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Rojas AKP, Linley SB, Vertes RP. Chemogenetic inactivation of the nucleus reuniens and its projections to the orbital cortex produce deficits on discrete measures of behavioral flexibility in the attentional set-shifting task. Behav Brain Res 2024; 470:115066. [PMID: 38801950 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115066] [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: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens (RE) of the ventral midline thalamus is a critical node in the communication between the orbitomedial prefrontal cortex (OFC) and the hippocampus (HF). While RE has been shown to directly participate in memory-associated functions through its connections with the medial prefrontal cortex and HF, less is known regarding the role of RE in executive functioning. Here, we examined the involvement of RE and its projections to the orbital cortex (ORB) in attention and behavioral flexibility in male rats using the attentional set shifting task (AST). Rats expressing the hM4Di DREADD receptor in RE were implanted with indwelling cannulas in either RE or the ventromedial ORB to pharmacologically inhibit RE or its projections to the ORB with intracranial infusions of clozapine-N-oxide hydrochloride (CNO). Chemogenetic-induced suppression of RE resulted in impairments in reversal learning and set-shifting. This supports a vital role for RE in behavioral flexibility - or the ability to adapt behavior to changing reward or rule contingencies. Interestingly, CNO suppression of RE projections to the ventromedial ORB produced impairments in rule abstraction - or dissociable effects elicited with direct RE suppression. In summary, the present findings indicate that RE, mediated in part by actions on the ORB, serves a critical role in the flexible use of rules to drive goal directed behavior. The cognitive deficits of various neurological disorders with impaired communication between the HF and OFC, may be partly attributed to alterations of RE -- as an established intermediary between these cortical structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K P Rojas
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Stephanie B Linley
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Robert P Vertes
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA.
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Panzer E, Guimares-Olmo I, Pereira de Vasconcelos A, Stéphan A, Cassel JC. In relentless pursuit of the white whale: A role for the ventral midline thalamus in behavioral flexibility and adaption? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105762. [PMID: 38857666 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105762] [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: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
The reuniens (Re) nucleus is located in the ventral midline thalamus. It has fostered increasing interest, not only for its participation in a variety of cognitive functions (e.g., spatial working memory, systemic consolidation, reconsolidation, extinction of fear or generalization), but also for its neuroanatomical positioning as a bidirectional relay between the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the hippocampus (HIP). In this review we compile and discuss recent studies having tackled a possible implication of the Re nucleus in behavioral flexibility, a major PFC-dependent executive function controlling goal-directed behaviors. Experiments considered explored a possible role for the Re nucleus in perseveration, reversal learning, fear extinction, and set-shifting. They point to a contribution of this nucleus to behavioral flexibility, mainly by its connections with the PFC, but possibly also by those with the hippocampus, and even with the amygdala, at least for fear-related behavior. As such, the Re nucleus could be a crucial crossroad supporting a PFC-orchestrated ability to cope with new, potentially unpredictable environmental contingencies, and thus behavioral flexibility and adaption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Panzer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Isabella Guimares-Olmo
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Aline Stéphan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France.
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Panzer E, Boch L, Cosquer B, Grgurina I, Boutillier AL, de Vasconcelos AP, Stephan A, Cassel JC. Disconnecting prefrontal cortical neurons from the ventral midline thalamus: Loss of specificity due to progressive neural toxicity of an AAV-Cre in the rat thalamus. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 405:110080. [PMID: 38369027 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The thalamic reuniens (Re) and rhomboid (Rh) nuclei are bidirectionally connected with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus (Hip). Fiber-sparing N-methyl-D-aspartate lesions of the ReRh disrupt cognitive functions, including persistence of certain memories. Because such lesions irremediably damage neurons interconnecting the ReRh with the mPFC and the Hip, it is impossible to know if one or both pathways contribute to memory persistence. Addressing such an issue requires selective, pathway-restricted and direction-specific disconnections. NEW METHOD A recent method associates a retrograde adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing Cre recombinase with an anterograde AAV expressing a Cre-dependent caspase, making such disconnection feasible by caspase-triggered apoptosis when both constructs meet intracellularly. We injected an AAVrg-Cre-GFP into the ReRh and an AAV5-taCasp into the mPFC. As expected, part of mPFC neurons died, but massive neurotoxicity of the AAVrg-Cre-GFP was found in ReRh, contrasting with normal density of DAPI staining. Other stainings demonstrated increasing density of reactive astrocytes and microglia in the neurodegeneration site. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Reducing the viral titer (by a 4-fold dilution) and injection volume (to half) attenuated toxicity substantially, still with evidence for partial disconnection between mPFC and ReRh. CONCLUSIONS There is an imperative need to verify potential collateral damage inherent in this type of approach, which is likely to distort interpretation of experimental data. Therefore, controls allowing to distinguish collateral phenotypic effects from those linked to the desired disconnection is essential. It is also crucial to know for how long neurons expressing the Cre-GFP protein remain operational post-infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elodie Panzer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Laurine Boch
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Brigitte Cosquer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Iris Grgurina
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Anne-Laurence Boutillier
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France
| | - Aline Stephan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France.
