [PMID: 34905772 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab438] [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: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is characterized by protracted maturation. The cellular mechanisms controlling the early development of prefrontal circuits are still largely unknown. Our study delineates the developmental cellular processes in the mouse medial PFC (mPFC) during the second and the third postnatal weeks and characterizes their contribution to the changes in network activity. We show that spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSC) are increased, whereas spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSC) are reduced from the second to the third postnatal week. Drug application suggested that the increased sEPSC frequency in mPFC at postnatal day 10 (P10) is due to depolarizing γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor function. To further validate this, perforated patch-clamp recordings were obtained and the expression levels of K-Cl cotransporter 2 (KCC2) protein were examined. The reversal potential of IPSCs in response to current stimulation was significantly more depolarized at P10 than P20 while KCC2 expression is decreased. Moreover, the number of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons increases and their intrinsic electrophysiological properties significantly mature in the mPFC from P10 to P20. Using computational modeling, we show that the developmental changes in synaptic and intrinsic properties of mPFC neurons contribute to the enhanced network activity in the juvenile compared with neonatal mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Kalemaki
- Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion GR70013, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), FORTH, Heraklion GR70013, Greece
| | - Angeliki Velli
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), FORTH, Heraklion GR70013, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion GR70013, Greece
| | - Ourania Christodoulou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion GR70013, Greece.,Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center 'Alexander Fleming', Heraklion GR70013, Greece
| | - Myrto Denaxa
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center 'Alexander Fleming', Heraklion GR70013, Greece
| | - Domna Karagogeos
- Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion GR70013, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), FORTH, Heraklion GR70013, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Sidiropoulou
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB), FORTH, Heraklion GR70013, Greece.,Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion GR70013, Greece
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41
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Woodward EM, Coutellier L. Age- and sex-specific effects of stress on parvalbumin interneurons in preclinical models: Relevance to sex differences in clinical neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1228-1242. [PMID: 34718048 PMCID: PMC8642301 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, with the capacity to impact susceptibility to disease as well as long-term neurobiological and behavioral outcomes. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, the most prominent subtype of GABAergic interneurons in the cortex, are uniquely responsive to stress due to their protracted development throughout the highly plastic neonatal period and into puberty and adolescence. Additionally, PV + interneurons appear to respond to stress in a sex-specific manner. This review aims to discuss existing preclinical studies that support our overall hypothesis that the sex-and age-specific impacts of stress on PV + interneurons contribute to differences in individual vulnerability to stress across the lifespan, particularly in regard to sex differences in the diagnostic rate of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases in clinical populations. We also emphasize the importance of studying sex as a biological variable to fully understand the mechanistic and behavioral differences between males and females in models of neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 53 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States.
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Ellis SN, Honeycutt JA. Sex Differences in Affective Dysfunction and Alterations in Parvalbumin in Rodent Models of Early Life Adversity. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:741454. [PMID: 34803622 PMCID: PMC8600234 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.741454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The early life environment markedly influences brain and behavioral development, with adverse experiences associated with increased risk of anxiety and depressive phenotypes, particularly in females. Indeed, early life adversity (ELA) in humans (i.e., caregiver deprivation, maltreatment) and rodents (i.e., maternal separation, resource scarcity) is associated with sex-specific emergence of anxious and depressive behaviors. Although these disorders show clear sex differences in humans, little attention has been paid toward evaluating sex as a biological variable in models of affective dysfunction; however, recent rodent work suggests sex-specific effects. Two widely used rodent models of ELA approximate caregiver deprivation (i.e., maternal separation) and resource scarcity (i.e., limited bedding). While these approaches model aspects of ELA experienced in humans, they span different portions of the pre-weaning developmental period and may therefore differentially contribute to underlying mechanistic risk. This is borne out in the literature, where evidence suggests differences in trajectories of behavior depending on the type of ELA and/or sex; however, the neural underpinning of these differences is not well understood. Because anxiety and depression are thought to involve dysregulation in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling in ELA-vulnerable brain regions (e.g., prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus), outcomes are likely driven by alterations in local and/or circuit-specific inhibitory activity. The most abundant GABAergic subtypes in the brain, accounting for approximately 40% of inhibitory neurons, contain the calcium-binding protein Parvalbumin (PV). As PV-expressing neurons have perisomatic and proximal dendritic targets on pyramidal neurons, they are well-positioned to regulate excitatory/inhibitory balance. Recent evidence suggests that PV outcomes following ELA are sex, age, and region-specific and may be influenced by the type and timing of ELA. Here, we suggest the possibility of a combined role of PV and sex hormones driving differences in behavioral outcomes associated with affective dysfunction following ELA. This review evaluates the literature across models of ELA to characterize neural (PV) and behavioral (anxiety- and depressive-like) outcomes as a function of sex and age. Additionally, we detail a putative mechanistic role of PV on ELA-related outcomes and discuss evidence suggesting hormone influences on PV expression/function which may help to explain sex differences in ELA outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seneca N Ellis
- Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
| | - Jennifer A Honeycutt
- Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States.,Department of Psychology, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
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Dwir D, Cabungcal JH, Xin L, Giangreco B, Parietti E, Cleusix M, Jenni R, Klauser P, Conus P, Cuénod M, Steullet P, Do KQ. Timely N-Acetyl-Cysteine and Environmental Enrichment Rescue Oxidative Stress-Induced Parvalbumin Interneuron Impairments via MMP9/RAGE Pathway: A Translational Approach for Early Intervention in Psychosis. Schizophr Bull 2021; 47:1782-1794. [PMID: 34080015 PMCID: PMC8530393 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbab066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Research in schizophrenia (SZ) emphasizes the need for new therapeutic approaches based on antioxidant/anti-inflammatory compounds and psycho-social therapy. A hallmark of SZ is a dysfunction of parvalbumin-expressing fast-spiking interneurons (PVI), which are essential for neuronal synchrony during sensory/cognitive processing. Oxidative stress and inflammation during early brain development, as observed in SZ, affect PVI maturation. We compared the efficacy of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and/or environmental enrichment (EE) provided during juvenile and/or adolescent periods in rescuing PVI impairments induced by an additional oxidative insult during childhood in a transgenic mouse model with gluthation deficit (Gclm KO), relevant for SZ. We tested whether this rescue was promoted by the inhibition of MMP9/RAGE mechanism, both in the mouse model and in early psychosis (EP) patients, enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of NAC supplementation for 6 months. We show that a sequential combination of NAC+EE applied after an early-life oxidative insult recovers integrity and function of PVI network in adult Gclm KO, via the inhibition of MMP9/RAGE. Six-month NAC treatment in EP patients reduces plasma sRAGE in association with increased prefrontal GABA, improvement of cognition and clinical symptoms, suggesting similar neuroprotective mechanisms. The sequential combination of NAC+EE reverses long-lasting effects of an early oxidative insult on PVI/perineuronal net (PNN) through the inhibition of MMP9/RAGE mechanism. In analogy, patients vulnerable to early-life insults could benefit from a combined pharmacological and psycho-social therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniella Dwir
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan-Harry Cabungcal
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lijing Xin
- Animal Imaging and Technology Core (AIT), Center for Biomedical Imaging (CIBM), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Basilio Giangreco
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Enea Parietti
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Martine Cleusix
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Raoul Jenni
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Klauser
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Conus
- Service of General Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michel Cuénod
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pascal Steullet
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Kim Q Do
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
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Coleman LG, Crews FT, Vetreno RP. The persistent impact of adolescent binge alcohol on adult brain structural, cellular, and behavioral pathology: A role for the neuroimmune system and epigenetics. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 160:1-44. [PMID: 34696871 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical neurodevelopmental window for maturation of brain structure, neurocircuitry, and glia. This development is sculpted by an individual's unique experiences and genetic background to establish adult level cognitive function and behavioral makeup. Alcohol abuse during adolescence is associated with an increased lifetime risk for developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Adolescents participate in heavy, episodic binge drinking that causes persistent changes in neurocircuitry and behavior. These changes may underlie the increased risk for AUD and might also promote cognitive deficits later in life. In this chapter, we have examined research on the persistent effects of adolescent binge-drinking both in humans and in rodent models. These studies implicate roles for neuroimmune signaling as well as epigenetic reprogramming of neurons and glia, which create a vulnerable neuroenvironment. Some of these changes are reversible, giving hope for future treatments to prevent many of the long-term consequences of adolescent alcohol abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leon G Coleman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
| | - Fulton T Crews
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ryan P Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Sydnor VJ, Larsen B, Bassett DS, Alexander-Bloch A, Fair DA, Liston C, Mackey AP, Milham MP, Pines A, Roalf DR, Seidlitz J, Xu T, Raznahan A, Satterthwaite TD. Neurodevelopment of the association cortices: Patterns, mechanisms, and implications for psychopathology. Neuron 2021; 109:2820-2846. [PMID: 34270921 PMCID: PMC8448958 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The human brain undergoes a prolonged period of cortical development that spans multiple decades. During childhood and adolescence, cortical development progresses from lower-order, primary and unimodal cortices with sensory and motor functions to higher-order, transmodal association cortices subserving executive, socioemotional, and mentalizing functions. The spatiotemporal patterning of cortical maturation thus proceeds in a hierarchical manner, conforming to an evolutionarily rooted, sensorimotor-to-association axis of cortical organization. This developmental program has been characterized by data derived from multimodal human neuroimaging and is linked to the hierarchical unfolding of plasticity-related neurobiological events. Critically, this developmental program serves to enhance feature variation between lower-order and higher-order regions, thus endowing the brain's association cortices with unique functional properties. However, accumulating evidence suggests that protracted plasticity within late-maturing association cortices, which represents a defining feature of the human developmental program, also confers risk for diverse developmental psychopathologies.
