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Sal-Sarria S, López-Taboada I, González-Pardo H, Conejo NM. A shift to a standard diet after exposure to a high-fat, high-sucrose diet from gestation to weaning restores brain metabolism and behavioral flexibility in adult rats. Behav Brain Res 2024; 467:115020. [PMID: 38679144 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115020] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Prolonged consumption of diets high in saturated fat and sugar has been related to obesity and overweight, which in turn are linked to cognitive impairment in both humans and rodents. This has become a current issue, especially in children and adolescents, because these stages are crucial to neurodevelopmental processes and programming of adult behavior. To evaluate the effects of gestational and early exposure to an obesogenic diet, three groups with different dietary patterns were established: high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFS), standard diet (SD), and a dietary shift from a high-fat, high-sucrose diet to a standard diet after weaning (R). Spatial learning and behavioral flexibility in adult male and female Wistar rats were evaluated using the Morris water maze (MWM) at PND 60. Furthermore, regional brain oxidative metabolism was assessed in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. Contrary to our hypothesis, the HFS diet groups showed similar performance on the spatial learning task as the other groups, although they showed impaired cognitive flexibility. The HFS group had increased brain metabolic capacity compared to that of animals fed the standard diet. Shifting from the HFS diet to the SD diet after weaning restored the brain metabolic capacity in both sexes to levels similar to those observed in animals fed the SD diet. In addition, animals in the R group performed similarly to those fed the SD diet in the Morris water maze in both tasks. However, dietary shift from HFS diet to standard diet after weaning had only moderate sex-dependent effects on body weight and fat distribution. In conclusion, switching from an HFS diet to a balanced diet after weaning would have beneficial effects on behavioral flexibility and brain metabolism, without significant sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saúl Sal-Sarria
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Isabel López-Taboada
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Nélida M Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain.
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Wang C, Jiang ZY, Chai JY, Chen HS, Liu LX, Dang T, Meng XM. Mouse auditory cortex sub-fields receive neuronal projections from MGB subdivisions independently. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7078. [PMID: 38528192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57815-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Mouse auditory cortex is composed of six sub-fields: primary auditory field (AI), secondary auditory field (AII), anterior auditory field (AAF), insular auditory field (IAF), ultrasonic field (UF) and dorsoposterior field (DP). Previous studies have examined thalamo-cortical connections in the mice auditory system and learned that AI, AAF, and IAF receive inputs from the ventral division of the medial geniculate body (MGB). However, the functional and thalamo-cortical connections between nonprimary auditory cortex (AII, UF, and DP) is unclear. In this study, we examined the locations of neurons projecting to these three cortical sub-fields in the MGB, and addressed the question whether these cortical sub-fields receive inputs from different subsets of MGB neurons or common. To examine the distributions of projecting neurons in the MGB, retrograde tracers were injected into the AII, UF, DP, after identifying these areas by the method of Optical Imaging. Our results indicated that neuron cells which in ventral part of dorsal MGB (MGd) and that of ventral MGB (MGv) projecting to UF and AII with less overlap. And DP only received neuron projecting from MGd. Interestingly, these three cortical areas received input from distinct part of MGd and MGv in an independent manner. Based on our foundings these three auditory cortical sub-fields in mice may independently process auditory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi Wang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Jiang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Jian-Yuan Chai
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Hong-Suo Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Li-Xia Liu
- Department of Scientific Research, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Tong Dang
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China
| | - Xian-Mei Meng
- Inner Mongolia Institute of Digestive Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Baotou, China.
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Begega A, López M, Cuesta-López I, Jove CI, Izquierdo MC. Physical activity as a promoter of stress resilience: An analysis of behavioral effects and brain connectivity with cytochrome c-oxidase activity in adult male Wistar rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 236:173709. [PMID: 38244863 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173709] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Physical activity (PA) is very beneficial for physical and mental health. This study aims to examine the resilience-inducting effect of PA in adult male Wistar rats exposed to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). Furthermore, we analyzed the influence of PA on behavioral tasks and functional brain connectivity with cytochrome c oxidase technique. The cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) is a mitochondrial enzyme involved in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP generation. For this analysis, we included five groups: Basal (n = 10, to determine the basal level of brain activity), Behav (n = 15, subjected exclusively to behavioral tests), PA (n = 10, exposed to physical activity), UCMS (n = 15, subjected to a stress protocol) and PA + UCMS (n = 15, exposed to PA prior to stress). The UCMS protocol consisted of randomly presenting several different stressors over four consecutive weeks. We evaluated several behaviors of the Behav, UCMS, and PA + UCMS groups. This assessment includes the hedonic responses using the sucrose consumption task, unconditioned anxiety with the zero maze, and coping strategies assessed with the cat odor test. The UCMS group showed an anhedonia profile and increased anxiety compared with the other groups. Although in the exposure to cat odor test, the PA + UCMS remained for the same time in the cat odor compartment as the other groups, it did not approach the odor, showing that it detected the risk. This response is more adaptive than the responses of the UCMS and Behav groups. An exploratory analysis of the cerebral connections showed an increase in CCO activity in the UCMS group compared to the other groups. This overactivity was reduced in dorsal Cornu Ammonis 3(dCA3) by prior PA. In this region, PA + UCMS showed similar activity as the groups not subjected to chronic stress. Therefore, PA can prevent the harmful effects of chronic stress on dCA3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azucena Begega
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience of Principality of Asturias, INEUROPA, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Matías López
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of Principality of Asturias, INEUROPA, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ignacio Cuesta-López
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of Principality of Asturias INEUROPA, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Claudia I Jove
- Department of Medical Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedicine of Sevilla, IBIS, Avda. Manuel Siurot, s/n, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Marcelino Cuesta Izquierdo
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of Principality of Asturias, INEUROPA, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
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Zorzo C, Rodríguez-Fernández L, Martínez JA, Arias JL. Photobiomodulation increases brain metabolic activity through a combination of 810 and 660 wavelengths: a comparative study in male and female rats. Lasers Med Sci 2024; 39:26. [PMID: 38214813 PMCID: PMC10786747 DOI: 10.1007/s10103-023-03966-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Photobiomodulation (PBM), an emerging and non-invasive intervention, has been shown to benefit the nervous system by modifying the mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase (CCO) enzyme, which has red (620-680 nm) or infrared (760-825 nm) spectral absorption peaks. The effect of a single 810-nm wavelength with a combination of 810 nm and 660 nm lights in the brain metabolic activity of male and female rats was compared. PBM, with a wavelength of 810 nm and a combination of 810 nm and 660 nm, was applied for 5 days on the prefrontal cortex. Then, brain metabolic activity in the prefrontal area, hippocampus, retrosplenial, and parietal cortex was explored. Sex differences were found in cortical and subcortical regions, indicating higher male brain oxidative metabolism, regardless of treatment. CCO activity in the cingulate and prelimbic area, dentate gyrus, retrosplenial and parietal cortex was enhanced in both treatments (810 + 660 nm and 810 nm). Moreover, using the combination of waves, CCO increased in the infralimbic area, and in CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus. Thus, employment of a single NIR treatment or a combination of red to NIR treatment led to slight differences in CCO activity across the limbic system, suggesting that a combination of lights of the spectrum may be relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.
- INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
- ISPA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Lucía Rodríguez-Fernández
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
- ISPA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Juan A Martínez
- ISPA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
- Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, Gijón, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
- ISPA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
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Amra LN, Mächler P, Fomin-Thunemann N, Kılıç K, Saisan P, Devor A, Thunemann M. Tissue Oxygen Depth Explorer: an interactive database for microscopic oxygen imaging data. Front Neuroinform 2023; 17:1278787. [PMID: 38088985 PMCID: PMC10711099 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2023.1278787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Layth N. Amra
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Philipp Mächler
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | | | - Kıvılcım Kılıç
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Payam Saisan
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Anna Devor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Harvard Medical School, Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, MGH, Charlestown, MA, United States
| | - Martin Thunemann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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Reorganization of Brain Networks as a Substrate of Resilience: An Analysis of Cytochrome c Oxidase Activity in Rats. Neuroscience 2023; 516:75-90. [PMID: 36805003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.01.012] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) model has been used to induce depressive-like symptoms in animal models, showing adequate predictive validity. Our work aims to evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on resilience in this experimental model of depression. We also aim to assess changes in brain connectivity using cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry in cerebral regions related to cognitive-affective processes associated with depressive disorder: dorsal hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, accumbens, and habenula nuclei. Five groups of rats were used: UCMS, EE, EE + UCMS (enrichment + stress), BG (basal level of brain activity), and CONT (behavioral tests only). We assessed the hedonic responses elicited by sucrose solution using a consumption test; the anxiety level was evaluated using the elevated zero maze test, and the unconditioned fear responses were assessed by the cat odor test. The behavioral results showed that the UCMS protocol induces elevated anhedonia and anxiety. But these responses are attenuated previous exposure to EE. Regarding brain activity, the UCMS group showed greater activity in the habenula compared to the EE + UCMS group. EE induced a functional reorganization of brain activity. The EE + UCMS and UCMS groups showed different patterns of connections between brain regions. Our results showed that EE favors greater resilience and could reduce vulnerability to disorders such as depression and anxiety, modifying metabolic brain activity.