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg F-67000, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, Strasbourg F-67000, France.
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Rivera Núñez MV, McMakin D, Mattfeld AT. Nucleus Reuniens: Modulating Negative Overgeneralization in Periadolescents with Anxiety. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.14.567068. [PMID: 38014058 PMCID: PMC10680726 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.14.567068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Background Anxiety affects 4.4-million children in the United States with an onset between childhood and adolescence, a period marked by neural changes that impact emotions and memory. Negative overgeneralization - or responding similarly to innocuous events that share features with past aversive experiences - is common in anxiety but remains mechanistically underspecified. The nucleus reuniens (RE) has been considered a crucial candidate in the modulation of memory specificity. Our study investigated its activation and functional connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) as neurobiological mechanisms of negative overgeneralization in anxious youth. Methods As part of a secondary data analysis, we examined data from 34 participants between 9-14 years (mean age ± SD, 11.4 ± 2.0 years, 16 females) with varying degrees of anxiety severity. During the Study session participants rated images as negative, neutral, and positive. After 12-hours, participants returned for a Test session, where they performed a memory recognition test with repeated (targets) and similar (lures) images. Labeling negative relative to neutral lures as "old" (false alarms) was our operational definition of negative overgeneralization. Results Negative relative to neutral false alarmed stimuli displayed elevated RE activation (at Study and Test) and increased functional connectivity with the CA1 (at Test only). Elevated anxiety severity was associated with reductions in the RE-mPFC functional coupling for neutral relative to negative stimuli. Exploratory analyses revealed similar patterns in activation and functional connectivity with positive stimuli. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the importance of the RE in the overgeneralization of memories in anxious youth.
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Hamilton JJ, Dalrymple-Alford JC. The thalamic reuniens is associated with consolidation of non-spatial memory too. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1215625. [PMID: 37600760 PMCID: PMC10433182 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1215625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens (RE) is situated in the midline thalamus and provides a key link between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. This anatomical relationship positions the Re as an ideal candidate to facilitate memory consolidation. However, there is no evidence that this role extends beyond spatial memory and contextual fear memory, which are both strongly associated with hippocampal function. We, therefore, trained intact male Long-Evans rats on an odor-trace-object paired-associate task where the explicit 10-s delay between paired items renders the task sensitive to hippocampal function. Neurons in the RE showed significantly increased activation of the immediate early gene (Zif268) when rats were re-tested for previous non-spatial memory 25 days after acquisition training, compared to a group tested at 5-days post-acquisition, as well as a control group tested 25 days after acquisition but with a new pair of non-spatial stimuli, and home cage controls. The remote recall group also showed relatively augmented IEG expression in the superficial layers of the medial PFC (anterior cingulate cortex and prelimbic cortex). These findings support the conclusion that the RE is preferentially engaged during remote recall in this non-spatial task and thus has a role beyond spatial memory and contextual fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J. Hamilton
- School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Brain Research New Zealand – Rangahau Roro Aotearoa, a National Centre of Research Excellence, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Brain Research New Zealand – Rangahau Roro Aotearoa, a National Centre of Research Excellence, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - John C. Dalrymple-Alford
- School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Brain Research New Zealand – Rangahau Roro Aotearoa, a National Centre of Research Excellence, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Brain Research New Zealand – Rangahau Roro Aotearoa, a National Centre of Research Excellence, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- New Zealand Brain Research Institute, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Bozic I, Rusterholz T, Mikutta C, Del Rio-Bermudez C, Nissen C, Adamantidis A. Coupling between the prelimbic cortex, nucleus reuniens, and hippocampus during NREM sleep remains stable under cognitive and homeostatic demands. Eur J Neurosci 2023; 57:106-128. [PMID: 36310348 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15853] [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: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The interplay between the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep contributes to the consolidation of contextual memories. To assess the role of the thalamic nucleus reuniens (Nre) in this