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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
| | - Bart Larsen
- 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
| | - Danielle S Bassett
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, School of Engineering & Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Arts & 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
| | - Aaron Alexander-Bloch
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Damien A Fair
- Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain, Institute of Child Development, College of Education and Human Development, Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA
| | - Conor Liston
- Department of Psychiatry and Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Allyson P Mackey
- Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Michael P Milham
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY 10022, USA; Center for Biomedical Imaging and Neuromodulation, Nathan Kline Institute, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Adam Pines
- 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
| | - David R Roalf
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jakob Seidlitz
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ting Xu
- Center for the Developing Brain, Child Mind Institute, New York, NY 10022, USA
| | - Armin Raznahan
- Section on Developmental Neurogenomics, NIMH Intramural Research Program, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, 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, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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46
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Smiley CE, Saleh HK, Nimchuk KE, Garcia-Keller C, Gass JT. Adolescent exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and ethanol heightens sensitivity to fear stimuli. Behav Brain Res 2021; 415:113517. [PMID: 34389427 PMCID: PMC8404161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) has doubled in prevalence over the past decade as a nation-wide trend toward legalization allows for increased drug accessibility. As a result, marijuana has become the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States particularly among the adolescent population. This is especially concerning since there is greater risk for the harmful side effects of drug use during this developmental period due to ongoing brain maturation. Increasing evidence indicates that CUD often occurs along with other debilitating conditions including both alcohol use disorder (AUD) and anxiety disorders such post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, exposure to cannabis, alcohol, and stress can induce alterations in glutamate regulation and homeostasis in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) that may lead to impairments in neuronal functioning and cognition. Therefore, in order to study the relationship between drug exposure and the development of PTSD, these studies utilized rodent models to determine the impact of adolescent exposure to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and ethanol on responses to fear stimuli during fear conditioning and used calcium imaging to measure glutamate activity in the prelimbic cortex during this behavioral paradigm. The results from these experiments indicate that adolescent exposure to THC and ethanol leads to enhanced sensitivity to fear stimuli both behaviorally and neuronally. Additionally, these effects were attenuated when animals were treated with the glutamatergic modulator N-acetylcysteine (NAC). In summary, these studies support the hypothesis that adolescent exposure to THC and ethanol leads to alterations in fear stimuli processing through glutamatergic reliant modifications in PFC signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cora E Smiley
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Basic Science Building, 173 Ashley Avenue, Room 403, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
| | - Heyam K Saleh
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Basic Science Building, 173 Ashley Avenue, Room 403, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
| | - Katherine E Nimchuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Basic Science Building, 173 Ashley Avenue, Room 403, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
| | - Constanza Garcia-Keller
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Basic Science Building, 173 Ashley Avenue, Room 403, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
| | - Justin T Gass
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Basic Science Building, 173 Ashley Avenue, Room 403, Charleston, SC, 29425, United States
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47
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Peters KZ, Zlebnik NE, Cheer JF. Cannabis exposure during adolescence: A uniquely sensitive period for neurobiological effects. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 161:95-120. [PMID: 34801175 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a crucial developmental period where neural circuits are refined and the brain is especially vulnerable to external insults. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system undergoes changes during adolescence which affect the way in which it modulates the development of other systems, in particular dopamine circuits, which show protracted development into adolescence. Given the rise of cannabis use by adolescents and young people, as well as variants containing increasingly higher concentrations of THC, it is now crucial to understand the unique effects of adolescent exposure to cannabis on the developing brain and it might shape future adult vulnerabilities to conditions such as psychosis, schizophrenia, addiction and more. Here we discuss the development of the eCB system across the lifespan, how CB1 receptors modulate dopamine release and potential neurobiological and behavioral effects of adolescent THC exposure on the developing brain such as alterations in excitatory/inhibitory balance during this developmental period.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Z Peters
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Sussex Neuroscience, School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, United Kingdom.