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Menchén-Márquez S, Banqueri M, Gómez-Chacón B, Arias JL, Gallo M. Increased basolateral amygdala metabolic activity during flavor familiarization: an experimental study. BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN FUNCTIONS : BBF 2023; 19:2. [PMID: 36737767 PMCID: PMC9896748 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-023-00206-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Novel flavors elicit a cautious neophobic response which is attenuated as the flavor becomes familiar and safe. The attenuation of neophobia reveals the formation of a safe memory. Previous lesion studies in rats have reported that basolateral amygdala integrity is required for taste neophobia, but not neophobia to flavor, i.e., taste linked to an odorous component. Accordingly, immunohistochemical analyses show that novel tastes induced higher basolateral amygdala activity when compared to familiar ones. However, a different role of basolateral amygdala in flavor attenuation of neophobia is suggested by lesion studies using a vinegar solution. Studies assessing basolateral amygdala activity during flavor attenuation of neophobia are lacking. Thus, we quantified cytochrome oxidase as an index of basolateral amygdala activity along the first and second vinegar exposures in order to assess flavor neophobia and attenuation of neophobia. METHODS We exposed adult male Wistar rats either once or twice to a 3% cider vinegar solution or water, and compared the basolateral amygdala, piriform cortex and caudate putamen brain metabolic activity using cytochrome c-oxidase histochemistry. RESULTS We found increased flavor intake and cytochrome c-oxidase histochemistry activity during the second exposure in basolateral amygdala, but not in the piriform cortex and caudate/putamen. CONCLUSIONS The main finding of the study is that BLA metabolic activity was higher in the group exposed to a familiar vinegar solution than in the groups exposed to either water or a novel vinegar solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Menchén-Márquez
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS), Avda del Conocimiento, s/n, Armilla, 18016, Granada, Spain.
| | - María Banqueri
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, UK
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Beatriz Gómez-Chacón
- Department of Didactics, Area of Didactics of Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Milagros Gallo
- Department of Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de la Salud (PTS), Avda del Conocimiento, s/n, Armilla, 18016, Granada, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (IBS), Granada, Spain
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López-Taboada I, Sal-Sarria S, Vallejo G, Coto-Montes A, Conejo NM, González-Pardo H. Sexual dimorphism in spatial learning and brain metabolism after exposure to a western diet and early life stress in rats. Physiol Behav 2022; 257:113969. [PMID: 36181786 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113969] [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: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged daily intake of Western-type diet rich in saturated fats and sugars, and exposure to early life stress have been independently linked to impaired neurodevelopment and behaviour in animal models. However, sex-specific effects of both environmental factors combined on spatial learning and memory, behavioural flexibility, and brain oxidative capacity have still not been addressed. The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of maternal and postnatal exposure to a high-fat and high-sugar diet (HFS), and exposure to early life stress by maternal separation in adult male and female Wistar rats. For this purpose, spatial learning and memory and behavioural flexibility were evaluated in the Morris water maze, and regional brain oxidative capacity and oxidative stress levels were measured in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. Spatial memory, regional brain oxidative metabolism, and levels of oxidative stress differed between females and males, suggesting sexual dimorphism in the effects of a HFS diet and early life stress. Males fed the HFS diet performed better than all other experimental groups independently of early life stress exposure. However, behavioural flexibility evaluated in the spatial reversal leaning task was impaired in males fed the HFS diet. In addition, exposure to maternal separation or the HFS diet increased the metabolic capacity of the prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus in males and females. Levels of oxidative stress measured in the latter brain regions were also increased in groups fed the HFS diet, but maternal separation seemed to dampen regional brain oxidative stress levels. Therefore, these results suggest a compensatory effect resulting from the interaction between prolonged exposure to a HFS diet and early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel López-Taboada
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Av. del Hospital Universitario s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Saúl Sal-Sarria
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Guillermo Vallejo
- Methodology area, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ana Coto-Montes
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Av. del Hospital Universitario s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain; Department of Morphology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Julián Clavería s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Nélida M Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Av. del Hospital Universitario s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain; Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Av. del Hospital Universitario s/n, 33011 Oviedo, Spain
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Zorzo C, Arias JL, Méndez M. The removal and addition of cues does not impair spatial retrieval and leads to a different metabolic activity of the limbic network in female rats. Brain Res Bull 2022; 190:22-31. [PMID: 36126874 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2022.09.013] [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: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The retrieval of spatial memories does not always occur in an environment with the same stimuli configuration where the memory was first formed. However, re-exposure to a partial portion of the previously encountered cues can elicit memory successfully. Navigation with contextual changes has received little attention, especially in females. Thus, we aimed to assess memory retrieval using the Morris Water Maze spatial reference protocol in female adult Wistar rats. Rats were trained with five allocentric cues, and retrieval was explored one week later either with the same cues, or with four removed, or with three added cues. We studied the underlying brain oxidative metabolism of the hippocampus, prefrontal, parietal, retrosplenial, entorhinal, and perirhinal cortices through cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) histochemistry. Neither cue removal nor cue addition impaired retrieval performance. Retrieval with a degraded subset of cues led to increased prefrontal, hippocampal, retrosplenial, parietal, and perirhinal CCO activity. Retrieval with extra cues led to an enhancement of CCO activity in the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex. Different patterns of network intercorrelations were found. The cue-removal group presented a closed reciprocal network, while the group with extra cues had separate parallel networks. Both groups showed a simpler network than the group with no cue modifications. Future research is needed to delve into behavioral and brain-related functions of spatial memory processes under modified environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain.
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Higarza SG, Arboleya S, Arias JL, Gueimonde M, Arias N. The gut–microbiota–brain changes across the liver disease spectrum. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:994404. [PMID: 36159394 PMCID: PMC9490445 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.994404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a significant role in the progression of liver disease, and no effective drugs are available for the full spectrum. In this study, we aimed to explore the dynamic changes of gut microbiota along the liver disease spectrum, together with the changes in cognition and brain metabolism. Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups reflecting different stages of liver disease: control diet (NC); high-fat, high-cholesterol diet (HFHC), emulating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; control diet + thioacetamide (NC + TAA), simulating acute liver failure; and high-fat, high-cholesterol diet + thioacetamide (HFHC + TAA) to assess the effect of the superimposed damages. The diet was administered for 14 weeks and the thioacetamide was administrated (100 mg/kg day) intraperitoneally over 3 days. Our results showed changes in plasma biochemistry and liver damage across the spectrum. Differences in gut microbiota at the compositional level were found among the experimental groups. Members of the Enterobacteriaceae family were most abundant in HFHC and HFHC + TAA groups, and Akkermansiaceae in the NC + TAA group, albeit lactobacilli genus being dominant in the NC group. Moreover, harm to the liver affected the diversity and bacterial community structure, with a loss of rare species. Indeed, the superimposed damage group (HFHC + TAA) suffered a loss of both rare and abundant species. Behavioral evaluation has shown that HFHC, NC + TAA, and HFHC + TAA displayed a worsened execution when discriminating the new object. Also, NC + TAA and HFHC + TAA were not capable of recognizing the changes in place of the object. Furthermore, working memory was affected in HFHC and HFHC + TAA groups, whereas the NC + TAA group displayed a significant delay in the acquisition. Brain oxidative metabolism changes were observed in the prefrontal, retrosplenial, and perirhinal cortices, as well as the amygdala and mammillary bodies. Besides, groups administered with thioacetamide presented an increased oxidative metabolic activity in the adrenal glands. These results highlight the importance of cross-comparison along the liver spectrum to understand the different gut–microbiota–brain changes. Furthermore, our data point out specific gut microbiota targets to design more effective treatments, though the liver–gut–brain axis focused on specific stages of liver disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara G. Higarza
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Silvia Arboleya
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Institute of Dairy Products of the Principality of Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
- Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Miguel Gueimonde
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Institute of Dairy Products of the Principality of Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
- Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Natalia Arias
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Health Research Institute of the Principality of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Life and Natural Sciences, BRABE Group, Nebrija University, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Natalia Arias,
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11
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Zorzo C, Arias JL, Méndez M. Functional neuroanatomy of allocentric remote spatial memory in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104609. [PMID: 35278596 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Successful spatial cognition involves learning, consolidation, storage, and later retrieval of a spatial memory trace. The functional contributions of specific brain areas and their interactions during retrieval of past spatial events are unclear. This systematic review collects studies about allocentric remote spatial retrieval assessed at least two weeks post-acquisition in rodents. Results including non-invasive interventions, brain lesion and inactivation experiments, pharmacological treatments, chemical agent administration, and genetic manipulations revealed that there is a normal forgetting when time-periods are close to or exceed one month. Moreover, changes in the morphology and functionality of neocortical areas, hippocampus, and other subcortical structures, such as the thalamus, have been extensively observed as a result of spatial memory retrieval. In conclusion, apart from an increasingly neocortical recruitment in remote spatial retrieval, the hippocampus seems to participate in the retrieval of fine spatial details. These results help to better understand the timing of memory maintenance and normal forgetting, outlining the underlying brain areas implicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA).
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA).
| | - Marta Méndez
- Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Faculty of Psychology, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain; Neuroscience Institute of Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA).
