1
|
Álvarez-Quintero N, Kim SY. Effects of maternal age and environmental enrichment on learning ability and brain size. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae049. [PMID: 38952837 PMCID: PMC11215699 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024] Open
Abstract
It is well known that maternal age at reproduction affects offspring lifespan and some other fitness-related traits, but it remains understudied whether maternal senescence affects how offspring respond to their environments. Early environment often plays a significant role in the development of an animal's behavioral phenotype. For example, complex environments can promote changes in cognitive ability and brain morphology in young animals. Here, we study whether and how maternal effect senescence influences offspring plasticity in cognition, group behavior, and brain morphology in response to environmental complexity. For this, juvenile 3-spined sticklebacks from young and old mothers (i.e. 1-yr and 2-yr-old) were exposed to different levels of environmental enrichment and complexity (i.e. none, simple, and complex), and their behavior, cognitive ability, and brain size were measured. Exposing fish to enriched conditions improved individual learning ability assessed by a repeated detour-reaching task, increased the size of the whole brain, and decreased aggressive interactions in the shoal. Maternal age did not influence the inhibitory control, learning ability, and group behavioral responses of offspring to the experimental environmental change. However, maternal age affected how some brain regions of offspring changed in response to environmental complexity. In offspring from old mothers, those exposed to the complex environment had larger telencephalons and cerebellums than those who experienced simpler environments. Our results suggest that maternal effect senescence may influence how offspring invest in brain functions related to cognition in response to environmental complexity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Náyade Álvarez-Quintero
- Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal, Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Fonte das Abelleiras, s/n, Vigo, 36310 Pontevedra, Spain
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Complesso Interdepartamentale A. Vallisneri, Università di Padova, Via Ugo Bassi, 58b, 35121 Padova PD, Italy
| | - Sin-Yeon Kim
- Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal, Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Fonte das Abelleiras, s/n, Vigo, 36310 Pontevedra, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chu B, Liu Z, Liu Y, Jiang H. The Role of Advanced Parental Age in Reproductive Genetics. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:2907-2919. [PMID: 37171772 PMCID: PMC10556127 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01256-2] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The increase of parental reproductive age is a worldwide trend in modern society in recent decades. In general, older parents have a significant impact on reproductive genetics and the health of offspring. In particular, advanced parental age contributes to the increase in the risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in offspring. However, it is currently under debate how and to what extent the health of future generations was affected by the parental age. In this review, we aimed to (i) provide an overview of the effects of age on the fertility and biology of the reproductive organs of the parents, (ii) highlight the candidate biological mechanisms underlying reproductive genetic alterations, and (iii) discuss the relevance of the effect of parental age on offspring between animal experiment and clinical observation. In addition, we think that the impact of environmental factors on cognitive and emotional development of older offspring will be an interesting direction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boling Chu
- Department of Biobank, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, 629000, China
| | - Zhi Liu
- Department of Pathology, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, 629000, China
| | - Yihong Liu
- College of Humanities And Management, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guizhou, 550025, China
| | - Hui Jiang
- Department of Biobank, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, 629000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Wang JY, Zhang Y, Chen Y, Wang Y, Li SY, Wang YF, Zhang ZX, Zhang J, Rong P. Mechanisms underlying antidepressant effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on CUMS model rats based on hippocampal α7nAchR/NF-κB signal pathway. J Neuroinflammation 2021; 18:291. [PMID: 34920740 PMCID: PMC8680337 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-021-02341-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Stress-induced neuroinflammation was considered to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of depression. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a relatively non-invasive alternative treatment for patients suffering from major depressive disorder. The anti-inflammatory signal of vagus nerve is mediated by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAchR), and the hippocampus, the region with the most distribution of α7nAchR, regulates emotions. Here, we investigated the role of α7nAchR mediating hippocampal neuroinflammation in taVNS antidepressant effect though homozygous α7nAChR (−/−) gene knockout and α7nAchR antagonist (methyllycaconitine, MLA). Methods There were control, model, taVNS, α7nAChR(−/−) + taVNS, hippocampus (Hi) MLA + taVNS and Hi saline + taVNS groups. We used the chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) method to establish depressive model rats for 42 days, excepting control group. After the successful modeling, except the control and model, the rats in the other groups were given taVNS, which was applied through an electroacupuncture