interaction, we investigated the coupling of neuro-oscillatory activities among prelimbic cortex, Nre, and hippocampus across sleep states and their role in the consolidation of contextual memories using multi-site electrophysiological recordings and optogenetic manipulations. We showed that ripples are time-locked to the Up state of cortical slow waves, the transition from UP to DOWN state in thalamic slow waves, the troughs of cortical spindles, and the peaks of thalamic spindles during spontaneous sleep, rebound sleep and sleep following a fear conditioning task. In addition, spiking activity in Nre increased before hippocampal ripples, and the phase-locking of hippocampal ripples and thalamic spindles during NREM sleep was stronger after acquisition of a fear memory. We showed that optogenetic inhibition of Nre neurons reduced phase-locking of ripples to cortical slow waves in the ventral hippocampus whilst their activation altered the preferred phase of ripples to slow waves in ventral and dorsal hippocampi. However, none of these optogenetic manipulations of Nre during sleep after acquisition of fear conditioning did alter sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Collectively, these results showed that Nre is central in modulating hippocampus and cortical rhythms during NREM sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Bozic
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Rusterholz
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian Mikutta
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Privatklinik Meiringen, Meiringen, Switzerland.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Carlos Del Rio-Bermudez
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Nissen
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Antoine Adamantidis
- Zentrum für Experimentelle Neurologie, Department of Neurology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Biomedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Vertes RP, Linley SB, Rojas AKP. Structural and functional organization of the midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:964644. [PMID: 36082310 PMCID: PMC9445584 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.964644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus form a major part of the "limbic thalamus;" that is, thalamic structures anatomically and functionally linked with the limbic forebrain. The midline nuclei consist of the paraventricular (PV) and paratenial nuclei, dorsally and the rhomboid and nucleus reuniens (RE), ventrally. The rostral intralaminar nuclei (ILt) consist of the central medial (CM), paracentral (PC) and central lateral (CL) nuclei. We presently concentrate on RE, PV, CM and CL nuclei of the thalamus. The nucleus reuniens receives a diverse array of input from limbic-related sites, and predominantly projects to the hippocampus and to "limbic" cortices. The RE participates in various cognitive functions including spatial working memory, executive functions (attention, behavioral flexibility) and affect/fear behavior. The PV receives significant limbic-related afferents, particularly the hypothalamus, and mainly distributes to "affective" structures of the forebrain including the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. Accordingly, PV serves a critical role in "motivated behaviors" such as arousal, feeding/consummatory behavior and drug addiction. The rostral ILt receives both limbic and sensorimotor-related input and distributes widely over limbic and motor regions of the frontal cortex-and throughout the dorsal striatum. The intralaminar thalamus is critical for maintaining consciousness and directly participates in various sensorimotor functions (visuospatial or reaction time tasks) and cognitive tasks involving striatal-cortical interactions. As discussed herein, while each of the midline and intralaminar nuclei are anatomically and functionally distinct, they collectively serve a vital role in several affective, cognitive and executive behaviors - as major components of a brainstem-diencephalic-thalamocortical circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert P. Vertes
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Stephanie B. Linley
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychological Science, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA, United States
| | - Amanda K. P. Rojas
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
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Boch L, Morvan T, Neige T, Kobakhidze N, Panzer E, Cosquer B, de Vasconcelos AP, Stephan A, Cassel JC. Inhibition of the ventral midline thalamus does not alter encoding, short-term holding or retrieval of spatial information in rats performing a water-escape working memory task. Behav Brain Res 2022; 432:113979. [PMID: 35760217 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113979] [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: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is a function operating in three successive phases: encoding (sample trial), holding (delay), and retrieval (test trial) of information. Studies point to a possible implication of the thalamic reuniens nucleus (Re) in spatial WM (SWM). In which of the aforementioned 3 phases the Re has a function is largely unknown. Recently, in a delayed SWM water-escape task, we found that performance during the retrieval trial correlated positively with c-Fos expression in the Re nucleus, suggesting participation in retrieval. Here, we used the same task and muscimol (Musc) inhibition or DREADD(hM4Di)-mediated inhibition of the Re during information encoding, right thereafter (thereby affecting the holding phase), or during the retrieval trial. A 6-hour delay separated encoding from retrieval. Concerning SWM, Musc in the Re nucleus did not alter performance, be it during or after encoding, or during evaluation. CNO administered before encoding in DREADD-expressing rats was also ineffective, although CNO-induced inhibition disrupted set shifting performance, as found previously (Quet et al., Brain Struct Function 225, 2020), thereby validating DREADD efficiency. These findings are the first that do not support an implication of the Re nucleus in SWM. As most previous studies used T-maze alternation tasks, which carry high proactive interference risks, an important question to resolve now is whether these nuclei are required in (T-maze alternation) tasks using very short information-holding delays (seconds to minutes), and less so in other short-term spatial memory tasks with longer information holding intervals (hours) and therefore reduced interference risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurine Boch
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Morvan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thibaut Neige
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Nina Kobakhidze
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Elodie Panzer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Brigitte Cosquer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Aline Stephan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
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Hauer BE, Pagliardini S, Dickson CT. Tonic excitation of nucleus reuniens decreases prefrontal-hippocampal coordination during slow-wave states. Hippocampus 2022; 32:466-477. [PMID: 35522233 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens of the thalamus (RE) is an important node between the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus (HPC). Previously, we have shown that its mode of activity and its influence in mPFC-HPC communication is dependent upon brain state. During slow-wave states, RE units are closely and rhythmically coupled to the ongoing mPFC-slow oscillation (SO), while during activated (theta) states, RE neurons fire in an arrhythmic and tonically active manner. Inactivating the RE selectively impoverishes coordination of the SO between mPFC and HPC and interestingly, both mPFC and RE stimulation during the SO cause larger responses in the HPC than during theta. It is unclear if the activity patterns within the RE across states may play a role in both phenomena. Here, we optogenetically excited RE neurons in a tonic fashion to assess the impact on mPFC-HPC coupling. This stimulation decreased the influence of mPFC stimulation in the HPC during SO states, in a manner similar to what is observed across state changes into theta. Importantly, this type of stimulation had no effect on evoked responses during theta. Perhaps more interestingly, tonic optogenetic excitation of the RE also decreased mPFC-HPC SO coherence. Thus, it may not be the integrity of the RE per se that is responsible for efficient communication between mPFC and HPC, but rather the particular state in which RE neurons find themselves. Our results have direct implications for how distant brain regions can communicate most effectively, an issue that is ultimately important for activity-dependent processes occurring during slow-wave sleep-dependent memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon E Hauer
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Silvia Pagliardini
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Clayton T Dickson
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Physiology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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10
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Zorzo C, Arias JL, Méndez M. Functional neuroanatomy of allocentric remote spatial memory in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104609. [PMID: 35278596 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Successful spatial cognition involves learning, consolidation, storage, and later retrieval of a spatial memory trace. The functional contributions of specific brain areas and their interactions during retrieval of past spatial events are unclear. This systematic review collects studies about allocentric remote spatial retrieval assessed at least two weeks post-acquisition in rodents. Results including non-invasive interventions, brain lesion and inactivation experiments, pharmacological treatments, chemical agent administration, and genetic manipulations revealed that there is a normal forgetting when time-periods are close to or exceed one month. Moreover, changes in the morphology and functionality of neocortical areas, hippocampus, and other subcortical structures, such as the thalamus, have been extensively observed as a result of spatial memory retrieval. In conclusion, apart from an increasingly neocortical recruitment in remote spatial retrieval, the hippocampus seems to participate in the retrieval of fine spatial details. These results help to better understand the timing of memory maintenance and normal forgetting, outlining the underlying brain areas implicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA).
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA).
| | - Marta Méndez
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA).