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12
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Martín-Sánchez A, González-Pardo H, Alegre-Zurano L, Castro-Zavala A, López-Taboada I, Valverde O, Conejo NM. Early-life stress induces emotional and molecular alterations in female mice that are partially reversed by cannabidiol. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 115:110508. [PMID: 34973413 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Gender is considered as a pivotal determinant of mental health. Indeed, several psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression are more common and persistent in women than in men. In the past two decades, impaired brain energy metabolism has been highlighted as a risk factor for the development of these psychiatric disorders. However, comprehensive behavioural and neurobiological studies in brain regions relevant to anxiety and depression symptomatology are scarce. In the present study, we summarize findings describing cannabidiol effects on anxiety and depression in maternally separated female mice as a well-established rodent model of early-life stress associated with many mental disorders. Our results indicate that cannabidiol could prevent anxiolytic- and depressive-related behaviour in early-life stressed female mice. Additionally, maternal separation with early weaning (MSEW) caused long-term changes in brain oxidative metabolism in both nucleus accumbens and amygdalar complex measured by cytochrome c oxidase quantitative histochemistry. However, cannabidiol treatment could not revert brain oxidative metabolism impairment. Moreover, we identified hyperphosphorylation of mTOR and ERK 1/2 proteins in the amygdala but not in the striatum, that could also reflect altered brain intracellular signalling related with to bioenergetic impairment. Altogether, our study supports the hypothesis that MSEW induces profound long-lasting molecular changes in mTOR signalling and brain energy metabolism related to depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviours in female mice, which were partially ameliorated by CBD administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Martín-Sánchez
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Laia Alegre-Zurano
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adriana Castro-Zavala
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabel López-Taboada
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Nélida M Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
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13
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Higarza SG, Arboleya S, Arias JL, Gueimonde M, Arias N. Akkermansia muciniphila and environmental enrichment reverse cognitive impairment associated with high-fat high-cholesterol consumption in rats. Gut Microbes 2022; 13:1-20. [PMID: 33678110 PMCID: PMC7946069 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.1880240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the most prevalent diseases globally. A high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet leads to an early NASH model. It has been suggested that gut microbiota mediates the effects of diet through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, modifying the host's brain metabolism and disrupting cognition. Here, we target NASH-induced cognitive damage by testing the impact of environmental enrichment (EE) and the administration of either Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or Akkermansia muciniphila CIP107961 (AKK). EE and AKK, but not LGG, reverse the HFHC-induced cognitive dysfunction, including impaired spatial working memory and novel object recognition; however, whereas AKK restores brain metabolism, EE results in an overall decrease. Moreover, AKK and LGG did not induce major rearrangements in the intestinal microbiota, with only slight changes in bacterial composition and diversity, whereas EE led to an increase in Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobia members. Our findings illustrate the interplay between gut microbiota, the host's brain energy metabolism, and cognition. In addition, the findings suggest intervention strategies, such as the administration of AKK, for the management of the cognitive dysfunction related to NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara G. Higarza
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology. University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain,Instituto De Neurociencias Del Principado De Asturias (INEUROPA), Asturias, Spain
| | - Silvia Arboleya
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto De Productos Lácteos De Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology. University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain,Instituto De Neurociencias Del Principado De Asturias (INEUROPA), Asturias, Spain
| | - Miguel Gueimonde
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto De Productos Lácteos De Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain,Miguel Gueimonde Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Instituto De Productos Lácteos De Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Villaviciosa, Asturias 33300, Spain
| | - Natalia Arias
- Instituto De Neurociencias Del Principado De Asturias (INEUROPA), Asturias, Spain,UK Dementia Research Institute, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK,CONTACT Natalia Arias Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, Denmark Hill, LondonSE5 8AF, United Kingdom
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Méndez-Couz M, González-Pardo H, Arias JL, Conejo NM. Hippocampal neuropeptide Y 2 receptor blockade improves spatial memory retrieval and modulates limbic brain metabolism. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 187:107561. [PMID: 34838984 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107561] [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: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The neuropeptide Y (NPY) is broadly distributed in the central nervous system (CNS), and it has been related to neuroprotective functions. NPY seems to be an important component to counteract brain damage and cognitive impairment mediated by drugs of abuse and neurodegenerative diseases, and both NPY and its Y2 receptor (Y2R) are highly expressed in the hippocampus, critical for learning and memory. We have recently demonstrated its influence on cognitive functions; however, the specific mechanism and involved brain regions where NPY modulates spatial memory by acting on Y2R remain unclear. METHODS Here, we examined the involvement of the hippocampal NPY Y2R in spatial memory and associated changes in brain metabolism by bilateral administration of the selective antagonist BIIE0246 into the rat dorsal hippocampus. To further evaluate the relationship between memory functions and neuronal activity, we analysed the regional expression of the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) as an index of oxidative metabolic capacity in limbic and non-limbic brain regions. RESULTS The acute blockade of NPY Y2R significantly improved spatial memory recall in rats trained in the Morris water maze that matched metabolic activity changes in spatial memory processing regions. Specifically, CCO activity changes were found in the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus and CA1 subfield of the ventral hippocampus, the infralimbic region of the PFC and the mammillary bodies. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the NPY hippocampal system, through its Y2R receptor, influences spatial memory recall (retrieval) and exerts control over patterns of brain activation that are relevant for associative learning, probably mediated by Y2R modulation of long-term potentiation and long-term depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Méndez-Couz
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Pl. Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Dept. Neurophysiology. Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum. Universitätsstraße, 150. Building MA 01/551, 44780 Bochum, Germany.
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Pl. Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Pl. Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Nélida M Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Pl. Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33006 Oviedo, Spain
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15
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Zorzo C, Méndez M, Pernía AM, Arias JL. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation during a spatial memory task leads to a decrease in brain metabolic activity. Brain Res 2021; 1769:147610. [PMID: 34380023 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique that is able to generate causal-based interferences between brain networks and cognitive or behavioral responses. It has been used to improve cognition in several disease models. However, although its exploration in healthy animals is essential to attribute its pure effect in learning and memory processes, studies in this regard are scarce. We aimed to evaluate whether rTMS leads to memory facilitation in healthy rats, and to explore the brain-related oxidative metabolism. We stimulated healthy Wistar rats with a high-frequency (100 Hz) and low-intensity (0.33 T) protocol during three consecutive days and evaluated the effect on the performance of an allocentric spatial reference learning and memory task. Following the last day of learning, we assessed oxidative brain metabolism through quantitative cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) histochemistry. The results showed that rTMS did not improve spatial memory in healthy rats, but the behavioral outcome was accompanied by a CCO reduction in the prefrontal, retrosplenial, parietal, and rhinal cortices, as well as in the striatum, amygdala, septum, mammillary bodies, and the hippocampus, reflecting a lower metabolic activity. In conclusion, rTMS induces a highly efficient use of brain regions associated with spatial memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Alberto M Pernía
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, 33203 Gijón, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.
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16
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Photobiomodulation effects on active brain networks during a spatial memory task. Physiol Behav 2021; 230:113291. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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17
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Zorzo C, Arias JL, Méndez M. Hippocampus and cortex are involved in the retrieval of a spatial memory under full and partial cue availability. Behav Brain Res 2021; 405:113204. [PMID: 33647378 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Retaking routes after a period of time usually occurs in an environment which has suffered from spatial configuration modifications. Thus, the original visual stimuli that allowed us to establish cognitive mapping using an allocentric strategy during the acquisition phase may not remain physically identical at the time of retrieval. However, in the standard experimental paradigms the cues are typically maintained constant. In this study, we explored memory retrieval with spatial modifications from learning in the Morris Water Maze. We trained rats on a reference memory protocol with five cues placed on black curtains that surrounded the pool, and seven days later, we tested memory retrieval under different conditions: maintenance of the five cues, removal of two and four of them, and the addition of three extra ones. Under full-cue and partial cue-conditions, rats showed successful memory retrieval, whereas adding extra cues resulted in impaired retrieval. Furthermore, we assessed brain oxidative metabolism through cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) histochemistry and found that, under full- and partial-cue conditions, there is an enhancement of the hippocampal, prefrontal, retrosplenial, parietal, and rhinal cortex metabolism. Rats that failed to retrieve spatial information in the extra cues condition showed similar or lower CCO activity than controls across many limbic areas. It is suggested that the presence of a partial portion of visual stimuli from learning makes it possible to reactivate the entire memory trace, but extra spatial information hinders retrieval, making it difficult to disengage the novel information from the older knowledge and establish a contextual generalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n, E-33003, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n, E-33003, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n, E-33003, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.
