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Chen CW, Yeh WL, Charoensaensuk V, Lin C, Yang LY, Chen MK, Yeh T, Tsai CF, Lu DY. Oral administration of osthole mitigates maladaptive behaviors through PPARα activation in mice subjected to repeated social defeat stress. Neurochem Int 2024; 179:105811. [PMID: 39053771 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105811] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Psychological stress induces neuroinflammatory responses, which are associated with the pathogenesis of various psychiatric disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Osthole-a natural coumarin isolated from the seeds of the Chinese herb Cnidium monnieri-exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects on the central nervous system. However, the therapeutic benefits of osthole against psychiatric disorders remain largely unknown. We previously demonstrated that mice subjected to repeated social defeat stress (RSDS) in the presence of aggressor mice exhibited symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, such as social avoidance and anxiety-like behaviors. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of osthole and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Osthole exerted therapeutic effects on cognitive behaviors, mitigating anxiety-like behaviors and social avoidance in a mouse model of RSDS. The anti-inflammatory response induced by the oral administration of osthole was strengthened through the upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 expression. The expression of PPARα was inhibited in mice subjected to RSDS. Nonetheless, osthole treatment reversed the inhibition of PPARα expression. We identified a positive correlation between heme oxygenase-1 expression and PPARα expression in osthole-treated mice. In conclusion, osthole has potential as a Chinese herbal medicine for anxiety disorders. When designing novel drugs for psychiatric disorders, researchers should consider targeting the activation of PPARα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Wei Chen
- Institute of Translational Medicine and New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Lan Yeh
- Institute of Translational Medicine and New Drug Development, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Vichuda Charoensaensuk
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chingju Lin
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Yo Yang
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Mao-Kai Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Tong Yeh
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Fang Tsai
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - Dah-Yuu Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Ren L, Fan Y, Wu W, Qian Y, He M, Li X, Wang Y, Yang Y, Wen X, Zhang R, Li C, Chen X, Hu J. Anxiety Disorders: Treatments, Models, and Circuitry Mechanisms. Eur J Pharmacol 2024:176994. [PMID: 39271040 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2024] [Revised: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are one of the most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide, imposing a significant burden on individuals affected by them and society in general. Current research endeavors aim to enhance the effectiveness of existing anxiolytic drugs and reduce their side effects through optimization or the development of new treatments. Several anxiolytic novel drugs have been produced as a result of discovery-focused research. However, many drug candidates that show promise in preclinical rodent model studies fail to offer any substantive clinical benefits to patients. This review provides an overview of the diagnosis and classification of anxiety disorders together with a systematic review of anxiolytic drugs with a focus on their targets, therapeutic applications, and side effects. It also provides a concise overview of the constraints and disadvantages associated with frequently administered anxiolytic drugs. Additionally, the study comprehensively reviews animal models used in anxiety studies and their associated molecular mechanisms, while also summarizing the brain circuitry related to anxiety. In conclusion, this article provides a valuable foundation for future anxiolytic drug discovery efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ren
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China.
| | - Yue Fan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Wenjian Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yuanxin Qian
- Acupuncture and Massage College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Miao He
- College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xinlong Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yizhu Wang
- School of clinical medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Acupuncture and Massage College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xuetong Wen
- Acupuncture and Massage College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Ruijia Zhang
- Acupuncture and Massage College, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Chenhang Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Xin Chen
- School of clinical medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sichuan Chengdu, 611137, China
| | - Jingqing Hu
- Institute of Basic Theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100700, China.
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Raymond JS, Rehn S, James MH, Everett NA, Bowen MT. Sex differences in the social motivation of rats: Insights from social operant conditioning, behavioural economics, and video tracking. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:57. [PMID: 39030614 PMCID: PMC11264584 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00612-4] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social behaviour plays a key role in mental health and wellbeing, and developing greater understanding of mechanisms underlying social interaction-particularly social motivation-holds substantial transdiagnostic impact. Common rodent behavioural assays used to assess social behaviour are limited in their assessment of social motivation, whereas the social operant conditioning model can provide unique and valuable insights into social motivation. Further characterisation of common experimental parameters that may influence social motivation within the social operant model, as well as complementary methodological and analytical approaches, are warranted. METHODS This study investigated the effects of biological sex, housing condition, and time-of-day, on social motivation using the social operant model. This involved training rats to lever press (FR1) for 60-s access to a social reward (same-sex conspecific stimulus). Subjects were male and female Wistar rats, housed under individual or paired conditions, and sessions were conducted either in the mid-late light phase (ZT6-10) or early-mid dark phase (ZT13-17). A behavioural economics approach was implemented to measure social demand and the influence of stimulus partner sex (same- vs. opposite-sex stimulus) on social operant responding. Additionally, video tracking analyses were conducted to assess the degree of convergence between social appetitive and consummatory behaviours. RESULTS Biological sex, housing conditions, the interaction between sex and housing, and stimulus partner sex potently influenced social motivation, whereas time-of-day did not. Behavioural economics demonstrated that sex, housing, and their interaction influence both the hedonic set-point and elasticity of social demand. Video analysis of social interaction during social operant sessions revealed that social appetitive and consummatory behaviours are not necessarily convergent, and indicate potential social satiety. Lastly, oestrus phase of female experimental and stimulus rats did not impact social motivation within the model. CONCLUSIONS Social isolation-dependent sex differences exist in social motivation for rats, as assessed by social operant conditioning. The social operant model represents an optimal preclinical assay that comprehensively evaluates social motivation and offers a platform for future investigations of neurobiological mechanisms underlying sex differences in social motivation. These findings highlight the importance of continued consideration and inclusion of sex as a biological variable in future social operant conditioning studies. Humans are social creatures-our everyday interactions with others and the support this provides play a key role in our wellbeing. For those experiencing mental health conditions, people's motivation to engage with others can wane, which can lead them to withdraw from those who support them. Therefore, to develop better treatment strategies for these conditions, we need to gain a deeper understanding of social motivation. Studying social behaviour in animals can facilitate this investigation of social motivation as it allows for a causal understanding of underlying neurobiology that is not possible in human experiments. An optimal way to study social motivation in animals is using the social operant conditioning model, where rats learn to press a lever that opens a door and allows them to interact with another rat for a short time. This study characterised the social operant model by testing whether sex, housing conditions, time-of-day, and the sex of the stimulus partner influence rats' motivation to seek interaction with another rat. We found that female rats were more socially motivated than males, and that rats living alone were more motivated than those living with another rat; interestingly, this effect of housing affected females more than males. Regardless of sex, rats were more motivated to interact with a rat of the opposite sex. These findings provide insights into sex differences in social motivation in rats and new insights into the social operant model which will help guide future research into social motivation and other mental health conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel S Raymond
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simone Rehn
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Morgan H James
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Nicholas A Everett
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael T Bowen
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, 2050, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Nerio-Morales LK, Boender AJ, Young LJ, Lamprea MR, Smith AS. Limbic oxytocin receptor expression alters molecular signaling and social avoidance behavior in female prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster). Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1409316. [PMID: 39081850 PMCID: PMC11286410 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1409316] [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: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The social defeat paradigm is the most representative animal model to study social anxiety disorder (SAD) and its underlying neuronal mechanisms. We have previously reported that defeat progressively reduces oxytocin receptors (OXTR) in limbic regions of the brain over an eight-week period in female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Oxytocin receptors activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, which has been previously associated with the anxiolytic effects of oxytocin. Here, we assessed the functional significance of OXTR in stress-induced social avoidance and the response of the MAPK signaling pathway in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and basolateral amygdala (BLA) of female prairie voles. Methods In experiment 1, Sexually naïve adult female prairie voles were defeated for three consecutive days and tested a week after for social preference/avoidance (SPA) test. Control subjects were similarly handled without defeat conditioning. In experiment 2, sexually and stress naïve adult female prairie voles were bilaterally injected into the NAc, ACC, or the BLA with a CRISPR/Cas9 virus targeting the Oxtr coding sequence to induce OXTR knockdown. Two weeks post-surgery, subjects were tested for SPA behavior. Viral control groups were similarly handled but injected with a control virus. A subgroup of animals from each condition in both experiments were similarly treated and euthanized without being tested for SPA behavior. Brains were harvested for OXTR autoradiography, western blot analysis of MAPK proteins and quantification of local oxytocin content in the NAc, BLA, ACC, and PVN through ELISA. Results Social defeat reduced OXTR binding in the NAc and affected MAPK pathway activity and oxytocin availability. These results were region-specific and sensitive to exposure to the SPA test. Additionally, OXTR knockdown in the NAc, ACC, and BLA induced social avoidance and decreased basal MAPK activity in the NAc. Finally, we found that OXTR knockdown in these regions was associated with less availability of oxytocin in the PVN. Conclusion Dysregulation of the oxytocin system and MAPK signaling pathway in the NAc, ACC, and BLA are important in social behavior disruptions in female voles. This dysregulation could, therefore, play an important role in the etiology of SAD in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina K. Nerio-Morales
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Arjen J. Boender
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Larry J. Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Marisol R. Lamprea
- Department of Psychology, School of Human Sciences, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Adam S. Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- Program in Neuroscience, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
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Zoicas I, Licht C, Mühle C, Kornhuber J. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for depressive-like symptoms in rodent animal models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 162:105726. [PMID: 38762128 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105726] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) emerged as a non-invasive brain stimulation technique in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Both preclinical and clinical studies as well as systematic reviews provide a heterogeneous picture, particularly concerning the stimulation protocols used in rTMS. Here, we present a review of rTMS effects in rodent models of depressive-like symptoms with the aim to identify the most relevant factors that lead to an increased therapeutic success. The influence of different factors, such as the stimulation parameters (stimulus frequency and intensity, duration of stimulation, shape and positioning of the coil), symptom severity and individual characteristics (age, species and genetic background of the rodents), on the therapeutic success are discussed. Accumulating evidence indicates that rTMS ameliorates a multitude of depressive-like symptoms in rodent models, most effectively at high stimulation frequencies (≥5 Hz) especially in adult rodents with a pronounced pathological phenotype. The therapeutic success of rTMS might be increased in the future by considering these factors and using more standardized stimulation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Zoicas
- Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, Erlangen 91054, Germany.
