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Martins LA, Schiavo A, Paz LV, Xavier LL, Mestriner RG. Neural underpinnings of fine motor skills under stress and anxiety: A review. Physiol Behav 2024; 282:114593. [PMID: 38782244 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
This review offers a comprehensive examination of how stress and anxiety affect motor behavior, particularly focusing on fine motor skills and gait adaptability. We explore the role of several neurochemicals, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and dopamine, in modulating neural plasticity and motor control under these affective states. The review highlights the importance of developing therapeutic strategies that enhance motor performance by leveraging the interactions between key neurochemicals. Additionally, we investigate the complex interplay between emotional-cognitive states and sensorimotor behaviors, showing how stress and anxiety disrupt neural integration, leading to impairments in skilled movements and negatively impacting quality of life. Synthesizing evidence from human and rodent studies, we provide a detailed understanding of the relationships among stress, anxiety, and motor behavior. Our findings reveal neurophysiological pathways, behavioral outcomes, and potential therapeutic targets, emphasizing the intricate connections between neurobiological mechanisms, environmental factors, and motor performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Athaydes Martins
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aniuska Schiavo
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lisiê Valéria Paz
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Léder Leal Xavier
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Régis Gemerasca Mestriner
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Neuroscience, Motor Behavior, and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECORE-CNPq), Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology, Av. Ipiranga, 6681, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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2
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Seib DR, Tobiansky DJ, Meitzen J, Floresco SB, Soma KK. Neurosteroids and the mesocorticolimbic system. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105356. [PMID: 37567491 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105356] [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: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
The mesocorticolimbic system coordinates executive functions, such as working memory and behavioral flexibility. This circuit includes dopaminergic projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex. In this review, we summarize evidence that cells in multiple nodes of the mesocorticolimbic system produce neurosteroids (steroids synthesized in the nervous system) and express steroid receptors. Here, we focus on neuroandrogens (androgens synthesized in the nervous system), neuroestrogens (estrogens synthesized in the nervous system), and androgen and estrogen receptors. We also summarize how (neuro)androgens and (neuro)estrogens affect dopamine signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system and regulate executive functions. Taken together, the data suggest that steroids produced in the gonads and locally in the brain modulate higher-order cognition and executive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Désirée R Seib
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Daniel J Tobiansky
- Department of Biology and Neuroscience Program, St. Mary's College of Maryland, St. Mary's City, MD, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Human Health and the Environment, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kiran K Soma
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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3
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Murlanova K, Pletnikov MV. Modeling psychotic disorders: Environment x environment interaction. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105310. [PMID: 37437753 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a major psychotic disorder with multifactorial etiology that includes interactions between genetic vulnerability and environmental risk factors. In addition, interplay of multiple environmental adversities affects neurodevelopment and may increase the individual risk of developing schizophrenia. Consistent with the two-hit hypothesis of schizophrenia, we review rodent models that combine maternal immune activation as the first hit with other adverse environmental exposures as the second hit. We discuss the strengths and pitfalls of the current animal models of environment x environment interplay and propose some future directions to advance the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna Murlanova
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Mikhail V Pletnikov
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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4
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Mavrenkova PV, Khlebnikova NN, Alchinova IB, Demorzhi MS, Shoibonov BB, Karganov MY. Effects of Maternal Separation and Subsequent Stress on Behaviors and Brain Monoamines in Rats. Brain Sci 2023; 13:956. [PMID: 37371434 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060956] [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: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Childhood adversity can induce maladaptive behaviors and increase risk for affective disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, personality disorders, and vulnerability to stress in adulthood. Deprivation of maternal care interrupts brain development through the disturbance of various neurotransmitters, however, the details remain unclear. The features of the symptoms of disorders are largely determined by early stress protocol, genetic characteristics (line), and the sex of the animals. The purpose of current study was (1) to assess behavioral changes in adult Wistar rats of both sexes after early life stress; (2) to determine the levels of monoamines in brain structures involved in the motor, emotional, and social reactions in rats aged 1 and 2 months; and (3) to determine the level of monoamines after physical or emotional stress in adult rats. The rat pups were separated from their dams and isolated from siblings in tight boxes at a temperature of 22-23 °C for 6 h during postnatal days 2-18. The data were processed predominantly using two-way analysis of variance and the Newman-Keys test as the post hoc analysis. The adult rats demonstrated an increase in motor activity and aggressiveness and a decrease in levels of anxiety and sociability. Behavioral disturbances were accompanied by region-, sex-, and age-dependent changes in the levels of monoamines and their metabolites. The dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems were found to be sensitive to psycho-emotional stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina V Mavrenkova
- Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 8 Baltiyskaya St., 125315 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nadezhda N Khlebnikova
- Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 8 Baltiyskaya St., 125315 Moscow, Russia
| | - Irina B Alchinova
- Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 8 Baltiyskaya St., 125315 Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina S Demorzhi
- Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 8 Baltiyskaya St., 125315 Moscow, Russia
| | - Batozhab B Shoibonov
- P. K. Anokhin Institute of Normal Physiology, 8 Baltiyskaya St., 125315 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail Yu Karganov
- Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 8 Baltiyskaya St., 125315 Moscow, Russia
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Schonfeld L, Jaehne EJ, Ogden AR, Spiers JG, Hogarth S, van den Buuse M. Differential effects of chronic adolescent glucocorticoid or methamphetamine on drug-induced locomotor hyperactivity and disruption of prepulse inhibition in adulthood in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022; 117:110552. [PMID: 35337859 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sensitization of dopaminergic activity has been suggested as an underlying mechanism in the psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. Adolescent stress and chronic abuse of methamphetamine (Meth) are well-known risk factors for psychosis and schizophrenia; however it remains unknown how these factors compare in terms of dopaminergic behavioural sensitization in adulthood. In addition, while Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) has been implicated in dopaminergic activity and schizophrenia, its role in behavioural sensitization remains unclear. In this study we therefore compared the effect of chronic adolescent treatment with the stress hormone, corticosterone (Cort), or with Meth, on drug-induced locomotor hyperactivity and disruption of prepulse inhibition in adulthood in BDNF heterozygous mice and their wild-type controls, as well as on dopamine receptor gene expression. Between 6 and 9 weeks of age, the animals either received Cort in the drinking water or were treated with an escalating Meth dose protocol. In adulthood, Cort-pretreated mice showed significantly reduced Meth-induced locomotor hyperactivity compared to vehicle-pretreated mice. In contrast, Meth hyperlocomotion was significantly enhanced in animals pretreated with the drug in adolescence. There were no effects of either pretreatment on prepulse inhibition. BDNF Het mice showed greater Meth-induced hyperlocomotion and lower prepulse inhibition than WT mice. There were no effects of either pretreatment on D1 or D2 gene expression in either the dorsal or ventral striatum, while D3 mRNA was shown to be reduced in male mice only irrespective of genotype. These results suggest that in adolescence, chronically elevated glucocorticoid levels, a component of chronic stress, do not cause dopaminergic sensitization adulthood, in contrast to the effect of chronic Meth treatment in the same age period. BDNF does not appear to be involved in the effects of chronic Cort or chronic Meth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Schonfeld
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emily J Jaehne
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alexandra R Ogden
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jereme G Spiers
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Samuel Hogarth
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- Department of Psychology and Counselling, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Australia; College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
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6
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Prenatal Exposure to an EDC Mixture, NeuroMix: Effects on Brain, Behavior, and Stress Responsiveness in Rats. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10030122. [PMID: 35324748 PMCID: PMC8954446 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10030122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Humans and wildlife are exposed to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) throughout their lives. Environmental EDCs are implicated in a range of diseases/disorders with developmental origins, including neurodevelopment and behavior. EDCs are most often studied one by one; here, we assessed outcomes induced by a mixture designed to represent the real-world situation of multiple simultaneous exposures. The choice of EDCs, which we refer to as “NeuroMix,” was informed by evidence for neurobiological effects in single-compound studies and included bisphenols, phthalates, vinclozolin, and perfluorinated, polybrominated, and polychlorinated compounds. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were fed the NeuroMix or vehicle, and then offspring of both sexes were assessed for effects on postnatal development and behaviors and gene expression in the brain in adulthood. In order to determine whether early-life EDCs predisposed to subsequent vulnerability to postnatal life challenges, a subset of rats were also given a stress challenge in adolescence. Prenatal NeuroMix exposure decreased body weight and delayed puberty in males but not females. In adulthood, NeuroMix caused changes in anxiety-like, social, and mate preference behaviors only in females. Effects of stress were predominantly observed in males. Several interactions of NeuroMix and stress were found, especially for the mate preference behavior and gene expression in the brain. These findings provide novel insights into how two realistic environmental challenges lead to developmental and neurobehavioral deficits, both alone and in combination, in a sex-specific manner.