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18
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Zorzo C, Arias JL, Méndez M. Recovering Spatial Information through Reactivation: Brain Oxidative Metabolism Involvement in Males and Females. Neuroscience 2021; 459:1-15. [PMID: 33571597 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Memory involves a complex network system of interconnected brain areas in which labile trace memories are transformed into enduring ones and reorganized in a time-dependant manner. Although it has been observed that remote memories are less prone to destabilizing, they can become fragile and lead to behavioural decline. We explored the behavioural outcomes of male and female rats in response to the reactivation of a previously acquired allocentric spatial reference memory, under conditions in which animals have shown a retrieval decay. In addition, we assessed their brain metabolic activity through cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) histochemistry. Our results show that a spatial memory amnesia-like behaviour with a time interval of 45 days can be recovered after re-exposure to the environmental configuration with the reinforced contingencies. Moreover, we observed that, following reactivation, male rats reveal a decrease in metabolic activity in septal nuclei and thalamic structures, whereas female rats add a metabolic reduction in the hippocampus, amygdala, mPFC, and retrosplenial, parietal and rhinal cortices, suggesting that they efficiently employ these brain areas when reactivation a memory that has suffered a decay with time. Finally, although male and female rats perform the behavioural task equally, we found sex differences at the brain metabolism level, revealing the differential contribution of brain limbic system energy demands by sex, even when their performance is similar. In conclusion, our work provides behavioural and brain data about remote spatial retrieval and memory reactivation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), E-33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), E-33003 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), E-33003 Oviedo, Spain
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Banqueri M, Gutiérrez-Menéndez A, Méndez M, Conejo NM, Arias JL. Early life stress due to repeated maternal separation alters the working memory acquisition brain functional network. Stress 2021; 24:87-95. [PMID: 32510270 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2020.1777974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Unfortunately, adverse environments in early life are frequently found in most human populations. Early life stress leads to diverse cognitive impairments, some of them related to learning and memory and executive functions such as working memory (WM). We employ an animal model of early stress using repeated maternal separation (MS) for 4 h a day on 21 consecutive days, pre-weaning. In adulthood, we tested their spatial WM using the Morris water maze. MS subjects showed a marked delay in the acquisition of the task. In addition, we explored brain energy oxidative metabolism and found an increase in cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) activity in the cingulate cortex, anterior thalamus, and supramammillary areas, indicating an intense effort to successfully solve the WM task. However, decreased CCO activity was found in the medial-medial mammillary nucleus in MS animals, which would partially explain the delayed acquisition of the WM task. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term alterations produced by early stress. LAY SUMMARY A stressful environment caused by the separation of baby rats from the mother for several hours a day in the first stages of postnatal life can be devastating to brain cells, making them look for alternative sources of energy, among other changes. These alterations in brain functional networks would lead to cognitive impairments such as the delayed acquisition of new learning and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Banqueri
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alba Gutiérrez-Menéndez
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marta Méndez
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Nélida M Conejo
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
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20
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Berezhnoy DS, Troshev DV, Nalobin DS, Fedorova TN. Changes in COX histochemistry in the brain of mice and rats exposed to chronic subcutaneous rotenone. J Chem Neuroanat 2020; 110:101880. [PMID: 33160047 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2020.101880] [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: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Exposure of experimental animals to the mitochondrial toxin rotenone is considered to be a model of environmental progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). We investigated the differential vulnerability of various brain regions to generalized inhibition of complex I, induced by subcutaneous rotenone injections for the duration of 1, 3 and 7 days in both rats (2 mg/kg dosage) and mice (4 mg/kg dosage). To examine patterns of metabolic activity changes in the brain, histochemical evaluation of cytochrome C oxidase (COX) activity was performed in post mortem brain sections. Animals displayed a similar time course of neuronal loss in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), reaching 44 % in mice and 42 % in rats by the 7th day. The pattern of COX activity changes, however, was different for the two species. In both experiments, metabolic changes were evident not only in the substantia nigra, but also in non-specific structures (cortex and hippocampus). In mice, a decrease in COX activity was shown mostly for the non-specific areas (V1 cortex and ventral hippocampus) after the single exposure to rotenone. Data from the experiment conducted on rats demonstrated both an acute metabolic decrease in mesencephalic structures (SNpc and nucleus ruber) after a single injection of rotenone and secondary changes in cortical structures (S1 cortex and dorsal hippocampus) after chronic 7 day exposure. These changes reflect the general effect of rotenone on neuronal metabolic rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniil S Berezhnoy
- Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Leninskie Gory, 1s12, Russia; Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Neurochemistry, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, 125367, Volokolamskoe Shosse, 80, Russia.
| | - Dmitry V Troshev
- Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Leninskie Gory, 1s12, Russia
| | - Denis S Nalobin
- Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119234, Leninskie Gory, 1s12, Russia; Faculty of Biotechnology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Leninskie Gory, 1s51, Russia
| | - Tatiana N Fedorova
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Neurochemistry, Research Center of Neurology, Moscow, 125367, Volokolamskoe Shosse, 80, Russia
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Zorzo C, Arias JL, Méndez M. Retrieval of allocentric spatial memories is preserved up to thirty days and does not require higher brain metabolic demands. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107312. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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22
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Belekhova MG, Kenigfest NB, Chmykhova NM. Evolutionary Formation and Functional
Significance
of the Core–Belt Pattern of Neural Organization of Rostral Auditory
Centers in Vertebrates. J EVOL BIOCHEM PHYS+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s0022093020040018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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González-Pardo H, Arias JL, Gómez-Lázaro E, López Taboada I, Conejo NM. Sex-Specific Effects of Early Life Stress on Brain Mitochondrial Function, Monoamine Levels and Neuroinflammation. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10070447. [PMID: 32674298 PMCID: PMC7408325 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10070447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences have been reported in the susceptibility to early life stress and its neurobiological correlates in humans and experimental animals. However, most of the current research with animal models of early stress has been performed mainly in males. In the present study, prolonged maternal separation (MS) paradigm was applied as an animal model to resemble the effects of adverse early experiences in male and female rats. Regional brain mitochondrial function, monoaminergic activity, and neuroinflammation were evaluated as adults. Mitochondrial energy metabolism was greatly decreased in MS females as compared with MS males in the prefrontal cortex, dorsal hippocampus, and the nucleus accumbens shell. In addition, MS males had lower serotonin levels and increased serotonin turnover in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. However, MS females showed increased dopamine turnover in the prefrontal cortex and increased norepinephrine turnover in the striatum, but decreased dopamine turnover in the hippocampus. Sex differences were also found for pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, with increased levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of MS males, and increased IL-6 levels in the striatum of MS females. These results evidence the complex sex- and brain region-specific long-term consequences of early life stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; (H.G.-P.); (J.L.A.); (I.L.T.)
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; (H.G.-P.); (J.L.A.); (I.L.T.)
| | - Eneritz Gómez-Lázaro
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, Basque Country University, Avda. Tolosa 70, s/n E-20018 San Sebastian, Spain;
| | - Isabel López Taboada
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; (H.G.-P.); (J.L.A.); (I.L.T.)
| | - Nélida M. Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo, s/n E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; (H.G.-P.); (J.L.A.); (I.L.T.)
- Correspondence:
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Pernia AM, Zorzo C, Prieto MJ, Martinez JA, Higarza SG, Mendez M, Arias JL. Equipment for Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS 2020; 14:525-534. [PMID: 32175874 DOI: 10.1109/tbcas.2020.2981012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique used for the treatment of a great variety of neurological disorders. The technique involves applying a magnetic field in certain areas of the cerebral cortex in order to modify neuronal excitability outside the skull. However, the exact brain mechanisms underlying rTMS effects are not completely elucidated. For that purpose, and in order to generate a pulsed magnetic field, a half-bridge converter controlled by a microcontroller has been designed to apply rTMS in small animals. Moreover, the small size of the rodent head makes it necessary to design a magnetic transducer, with the aim of focusing the magnetic field on selected brain areas using a specific and a small magnetic head. Using such devices, our purpose was to compare the effects of five different rTMS dosages on rat brain metabolic activity. The experimental results showed that one day of stimulation leads to an enhancement of brain metabolic activity in cortical areas, meanwhile with three days of stimulation it is possible to also modify subcortical zones, results that were not found when extending the number of rTMS applications up to seven days. In consequence, the number of pulses delivered might be an important parameter in rTMS protocols, highlighting its importance in rTMS impact.