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11
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Lee J, Kim N, Jeong H, Jun JY, Yoo SY, Lee SH, Lee J, Lee YJ, Kim SJ. Gray Matter Volume of Thalamic Nuclei in Traumatized North Korean Refugees. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:756202. [PMID: 35573348 PMCID: PMC9095986 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.756202] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current study investigated differences in the regional gray matter (GM) volume of specific thalamic nuclei between North Korean (NK) refugees and South Korean (SK) residents. It also investigated associations between thalamic GM volume changes and psychological symptoms. Psychological evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging were conducted on 50 traumatized NK refugees and 55 non-traumatized SK residents. The regional GM volume ratios in the bilateral thalami were calculated for all participants using voxel-based morphometry. NK refugees showed greater GM volume ratios in the right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei compared with SK residents. NK refugees also exhibited more depressive symptoms than SK residents. However, increased GM volume ratios in both right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei were correlated with fewer depressive symptoms in NK refugees, but not in SK residents. The findings indicate that traumatized NK refugees had increased GM volumes in the right medial-posterior nuclei and left medial nuclei, which were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. The enlarged specific thalamic nuclei presented among refugees in the current study might be associated with a neurobiological compensatory mechanism that prevents the development or progression of depression in refugees after repetitive traumatic experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiye Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Nambeom Kim
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hyunwoo Jeong
- Geumsan-gun Public Health Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin Yong Jun
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - So Young Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - So Hee Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, National Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jooyoung Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yu Jin Lee
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Sleep and Chronobiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seog Ju Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Namkung H, Thomas KL, Hall J, Sawa A. Parsing neural circuits of fear learning and extinction across basic and clinical neuroscience: Towards better translation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104502. [PMID: 34921863 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decades, studies of fear learning and extinction have advanced our understanding of the neurobiology of threat and safety learning. Animal studies can provide mechanistic/causal insights into human brain regions and their functional connectivity involved in fear learning and extinction. Findings in humans, conversely, may further enrich our understanding of neural circuits in animals by providing macroscopic insights at the level of brain-wide networks. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement in translation between basic and clinical research on fear learning and extinction. Through the lens of neural circuits, in this article, we aim to review the current knowledge of fear learning and extinction in both animals and humans, and to propose strategies to fill in the current knowledge gap for the purpose of enhancing clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Namkung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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13
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Griffin AL. The nucleus reuniens orchestrates prefrontal-hippocampal synchrony during spatial working memory. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:415-420. [PMID: 34217746 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Spatial working memory, the ability to temporarily maintain an internal representation of spatial information for use in guiding upcoming decisions, has been shown to be dependent upon a network of brain structures that includes the hippocampus, a region known to be critical for spatial navigation and episodic memory, and the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a region known to be critical for executive function and goal directed behavior. Oscillatory synchronization between the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to increase in situations of high working memory demand. Most of our knowledge about the anatomical connectivity between the PFC and hippocampus comes from the rodent literature. Thus, most of the findings that will be discussed here model human working memory using spatial working memory-dependent maze navigation tasks in rodents. It has been demonstrated that the ventral midline thalamic nucleus reuniens (Re) is reciprocally connected to both the infralimbic and prelimbic subregions of the PFC, collectively referred to as the medial PFC (mPFC), and the hippocampus. Given that the Re serves as a major anatomical route between the mPFC and hippocampus, it is perhaps not surprising that Re has been shown to be critical for spatial working memory. This review will describe the latest findings and ideas on how the Re contributes to prefrontal-hippocampal synchronization and spatial working memory in rodents. The review will conclude with possible future directions that will advance the understanding of the mechanisms that enable the Re to orchestrate long range synchrony in the prefrontal-hippocampal network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Griffin
- University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19711, United States.
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14
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Cassel JC, Ferraris M, Quilichini P, Cholvin T, Boch L, Stephan A, Pereira de Vasconcelos A. The reuniens and rhomboid nuclei of the thalamus: A crossroads for cognition-relevant information processing? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 126:338-360. [PMID: 33766671 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.03.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Over the past twenty years, the reuniens and rhomboid (ReRh) nuclei, which constitute the ventral midline thalamus, have received constantly growing attention. Since our first review article about the functional contributions of ReRh nuclei (Cassel et al., 2013), numerous (>80) important papers have extended anatomical knowledge, including at a developmental level, introduced new and very original electrophysiological insights on ReRh functions, and brought novel results on cognitive and non-cognitive implications of the ReRh. The current review will cover these recent articles, more on Re than on Rh, and their contribution will be approached according to their affiliation with work before 2013. These neuroanatomical, electrophysiological or behavioral findings appear coherent and point to the ReRh nuclei as two major components of a multistructural system supporting numerous cognitive (and non-cognitive) functions. They gate the flow of information, perhaps especially from the medial prefrontal cortex to the hippocampus and back, and coordinate activity and processing across these two (and possibly other) brain regions of major cognitive relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Maëva Ferraris
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France
| | - Pascale Quilichini
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France
| | - Thibault Cholvin
- Institute for Physiology I, University Clinics Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Laurine Boch