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Woodward EM, Coutellier L. Age- and sex-specific effects of stress on parvalbumin interneurons in preclinical models: Relevance to sex differences in clinical neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1228-1242. [PMID: 34718048 PMCID: PMC8642301 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, with the capacity to impact susceptibility to disease as well as long-term neurobiological and behavioral outcomes. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, the most prominent subtype of GABAergic interneurons in the cortex, are uniquely responsive to stress due to their protracted development throughout the highly plastic neonatal period and into puberty and adolescence. Additionally, PV + interneurons appear to respond to stress in a sex-specific manner. This review aims to discuss existing preclinical studies that support our overall hypothesis that the sex-and age-specific impacts of stress on PV + interneurons contribute to differences in individual vulnerability to stress across the lifespan, particularly in regard to sex differences in the diagnostic rate of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases in clinical populations. We also emphasize the importance of studying sex as a biological variable to fully understand the mechanistic and behavioral differences between males and females in models of neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 53 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States.
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8
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Guerrin CGJ, Doorduin J, Sommer IE, de Vries EFJ. The dual hit hypothesis of schizophrenia: Evidence from animal models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1150-1168. [PMID: 34715148 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder, which can severely impact social and professional functioning. Epidemiological and clinical studies show that schizophrenia has a multifactorial aetiology comprising genetic and environmental risk factors. Although several risk factors have been identified, it is still not clear how they result in schizophrenia. This knowledge gap, however, can be investigated in animal studies. In this review, we summarise animal studies regarding molecular and cellular mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors may affect brain development, ultimately causing schizophrenia. Preclinical studies suggest that early environmental risk factors can affect the immune, GABAergic, glutamatergic, or dopaminergic system and thus increase the susceptibility to another risk factor later in life. A second insult, like social isolation, stress, or drug abuse, can further disrupt these systems and the interactions between them, leading to behavioural abnormalities. Surprisingly, first insults like maternal infection and early maternal separation can also have protective effects. Single gene mutations associated with schizophrenia did not have a major impact on the susceptibility to subsequent environmental hits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyprien G J Guerrin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Janine Doorduin
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Iris E Sommer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells and Systems, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Erik F J de Vries
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713, GZ, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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Klune CB, Jin B, DeNardo LA. Linking mPFC circuit maturation to the developmental regulation of emotional memory and cognitive flexibility. eLife 2021; 10:e64567. [PMID: 33949949 PMCID: PMC8099425 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and its abundant connections with other brain regions play key roles in memory, cognition, decision making, social behaviors, and mood. Dysfunction in mPFC is implicated in psychiatric disorders in which these behaviors go awry. The prolonged maturation of mPFC likely enables complex behaviors to emerge, but also increases their vulnerability to disruption. Many foundational studies have characterized either mPFC synaptic or behavioral development without establishing connections between them. Here, we review this rich body of literature, aligning major events in mPFC development with the maturation of complex behaviors. We focus on emotional memory and cognitive flexibility, and highlight new work linking mPFC circuit disruption to alterations of these behaviors in disease models. We advance new hypotheses about the causal connections between mPFC synaptic development and behavioral maturation and propose research strategies to establish an integrated understanding of neural architecture and behavioral repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra B Klune
- Physiology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
- Neuroscience Interdepartmental Graduate Program, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
| | - Benita Jin
- Physiology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Graduate Program, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
| | - Laura A DeNardo
- Physiology Department, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLALos AngelesUnited States