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25
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Auchter AM, Barrett DW, Monfils MH, Gonzalez-Lima F. Methylene Blue Preserves Cytochrome Oxidase Activity and Prevents Neurodegeneration and Memory Impairment in Rats With Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:130. [PMID: 32508596 PMCID: PMC7251060 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in neurocognitive disorders diminishes cytochrome oxidase activity leading to neurodegenerative effects and impairment of learning and memory. Methylene blue at low doses stimulates cytochrome oxidase activity and may thus counteract the adverse effects of cerebral hypoperfusion. However, the effects of methylene blue on cytochrome oxidase activity during chronic cerebral hypoperfusion have not been described before. To test this hypothesis, rats underwent bilateral carotid artery occlusion or sham surgery, received daily 4 mg/kg methylene blue or saline injections, and learned a visual water task. Brain mapping of cytochrome oxidase activity was done by quantitative enzyme histochemistry. Permanent carotid occlusion for 1 month resulted in decreased cytochrome oxidase activity in visual cortex, prefrontal cortex, perirhinal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala, and weaker interregional correlation of cytochrome oxidase activity between these regions. Methylene blue preserved cytochrome oxidase activity in regions affected by carotid occlusion and strengthened their interregional correlations of cytochrome oxidase activity, which prevented neurodegenerative effects and facilitated task-specific learning and memory. Brain-behavior correlations revealed positive correlations between performance and brain regions in which cytochrome oxidase activity was preserved by methylene blue. These results are the first to demonstrate that methylene blue prevents neurodegeneration and memory impairment by preserving cytochrome oxidase activity and interregional correlation of cytochrome oxidase activity in brain regions susceptible to chronic hypoperfusion. This demonstration provides further support for the hypothesis that lower cerebral blood flow results in an Alzheimer's-like syndrome and that stimulating cytochrome oxidase activity with low-dose methylene blue is neuroprotective.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - F. Gonzalez-Lima
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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González-Pardo H, Arias JL, Vallejo G, Conejo NM. Environmental enrichment effects after early stress on behavior and functional brain networks in adult rats. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226377. [PMID: 31830106 PMCID: PMC6907785 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress is associated with long-term and pervasive adverse effects on neuroendocrine development, affecting normal cognitive and emotional development. Experimental manipulations like environmental enrichment (EE) may potentially reverse the effects of early life stress induced by maternal separation (MS) paradigm in rodents. However, the functional brain networks involved in the effects of EE after prolonged exposure to MS have not yet been investigated. In order to evaluate possible changes in brain functional connectivity induced by EE after MS, quantitative cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) histochemistry was applied to determine regional brain oxidative metabolism in adult male rats. Unexpectedly, results show that prolonged MS during the entire weaning period did not cause any detrimental effects on spatial learning and memory, including depressive-like behavior evaluated in the forced-swim test, and decreased anxiety-like behavior. However, EE seemed to alter anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in both control and MS groups, but improved spatial memory in the latter groups. Analysis of brain CCO activity showed significantly lower metabolic capacity in most brain regions selected in EE groups probably associated with chronic stress, but no effects of MS on brain metabolic capacity. In addition, principal component analysis of CCO activity revealed increased large-scale functional brain connectivity comprising at least three main networks affected by EE in both MS and control groups. Moreover, EE induced a pattern of functional brain connectivity associated with stress and anxiety-like behavior as compared with non-enriched groups. In conclusion, EE had differential effects on cognition and emotional behavior irrespective of exposure to MS. In view of the remarkable effects of EE on brain function and behavior, implementation of rodent housing conditions should be optimized by evaluating the balance between scientific validity and animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Guillermo Vallejo
- Methodology Area, Department of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Nélida M. Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology and Institute of Neuroscience of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
- * E-mail:
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27
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Higarza SG, Arboleya S, Gueimonde M, Gómez-Lázaro E, Arias JL, Arias N. Neurobehavioral dysfunction in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is associated with hyperammonemia, gut dysbiosis, and metabolic and functional brain regional deficits. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0223019. [PMID: 31539420 PMCID: PMC6754158 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. While it has been suggested to cause nervous impairment, its neurophysiological basis remains unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study is to unravel the effects of NASH, through the interrelationship of liver, gut microbiota, and nervous system, on the brain and human behavior. To this end, 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a control group that received normal chow and a NASH group that received a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. Our results show that 14 weeks of the high-fat, high-cholesterol diet induced clinical conditions such as NASH, including steatosis and increased levels of ammonia. Rats in the NASH group also demonstrated evidence of gut dysbiosis and decreased levels of short-chain fatty acids in the gut. This may explain the deficits in cognitive ability observed in the NASH group, including their depressive-like behavior and short-term memory impairment characterized in part by deficits in social recognition and prefrontal cortex-dependent spatial working memory. We also reported the impact of this NASH-like condition on metabolic and functional processes. Brain tissue demonstrated lower levels of metabolic brain activity in the prefrontal cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and mammillary bodies, accompanied by a decrease in dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum and a decrease in noradrenalin in the striatum. In this article, we emphasize the important role of ammonia and gut-derived bacterial toxins in liver-gut-brain neurodegeneration and discuss the metabolic and functional brain regional deficits and behavioral impairments in NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara G. Higarza
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Asturias, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Silvia Arboleya
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Institute of Dairy Products of the Principality of Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain
| | - Miguel Gueimonde
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry of Dairy Products, Institute of Dairy Products of the Principality of Asturias (IPLA-CSIC), Asturias, Spain
| | - Eneritz Gómez-Lázaro
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development, Basque Country University, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Asturias, Spain
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
| | - Natalia Arias
- Institute of Neurosciences of the Principality of Asturias (INEUROPA), Asturias, Spain
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, England, United Kingdom
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28
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Mihai PG, Moerel M, de Martino F, Trampel R, Kiebel S, von Kriegstein K. Modulation of tonotopic ventral medial geniculate body is behaviorally relevant for speech recognition. eLife 2019; 8:e44837. [PMID: 31453811 PMCID: PMC6711666 DOI: 10.7554/elife.44837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory thalami are central sensory pathway stations for information processing. Their role for human cognition and perception, however, remains unclear. Recent evidence suggests an involvement of the sensory thalami in speech recognition. In particular, the auditory thalamus (medial geniculate body, MGB) response is modulated by speech recognition tasks and the amount of this task-dependent modulation is associated with speech recognition abilities. Here, we tested the specific hypothesis that this behaviorally relevant modulation is present in the MGB subsection that corresponds to the primary auditory pathway (i.e., the ventral MGB [vMGB]). We used ultra-high field 7T fMRI to identify the vMGB, and found a significant positive correlation between the amount of task-dependent modulation and the speech recognition performance across participants within left vMGB, but not within the other MGB subsections. These results imply that modulation of thalamic driving input to the auditory cortex facilitates speech recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Glad Mihai
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Chair of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of PsychologyTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Michelle Moerel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and NeuroscienceMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtNetherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Center (MBIC)MaastrichtNetherlands
- Maastricht Centre for Systems Biology (MaCSBio)Maastricht UniversityMaastrichtNetherlands
| | - Federico de Martino
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and NeuroscienceMaastricht UniversityMaastrichtNetherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Center (MBIC)MaastrichtNetherlands
- Center for Magnetic Resonance ResearchUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Robert Trampel
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
| | - Stefan Kiebel
- Chair of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of PsychologyTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Katharina von Kriegstein
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzigGermany
- Chair of Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of PsychologyTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
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29
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Banqueri M, Martínez JA, Prieto MJ, Cid-Duarte S, Méndez M, Arias JL. Photobiomodulation rescues cognitive flexibility in early stressed subjects. Brain Res 2019; 1720:146300. [PMID: 31226326 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2019.146300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Neglectful parenting is one of the most prevalent forms of child mistreatment. This early life stress leads to long-term alterations in all the psychological domains, as well as brain alterations. Animal models have been developed to emulate and further study this early life stress, and one of most widely used models is maternal separation. In both human and animal models, cognitive flexibility has been found to be altered. In this study, we performed maternal separation (10 days, 4 h per day) in rats, and in adulthood, we tested their spatial navigation and cognitive flexibility. In addition, we delivered photobiomodulation treatment (Low-level light therapy: 1064 nm, 30 mW, 60 cycles) on the rats' brains, and we tested energy oxidative metabolism using cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry. Early life stress delivered in the form of maternal separation on the first 10 postnatal days leads to cognitive flexibility impairment and a general increase in energy metabolism in adulthood. Low-level light therapy seems to be useful for treating these unwanted outcomes, because it rescued cognitive flexibility and returned the oxidative energy metabolism to balanced scores, without harming controls' brains or behavior. Photobiomodulation is a promising tool in the treatment of chronic stress-related consequences because it rescued cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Banqueri
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain.
| | - Juan A Martínez
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain; Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, Torres Quevedo Building (West), 2, Gijón, Spain
| | - Miguel J Prieto
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain; Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, Torres Quevedo Building (West), 2, Gijón, Spain
| | - Sandra Cid-Duarte
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain; Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, Torres Quevedo Building (West), 2, Gijón, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain
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30
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Zorzo C, Higarza SG, Méndez M, Martínez JA, Pernía AM, Arias JL. High frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation improves neuronal activity without affecting astrocytes and microglia density. Brain Res Bull 2019; 150:13-20. [PMID: 31082456 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique capable of producing changes in the electrical potential of neurons. Currently, the application of rTMS in clinical practice and as a neurophysiological tool is increasing. However, the exact cellular mechanisms underlying rTMS-based therapies are not completely clear. Additionally, glial cells have been studied less. Our aim was to investigate the effect of three days of high-frequency rTMS on neuronal metabolism and neuronal activation, in addition to its effect on glial cells. For this purpose, we performed histochemistry and immunohistochemistry procedures: the histochemistry of cytochrome oxidase (COx) to assess neuronal metabolic activity, and the immunohistochemistry of c-Fos (marker of neuronal activity), GFAP (marker of astrocytic reactivity), and Iba1 (selective marker of reactive microglia). Our results showed enhanced metabolic activity after rTMS in the retrosplenial and parietal cortex and CA1 and CA3 subfields of the hippocampus. Moreover, higher c-Fos activity was found in the agranular retrosplenial cortex. Finally, we did not find changes between groups in the induction of astrocyte and microglia reactivity in any of the immunostained regions. In conclusion, we can assume that three days of high-frequency rTMS applied in healthy rats does not alter astroglia reactivity or inflammatory responses, such as microglia proliferation. Because we have shown an upregulation of neuronal metabolic activity in many limbic brain structures, in addition to higher c-Fos levels in the nearest cortical area to the rTMS, our work provides novel insight into the effectiveness and safety of rTMS as a brain modulation therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Departamento de Psicología, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain.
| | - Sara G Higarza
- Departamento de Psicología, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain.
| | - Juan A Martínez
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain; Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, 33203 Gijón, Spain.
| | - Alberto M Pernía
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain; Electronic Technology Area, University of Oviedo, 33203 Gijón, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Departamento de Psicología, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain.