apparatus at the auricular concha (2/15 Hz, 2 mA, 30 min/days) for 21 days. Behavioral tests were conducted at baseline, after modeling and after taVNS intervention, including sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST). These tests are widely used to evaluate depression-like behavior in rats. The samples were taken after experiment, the expressions of α7nAchR, NF-κB p65, IL-1β and the morphology of microglia were detected. Results Depression-like behavior and hippocampal neuroinflammation in CUMS model rats were manifested by down-regulated expression of α7nAchR, up-regulated expression of NF-κB p65 and IL-1β, and the morphology of microglia was in amoebic-like activated state. TaVNS could significantly reverse the above-mentioned phenomena, but had rare improvement effect for α7nAChR(−/−) rats and Hi MLA rats. Conclusion The antidepressant effect of taVNS is related to hippocampal α7nAchR/NF-κB signal pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Ying Wang
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Shao-Yuan Li
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Yi-Fei Wang
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Zi-Xuan Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Jinling Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China
| | - Peijing Rong
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Dongcheng District, No.16 Dongzhimen Nan Xiao Street, Beijing, 100700, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Krug A, Wöhr M, Seffer D, Rippberger H, Sungur AÖ, Dietsche B, Stein F, Sivalingam S, Forstner AJ, Witt SH, Dukal H, Streit F, Maaser A, Heilmann-Heimbach S, Andlauer TFM, Herms S, Hoffmann P, Rietschel M, Nöthen MM, Lackinger M, Schratt G, Koch M, Schwarting RKW, Kircher T. Advanced paternal age as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders: a translational study. Mol Autism 2020; 11:54. [PMID: 32576230 PMCID: PMC7310295 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00345-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Advanced paternal age (APA) is a risk factor for several neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. The potential mechanisms conferring this risk are poorly understood. Here, we show that the personality traits schizotypy and neuroticism correlated with paternal age in healthy subjects (N = 677). Paternal age was further positively associated with gray matter volume (VBM, N = 342) in the right prefrontal and the right medial temporal cortex. The integrity of fiber tracts (DTI, N = 222) connecting these two areas correlated positively with paternal age. Genome-wide methylation analysis in humans showed differential methylation in APA individuals, linking APA to epigenetic mechanisms. A corresponding phenotype was obtained in our rat model. APA rats displayed social-communication deficits and emitted fewer pro-social ultrasonic vocalizations compared to controls. They further showed repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, together with higher anxiety during early development. At the neurobiological level, microRNAs miR-132 and miR-134 were both differentially regulated in rats and humans depending on APA. This study demonstrates associations between APA and social behaviors across species. They might be driven by changes in the expression of microRNAs and/or epigenetic changes regulating neuronal plasticity, leading to brain morphological changes and fronto-hippocampal connectivity, a network which has been implicated in social interaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Axel Krug
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany.
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
- Laboratory for Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Dominik Seffer
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Henrike Rippberger
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - A Özge Sungur
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Dietsche
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany
| | - Frederike Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sugirthan Sivalingam
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas J Forstner
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephanie H Witt
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Helene Dukal
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Fabian Streit
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anna Maaser
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heilmann-Heimbach
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Till F M Andlauer
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Herms
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Per Hoffmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcella Rietschel
- Department of Genetic Epidemiology in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Markus M Nöthen
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Bonn School of Medicine & University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- Centre for Human Genetics, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Lackinger
- Biochemisch-Pharmakologisches Centrum, Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Gerhard Schratt
- Biochemisch-Pharmakologisches Centrum, Institut für Physiologische Chemie, Philipps-University Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- Lab of Systems Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, Institute for Neuroscience, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Koch
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Brain Research Institute, Centre for Cognitive Sciences, University of Bremen, 28334, Bremen, Germany
| | - Rainer K W Schwarting
- Behavioral Neuroscience, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tilo Kircher
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, 35039, Marburg, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Marburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|