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Aline Stephan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives, Université de Strasbourg, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
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15
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Ferraris M, Cassel JC, Pereira de Vasconcelos A, Stephan A, Quilichini PP. The nucleus reuniens, a thalamic relay for cortico-hippocampal interaction in recent and remote memory consolidation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:339-354. [PMID: 33631314 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The consolidation of declarative memories is believed to occur mostly during sleep and involves a dialogue between two brain regions, the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex. The information encoded during experience by neuronal assemblies is replayed during sleep leading to the progressive strengthening and integration of the memory trace in the prefrontal cortex. The gradual transfer of information from the hippocampus to the medial prefrontal cortex for long-term storage requires the synchronization of cortico-hippocampal networks by different oscillations, like ripples, spindles, and slow oscillations. Recent studies suggest the involvement of a third partner, the nucleus reuniens, in memory consolidation. Its bidirectional connections with the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex place the reuniens in a key position to relay information between the two structures. Indeed, many topical works reveal the original role that the nucleus reuniens occupies in different recent and remote memories consolidation. This review aimed to examine these contributions, as well as its functional embedment in this complex memory network, and provide some insights on the possible mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëva Ferraris
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, INS, Inst Neurosci Syst, Marseille, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire De Neurosciences Cognitives Et Adaptatives, Université De Strasbourg, F-67000, Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Pereira de Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire De Neurosciences Cognitives Et Adaptatives, Université De Strasbourg, F-67000, Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Aline Stephan
- Laboratoire De Neurosciences Cognitives Et Adaptatives, Université De Strasbourg, F-67000, Strasbourg, France; LNCA, UMR 7364 - CNRS, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
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16
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Linley SB, Athanason AC, Rojas AK, Vertes RP. Role of the reuniens and rhomboid thalamic nuclei in anxiety‐like avoidance behavior in the rat. Hippocampus 2021; 31:756-769. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie B. Linley
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida USA
- Department of Psychology Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida USA
| | | | - Amanda K.P. Rojas
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida USA
| | - Robert P. Vertes
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida USA
- Department of Psychology Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida USA
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17
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Wolff M, Morceau S, Folkard R, Martin-Cortecero J, Groh A. A thalamic bridge from sensory perception to cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 120:222-235. [PMID: 33246018 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The ability to adapt to dynamic environments requires tracking multiple signals with variable sensory salience and fluctuating behavioral relevance. This complex process requires integrative crosstalk between sensory and cognitive brain circuits. Functional interactions between cortical and thalamic regions are now considered essential for both sensory perception and cognition but a clear account of the functional link between sensory and cognitive circuits is currently lacking. This review aims to document how thalamic nuclei may effectively act as a bridge allowing to fuse perceptual and cognitive events into meaningful experiences. After highlighting key aspects of thalamocortical circuits such as the classic first-order/higher-order dichotomy, we consider the role of the thalamic reticular nucleus from directed attention to cognition. We next summarize research relying on Pavlovian learning paradigms, showing that both first-order and higher-order thalamic nuclei contribute to associative learning. Finally, we propose that modulator inputs reaching all thalamic nuclei may be critical for integrative purposes when environmental signals are computed. Altogether, the thalamus appears as the bridge linking perception, cognition and possibly affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Wolff
- CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France.
| | - S Morceau
- CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France; University of Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, Bordeaux, France
| | - R Folkard
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, INF 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - J Martin-Cortecero
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, INF 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - A Groh
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Medical Biophysics, Heidelberg University, INF 326, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
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Troyner F, Bertoglio LJ. Nucleus reuniens of the thalamus controls fear memory reconsolidation. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 177:107343. [PMID: 33242589 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The nucleus reuniens has been shown to support the acquisition, consolidation, maintenance, destabilization upon retrieval, and extinction of aversive memories. However, the direct participation of this thalamic subregion in memory reconsolidation is yet to be examined. The present study addressed this question in contextually fear-conditioned rats. Post-reactivation infusion of the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol, the glutamate N2A-containing NMDA receptor antagonist TCN-201, or the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin into the NR induced significant impairments in memory reconsolidation. Administering muscimol or TCN-201 and anisomycin locally, or associating locally infused muscimol or TCN-201 with systemically administered clonidine, an α2-receptor adrenergic agonist that attenuates the noradrenergic tonus associated with memory reconsolidation, produced no further reduction in freezing times when compared with the muscimol-vehicle, TCN-201-vehicle, vehicle-anisomycin, and vehicle-clonidine groups. This pattern of results indicates that such treatment combinations produced no additive/synergistic effects on reconsolidation. It is plausible that NR inactivation and antagonism of glutamate N2A-containing NMDA receptors weakened/prevented the subsequent action of anisomycin and clonidine because they disrupted the early stages of signal transduction pathways involved in memory reconsolidation. It is noteworthy that these pharmacological interventions, either alone or combined, induced no contextual memory specificity changes, as assessed in a later test in a novel and unpaired context. Besides, omitting memory reactivation precluded the impairing effects of muscimol, TCN-201, anisomycin, and clonidine on reconsolidation. Together, the present findings demonstrate interacting mechanisms through which the NR can regulate contextual fear memory restabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Troyner
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Leandro Jose Bertoglio
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil.