| | - Christiane Licht
- Paracelsus Medical University, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Prof.-Ernst-Nathan-Str. 1, Nürnberg 90419, Germany
| | - Christiane Mühle
- Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, Erlangen 91054, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, Erlangen 91054, Germany
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Shekhar N, Thakur AK. Evaluation of the protective effect of capric acid on behavioral and biochemical alterations in valproic acid-induced model of autism. Neurochem Int 2024; 177:105767. [PMID: 38750962 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2024.105767] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
AIM AND OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study is to determine the neuroprotective effect of capric acid on sodium valproate-induced model of autism. METHODS In this study, the effect of CA was observed in animals with single dose of valproic acid (600 mg/kg, i. p.) where the disease condition was confirmed by developmental impairment in pups. Behavioral tests that assess anxiety, depression, stereotypical and repetitive behavior, social interaction, learning and memory, and other confounding variables were performed. Subsequently, oxidative stress parameters, pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and mitochondrial complex activities in the selected brain regions were analyzed. RESULTS Valproic acid successfully produced autism-like symptoms from post-natal day 7 and also demonstrated impairment in social behavior, learning and memory, and anxiety and depression. Valproic acid was found to produce oxidative stress and neuro-inflammation in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum. Treatment with capric acid produced a positive effect on the alterations with maximum effects evident at 400 mg/kg, p. o. through amelioration of behavioral as well as biochemical changes. CONCLUSION The current study concluded that capric acid could act as a likely candidate for the treatment and management of autism via significant modulation of neurobehavioral parameters, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikhila Shekhar
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi, 110 017, India
| | - Ajit Kumar Thakur
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, New Delhi, 110 017, India.
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Lozano-Ortiz K, Felix-Ortiz AC, Terrell JM, Ramos AR, Rodriguez-Romaguera J, Burgos-Robles A. The prelimbic prefrontal cortex mediates the development of lasting social phobia as a consequence of social threat conditioning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.04.597446. [PMID: 38895224 PMCID: PMC11185685 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.04.597446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Social phobia is highly detrimental for social behavior, mental health, and productivity. Despite much previous research, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms associated with the development of social phobia remain elusive. To investigate these issues, the present study implemented a mouse model of social threat conditioning in which mice received electric shock punishment upon interactions with unfamiliar conspecifics. This resulted in immediate reductions in social behavior and robust increases in defensive mechanisms such as avoidance, freezing, darting, and ambivalent stretched posture. Furthermore, social deficits lasted for prolonged periods and were independent of contextual settings, sex variables, or particular identity of the social stimuli. Shedding new light into the neurobiological factors contributing to this phenomenon, we found that optogenetic silencing of the prelimbic (PL), but not the infralimbic (IL), subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during training led to subsequent forgetting and development of lasting social phobia. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of NMDARs in PL also impaired the development of social phobia. These findings are consistent with the notion that social-related trauma is a prominent risk factor for the development of social phobia, and that this phenomenon engages learning-related mechanisms within the prelimbic prefrontal cortex to promote prolonged representations of social threat. Abstract Figure
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Grammer J, Valles R, Bowles A, Zelikowsky M. SAUSI: a novel assay for measuring social anxiety and motivation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.13.594023. [PMID: 38798428 PMCID: PMC11118329 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.13.594023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Social anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders, though the underlying neurobiology is poorly understood. Progress in understanding the etiology of social anxiety has been hindered by the lack of comprehensive tools to assess social anxiety in model systems. Here, we created a new behavioral task - Selective Access to Unrestricted Social Interaction (SAUSI), which combines elements of social motivation, hesitancy, decision-making, and free interaction to enable the wholistic assessment of social anxiety-like behaviors in mice. Using this novel assay, we found that social isolation-induced social anxiety-like behaviors in female mice are largely driven by increases in social fear, social hesitancy, and altered ultrasonic vocalizations. Deep learning analyses were able to computationally identify a unique behavioral footprint underlying the state produced by social isolation, demonstrating the compatibility of modern computational approaches with SAUSI. Finally, we compared the results of SAUSI to traditionally social assays including the 3-chamber sociability assay and the resident intruder task. This revealed that behavioral changes induced by isolation were highly context dependent, and that while fragments of social anxiety measured in SAUSI were replicable across other tasks, a wholistic assessment was not obtainable from these alternative assays. Our findings debut a novel task for the behavioral toolbox - one which overcomes limitations of previous assays, allowing for both social choice as well as free interaction, and offers a new approach for assessing social anxiety in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Grammer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, United States
| | - Rene Valles
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, United States
| | - Alexis Bowles
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Utah, United States
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Arakawa H, Tokashiki M, Higuchi Y, Konno T. Adolescent social isolation disrupts developmental tuning of neuropeptide circuits in the hypothalamus to amygdala regulating social and defensive behavior. Peptides 2024; 175:171178. [PMID: 38368908 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Engaging in positive social (i.e., prosocial) interactions during adolescence acts to modulate neural circuits that determine adult adaptive behavior. While accumulating evidence indicates that a strong craving for prosocial behavior contributes to sustaining neural development, the consequences of social deprivation during adolescence on social neural circuits, including those involving oxytocin (OXT) and vasopressin (AVP), are poorly characterized. We evaluated adaptive behaviors in socially isolated mice, including anxiety-like, social, and defensive behaviors, along with OXT and AVP neural profiles in relevant brain regions. Social isolation from postnatal day (P-)22 to P-48 induced enhanced defensive and exploratory behaviors, in nonsocial and social contexts. Unlike OXT neurons, AVP+ cell density in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus increases with age in males. Social isolation also modulated gene expression in the medial amygdala (MeA), including the upregulation of OXT receptors in males and the downregulation of AVP1a receptors in both sexes. Socially isolated mice showed an enhanced defensive, anogenital approach toward a novel adult female during direct social interactions. Subsequent c-Fos mapping revealed diminished neural activity in restricted brain areas, including the MeA, lateral septum, and posterior intralaminar nucleus of the thalamus, in socially isolated mice. These data indicate that neural signals arising from daily social interactions invoke region-specific modification of neuropeptide expression that coordinates with altered defensiveness and neural responsivities, including OXT- and AVP-projecting regions. The present findings indicate an involvement of OXT and AVP circuits in adolescent neural and behavioral plasticity that is tuned by daily social interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Arakawa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, MI, USA.
| | - Mana Tokashiki
- Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Yuki Higuchi
- Department of Systems Physiology, University of the Ryukyus Graduate School of Medicine, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Toshihiro Konno
- Department of Subtropical Agro-Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan; The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Matsumoto Y, Miwa H, Katayama KI, Watanabe A, Yamada K, Ito T, Nakagawa S, Aruga J. Slitrk4 is required for the development of inhibitory neurons in the fear memory circuit of the lateral amygdala. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1386924. [PMID: 38736483 PMCID: PMC11082273 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1386924] [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: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The Slitrk family consists of six synaptic adhesion molecules, some of which are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to investigate the physiological role of Slitrk4 by analyzing Slitrk4 knockout (KO) mice. The Slitrk4 protein was widely detected in the brain and was abundant in the olfactory bulb and amygdala. In a systematic behavioral analysis, male Slitrk4 KO mice exhibited an enhanced fear memory acquisition in a cued test for classical fear conditioning, and social behavior deficits in reciprocal social interaction tests. In an electrophysiological analysis using amygdala slices, Slitrk4 KO mice showed enhanced long-term potentiation in the thalamo-amygdala afferents and reduced feedback inhibition. In the molecular marker analysis of Slitrk4 KO brains, the number of calretinin (CR)-positive interneurons was decreased in the anterior part of the lateral amygdala nuclei at the adult stage. In in vitro experiments for neuronal differentiation, Slitrk4-deficient embryonic stem cells were defective in inducing GABAergic interneurons with an altered response to sonic hedgehog signaling activation that was involved in the generation of GABAergic interneuron subsets. These results indicate that Slitrk4 function is related to the development of inhibitory neurons in the fear memory circuit and would contribute to a better understanding of osttraumatic stress disorder, in which an altered expression of Slitrk4 has been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshifumi Matsumoto
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Developmental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Japan
| | - Hideki Miwa
- Department of Genetic and Behavioral Neuroscience, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei-ichi Katayama
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Developmental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Japan
| | - Arata Watanabe
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Nagasaki University Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Yamada
- Support Unit for Animal Experiments, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Japan
| | - Takashi Ito
- Department of Biochemistry, Nagasaki University Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shinsuke Nakagawa
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Nagasaki University Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Jun Aruga
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Developmental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako-shi, Japan
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Nagasaki University Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
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Gencturk S, Unal G. Rodent tests of depression and anxiety: Construct validity and translational relevance. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:191-224. [PMID: 38413466 PMCID: PMC11039509 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01171-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral testing constitutes the primary method to measure the emotional states of nonhuman animals in preclinical research. Emerging as the characteristic tool of the behaviorist school of psychology, behavioral testing of animals, particularly rodents, is employed to understand the complex cognitive and affective symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders. Following the symptom-based diagnosis model of the DSM, rodent models and tests of depression and anxiety focus on behavioral patterns that resemble the superficial symptoms of these disorders. While these practices provided researchers with a platform to screen novel antidepressant and anxiolytic drug candidates, their construct validity-involving relevant underlying mechanisms-has been questioned. In this review, we present the laboratory procedures used to assess depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in rats and mice. These include constructs that rely on stress-triggered responses, such as behavioral despair, and those that emerge with nonaversive training, such as cognitive bias. We describe the specific behavioral tests that are used to assess these constructs and discuss the criticisms on their theoretical background. We review specific concerns about the construct validity and translational relevance of individual behavioral tests, outline the limitations of the traditional, symptom-based interpretation, and introduce novel, ethologically relevant frameworks that emphasize simple behavioral patterns. Finally, we explore behavioral monitoring and morphological analysis methods that can be integrated into behavioral testing and discuss how they can enhance the construct validity of these tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinem Gencturk
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, 34342, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gunes Unal
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, 34342, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Dinur E, Goldenberg H, Robinson E, Naggan L, Kozela E, Yirmiya R. A Novel Anti-Inflammatory Formulation Comprising Celecoxib and Cannabidiol Exerts Antidepressant and Anxiolytic Effects. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2024; 9:561-580. [PMID: 36520610 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0225] [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] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Ample research shows that anti-inflammatory drugs, particularly celecoxib, exert antidepressant effects, especially in patients with microglia activation. However, substantial cardiovascular adverse effects limit celecoxib's usefulness. Given that cannabidiol (CBD) exerts anti-inflammatory, microglia-suppressive, and antidepressant effects, we hypothesized that it may potentiate the therapeutic effects of celecoxib. Methods: The effects of celecoxib, CBD, and their combination were examined in murine models of antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like behavioral responsiveness, including the forced swim test (FST), elevated plus maze (EPM), lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, and chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), as well as in microglia cell cultures. Results: Acute administration of a combination of celecoxib plus CBD, at doses that had no effects by themselves (10 and 5 mg/kg, respectively), produced significant antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in the FST and EPM, in male and female mice. In the LPS model, combinations of celecoxib (10 or 20 mg/kg) plus CBD (30 mg/kg) reversed the anxiety-like behavior in the open-field test (OFT) and anhedonia in the sucrose preference test (SPT), with minimal effects of celecoxib or CBD by themselves. In the CSDS paradigm, a combination of celecoxib plus CBD (each at 30 mg/kg) reversed the deficits in the OFT, EPM, social exploration, and SPT, whereas celecoxib or CBD by themselves had partial effects. In BV2 microglia cultures stimulated with LPS or α-synuclein, CBD markedly potentiated the suppressive effects of celecoxib over TNFα (tumor necrosis factor-α) and IL (interleukin)-1β secretion. Conclusions: Combinations of celecoxib plus CBD produce efficacious antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects, which may depend on their synergistic microglia-suppressive effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Dinur