| | - N E Zlebnik
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - J F Cheer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
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48
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Loh MK, Rosenkranz JA. Shifts in Medial Orbitofrontal Cortex Activity from Adolescence to Adulthood. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:528-539. [PMID: 34297804 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescents are characterized by a propensity for risky and impulsive behaviors, likely due to immature frontostriatal circuits. The medial orbitofrontal cortex (MO) is linked to risk and reward prediction during decision-making. Identifying age-dependent differences in MO activity and its inputs to downstream regions can elucidate the neural substrates that permit the transition from high-risk adolescent behaviors to increased risk assessment in adulthood. Action selection biased by information gathered by the MO is likely carried out by efferents into the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which guides reward-directed behaviors. Despite the large age dependency of risk-based decision-making, there is nothing known about adolescent MO activity. Here, we recorded action potentials of MO neurons from anesthetized adult and adolescent rats in vivo. On average, adolescent MO neurons fire faster and within narrower ranges than adults, and adolescents have more active MO neurons than adults. Using antidromic stimulation of axon terminals to identify MO neurons that project to NAc (MO→NAc), we found that adolescent MO→NAc neurons have a narrower range of firing frequencies than non-NAc-projecting MO neurons and adult MO→NAc neurons. These age-dependent differences in MO and MO→NAc populations may result from the fine-tuning of circuits between adolescence and adulthood that promote specific age-dependent behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine K Loh
- Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - J Amiel Rosenkranz
- Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
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49
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Bittar TP, Labonté B. Functional Contribution of the Medial Prefrontal Circuitry in Major Depressive Disorder and Stress-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:699592. [PMID: 34234655 PMCID: PMC8257081 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.699592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research on the neurobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanisms underlying its expression remain unknown. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a hub region involved in emotional processing and stress response elaboration, is highly impacted in MDD patients and animal models of chronic stress. Recent advances showed alterations in the morphology and activity of mPFC neurons along with profound changes in their transcriptional programs. Studies at the circuitry level highlighted the relevance of deciphering the contributions of the distinct prefrontal circuits in the elaboration of adapted and maladapted behavioral responses in the context of chronic stress. Interestingly, MDD presents a sexual dimorphism, a feature recognized in the molecular field but understudied on the circuit level. This review examines the recent literature and summarizes the contribution of the mPFC circuitry in the expression of MDD in males and females along with the morphological and functional alterations that change the activity of these neuronal circuits in human MDD and animal models of depressive-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault P. Bittar
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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50
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Delevich K, Klinger M, Okada NJ, Wilbrecht L. Coming of age in the frontal cortex: The role of puberty in cortical maturation. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 118:64-72. [PMID: 33985902 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Across species, adolescence is a period of growing independence that is associated with the maturation of cognitive, social, and affective processing. Reorganization of neural circuits within the frontal cortex is believed to contribute to the emergence of adolescent changes in cognition and behavior. While puberty coincides with adolescence, relatively little is known about which aspects of frontal cortex maturation are driven by pubertal development and gonadal hormones. In this review, we highlight existing work that suggests puberty plays a role in the maturation of specific cell types in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rodents, and highlight possible routes by which gonadal hormones influence frontal cortical circuit development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Delevich
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Madeline Klinger
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Nana J Okada
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Linda Wilbrecht
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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