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31
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Gobin C, Shallcross J, Schwendt M. Neurobiological substrates of persistent working memory deficits and cocaine-seeking in the prelimbic cortex of rats with a history of extended access to cocaine self-administration. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 161:92-105. [PMID: 30946882 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is associated with prefrontal cortex dysfunction and cognitive deficits that may contribute to persistent relapse susceptibility. As the relationship between cognitive deficits, cortical abnormalities and drug seeking is poorly understood, development of relevant animal models is of high clinical importance. Here, we used an animal model to characterize working memory and reversal learning in rats with a history of extended access cocaine self-administration and prolonged abstinence. We also investigated immediate and long-term functional changes within the prelimbic cortex (PrL) in relation to cognitive performance and drug-seeking. Adult male rats underwent 6 days of short-access (1 h/day) followed by 12 days of long-access (6 h/day) cocaine self-administration, or received passive saline infusions. Next, rats were tested in delayed match-to-sample (DMS) and (non)match-to-sample (NMS) tasks, and finally in a single context + cue relapse test on day 90 of abstinence. We found that a history of chronic cocaine self-administration impaired working memory, though sparing reversal learning, and that the components of these cognitive measures correlated with later drug-seeking. Further, we found that dysregulated metabolic activity and mGlu5 receptor signaling in the PrL of cocaine rats correlated with past working memory performance and/or drug-seeking, as indicated by the analysis of cytochrome oxidase reactivity, mGlu5 and Homer 1b/c protein expression, as well as Arc mRNA expression in mGlu5-positive cells. These findings advocate for a persistent post-cocaine PrL dysfunction, rooted in ineffective compensatory changes and manifested as impaired working memory performance and hyperreactivity to cocaine cues. Considering the possible interplay between the neural correlates underlying post-cocaine cognitive deficits and drug-seeking, cognitive function should be evaluated and considered when developing neurobiologically-based treatments of cocaine relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Gobin
- Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Center for Addiction Research and Education (CARE) at University of Florida, USA
| | - John Shallcross
- Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Center for Addiction Research and Education (CARE) at University of Florida, USA
| | - Marek Schwendt
- Psychology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; Center for Addiction Research and Education (CARE) at University of Florida, USA.
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32
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Zorzo C, Méndez-López M, Méndez M, Arias JL. Adult social isolation leads to anxiety and spatial memory impairment: Brain activity pattern of COx and c-Fos. Behav Brain Res 2019; 365:170-177. [PMID: 30851318 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Social isolation during adulthood is a frequent problem that leads to a large variety of adverse emotional and cognitive effects. However, most of the social isolation rodent procedures begin the separation early post-weaning. This work explores locomotor activity, anxiety-like behaviour, and spatial working memory after twelve weeks of adult social isolation. In order to study the functional contribution of selected brain areas following a working memory task, we assessed neuronal metabolic activity through quantitative cytochrome oxidase histochemistry and c-Fos immunohistochemistry. Behaviourally, we found that isolated animals (IS) showed anxiety-like behaviour and worse working memory than controls, whereas motor functions were preserved. Moreover, IS rats showed lower levels of learning-related c-Fos immunoreactivity, compared to controls, in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and nucleus accumbens shell. In addition, the IS group showed lower neuronal metabolic activity in the mPFC, VTA, and CA1 subfield of the hippocampus. These results indicate that twelve weeks of social isolation in adult rats leads to different behavioural and brain alterations, and they highlight the importance of social support, not only in development, but also in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Zorzo
- Departamento de Psicología, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Magdalena Méndez-López
- IIS Aragón, Departamento de Psicología y Sociología, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Departamento de Psicología, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Departamento de Psicología, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003, Oviedo, Spain.
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33
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Sampedro-Piquero P, Álvarez-Suárez P, Moreno-Fernández RD, García-Castro G, Cuesta M, Begega A. Environmental Enrichment Results in Both Brain Connectivity Efficiency and Selective Improvement in Different Behavioral Tasks. Neuroscience 2018; 388:374-383. [PMID: 30086366 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) has been a useful model for studying the effects of experience on brain plasticity, but to date, few is known about the impact of this condition on the brain functional networks that probably underlies the multiple behavioral improvements. Hence, we assessed the effect of an EE protocol in adult Wistar rats on the performance in several behavioral tasks testing different domains (Open field (OP): locomotor activity; Elevated-zero maze (EZM): anxiety-related behaviors; 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT): attentional processes; 4-arm radial water maze (4-RAWM): spatial memory) in order to check its effectiveness in a wide range of functions. After this, we analyzed the functional brain connectivity underlying each experimental condition through cytochrome C oxidase (COx) histochemistry. Our EE protocol reduced both locomotor activity in the OP and anxiety-related behaviors in the EZM. On the other hand, enriched rats showed more accuracy in the 4-RAWM, whereas 5-CSRTT performance was not significantly ameliorated by EE condition. In relation to COx functional connectivity, we found that EE reduced the number of strong positive correlations both in basal and training conditions, suggesting a modulating effect on specific brain connections. Our results suggest that EE seems to have a selective effect on specific brain regions, such as prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, leading to a more efficient brain connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Sampedro-Piquero
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Málaga, Spain.
| | | | - R D Moreno-Fernández
- Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología de las Ciencias del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Málaga, Spain
| | - G García-Castro
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias INEUROPA, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - M Cuesta
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias INEUROPA, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - A Begega
- Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias INEUROPA, Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
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Banqueri M, Méndez M, Arias JL. Why are maternally separated females inflexible? Brain activity pattern of COx and c-Fos. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 155:30-41. [PMID: 29908971 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Subjects' early life events will affect them later in life. When these events are stressful, such as child abuse in humans or repeated maternal separation in rodents, subjects can show some behavioral and brain alterations. This study used young adult female Wistar rats that were maternally raised (AFR), maternally separated from post-natal day (PND) 1 to PND10 (MS10), or maternally separated from PND1 to PND21 (MS21), in order to assess the effects of maternal separation (MS) on spatial learning and memory, as well as cognitive flexibility, using the Morris Water Maze (MWM). We performed quantitative cytochrome oxidase (COx) histochemistry on selected brain areas in order to identify whether maternal separation affects brain energy metabolism. We also performed c-Fos immunohistochemistry on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), thalamus, and hippocampus to explore whether this immediate early gene activity was altered in stressed subjects. We obtained a similar spatial learning pattern in maternally raised and maternally separated subjects on the reference memory task, but only the controls were flexible enough to solve the reversal learning successfully. Separated groups showed less c-Fos activity in the mPFC and less complex neural networks on COx.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Banqueri
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Spain
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Banqueri M, Méndez M, Arias JL. Spatial memory-related brain activity in normally reared and different maternal separation models in rats. Physiol Behav 2017; 181:80-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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Connectional Modularity of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Multimodal Inputs to the Lateral Cortex of the Mouse Inferior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2017; 36:11037-11050. [PMID: 27798184 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4134-15.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus receives information from both auditory and somatosensory structures and is thought to play a role in multisensory integration. Previous studies in the rat have shown that this nucleus contains a series of distinct anatomical modules that stain for GAD-67 as well as other neurochemical markers. In the present study, we sought to better characterize these modules in the mouse inferior colliculus and determine whether the connectivity of other neural structures with the lateral cortex is spatially related to the distribution of these neurochemical modules. Staining for GAD-67 and other markers revealed a single modular network throughout the rostrocaudal extent of the mouse lateral cortex. Somatosensory inputs from the somatosensory cortex and dorsal column nuclei were found to terminate almost exclusively within these modular zones. However, projections from the auditory cortex and central nucleus of the inferior colliculus formed patches that interdigitate with the GAD-67-positive modules. These results suggest that the lateral cortex of the mouse inferior colliculus exhibits connectional as well as neurochemical modularity and may contain multiple segregated processing streams. This finding is discussed in the context of other brain structures in which neuroanatomical and connectional modularity have functional consequences. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Many brain regions contain subnuclear microarchitectures, such as the matrix-striosome organization of the basal ganglia or the patch-interpatch organization of the visual cortex, that shed light on circuit complexities. In the present study, we demonstrate the presence of one such micro-organization in the rodent inferior colliculus. While this structure is typically viewed as an auditory integration center, its lateral cortex appears to be involved in multisensory operations and receives input from somatosensory brain regions. We show here that the lateral cortex can be further subdivided into multiple processing streams: modular regions, which are targeted by somatosensory inputs, and extramodular zones that receive auditory information.