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hagar Goldenberg
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Elad Robinson
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Lior Naggan
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ewa Kozela
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Raz Yirmiya
- Department of Psychology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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13
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Osakada T, Yan R, Jiang Y, Wei D, Tabuchi R, Dai B, Wang X, Zhao G, Wang CX, Liu JJ, Tsien RW, Mar AC, Lin D. A dedicated hypothalamic oxytocin circuit controls aversive social learning. Nature 2024; 626:347-356. [PMID: 38267576 PMCID: PMC11102773 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06958-w] [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: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
To survive in a complex social group, one needs to know who to approach and, more importantly, who to avoid. In mice, a single defeat causes the losing mouse to stay away from the winner for weeks1. Here through a series of functional manipulation and recording experiments, we identify oxytocin neurons in the retrochiasmatic supraoptic nucleus (SOROXT) and oxytocin-receptor-expressing cells in the anterior subdivision of the ventromedial hypothalamus, ventrolateral part (aVMHvlOXTR) as a key circuit motif for defeat-induced social avoidance. Before defeat, aVMHvlOXTR cells minimally respond to aggressor cues. During defeat, aVMHvlOXTR cells are highly activated and, with the help of an exclusive oxytocin supply from the SOR, potentiate their responses to aggressor cues. After defeat, strong aggressor-induced aVMHvlOXTR cell activation drives the animal to avoid the aggressor and minimizes future defeat. Our study uncovers a neural process that supports rapid social learning caused by defeat and highlights the importance of the brain oxytocin system in social plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Osakada
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Rongzhen Yan
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yiwen Jiang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dongyu Wei
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rina Tabuchi
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bing Dai
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiaohan Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gavin Zhao
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Clara Xi Wang
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing-Jing Liu
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard W Tsien
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adam C Mar
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dayu Lin
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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14
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Walker SL, Sud N, Beyene R, Palin N, Glasper ER. Paternal deprivation induces vigilance-avoidant behavior and accompanies sex-specific alterations in stress reactivity and central proinflammatory cytokine response in California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2317-2334. [PMID: 36988696 PMCID: PMC10599166 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06354-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Early-life stress (ELS) can increase anxiety, reduce prosocial behaviors, and impair brain regions that facilitate emotional and social development. This knowledge greatly stems from assessing disrupted mother-child relationships, while studies investigating the long-term effects of father-child relationships on behavioral development in children are scarce. However, available evidence suggests that fathers may uniquely influence a child's behavioral development in a sex-specific manner. Rodent models examining mother-offspring interaction demonstrate relationships among ELS, neuroinflammatory mediators, and behavioral development; yet, the role paternal care may play in neuroimmune functioning remains unreported. OBJECTIVES Using the biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), we examined to what extent paternal deprivation impairs social and anxiety-like behaviors, augments peripheral corticosterone (CORT) response, and alters central proinflammatory cytokine production following an acute stressor in adulthood. METHODS Biparentally reared and paternally deprived (permanent removal of the sire 24 h post-birth) adult mice were assessed for sociability, preference for social novelty, social vigilance, and social avoidance behaviors, followed by novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) testing for general anxiety-like behavior. Following an acute stressor, circulating CORT concentrations and region-specific proinflammatory cytokine concentrations were determined via radioimmunoassay and Luminex multianalyte analysis, respectively. RESULTS In response to a novel same-sex conspecific, social vigilance behavior was associated with reduced sociability and increased avoidance in paternally deprived mice-an effect not observed in biparentally reared counterparts. Yet, in response to a familiar same-sex conspecific, social vigilance persisted but only in paternally deprived females. The latency to consume during NSF testing was not significantly altered by paternal deprivation. In response to an acute physical stressor, lower circulating CORT concentrations were observed in paternally deprived females. Compared to control-reared males, paternal deprivation increased hypothalamic interleukin-1β, but decreased hippocampal IL-6 protein concentration. CONCLUSION Greater social vigilance behavior was demonstrated in paternally deprived mice while they avoided social interaction with a novel same-sex conspecific; however, in response to a familiar same-sex conspecific, paternal deprivation increased social vigilance behavior but only in females. It is possible that different neurobiological mechanisms underlie these observed behavioral outcomes as sex-specific central proinflammatory cytokine and stress responsivity were observed in paternally deprived offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakeera L Walker
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Neilesh Sud
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Rita Beyene
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Nicole Palin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Erica R Glasper
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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15
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Hoffmann LB, McVicar EA, Harris RV, Collar-Fernández C, Clark MB, Hannan AJ, Pang TY. Increased paternal corticosterone exposure influences offspring behaviour and expression of urinary pheromones. BMC Biol 2023; 21:186. [PMID: 37667240 PMCID: PMC10478242 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01678-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that paternal stress prior to conception can influence the innate behaviours of their offspring. The evolutionary impacts of such intergenerational effects are therefore of considerable interest. Our group previously showed in a model of daily stress that glucocorticoid treatment of adult male mouse breeders prior to conception leads to increased anxiety-related behaviours in male offspring. Here, we aimed to understand the transgenerational effects of paternal stress exposure on the social behaviour of progeny and its potential influence on reproductive success. RESULTS We assessed social parameters including social reward, male attractiveness and social dominance, in the offspring (F1) and grand-offspring (F2). We report that paternal corticosterone treatment was associated with increased display of subordination towards other male mice. Those mice were unexpectedly more attractive to female mice while expressing reduced levels of the key rodent pheromone Darcin, contrary to its conventional role in driving female attraction. We investigated the epigenetic regulation of major urinary protein (Mup) expression by performing the first Oxford Nanopore direct methylation of sperm DNA in a mouse model of stress, but found no differences in Mup genes that could be attributed to corticosterone-treatment. Furthermore, no overt differences of the prefrontal cortex transcriptome were found in F1 offspring, implying that peripheral mechanisms are likely contributing to the phenotypic differences. Interestingly, no phenotypic differences were observed in the F2 grand-offspring. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings highlight the potential of moderate paternal stress to affect intergenerational (mal)adaptive responses, informing future studies of adaptiveness in rodents, humans and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas B Hoffmann
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Evangeline A McVicar
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Rebekah V Harris
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Coralina Collar-Fernández
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael B Clark
- Centre for Stem Cell Systems, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Terence Y Pang
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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16
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Cook A, Beckmann H, Azap R, Ryu S. Acute Stress Modulates Social Approach and Social Maintenance in Adult Zebrafish. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0491-22.2023. [PMID: 37620148 PMCID: PMC10493981 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0491-22.2023] [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: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress alters social functioning in a complex manner. An important variable determining the final effects of stress is stressor intensity. However, the precise relationship between stressor intensity and social behavior is not well understood. Here, we investigate the effects of varying acute stressor intensity exposure on social behavior using adult zebrafish. We first establish a novel test using adult zebrafish that allows distinguishing fish's drive to approach a social cue and its ability to engage and maintain social interaction within the same behavioral paradigm. Next, we combined this test with a new method to deliver an acute stress stimulus of varying intensities. Our results show that both social approach and social maintenance are reduced in adult zebrafish on acute stress exposure in an intensity-dependent manner. Interestingly, lower stress intensity reduces social maintenance without affecting the social approach, while a higher stress level is required to alter social approach. These results provide evidence for a direct correlation between acute stressor intensity and social functioning and suggest that distinct steps in social behavior are modulated differentially by the acute stress level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Cook
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55116, Mainz, Germany
| | - Holger Beckmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55116, Mainz, Germany
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
| | - Rutkay Azap
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Soojin Ryu
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55116, Mainz, Germany
- Living Systems Institute, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QD, United Kingdom
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17
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Li Y, Zhi W, Qi B, Wang L, Hu X. Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1216524. [PMID: 37600761 PMCID: PMC10433239 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear refers to an adaptive response in the face of danger, and the formed fear memory acts as a warning when the individual faces a dangerous situation again, which is of great significance to the survival of humans and animals. Excessive fear response caused by abnormal fear memory can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Fear memory has been studied for a long time, which is of a certain guiding effect on the treatment of fear-related disorders. With continuous technological innovations, the study of fear has gradually shifted from the level of brain regions to deeper neural (micro) circuits between brain regions and even within single brain regions, as well as molecular mechanisms. This article briefly outlines the basic knowledge of fear memory and reviews the neurobiological mechanisms of fear extinction and relapse, which aims to provide new insights for future basic research on fear emotions and new ideas for treating trauma and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Qi
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
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18
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Bordes J, Miranda L, Reinhardt M, Narayan S, Hartmann J, Newman EL, Brix LM, van Doeselaar L, Engelhardt C, Dillmann L, Mitra S, Ressler KJ, Pütz B, Agakov F, Müller-Myhsok B, Schmidt MV. Automatically annotated motion tracking identifies a distinct social behavioral profile following chronic social defeat stress. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4319. [PMID: 37463994 PMCID: PMC10354203 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40040-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe stress exposure increases the risk of stress-related disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD). An essential characteristic of MDD is the impairment of social functioning and lack of social motivation. Chronic social defeat stress is an established animal model for MDD research, which induces a cascade of physiological and behavioral changes. Current markerless pose estimation tools allow for more complex and naturalistic behavioral tests. Here, we introduce the open-source tool DeepOF to investigate the individual and social behavioral profile in mice by providing supervised and unsupervised pipelines using DeepLabCut-annotated pose estimation data. Applying this tool to chronic social defeat in male mice, the DeepOF supervised and unsupervised pipelines detect a distinct stress-induced social behavioral pattern, which was particularly observed at the beginning of a novel social encounter and fades with time due to habituation. In addition, while the classical social avoidance task does identify the stress-induced social behavioral differences, both DeepOF behavioral pipelines provide a clearer and more detailed profile. Moreover, DeepOF aims to facilitate reproducibility and unification of behavioral classification by providing an open-source tool, which can advance the study of rodent individual and social behavior, thereby enabling biological insights and, for example, subsequent drug development for psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joeri Bordes
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Lucas Miranda
- Research Group Statistical Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Maya Reinhardt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Sowmya Narayan
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Jakob Hartmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Emily L Newman
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Lea Maria Brix
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Lotte van Doeselaar
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Clara Engelhardt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Larissa Dillmann
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Shiladitya Mitra
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Benno Pütz
- Research Group Statistical Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Agakov
- Pharmatics Limited, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX, Scotland, UK
| | - Bertram Müller-Myhsok
- Research Group Statistical Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.