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Thalamic nucleus reuniens regulates fear memory destabilization upon retrieval. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Quet E, Cassel JC, Cosquer B, Galloux M, Pereira De Vasconcelos A, Stéphan A. Ventral midline thalamus is not necessary for systemic consolidation of a social memory in the rat. Brain Neurosci Adv 2020; 4:2398212820939738. [PMID: 32954006 PMCID: PMC7479859 DOI: 10.1177/2398212820939738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
According to the standard theory of memory consolidation, recent memories
are stored in the hippocampus before their transfer to cortical
modules, a process called systemic consolidation. The ventral midline
thalamus (reuniens and rhomboid nuclei, ReRh) takes part in this
transfer as its lesion disrupts systemic consolidation of spatial and
contextual fear memories. Here, we wondered whether ReRh lesions would
also affect the systemic consolidation of another type of memory,
namely an olfaction-based social memory. To address this question we
focused on social transmission of food preference. Adult Long-Evans
rats were subjected to N-methyl-d-aspartate-induced,
fibre-sparing lesions of the ReRh nuclei or to a sham-operation, and
subsequently trained in a social transmission of food preference
paradigm. Retrieval was tested on the next day (recent memory,
nSham = 10, nReRh = 12) or after a 25-day
delay (remote memory, nSham = 10, nReRh = 10).
All rats, whether sham-operated or subjected to ReRh lesions, learned
and remembered the task normally, whatever the delay. Compared to our
former results on spatial and contextual fear memories (Ali et al.,
2017; Klein et al., 2019; Loureiro et al., 2012; Quet et al., 2020),
the present findings indicate that the ReRh nuclei might not be part
of a generic, systemic consolidation mechanism processing all kinds of
memories in order to make them persistent. The difference between
social transmission of food preference and spatial or contextual fear
memories could be explained by the fact that social transmission of
food preference is not hippocampus-dependent and that the persistence
of social transmission of food preference memory relies on different
circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etienne Quet
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Cassel
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Brigitte Cosquer
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marine Galloux
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne Pereira De Vasconcelos
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Aline Stéphan
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), UMR 7364, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Lin YJ, Chiou RJ, Chang CH. The Reuniens and Rhomboid Nuclei Are Required for Acquisition of Pavlovian Trace Fear Conditioning in Rats. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0106-20.2020. [PMID: 32527745 PMCID: PMC7317181 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0106-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The reuniens (Re) and rhomboid (Rh) nuclei (ReRh) of the midline thalamus interconnects the hippocampus (HPC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Several studies have suggested that the ReRh participates in various cognitive tasks. However, little is known about the contribution of the ReRh in Pavlovian trace fear conditioning, a procedure with a temporal gap between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US), and therefore making it harder for the animals to acquire. Because the HPC and mPFC are involved in trace, but not delay, fear conditioning and given the role of the ReRh in mediating this neurocircuitry, we hypothesized that ReRh inactivation leads to a learning deficit only in trace conditioning. In a series of experiments, we first examined the c-Fos expression in male Long-Evans rats and established that the ReRh was recruited in the encoding, but not the retrieval phase, of fear memory. Next, we performed behavioral pharmacology experiments and found that ReRh inactivation impaired only the acquisition, but not the consolidation or retrieval, of trace fear. However, although the ReRh was recruited during the encoding of delay fear demonstrated by c-Fos results, ReRh inactivation in any phases did not interfere with delay conditioning. Finally, we found that trace fear acquired under ReRh inactivation reprised when the ReRh was brought off-line during retrieval. Together, our data revealed the essential role of the ReRh in a learning task with temporally discontinuous stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ju Lin
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Ruei-Jen Chiou
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hui Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
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