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Li Y, Wang Y, Xuan C, Li Y, Piao L, Li J, Zhao H. Role of the Lateral Habenula in Pain-Associated Depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:31. [PMID: 28270756 PMCID: PMC5318408 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with chronic pain have significantly higher incidences of depression and anxiety than the average person. However, the mechanism underlying this link has not been elucidated in terms of how chronic pain causes significant mood changes and further develops into severe anxiety or depression. The serotonergic system in the raphe nuclei is an important component in both pain processing and the pathogenesis of depression. Since the lateral habenular nucleus (LHb) controls the raphe nuclei, it may participate in the regulation of pain-associated depression. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the role of the LHb in this pathophysiological process. We used chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in rats as a model for neuropathic pain and assessed the changes potentially related to the mood disorders. The forced swim test (FST) and sucrose preference test (SPT) were performed to determine the behavioral changes 28 days after pain surgery. Expression of β calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (βCaMKII) in the LHb, cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) activity in the LHb and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in the DRN were measured. We found an increasing in LHb activity and βCaMKII expression, and a decrease in neuronal activity in the DRN and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA)/5-HT ratios in the CCI rats. These effects were accompanied by the depression-like behaviors. Lesions in the LHb improved the pain threshold and depression-like behavior in the rats. These results suggest that the LHb may play a role in pain-associated depression by affecting the activity of 5-HT neurons in the DRN. Furthermore, we showed that increases in the LHb-DRN pathway activity were a common neurobiological mechanisms for pain and depression, which may explain the coexistence of pain and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, China; Department of Anesthesia, Neuroscience Research Center, First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchun, China
| | - Yumeng Wang
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Chengluan Xuan
- Department of Anesthesia, Neuroscience Research Center, First Hospital of Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Lianhua Piao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Jicheng Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Hua Zhao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, China; Department of Anesthesia, Neuroscience Research Center, First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchun, China
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Méndez-Couz M, González-Pardo H, Vallejo G, Arias JL, Conejo NM. Spatial memory extinction differentially affects dorsal and ventral hippocampal metabolic activity and associated functional brain networks. Hippocampus 2016; 26:1265-75. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Méndez-Couz
- Laboratory of Neuroscience; Department of Psychology; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo; Plaza Feijoo Oviedo Spain
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience; Department of Psychology; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo; Plaza Feijoo Oviedo Spain
| | - Guillermo Vallejo
- Methodology Area; Department of Psychology; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo; Plaza Feijoo Oviedo Spain
| | - Jorge L. Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience; Department of Psychology; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo; Plaza Feijoo Oviedo Spain
| | - Nélida M. Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience; Department of Psychology; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo; Plaza Feijoo Oviedo Spain
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Arias N, Méndez M, Vallejo G, Arias JL. Finding the place without the whole: Timeline involvement of brain regions. Brain Res 2015; 1625:18-28. [PMID: 26319692 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Revised: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Mastering the Morris water maze (MWM) requires the animal to consolidate, retain and retrieve spatial localizations of relevant visual cues. However, it is necessary to investigate whether a reorganization of the neural networks takes place when part of the spatial information is removed. We conducted four experiments using the MWM. A classical reference memory procedure was performed over five training days, RM5 (n=7), and eight days, RM8 (n=7), with the whole room and all the spatial cues presented. Another group of animals were trained in the same protocol, but they received an additional day of training with only partial cues, PC (n=8). Finally, a third group of animals performed the classical task, followed by an overtraining with partial cues for four more days, OPC (n=8). After completing these tasks, cytochrome c-oxidase activity (CO) in several brain limbic system structures was compared between groups. In addition, c-Fos positive cells were measured in the RM5, RM8, PC and OPC groups. No significant differences were found among the four groups in escape latencies or time spent in the target quadrant. CO revealed involvement of the prefrontal and parietal cortices, dorsal and ventral striatum, CA1 and CA3 subfields of the dorsal hippocampus, basolateral and lateral amygdala, and mammillary nuclei in the PC group, compared to the RM group. In the OPC group, involvement of the ventral striatum and anteroventral thalamus and the absence of amygdala involvement were revealed, compared to the PC group. C-Fos results highlighted the role of the prefrontal cortex, dorsal striatum, anterodorsal thalamus and CA3 in the PC group, compared to the OPC, RM5 and RM8 groups. The animals were able to find the escape platform even when only a portion of the space where the cues were placed was available. Although the groups did not differ behaviorally, energetic brain metabolism and immediate early gene expression revealed the engagement of different neural structures in the groups that received more training without the entire surrounding space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Arias
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK; INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Spain
| | - Guillermo Vallejo
- Laboratorio de Metodología, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Spain
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40
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Uceda S, Ocaña FM, Martín-Monzón I, Rodríguez-Expósito B, Durán E, Rodríguez F. Spatial learning-related changes in metabolic brain activity contribute to the delimitation of the hippocampal pallium in goldfish. Behav Brain Res 2015; 292:403-8. [PMID: 26142782 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Comparative neuroanatomical, developmental and functional evidence suggests that the lateral division of the area dorsalis telencephali (Dl) of the teleost fish is homologous to the hippocampus of tetrapods. Nonetheless, some important aspects of the organization of the hippocampal pallium of teleosts are still under discussion and conflicting hypotheses regarding the extension and demarcation of this region have been proposed. Thus, whereas some authors suggest that the entire Dl region, including its dorsal (Dld) and ventral (Dlv) subdivisions, is homologue to the mammalian hippocampus, others claim that only Dlv should be considered as such. To further elucidate this debate, we investigated the role of Dld and Dlv in one of the most unambiguous functions of the hippocampus, spatial learning. We trained goldfish in a spatial constancy task and mapped the activity of Dld, Dlv, and the medial division of the area dorsalis telencephali (Dm) by means of cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry. The results revealed that training goldfish in the spatial constancy task significantly increased the metabolic activity in Dlv, but not in Dld or Dm, suggesting that only Dlv is critically involved in spatial learning and in this regard comparable to the hippocampus. These data provide additional functional support to the hypotheses that consider Dl as a heterogeneous pallial region and propose that Dlv, but not Dld, might be homologous to the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Uceda
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, University of Sevilla, Campus Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 41018, Sevilla, Spain.
| | - F M Ocaña
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, University of Sevilla, Campus Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 41018, Sevilla, Spain
| | - I Martín-Monzón
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, University of Sevilla, Campus Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 41018, Sevilla, Spain
| | - B Rodríguez-Expósito
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, University of Sevilla, Campus Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 41018, Sevilla, Spain
| | - E Durán
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, University of Sevilla, Campus Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 41018, Sevilla, Spain
| | - F Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, University of Sevilla, Campus Santiago Ramón y Cajal, 41018, Sevilla, Spain
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Méndez-López M, Méndez M, Arias J, Arias JL. Effects of a high protein diet on cognition and brain metabolism in cirrhotic rats. Physiol Behav 2015; 149:220-8. [PMID: 26048304 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a neurological complication observed in patients with liver disease. Patients who suffer from HE present neuropsychiatric, neuromuscular and behavioral symptoms. Animal models proposed to study HE resulting from cirrhosis mimic the clinical characteristics of cirrhosis and portal hypertension, and require the administration of hepatotoxins such as thioacetamide (TAA). The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a high protein diet on motor function, anxiety and memory processes in a model of cirrhosis induced by TAA administration. In addition, we used cytochrome c-oxidase (COx) histochemistry to assess the metabolic activity of the limbic system regions. Male rats were distributed into groups: control, animals with cirrhosis, Control rats receiving a high protein diet, and animals with cirrhosis receiving a high protein diet. Results showed preserved motor function and normal anxiety levels in all the groups. The animals with cirrhosis showed an impairment in active avoidance behavior and spatial memory, regardless of the diet they received. However, the animals with cirrhosis and a high protein diet showed longer escape latencies on the spatial memory task. The model of cirrhosis presented an under-activation of the dentate gyrus and CA3 hippocampal subfields and the medial part of the medial mammillary nucleus. The results suggest that a high protein intake worsens spatial memory deficits shown by the TAA-induced model of cirrhosis. However, high protein ingestion has no influence on the COx hypoactivity associated with the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Méndez-López
- Department of Psychology, University of Zaragoza, Campus Ciudad Escolar s/n., 44003 Teruel, Spain.
| | - M Méndez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n., 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - J Arias
- Faculty of Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n., 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - J L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n., 33003 Oviedo, Spain.
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Arias N, Méndez M, Arias JL. The importance of the context in the hippocampus and brain related areas throughout the performance of a fear conditioning task. Hippocampus 2015; 25:1242-9. [PMID: 25675878 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The importance context has been broadly studied in the management of phobias and in the drug addiction literature. The way in which changes to a context influence behavior after the simple acquisition of a passive avoidance task remains unclear. The hippocampus has long been implicated in the contextual and spatial processing required for contextual fear, but its role in encoding the aversive component of a contextual fear memory is still inconclusive. Our work tries to elucidate whether a change in context, represented as differences in the load of the stimuli, is critical for learning about the context-shock association and whether this manipulation of the context could be linked to any change in metabolic brain activity requirements. For this purpose, we used an avoidance conditioning task. Animals were divided into three different experimental conditions. In one group, acquisition was performed in an enriched stimuli environment and retention was performed in a typically lit chamber (the PA-ACQ-CONTX group). In another group, acquisition was performed in the typically lit chamber and retention was undertaken in the highly enriched chamber (the PA-RET-CONTX group). Finally, for the control group, PA-CN-CONTX, acquisition, and retention were performed in the enriched stimuli environment. Our results showed that the PA-ACQ-CONTX group had longer escape latencies and poorer retention than the PA-RET-CONTX and PA-CN-CONTX groups after 24 h of acquisition under contextual changes. To study metabolic brain activity, histochemical labelling of cytochrome c-oxidase (CO) was performed. CO results suggested a neural circuit including the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, parahippocampal cortices, and mammillary nuclei that is involved in the learning and memory processes that enable context-dependent behavior. These results highlight how dysfunction in this network may be involved in the contextualization of fear associations that underlie several forms of psychopathology, including post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and substance abuse disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Arias
- Laboratorio De Neurociencias, Departamento De Psicología, Universidad De Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,INEUROPA, Instituto De Neurociencias Del Principado De Asturias, Spain
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratorio De Neurociencias, Departamento De Psicología, Universidad De Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,INEUROPA, Instituto De Neurociencias Del Principado De Asturias, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratorio De Neurociencias, Departamento De Psicología, Universidad De Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain.,INEUROPA, Instituto De Neurociencias Del Principado De Asturias, Spain
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Broglio C, Martín-Monzón I, Ocaña FM, Gómez A, Durán E, Salas C, Rodríguez F. Hippocampal Pallium and Map-Like Memories through Vertebrate Evolution. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.4236/jbbs.2015.53011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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44
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Metabolic brain activity underlying behavioral performance and spatial strategy choice in sedentary and exercised Wistar rats. Neuroscience 2014; 281:110-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.09.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 09/05/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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Vélez-Hernández ME, Padilla E, Gonzalez-Lima F, Jiménez-Rivera CA. Cocaine reduces cytochrome oxidase activity in the prefrontal cortex and modifies its functional connectivity with brainstem nuclei. Brain Res 2014; 1542:56-69. [PMID: 24505625 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine-induced psychomotor stimulation may be mediated by metabolic hypofrontality and modification of brain functional connectivity. Functional connectivity refers to the pattern of relationships among brain regions, and one way to evaluate this pattern is using interactivity correlations of the metabolic marker cytochrome oxidase among different regions. This is the first study of how repeated cocaine modifies: (1) mean cytochrome oxidase activity in neural areas using quantitative enzyme histochemistry, and (2) functional connectivity among brain regions using inter-correlations of cytochrome oxidase activity. Rats were injected with 15 mg/kg i.p. cocaine or saline for 5 days, which lead to cocaine-enhanced total locomotion. Mean cytochrome oxidase activity was significantly decreased in cocaine-treated animals in the superficial dorsal and lateral frontal cortical association areas Fr2 and Fr3 when compared to saline-treated animals. Functional connectivity showed that the cytochrome oxidase activity of the noradrenergic locus coeruleus and the infralimbic cortex were positively inter-correlated in cocaine but not in control rats. Positive cytochrome oxidase activity inter-correlations were also observed between the dopaminergic substantia nigra compacta and Fr2 and Fr3 areas and the lateral orbital cortex in cocaine-treated animals. In contrast, cytochrome oxidase activity in the interpeduncular nucleus was negatively correlated with that of Fr2, anterior insular cortex, and lateral orbital cortex in saline but not in cocaine groups. After repeated cocaine specific prefrontal areas became hypometabolic and their functional connectivity changed in networks involving noradrenergic and dopaminergic brainstem nuclei. We suggest that this pattern of hypofrontality and altered functional connectivity may contribute to cocaine-induced psychomotor stimulation.