| | - Mathias V Schmidt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.
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19
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Scott KA, Tan Y, Johnson DN, Elsaafien K, Baumer-Harrison C, Eikenberry SA, Sa JM, de Lartigue G, de Kloet AD, Krause EG. Mechanosensation of the heart and gut elicits hypometabolism and vigilance in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.547073. [PMID: 37425814 PMCID: PMC10327188 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.547073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Interoception broadly refers to awareness of one's internal milieu. Vagal sensory afferents monitor the internal milieu and maintain homeostasis by engaging brain circuits that alter physiology and behavior. While the importance of the body-to-brain communication that underlies interoception is implicit, the vagal afferents and corresponding brain circuits that shape perception of the viscera are largely unknown. Here, we use mice to parse neural circuits subserving interoception of the heart and gut. We determine vagal sensory afferents expressing the oxytocin receptor, hereafter referred to as NDGOxtr, send projections to the aortic arch or stomach and duodenum with molecular and structural features indicative of mechanosensation. Chemogenetic excitation of NDGOxtr significantly decreases food and water consumption, and remarkably, produces a torpor-like phenotype characterized by reductions in cardiac output, body temperature, and energy expenditure. Chemogenetic excitation of NDGOxtr also creates patterns of brain activity associated with augmented hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity and behavioral indices of vigilance. Recurrent excitation of NDGOxtr suppresses food intake and lowers body mass, indicating that mechanosensation of the heart and gut can exert enduring effects on energy balance. These findings suggest that the sensation of vascular stretch and gastrointestinal distention may have profound effects on whole body metabolism and mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen A. Scott
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Yalun Tan
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Dominique N. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Khalid Elsaafien
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Caitlin Baumer-Harrison
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Sophia A. Eikenberry
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Jessica M. Sa
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | | | - Annette D. de Kloet
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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20
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Bordes J, Miranda L, Müller-Myhsok B, Schmidt MV. Advancing social behavioral neuroscience by integrating ethology and comparative psychology methods through machine learning. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 151:105243. [PMID: 37225062 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Social behavior is naturally occurring in vertebrate species, which holds a strong evolutionary component and is crucial for the normal development and survival of individuals throughout life. Behavioral neuroscience has seen different influential methods for social behavioral phenotyping. The ethological research approach has extensively investigated social behavior in natural habitats, while the comparative psychology approach was developed utilizing standardized and univariate social behavioral tests. The development of advanced and precise tracking tools, together with post-tracking analysis packages, has recently enabled a novel behavioral phenotyping method, that includes the strengths of both approaches. The implementation of such methods will be beneficial for fundamental social behavioral research but will also enable an increased understanding of the influences of many different factors that can influence social behavior, such as stress exposure. Furthermore, future research will increase the number of data modalities, such as sensory, physiological, and neuronal activity data, and will thereby significantly enhance our understanding of the biological basis of social behavior and guide intervention strategies for behavioral abnormalities in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joeri Bordes
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Lucas Miranda
- Research Group Statistical Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Bertram Müller-Myhsok
- Research Group Statistical Genetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias V Schmidt
- Research Group Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany
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21
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Chen WH, Chiu CH, Farn SS, Cheng KH, Huang YR, Lee SY, Fang YC, Lin YH, Chang KW. Identification of the Hepatic Metabolites of Flumazenil and their Kinetic Application in Neuroimaging. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16050764. [PMID: 37242547 DOI: 10.3390/ph16050764] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of the neurobiological causes of anxiety disorders have suggested that the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system increases synaptic concentrations and enhances the affinity of GABAA (type A) receptors for benzodiazepine ligands. Flumazenil antagonizes the benzodiazepine-binding site of the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) complex in the central nervous system (CNS). The investigation of flumazenil metabolites using liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry will provide a complete understanding of the in vivo metabolism of flumazenil and accelerate radiopharmaceutical inspection and registration. The main goal of this study was to investigate the use of reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (PR-HPLC), coupled with electrospray ionization triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-QqQ MS), to identify flumazenil and its metabolites in the hepatic matrix. Carrier-free nucleophilic fluorination with an automatic synthesizer for [18F]flumazenil, combined with nano-positron emission tomography (NanoPET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging, was used to predict the biodistribution in normal rats. The study showed that 50% of the flumazenil was biotransformed by the rat liver homogenate in 60 min, whereas one metabolite (M1) was a methyl transesterification product of flumazenil. In the rat liver microsomal system, two metabolites were identified (M2 and M3), as their carboxylic acid and hydroxylated ethyl ester forms between 10 and 120 min, respectively. A total of 10-30 min post-injection of [18F]flumazenil showed an immediate decreased in the distribution ratio observed in the plasma. Nevertheless, a higher ratio of the complete [18F]flumazenil compound could be used for subsequent animal studies. [18F] According to in vivo nanoPET/CT imaging and ex vivo biodistribution assays, flumazenil also showed significant effects on GABAA receptor availability in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, cortex, and hippocampus in the rat brain, indicating the formation of metabolites. We reported the completion of the biotransformation of flumazenil by the hepatic system, as well as [18F]flumazenil's potential as an ideal ligand and PET agent for the determination of the GABAA/BZR complex for multiplex neurological syndromes at the clinical stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Hsi Chen
- Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan City 325207, Taiwan
| | - Chuang-Hsin Chiu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114202, Taiwan
| | - Shiou-Shiow Farn
- Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan City 325207, Taiwan
| | - Kai-Hung Cheng
- Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan City 325207, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Ruei Huang
- Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan City 325207, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Ying Lee
- Isotope Application Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan City 325207, Taiwan
| | - Yao-Ching Fang
- Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hua Lin
- Laboratory Animal Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
| | - Kang-Wei Chang
- Taipei Neuroscience Institute, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
- Laboratory Animal Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110301, Taiwan
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22
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Zoicas I, Mühle C, Schumacher F, Kleuser B, Kornhuber J. Development of Comorbid Depression after Social Fear Conditioning in Mice and Its Effects on Brain Sphingolipid Metabolism. Cells 2023; 12:1355. [PMID: 37408189 DOI: 10.3390/cells12101355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, there are no animal models for studying both specific social fear and social fear with comorbidities. Here, we investigated whether social fear conditioning (SFC), an animal model with face, predictive and construct validity for social anxiety disorder (SAD), leads to the development of comorbidities at a later stage over the course of the disease and how this affects the brain sphingolipid metabolism. SFC altered both the emotional behavior and the brain sphingolipid metabolism in a time-point-dependent manner. While social fear was not accompanied by changes in non-social anxiety-like and depressive-like behavior for at least two to three weeks, a comorbid depressive-like behavior developed five weeks after SFC. These different pathologies were accompanied by different alterations in the brain sphingolipid metabolism. Specific social fear was accompanied by increased activity of ceramidases in the ventral hippocampus and ventral mesencephalon and by small changes in sphingolipid levels in the dorsal hippocampus. Social fear with comorbid depression, however, altered the activity of sphingomyelinases and ceramidases as well as the sphingolipid levels and sphingolipid ratios in most of the investigated brain regions. This suggests that changes in the brain sphingolipid metabolism might be related to the short- and long-term pathophysiology of SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Zoicas
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christiane Mühle
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Fabian Schumacher
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Burkhard Kleuser
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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23
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Pan Y, Mou Q, Huang Z, Chen S, Shi Y, Ye M, Shao M, Wang Z. Chronic social defeat alters behaviors and neuronal activation in the brain of female Mongolian gerbils. Behav Brain Res 2023; 448:114456. [PMID: 37116662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Chronic social defeat has been found to be stressful and to affect many aspects of the brain and behaviors in males. However, relatively little is known about its effects on females. In the present study, we examined the effects of repeated social defeat on social approach and anxiety-like behaviors as well as the neuronal activation in the brain of sexually naïve female Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Our data indicate that repeated social defeats for 20 days reduced social approach and social investigation, but increased risk assessment or vigilance to an unfamiliar conspecific. Such social defeat experience also increased anxiety-like behavior and reduced locomotor activity. Using ΔFosB-immunoreactive (ΔFosB-ir) staining as a marker of neuronal activation in the brain, we found significant elevations by social defeat experience in the density of ΔFosB-ir stained neurons in several brain regions, including the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subnuclei of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), CA1 subfields (CA1) of the hippocampus, central subnuclei of the amygdala (CeA), the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), dorsomedial nucleus (DMH), and ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial nucleus (VMHvl) of the hypothalamus. As these brain regions have been implicated in social behaviors and stress responses, our data suggest that the specific patterns of neuronal activation in the brain may relate to the altered social and anxiety-like behaviors following chronic social defeat in female Mongolian gerbils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongliang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China.
| | - Qiuyue Mou
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Zhexue Huang
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Senyao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Yilei Shi
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Mengfan Ye
- Key Laboratory of Vector Biology and Pathogen Control of Zhejiang Province, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
| | - Mingqin Shao
- College of Life Science, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330022, China
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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24
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Koskinen MK, Hovatta I. Genetic insights into the neurobiology of anxiety. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:318-331. [PMID: 36828693 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.01.007] [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: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety and fear are evolutionarily conserved emotions that increase the likelihood of an organism surviving threatening situations. Anxiety and vigilance states are regulated by neural networks involving multiple brain regions. In anxiety disorders, this intricate regulatory system is disturbed, leading to excessive or prolonged anxiety or fear. Anxiety disorders have both genetic and environmental risk factors. Genetic research has the potential to identify specific genetic variants causally associated with specific phenotypes. In recent decades, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have revealed variants predisposing to neuropsychiatric disorders, suggesting novel neurobiological pathways in the etiology of these disorders. Here, we review recent human GWASs of anxiety disorders, and genetic studies of anxiety-like behavior in rodent models. These studies are paving the way for a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maija-Kreetta Koskinen
- SleepWell Research Program and Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, 00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Iiris Hovatta
- SleepWell Research Program and Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, PO Box 21, 00014, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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25
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Automated Synthesis of [18F]Flumazenil Application in GABAA Receptor Neuroimaging Availability for Rat Model of Anxiety. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16030417. [PMID: 36986516 PMCID: PMC10058208 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies have demonstrated that the γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor complex plays a central role in the modulation of anxiety. Conditioned fear and anxiety-like behaviors have many similarities at the neuroanatomical and pharmacological levels. The radioactive GABA/BZR receptor antagonist, fluorine-18-labeled flumazenil, [18F]flumazenil, behaves as a potential PET imaging agent for the evaluation of cortical damage of the brain in stroke, alcoholism, and for Alzheimer disease investigation. The main goal of our study was to investigate a fully automated nucleophilic fluorination system, with solid extraction purification, developed to replace traditional preparation methods, and to detect underlying expressions of contextual fear and characterize the distribution of GABAA receptors in fear-conditioned rats by [18F]flumazenil. A carrier-free nucleophilic fluorination method using an automatic synthesizer with direct labeling of a nitro-flumazenil precursor was implemented. The semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification method (RCY = 15–20%) was applied to obtain high purity [18F]flumazenil. Nano-positron emission tomography (NanoPET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging and ex vivo autoradiography were used to analyze the fear conditioning of rats trained with 1–10 tone-foot-shock pairings. The anxiety rats had a significantly lower cerebral accumulation (in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, cortex, and hippocampus) of fear conditioning. Our rat autoradiography results also supported the findings of PET imaging. Key findings were obtained by developing straightforward labeling and purification procedures that can be easily adapted to commercially available modules for the high radiochemical purity of [18F]flumazenil. The use of an automatic synthesizer with semi-preparative HPLC purification would be a suitable reference method for new drug studies of GABAA/BZR receptors in the future.
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26
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Loh MK, Stickling C, Schrank S, Hanshaw M, Ritger AC, Dilosa N, Finlay J, Ferrara NC, Rosenkranz JA. Liposaccharide-induced sustained mild inflammation fragments social behavior and alters basolateral amygdala activity. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:647-671. [PMID: 36645464 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06308-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Conditions with sustained low-grade inflammation have high comorbidity with depression and anxiety and are associated with social withdrawal. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is critical for affective and social behaviors and is sensitive to inflammatory challenges. Large systemic doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) initiate peripheral inflammation, increase BLA neuronal activity, and disrupt social and affective measures in rodents. However, LPS doses commonly used in behavioral studies are high enough to evoke sickness syndrome, which can confound interpretation of amygdala-associated behaviors. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The objectives of this study were to find a LPS dose that triggers mild peripheral inflammation but not observable sickness syndrome in adult male rats, to test the effects of sustained mild inflammation on BLA and social behaviors. To accomplish this, we administered single doses of LPS (0-100 μg/kg, intraperitoneally) and measured open field behavior, or repeated LPS (5 μg/kg, 3 consecutive days), and measured BLA neuronal firing, social interaction, and elevated plus maze behavior. RESULTS Repeated low-dose LPS decreased BLA neuron firing rate but increased the total number of active BLA neurons. Repeated low-dose LPS also caused early disengagement during social bouts and less anogenital investigation and an overall pattern of heightened social caution associated with reduced gain of social familiarity over the course of a social session. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence for parallel shifts in social interaction and amygdala activity caused by prolonged mild inflammation. This effect of inflammation may contribute to social symptoms associated with comorbid depression and chronic inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxine K Loh
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Courtney Stickling
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sean Schrank
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, North Chicago, USA
| | - Madison Hanshaw
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alexandra C Ritger
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Discipline of Neuroscience, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, North Chicago, USA
| | - Naijila Dilosa
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Joshua Finlay
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nicole C Ferrara
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA.,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - J Amiel Rosenkranz
- Discipline of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Foundational Sciences and Humanities, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, IL, 60064, North Chicago, USA. .,Center for Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA.
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27
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Coelho CM, Araújo AS, Suttiwan P, Zsido AN. An ethologically based view into human fear. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 145:105017. [PMID: 36566802 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The quality of the defensive response to a threat depends on the elements that trigger the fear response. The current classification system of phobias does not account for this. Here, we analyze the fear-eliciting elements and discern the different types of fears that originate from them. We propose Pain, Disgust, Vasovagal response, Visual-vestibular and postural interactions, Movement and Speed, Distance and Size, Low and mid-level visual features, Smell, and Territory and social status. We subdivide phobias according to the fear-eliciting elements most frequently triggered by them and their impact on behavior. We discuss the implications of a clinical conceptualization of phobias in humans by reconsidering the current nosology. This conceptualization will facilitate finding etiological factors in defensive behavior expression, fine-tuning exposure techniques, and challenging preconceived notions of preparedness. This approach to phobias leads to surprising discoveries and shows how specific responses bear little relation to the interpretation we might later give to them. Dividing fears into their potentially fear-eliciting elements can also help in applying the research principles formulated by the Research Domain Criteria initiative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Coelho
- University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal; Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Center for Psychology at University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana S Araújo
- Center for Psychology at University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; University of Maia, Maia, Portugal
| | - Panrapee Suttiwan
- Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Life Di Center, Faculty of Psychology, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
| | - Andras N Zsido
- Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, Pécs 7624, Hungary; Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs 7622, Hungary
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28
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von Mücke-Heim IA, Urbina-Treviño L, Bordes J, Ries C, Schmidt MV, Deussing JM. Introducing a depression-like syndrome for translational neuropsychiatry: a plea for taxonomical validity and improved comparability between humans and mice. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:329-340. [PMID: 36104436 PMCID: PMC9812782 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01762-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Depressive disorders are the most burdensome psychiatric disorders worldwide. Although huge efforts have been made to advance treatment, outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Many factors contribute to this gridlock including suboptimal animal models. Especially limited study comparability and replicability due to imprecise terminology concerning depressive-like states are major problems. To overcome these issues, new approaches are needed. Here, we introduce a taxonomical concept for modelling depression in laboratory mice, which we call depression-like syndrome (DLS). It hinges on growing evidence suggesting that mice possess advanced socioemotional abilities and can display non-random symptom patterns indicative of an evolutionary conserved disorder-like phenotype. The DLS approach uses a combined heuristic method based on clinical depression criteria and the Research Domain Criteria to provide a biobehavioural reference syndrome for preclinical rodent models of depression. The DLS criteria are based on available, species-specific evidence and are as follows: (I) minimum duration of phenotype, (II) significant sociofunctional impairment, (III) core biological features, (IV) necessary depressive-like symptoms. To assess DLS presence and severity, we have designed an algorithm to ensure statistical and biological relevance of findings. The algorithm uses a minimum combined threshold for statistical significance and effect size (p value ≤ 0.05 plus moderate effect size) for each DLS criterion. Taken together, the DLS is a novel, biologically founded, and species-specific minimum threshold approach. Its long-term objective is to gradually develop into an inter-model validation standard and microframework to improve phenotyping methodology in translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iven-Alex von Mücke-Heim
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany ,grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Department of Translational Research, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany ,grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Lidia Urbina-Treviño
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany
| | - Joeri Bordes
- grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany ,grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Munich, Germany
| | - Clemens Ries
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany ,grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias V. Schmidt
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan M. Deussing
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany
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29
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Sex differences in addiction-relevant behavioral outcomes in rodents following early life stress. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 6. [PMID: 37101684 PMCID: PMC10124992 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In humans, exposure to early life stress (ELS) is an established risk factor for the development of substance use disorders (SUDs) during later life. Similarly, rodents exposed to ELS involving disrupted mother-infant interactions, such as maternal separation (MS) or adverse caregiving due to scarcity-adversity induced by limited bedding and nesting (LBN) conditions, also exhibit long-term alterations in alcohol and drug consumption. In both humans and rodents, there is a range of addiction-related behaviors that are associated with drug use and even predictive of subsequent SUDs. In rodents, these include increased anxiety-like behavior, impulsivity, and novelty-seeking, altered alcohol and drug intake patterns, as well as disrupted reward-related processes involving consummatory and social behaviors. Importantly, the expression of these behaviors often varies throughout the lifespan. Moreover, preclinical studies suggest that sex differences play a role in how exposure to ELS impacts reward and addiction-related phenotypes as well as underlying brain reward circuitry. Here, addiction-relevant behavioral outcomes and mesolimbic dopamine (DA) dysfunction resulting from ELS in the form of MS and LBN are discussed with a focus on age- and sex-dependent effects. Overall, these findings suggest that ELS may increase susceptibility for later life drug use and SUDs by interfering with the normal maturation of reward-related brain and behavioral function.