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Bastida CC, Puga F, Gonzalez-Lima F, Jennings KJ, Wommack JC, Delville Y. Chronic social stress in puberty alters appetitive male sexual behavior and neural metabolic activity. Horm Behav 2014; 66:220-7. [PMID: 24852486 PMCID: PMC4127097 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Repeated social subjugation in early puberty lowers testosterone levels. We used hamsters to investigate the effects of social subjugation on male sexual behavior and metabolic activity within neural systems controlling social and motivational behaviors. Subjugated animals were exposed daily to aggressive adult males in early puberty for postnatal days 28 to 42, while control animals were placed in empty clean cages. On postnatal day 45, they were tested for male sexual behavior in the presence of receptive female. Alternatively, they were tested for mate choice after placement at the base of a Y-maze containing a sexually receptive female in one tip of the maze and an ovariectomized one on the other. Social subjugation did not affect the capacity to mate with receptive females. Although control animals were fast to approach females and preferred ovariectomized individuals, subjugated animals stayed away from them and showed no preference. Cytochrome oxidase activity was reduced within the preoptic area and ventral tegmental area in subjugated hamsters. In addition, the correlation of metabolic activity of these areas with the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and anterior parietal cortex changed significantly from positive in controls to negative in subjugated animals. These data show that at mid-puberty, while male hamsters are capable of mating, their appetitive sexual behavior is not fully mature and this aspect of male sexual behavior is responsive to social subjugation. Furthermore, metabolic activity and coordination of activity in brain areas related to sexual behavior and motivation were altered by social subjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christel C Bastida
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Frank Puga
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Francisco Gonzalez-Lima
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kimberly J Jennings
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Joel C Wommack
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Yvon Delville
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station, A8000, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Fidalgo C, Conejo NM, González-Pardo H, Arias JL. Dynamic functional brain networks involved in simple visual discrimination learning. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2014; 114:165-70. [PMID: 24937013 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Visual discrimination tasks have been widely used to evaluate many types of learning and memory processes. However, little is known about the brain regions involved at different stages of visual discrimination learning. We used cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry to evaluate changes in regional brain oxidative metabolism during visual discrimination learning in a water-T maze at different time points during training. As compared with control groups, the results of the present study reveal the gradual activation of cortical (prefrontal and temporal cortices) and subcortical brain regions (including the striatum and the hippocampus) associated to the mastery of a simple visual discrimination task. On the other hand, the brain regions involved and their functional interactions changed progressively over days of training. Regions associated with novelty, emotion, visuo-spatial orientation and motor aspects of the behavioral task seem to be relevant during the earlier phase of training, whereas a brain network comprising the prefrontal cortex was found along the whole learning process. This study highlights the relevance of functional interactions among brain regions to investigate learning and memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camino Fidalgo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Nélida María Conejo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Héctor González-Pardo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Jorge Luis Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijóo s/n, E-33003 Oviedo, Spain.
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Arias N, Méndez M, Arias JL. Brain networks underlying navigation in the Cincinnati water maze with external and internal cues. Neurosci Lett 2014; 576:68-72. [PMID: 24915295 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.05.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The present study investigated the behavioural performance and the contributions of different brain regions on a spatial task performed by Wistar rats in the Cincinnati water maze (CWM) in two conditions: one where both distal and proximal visual cues were available (CWM-light group, n=7) and another where visual cues were eliminated by testing in complete darkness (CWM-dark group, n=7). There were differences in the behavioural performance. Energetic brain metabolism revealed significant differences in the infralimbic, orbitofrontal cortex and anterodorsal striatum. At the same time different brain networks were found. The CWM-light group showed a relationship between the orbitofrontal cortex and medial septum, whereas the CWM-dark group revealed three different networks involving the prefrontal cortex, ventral striatum, hippocampus and amygdala nuclei. The study shows that brain activation differs in these two conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Arias
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Marta Méndez
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratorio de Neurociencias, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad de Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo s/n, 33003 Oviedo, Spain; INEUROPA, Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain
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Arias N, Fidalgo C, Vallejo G, Arias JL. Brain network function during shifts in learning strategies in portal hypertension animals. Brain Res Bull 2014; 104:52-9. [PMID: 24742527 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2014.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy exhibit early impairments in their ability to shift attentional set. We employed a task-switching protocol to evaluate brain network changes. Strategy switching requires the modification of both the relevant stimulus dimension and the required memory system. Rats were trained in an allocentric (A) and a cue-guided (C) task using a four-arm maze. To examine priming, we changed the order in which the tasks were presented. Five groups of animals were used: a SHAM (sham-operated) A-C group (n=10), a SHAM C-A group (n=8), a PH (portal hypertension) A-C group (n=8), PH C-A group (n=8), and a naïve group (n=10). The triple portal vein ligation method was used to create an animal model of the early evolutive phase of PH. The animals were tested in the four-arm radial water maze in a single 10-trial session each day for six days (three days for the allocentric task and three days for the cue-guided task). The metabolic activities of the brains were studied with cytochrome oxidase histochemistry, and brain network changes were assessed with principal component analysis. The behavioural results revealed significant increases in the numbers of correct choices across training days in all groups studied, and facilitation of the acquisition of the second task was present in the C-A groups. Moreover, different brain network activities were found; in the experimental groups, the performance of A-C switch involved the prefrontal cortex, and the key structures involved in the C-A switch in the other groups were the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus and the basolateral and central amygdala. These networks have a common nucleus of structures (i.e., the parietal cortex and the dorsal and ventral striatum), whereas other structures were specifically involved in each type of strategy, suggesting that these regions are part of both circuits and may interact with one another during learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Camino Fidalgo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Guillermo Vallejo
- Laboratory of Methodology, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Jorge L Arias
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
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Short-term effects of a perinatal exposure to a 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon mixture in rats: assessment of early motor and sensorial development and cerebral cytochrome oxidase activity in pups. Neurotoxicology 2014; 43:90-101. [PMID: 24709092 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2013] [Revised: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Humans are exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a family of ubiquitous neurotoxic pollutants, mainly through ingestion of contaminated food. Developing organisms can be exposed also to PAHs due to the ability of these compounds to pass through the placental barrier as well as through the breast milk. Previous animal studies have reported that the exposure of rats to a 16 PAH mixture at environmental doses strictly limited to gestation did not induce any long-lasting consequences, whereas gestational and lactational PAH exposure induced long-term behavioral and cerebral metabolic effects. In the present study, short-term effects of exposures to the same PAH mixture during gestation, or during gestation and lactation, were assessed by evaluating motor and sensory development of rat pups, and by measuring cerebral cytochrome oxidase activity (a marker of energetic metabolism) in different brain areas. Brain levels of PAHs and some monohydroxylated metabolites were also evaluated in pups at birth and at 21 days of postnatal life. No significant short-term modifications of behavioral development and of cerebral metabolism were observed following an early PAH exposure whatever the dose and the period of exposure. Surprisingly, the same brain levels of concentration of PAHs and metabolites were observed in control and exposed pups in both studies. These analytical results raise the difficulty in overcoming environmental contamination of control animals and the choice of such controls in experimental studies which focus on neurotoxicity of exposure to low levels of pollutants.
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