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30
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Dorofeikova M, Borkar CD, Weissmuller K, Smith-Osborne L, Basavanhalli S, Bean E, Smith A, Duong A, Resendez A, Fadok JP. Effects of footshock stress on social behavior and neuronal activation in the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala of male and female mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281388. [PMID: 36757923 PMCID: PMC9910713 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Social behavior is complex and fundamental, and its deficits are common pathological features for several psychiatric disorders including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Acute stress may have a negative impact on social behavior, and these effects can vary based on sex. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of acute footshock stress, using analogous parameters to those commonly used in fear conditioning assays, on the sociability of male and female C57BL/6J mice in a standard social approach test. Animals were divided into two main groups of footshock stress (22 male, 24 female) and context exposed control (23 male and 22 female). Each group had mice that were treated intraperitoneally with either the benzodiazepine-alprazolam (control: 10 male, 10 female; stress: 11 male, 11 female), or vehicle (control: 13 male, 12 female; stress: 11 male, 13 female). In all groups, neuronal activation during social approach was assessed using immunohistochemistry against the immediate early gene product cFos. Although footshock stress did not significantly alter sociability or latency to approach a social stimulus, it did increase defensive tail-rattling behavior specifically in males (p = 0.0022). This stress-induced increase in tail-rattling was alleviated by alprazolam (p = 0.03), yet alprazolam had no effect on female tail-rattling behavior in the stress group. Alprazolam lowered cFos expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (p = 0.001 infralimbic area, p = 0.02 prelimbic area), and social approach induced sex-dependent differences in cFos activation in the ventromedial intercalated cell clusters (p = 0.04). Social approach following stress-induced cFos expression was positively correlated with latency to approach and negatively correlated with sociability in the prelimbic area and multiple amygdala subregions (all p < 0.05). Collectively, our results suggest that acute footshock stress induces sex-dependent alterations in defensiveness and differential patterns of cFos activation during social approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariia Dorofeikova
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Chandrashekhar D. Borkar
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | | | - Lydia Smith-Osborne
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States of America
| | - Samhita Basavanhalli
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Erin Bean
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Avery Smith
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Anh Duong
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Alexis Resendez
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
| | - Jonathan P. Fadok
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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31
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Rusconi F, Rossetti MG, Forastieri C, Tritto V, Bellani M, Battaglioli E. Preclinical and clinical evidence on the approach-avoidance conflict evaluation as an integrative tool for psychopathology. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 2022; 31:e90. [PMID: 36510831 PMCID: PMC9762142 DOI: 10.1017/s2045796022000725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The approach-avoidance conflict (AAC), i.e. the competing tendencies to undertake goal-directed actions or to withdraw from everyday life challenges, stands at the basis of humans' existence defining behavioural and personality domains. Gray's Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory posits that a stable bias toward approach or avoidance represents a psychopathological trait associated with excessive sensitivity to reward or punishment. Optogenetic studies in rodents and imaging studies in humans associated with cross-species AAC paradigms granted new emphasis to the hippocampus as a hub of behavioural inhibition. For instance, recent functional neuroimaging studies show that functional brain activity in the human hippocampus correlates with threat perception and seems to underlie passive avoidance. Therefore, our commentary aims to (i) discuss the inhibitory role of the hippocampus in approach-related behaviours and (ii) promote the integration of functional neuroimaging with cross-species AAC paradigms as a means of diagnostic, therapeutic, follow up and prognosis refinement in psychiatric populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Rusconi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - M. G. Rossetti
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - C. Forastieri
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - V. Tritto
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - M. Bellani
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Psychiatry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - E. Battaglioli
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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Wang Y, Bai Y, Xiao X, Wang L, Wei G, Guo M, Song X, Tian Y, Ming D, Yang J, Zheng C. Low-intensity focused ultrasound stimulation reverses social avoidance behavior in mice experiencing social defeat stress. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:5580-5596. [PMID: 35188969 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The excitatory neurons of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) respond to social stimuli. However, little is known about how the neural activity is altered during social avoidance, and whether it could act as a target of low-intensity focused ultrasound stimulation (LIFUS) to rescue social deficits. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of neuronal activities and inflammatory responses underlying the effect of LIFUS on social avoidance. We found that chronic LIFUS stimulation can effectively improve social avoidance in the defeated mice. Calcium imaging recordings by fiber photometry in the defeated mice showed inhibited ensemble activity during social behaviors. LIFUS instantaneously triggered the mPFC neuronal activities, and chronic LIFUS significantly enhanced their neuronal excitation related to social interactions. We further found that the excessive activation of microglial cells and the overexpression of the inflammation signaling, i.e. Toll-like receptors(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappaB(NF-КB), in mPFC were significantly inhibited by LIFUS. These results suggest that the LIFUS may inhibit social avoidance behavior by reducing activation of the inflammatory response, increasing neuronal excitation, and protecting the integrity of the neuronal structure in the mPFC. Our findings raised the possibility of LIFUS being applied as novel neuromodulation for social avoidance treatment in neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimeng Wang
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yang Bai
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xi Xiao
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China.,School of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Ganjiang Wei
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Mingkun Guo
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xizi Song
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yutao Tian
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Dong Ming
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China.,Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China.,School of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jiajia Yang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China.,School of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Chenguang Zheng
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Neuroengineering, Tianjin 300072, China.,School of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin University, #92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072, China
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Boudjafad Z, Lguensat A, Elmardadi K, Dahi A, Bennis M, Ba-M'hamed S, Garcia R. The socially enriched environment test: a new approach to evaluate social behavior in a mouse model of social anxiety disorder. Learn Mem 2022; 29:390-400. [PMID: 36253006 PMCID: PMC9578375 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053627.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common anxiety disorder characterized by a marked fear of social situations. Treatments for SAD, including exposure therapy and medication, are not satisfactory for all patients. This has led to the development of several paradigms to study social fear in rodents. However, there are still some social impairments observed in SAD patients that have never been examined in rodent models. Indeed, social situations avoided by SAD patients include not only social interactions but also public performances and being observed by others. Nevertheless, tests used to assess sociability in rodents evaluate mostly social interaction in pairs. Thus, we developed a new test-a socially enriched environment test-that evaluates sociability within a group of three unfamiliar conspecifics in an enriched environment. In this study, we induced a SAD-like behavior (i.e., social fear) in male mice using social fear conditioning (SFC) and then tested social fear using the socially enriched environment test and the three-chamber test. Finally, we tested the effects of fear extinction and acute diazepam treatment in reversing social fear. Results revealed, in conditioned mice, decreased object exploration in proximity to conspecifics, social interaction, and mouse-like object exploration. Extinction training, but not acute diazepam treatment, reversed SFC-induced behavioral changes. These findings demonstrate that the socially enriched environment test provides an appropriate behavioral approach to better understand the etiology of SAD. This test may also have important implications in the exploration of new treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zineb Boudjafad
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie, Anthropologie, et Environnement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Marocco
| | - Asmae Lguensat
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie, Anthropologie, et Environnement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Marocco
| | - Kenza Elmardadi
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie, Anthropologie, et Environnement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Marocco
| | - Asma Dahi
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie, Anthropologie, et Environnement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Marocco
| | - Mohamed Bennis
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie, Anthropologie, et Environnement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Marocco
| | - Saadia Ba-M'hamed
- Laboratoire de Pharmacologie, Neurobiologie, Anthropologie, et Environnement, Université Cadi Ayyad, Marrakech 40000, Marocco
| | - René Garcia
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Récits Cultures et Sociétés, Université Côte d'Azur, 06204 Nice, France
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Johnston MP, Wanat MJ. Mitigating the impact of adolescence isolation on the development of social anxiety: A potential role for oxytocin. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1038236. [PMID: 36311867 PMCID: PMC9608628 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1038236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to isolation can lead to the development of social anxiety disorder (SAD), which affects 13% of Americans. There are sex differences in the prevalence of anxiety disorders, as women experience higher rates of SAD relative to men. Importantly, isolation experienced during adolescence increases the likelihood of developing SAD in adulthood. Unfortunately, the current treatments for SAD are only effective in 50–65% of patients. As such, it is critical to identify therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of SAD, particularly in women. Here, we discuss the links between childhood isolation and adulthood SAD. Next, we examine the preclinical models used to study the impact of isolation on social anxiety-like behaviors in rodents. Increasing evidence from both clinical and pre-clinical studies suggests oxytocin signaling is a potential target to modify social anxiety-like behaviors. We present the evidence that sex hormones influence the oxytocin system. Finally, we highlight future directions for both clinical and pre-clinical studies to further evaluate the efficacy of oxytocin as a treatment for isolation-induced SAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan P Johnston
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Neurosciences Institute, Brain Health Consortium, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Matthew J Wanat
- Department of Neuroscience, Developmental, and Regenerative Biology, Neurosciences Institute, Brain Health Consortium, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
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Guo L, Qi YJ, Tan H, Dai D, Balesar R, Sluiter A, van Heerikhuize J, Hu SH, Swaab DF, Bao AM. Different oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing hormone system changes in bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder patients. EBioMedicine 2022; 84:104266. [PMID: 36126617 PMCID: PMC9489957 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.104266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Oxytocin (OXT) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) are both produced in hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Central CRH may cause depression-like symptoms, while peripheral higher OXT plasma levels were proposed to be a trait marker for bipolar disorder (BD). We aimed to investigate differential OXT and CRH expression in the PVN and their receptors in prefrontal cortex of major depressive disorder (MDD) and BD patients. In addition, we investigated mood-related changes by stimulating PVN-OXT in mice. Methods Quantitative immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization were performed in the PVN for OXT and CRH on 6 BD and 6 BD-controls, 9 MDD and 9 MDD-controls. mRNA expressions of their receptors (OXTR, CRHR1 and CRHR2) were determined in anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of 30 BD and 34 BD-controls, and 24 MDD and 12 MDD-controls. PVN of 41 OXT-cre mice was short- or long-term activated by chemogenetics, and mood-related behavior was compared with 26 controls. Findings Significantly increased OXT-immunoreactivity (ir), OXT-mRNA in PVN and increased OXTR-mRNA in DLPFC, together with increased ratios of OXT-ir/CRH-ir and OXTR-mRNA/CRHR-mRNA were observed in BD, at least in male BD patients, but not in MDD patients. PVN-OXT stimulation induced depression-like behaviors in male mice, and mixed depression/mania-like behaviors in female mice in a time-dependent way. Interpretation Increased PVN-OXT and DLPFC-OXTR expression are characteristic for BD, at least for male BD patients. Stimulation of PVN-OXT neurons induced mood changes in mice, in a pattern different from BD. Funding 10.13039/501100001809National Natural Science Foundation of China (81971268, 82101592).
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36
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Roberts AI, Roberts SGB. Intentional gesturing increases social complexity by allowing recipient's understanding of intentions when it is inhibited by stress. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210305. [PMID: 35934959 PMCID: PMC9358319 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Examining the links between intentional communication and social relationships provides insights into the cognitive skills needed to manage a differentiated set of social bonds. Great apes gesture intentionally, but how this intentionality relates to sociality is still unclear. Stress in the form of dominant audience members inhibits understanding of intentions, downgrading cognition to understanding of behaviour, but intentional communication may enable social bonding in stressful conditions. We examined the associations between gestural communication, sociality, stress and the outcome of interactions in wild chimpanzees. Social network size was positively associated with intentional but not non-intentional communication. When a dominant bystander was present with whom the recipient was weakly bonded, and gesturing was non-intentional, recipients produced avoidance response toward signallers to whom they were weakly bonded, indicating understanding of behaviour. Signallers used intentional gestures more frequently to recipients who were stressed, and intentional gestures evoked approach behaviour by the recipients, indicating understanding of intentionality. These results suggest that the presence of dominant bystanders is stressful, inhibiting understanding of intentionality. However, intentional gestures facilitate social bonding by allowing understanding of intentions. The cognitive skills underpinning intentional gestures may therefore play a key role in enabling primates to meet the demands of sociality. This article is part of the theme issue 'Cognition, communication and social bonds in primates'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ilona Roberts
- Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61614, Poznan, Poland
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Lilja A, Didio G, Hong J, Heo WD, Castrén E, Umemori J. Optical Activation of TrkB (E281A) in Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons of the Mouse Visual Cortex. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810249. [PMID: 36142154 PMCID: PMC9499497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), the receptor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), plays a key role in induced juvenile-like plasticity (iPlasticity), which allows restructuring of neural networks in adulthood. Optically activatable TrkB (optoTrkB) can temporarily and spatially evoke iPlasticity, and recently, optoTrkB (E281A) was developed as a variant that is highly sensitive to light stimulation while having lower basal activity compared to the original optoTrkB. In this study, we validate optoTrkB (E281A) activated in alpha calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II positive (CKII+) pyramidal neurons or parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons in the mouse visual cortex by immunohistochemistry. OptoTrkB (E281A) was activated in PV+ interneurons and CKII+ pyramidal neurons with blue light (488 nm) through the intact skull and fur, and through a transparent skull, respectively. LED light stimulation significantly increased the intensity of phosphorylated ERK and CREB even through intact skull and fur. These findings indicate that the highly sensitive optoTrkB (E281A) can be used in iPlasticity studies of both inhibitory and excitatory neurons, with flexible stimulation protocols in behavioural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Lilja
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giuliano Didio
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jongryul Hong
- Department of Biological Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Korea
| | - Won Do Heo
- Department of Biological Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Korea
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701, Korea
- KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Korea
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
- Correspondence: (E.C.); (J.U.)
| | - Juzoh Umemori
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
- Gene and Cell Technology, A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
- Correspondence: (E.C.); (J.U.)
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Wu O, Lu X, Yeo KJ, Xiao Y, Yip P. Assessing Prevalence and Unique Risk Factors of Suicidal Ideation among First-Year University Students in China Using a Unique Multidimensional University Personality Inventor. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10786. [PMID: 36078501 PMCID: PMC9517881 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND University students with suicidal ideation are at high risk of suicide, which constitutes a significant social and public health problem in China. However, little is known about the prevalence and associated risk factors of suicidal ideation among first-year university students in China, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVES To investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and its factors in first-year Chinese university students from a vocational college in Zhejiang during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Using a cluster sampling technique, a university-wide survey was conducted of 686 first-year university students from Hangzhou in March 2020 using University Personality Inventory (UPI). UPI includes an assessment for suicidal ideation and possible risk factors. Suicidal ideation prevalence was calculated for males and females. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression models were conducted, adjusting for age and sex. Analyses were carried out using the SPSS version 22.0 software. RESULTS The prevalence of 12-month suicidal ideation among first-year university students during March 2020 was 5.2%, and there was no significant difference between males and females (4.8% vs. 6.0%, x2 = 0.28, p = 0.597). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified social avoidance (B = 0.78, OR = 2.17, p < 0.001) and emotional vulnerability (B = 0.71, OR = 2.02, p < 0.001) as positively associated with suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS Social avoidance and emotional vulnerabilities are unique factors associated with greater suicidal ideation among first-year university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. UPI serves as a validated tool to screen suicide risks among Chinese university students. Encouraging social engagement and improving emotional regulation skills are promising targets to reduce suicidal ideation among first-year university students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ou Wu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310009, China
| | - Xi Lu
- Mental Health Education & Counseling Center, Hangzhou Vocational and Technical College, Hangzhou 314423, China
| | - Kee Jiar Yeo
- School of Education, University Teknologi, Johor Bahru 81310, Malaysia
| | - Yunyu Xiao
- Department of Population Health Science, Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Paul Yip
- Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
- Department of Social Work and Social Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
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Hazani R, Lavidor M, Weller A. Treatments for Social Interaction Impairment in Animal Models of Schizophrenia: A Critical Review and Meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull 2022; 48:1179-1193. [PMID: 35925025 PMCID: PMC9673263 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While pharmacological treatments for positive symptoms of schizophrenia are widely used, their beneficial effect on negative symptoms, particularly social impairment, is insufficiently studied. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in preclinical research of potentially beneficial treatments, with mixed results. The current review aims to evaluate the efficacy of available treatments for social deficits in different animal models of schizophrenia. STUDY DESIGN A systematic literature search generated 145 outcomes for the measures "total time" and "number" of social interactions. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated, and heterogeneity was tested using Q statistics in a random-effect meta-analytic model. Given the vast heterogeneity in effect sizes, the animal model, treatment group, and sample size were all examined as potential moderators. STUDY RESULTS The results showed that in almost all models, treatment significantly improved social deficit (total time: SMD = 1.24; number: SMD = 1.1). The moderator analyses discovered significant subgroup differences across models and treatment subgroups. Perinatal and adult pharmacological models showed the most substantial influence of treatments on social deficits, reflecting relative pharmacological validity. Furthermore, atypical antipsychotic drugs had the highest SMD within each model subgroup. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the improvement in social interaction behaviors is dependent on the animal model and treatment family used. Implications for the preclinical and clinical fields are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reut Hazani
- To whom correspondence should be addressed; Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel; tel: 972-3-531-8548, fax: 972-3-738-4173, e-mail:
| | - Michal Lavidor
- Psychology Department and Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Aron Weller
- Psychology Department and Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel
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Social Fear Affects Limbic System Neuronal Activity and Gene Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158228. [PMID: 35897794 PMCID: PMC9367789 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a highly prevalent and comorbid anxiety disorder with rather unclear underlying mechanisms. Here, we aimed to characterize neurobiological changes occurring in mice expressing symptoms of social fear and to identify possible therapeutic targets for SAD. Social fear was induced via social fear conditioning (SFC), a validated animal model of SAD. We assessed the expression levels of the immediate early genes (IEGs) cFos, Fosl2 and Arc as markers of neuronal activity and the expression levels of several genes of the GABAergic, serotoninergic, oxytocinergic, vasopressinergic and neuropeptide Y (NPY)-ergic systems in brain regions involved in social behavior or fear-related behavior in SFC+ and SFC− mice 2 h after exposure to a conspecific. SFC+ mice showed a decreased number and density of cFos-positive cells and decreased expression levels of IEGs in the dorsal hippocampus. SFC+ mice also showed alterations in the expression of NPY and serotonin system-related genes in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, basolateral amygdala, septum and dorsal raphe nucleus, but not in the dorsal hippocampus. Our results describe neuronal alterations occurring during the expression of social fear and identify the NPY and serotonergic systems as possible targets in the treatment of SAD.
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41
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Lu J, Huang C, Lu Q, Lu X. Therapeutic and Prophylactic Effects of Amphotericin B Liposomes on Chronic Social Defeat Stress-Induced Behavioral Abnormalities in Mice. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:918177. [PMID: 35910388 PMCID: PMC9335357 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.918177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recently, innate immune system stimulants, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF), were reported to prevent and reverse chronic stress-induced behavioral abnormalities, suggesting that innate immune stimulation could be a potential strategy for the treatment and prevention of mental disorders. Amphotericin B liposome is a clinically available antifungal medication that can stimulate macrophages and microglia. We hypothesize that amphotericin B liposome may be used to prevent and reverse behavioral abnormalities triggered by chronic stress. As expected, our results showed that a single injection of amphotericin B liposome (1 mg/kg) immediately after stress cessation reversed the decrease in time spent in the interaction zone in the social interaction test (SIT) and the increase in immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) in mice caused by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). In addition, a single injection of amphotericin B liposomes (1 mg/kg) 1 day before stress exposure was found to prevent the CSDS-induced decrease in time spent in the interaction zone in the SIT and the increase in immobility time in the TST and FST in mice. Pretreatment with minocycline to inhibit the innate immune response was able to abolish the reversal effect of post-stress injection of amphotericin B liposomes on CSDS-induced behavioral abnormalities and the prophylactic effect of pre-stress injection of amphotericin B liposomes on CSDS-induced behavioral abnormalities. These results demonstrate that amphotericin B liposomes have both therapeutic and prophylactic effects on chronic stress-induced behavioral abnormalities in mice by mobilizing the innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiashu Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, The People’s Hospital of Taizhou, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Taizhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jiashu Lu,
| | - Chao Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Qun Lu
- Department of Pharmacy, Nantong Third Hospital Affiliated to Nantong University, Nantong, China
| | - Xu Lu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, China
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Effects of endocannabinoid system modulation on social behaviour: A systematic review of animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104680. [PMID: 35513169 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104680] [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: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
There is a clear link between psychiatric disorders and social behaviour, and evidence suggests the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). A systematic review of preclinical literature was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed) and PsychINFO databases to examine whether pharmacological and/or genetic manipulations of the ECS alter social behaviours in wildtype (WT) animals or models of social impairment (SIM). Eighty studies were included. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using SYRCLE's RoB tool. While some variability was evident, studies most consistently found that direct cannabinoid receptor (CBR) agonism decreased social behaviours in WT animals, while indirect CBR activation via enzyme inhibition or gene-knockout increased social behaviours. Direct and, more consistently, indirect CBR activation reversed social deficits in SIM. These CBR-mediated effects were often sex- and developmental-phase-dependent and blocked by CBR antagonism. Overall, ECS enzyme inhibition may improve social behaviour in SIM, suggesting the potential usefulness of ECS enzyme inhibition as a therapeutic approach for social deficits. Future research should endeavour to elucidate ECS status in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by social deficits.
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Acikgoz B, Dalkiran B, Dayi A. An overview of the currency and usefulness of behavioral tests used from past to present to assess anxiety, social behavior and depression in rats and mice. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104670. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Shimizu K, Tanaka-Yachi R, Nakamura K. Difference in infantile mother preference is associated with adult anxiety/object recognition in C57BL/6 mice. Neurosci Res 2022; 182:60-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Alrousan G, Hassan A, Pillai AA, Atrooz F, Salim S. Early Life Sleep Deprivation and Brain Development: Insights From Human and Animal Studies. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:833786. [PMID: 35592259 PMCID: PMC9111737 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.833786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adequate sleep especially during developmental stages of life, is considered essential for normal brain development and believed to play an important role in promoting healthy cognitive and psychosocial development, while persistent sleep disturbances and/or sleep deprivation during early life are believed to trigger many mental ailments such as anxiety disorders, depression, and cognitive impairment. Initially it was suggested that adverse mental health conditions adversely affect sleep, however, it is now accepted that this association is bidirectional. In fact, sleep disturbances are listed as a symptom of many mental health disorders. Of special interest is the association between early life sleep deprivation and its negative mental health outcomes. Studies have linked persistent early life sleep deprivation with later life behavioral and cognitive disturbances. Neurobiological underpinnings responsible for the negative outcomes of early life sleep deprivation are not understood. This is a significant barrier for early therapeutic and/or behavioral intervention, which can be feasible only if biological underpinnings are well-understood. Animal studies have provided useful insights in this area. This article focusses on the knowledge gained from the research conducted in the area of early life sleep deprivation, brain development, and behavioral function studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghalya Alrousan
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Arham Hassan
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Aditya Anilkumar Pillai
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Fatin Atrooz
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Samina Salim
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Elsaid S, Rubin-Kahana DS, Kloiber S, Kennedy SH, Chavez S, Le Foll B. Neurochemical Alterations in Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD): A Systematic Review of Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094754. [PMID: 35563145 PMCID: PMC9105768 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Objective: Considering that current knowledge of mechanisms involved in the molecular pathogenesis of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is limited, we conducted a systematic review to evaluate cumulative data obtained by Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic (1H MRS) studies. (2) Methods: A computer-based literature search of Medline, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and ProQuest was performed. Only cross-sectional studies using 1H MRS techniques in participants with SAD and healthy controls (HCs) were selected. (3) Results: The search generated eight studies. The results indicated regional abnormalities in the ‘fear neurocircuitry’ in patients with SAD. The implicated regions included the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), insula, occipital cortex (OC), as well as the subcortical regions, including the thalamus, caudate, and the putamen. (4) Conclusions: The evidence derived from eight studies suggests that possible pathophysiological mechanisms of SAD include impairments in the integrity and function of neurons and glial cells, including disturbances in energy metabolism, maintenance of phospholipid membranes, dysregulations of second messenger systems, and excitatory/inhibitory neurocircuitry. Conducting more cross-sectional studies with larger sample sizes is warranted given the limited evidence in this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Elsaid
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; (S.E.); (D.S.R.-K.)
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (S.K.); (S.H.K.); (S.C.)
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Dafna S. Rubin-Kahana
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; (S.E.); (D.S.R.-K.)
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Stefan Kloiber
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (S.K.); (S.H.K.); (S.C.)
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Sidney H. Kennedy
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (S.K.); (S.H.K.); (S.C.)
- Centre for Depression and Suicide Studies, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON M5B 1M4, Canada
- Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canada
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 0S8, Canada
- Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, ON N1E 6K9, Canada
| | - Sofia Chavez
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (S.K.); (S.H.K.); (S.C.)
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Bernard Le Foll
- Translational Addiction Research Laboratory, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Canada; (S.E.); (D.S.R.-K.)
- Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada; (S.K.); (S.H.K.); (S.C.)
- Brain Health Imaging Centre, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Departments of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Addictions Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON M6J 1H3, Canada
- Waypoint Research Institute, Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care, Penetanguishene, ON L9M 1G3, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-416-535-8501 (ext. 33111)
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Environmental stimulation in Huntington disease patients and animal models. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 171:105725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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Jeon D, Choi J, Yang AR, Yoo JS, Kim S, Lee SK, Chu K. Chronic social stress during early development elicits unique behavioral changes in adulthood. ENCEPHALITIS 2022; 2:45-53. [PMID: 37469652 PMCID: PMC10295912 DOI: 10.47936/encephalitis.2021.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Chronic social stress is known to induce inflammation in the brain, and early-life stress affects the brain and social behavior in adulthood. To study the relationship between social stress in childhood development and social behavior in adulthood, we subjected mice to a sequential early-life social stresses and characterized their adult behavioral phenotypes. Methods C57BL/6 mice were sequentially subjected to maternal separation (MS), social defeat (SD), and social isolation (SI) in that order. The body weights of the MS/SD/SI mice were measured. Behavioral tasks related to anxiety, depression, locomotion, learning/memory, and repetitive/compulsive-like behavior were conducted. Social behaviors suggesting sociability, social interaction, aggression, and social fear were investigated. Results MS/SD/SI mice weighed less than the control mice. At 7 and 8 weeks of age. These mice displayed normal behaviors in anxiety-, depression-, and learning/memory-related tasks, but they exhibited increased locomotor activity and a low level of repetitive/compulsive-like behavior. Notably, they exhibited increased social interaction, impaired empathy-related fear, reduced predator fear, and increased defensive aggressiveness. Conclusion Social stress during childhood development resulted in behavioral alterations, and MS/SD/SI mice generated by mimicking child abuse or maltreatment showed unique abnormalities in social behaviors. MS/SD/SI mice might be useful not only to study the relationship between social stress and brain inflammation but also psychosocial behaviors observed in individuals with brain disorders, such as psychopaths.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jiye Choi
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Korea
| | - Ah Reum Yang
- Laboratory for Neurotherapeutics, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jung-Seok Yoo
- Laboratory for Neurotherapeutics, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sangwoo Kim
- Laboratory for Neurotherapeutics, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sang Kun Lee
- Laboratory for Neurotherapeutics, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kon Chu
- Laboratory for Neurotherapeutics, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea
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Czarzasta K, Bogacki-Rychlik W, Segiet-Swiecicka A, Kruszewska J, Malik J, Skital V, Kasarello K, Wrzesien R, Bialy M, Sajdel-Sulkowska EM. Gender differences in short- vs. long-term impact of maternal depression following pre-gestational chronic mild stress. Exp Neurol 2022; 353:114059. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Termine A, Fabrizio C, Gimenez J, Panuccio A, Balsamo F, Passarello N, Caioli S, Saba L, De Bardi M, Della Valle F, Orlando V, Petrosini L, Laricchiuta D. Transcriptomic and Network Analyses Reveal Immune Modulation by Endocannabinoids in Approach/Avoidance Traits. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052538. [PMID: 35269678 PMCID: PMC8910341 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Approach and avoidance (A/A) tendencies are stable behavioral traits in responding to rewarding and fearful stimuli. They represent the superordinate division of emotion, and individual differences in such traits are associated with disease susceptibility. The neural circuitry underlying A/A traits is retained to be the cortico-limbic pathway including the amygdala, the central hub for the emotional processing. Furthermore, A/A-specific individual differences are associated with the activity of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and especially of CB1 receptors whose density and functionality in amygdala differ according to A/A traits. ECS markedly interacts with the immune system (IS). However, how the interplay between ECS and IS is associated with A/A individual differences is still ill-defined. To fill this gap, here we analyzed the interaction between the gene expression of ECS and immune system (IS) in relation to individual differences. To unveil the deep architecture of ECS-IS interaction, we performed cell-specific transcriptomics analysis. Differential gene expression profiling, functional enrichment, and protein–protein interaction network analyses were performed in amygdala pyramidal neurons of mice showing different A/A behavioral tendencies. Several altered pro-inflammatory pathways were identified as associated with individual differences in A/A traits, indicating the chronic activation of the adaptive immune response sustained by the interplay between endocannabinoids and the IS. Furthermore, results showed that the interaction between the two systems modulates synaptic plasticity and neuronal metabolism in individual difference-specific manner. Deepening our knowledge about ECS/IS interaction may provide useful targets for treatment and prevention of psychopathology associated with A/A traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Termine
- Data Science Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.T.); (C.F.)
| | - Carlo Fabrizio
- Data Science Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.T.); (C.F.)
| | - Juliette Gimenez
- Epigenetics and Genome Reprogramming Laboratory, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy;
| | - Anna Panuccio
- Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (F.B.); (N.P.); (L.P.)
- Department of Psychology, University Sapienza of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Balsamo
- Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (F.B.); (N.P.); (L.P.)
- Department of Human Sciences, Guglielmo Marconi University, 00193 Rome, Italy
| | - Noemi Passarello
- Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (F.B.); (N.P.); (L.P.)
- Department of Humanities, Federico II University of Naples, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Silvia Caioli
- Unit of Neurology, IRCCS Neuromed, 86077 Pozzilli, Italy;
| | - Luana Saba
- Department of Sciences and Technologies for Humans and Environment, University of Campus Biomedico, 00128 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marco De Bardi
- Neuroimmunology Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy;
| | - Francesco Della Valle
- KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program, Biological Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 4700 KAUST, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia; (F.D.V.); (V.O.)
| | - Valerio Orlando
- KAUST Environmental Epigenetics Program, Biological Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 4700 KAUST, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia; (F.D.V.); (V.O.)
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (F.B.); (N.P.); (L.P.)
| | - Daniela Laricchiuta
- Experimental and Behavioral Neurophysiology Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00179 Rome, Italy; (A.P.); (F.B.); (N.P.); (L.P.)
- Correspondence:
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