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Mancini GF, Marchetta E, Pignani I, Trezza V, Campolongo P. Social Defeat Stress During Early Adolescence Confers Resilience Against a Single Episode of Prolonged Stress in Adult Rats. Cells 2021; 10:360. [PMID: 33572375 PMCID: PMC7916240 DOI: 10.3390/cells10020360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life adverse experiences (first hit) lead to coping strategies that may confer resilience or vulnerability to later experienced stressful events (second hit) and the subsequent development of stress-related psychopathologies. Here, we investigated whether exposure to two stressors at different stages in life has long-term effects on emotional and cognitive capabilities, and whether the interaction between the two stressors influences stress resilience. Male rats were subjected to social defeat stress (SDS, first hit) in adolescence and to a single episode of prolonged stress (SPS, second hit) in adulthood. Behavioral outcomes, hippocampal expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and plasma corticosterone levels were tested in adulthood. Rats exposed to both stressors exhibited resilience against the development of stress-induced alterations in emotional behaviors and spatial memory, but vulnerability to cued fear memory dysfunction. Rats subjected to both stressors demonstrated resilience against the SDS-induced alterations in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression and plasma corticosterone levels. SPS alone altered locomotion and spatial memory retention; these effects were absent in SDS-exposed rats later exposed to SPS. Our findings reveal that exposure to social stress during early adolescence influences the ability to cope with a second challenge experienced later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Federica Mancini
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.M.); (E.M.); (I.P.)
- Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Marchetta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.M.); (E.M.); (I.P.)
- Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
| | - Irene Pignani
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.M.); (E.M.); (I.P.)
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University Roma Tre, 00146 Rome, Italy;
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (G.F.M.); (E.M.); (I.P.)
- Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Transcriptional Profiling of Whisker Follicles and of the Striatum in Methamphetamine Self-Administered Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228856. [PMID: 33238484 PMCID: PMC7700365 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Methamphetamine (MA) use disorder is a chronic neuropsychiatric disease characterized by recurrent binge episodes, intervals of abstinence, and relapses to MA use. Therefore, identification of the key genes and pathways involved is important for improving the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder. In this study, high-throughput RNA sequencing was performed to find the key genes and examine the comparability of gene expression between whisker follicles and the striatum of rats following MA self-administration. A total of 253 and 87 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in whisker follicles and the striatum, respectively. Multivariate and network analyses were performed on these DEGs to find hub genes and key pathways within the constructed network. A total of 129 and 49 genes were finally selected from the DEG sets of whisker follicles and of the striatum. Statistically significant DEGs were found to belong to the classes of genes involved in nicotine addiction, cocaine addiction, and amphetamine addiction in the striatum as well as in Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and Alzheimer’s diseases in whisker follicles. Of note, several genes and pathways including retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and the synaptic vesicle cycle pathway were common between the two tissues. Therefore, this study provides the first data on gene expression levels in whisker follicles and in the striatum in relation to MA reward and thereby may accelerate the research on the whisker follicle as an alternative source of biomarkers for the diagnosis of MA use disorder.
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12
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Chang YC, Li WY, Lee LJH, Lee LJ. Interplay of Prenatal and Postnatal Risk Factors in the Behavioral and Histological Features of a "Two-Hit" Non-Genetic Mouse Model of Schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228518. [PMID: 33198225 PMCID: PMC7697169 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a multifactorial developmental neuropsychiatric disorder. This study examined the interplay of maternal infection and postweaning social isolation, which are prenatal and postnatal risk factors, respectively. Pregnant mice received poly I:C or saline injection on gestation day 9 and the pups were weaned at postnatal day 28. After weaning, male offspring were randomly assigned into group-rearing and isolation-rearing groups. In their adulthood, we performed behavioral tests and characterized the histochemical features of their mesocorticolimbic structures. The sociability and anxiety levels were not affected by either manipulation, but synergistic effects of the two hits on stress-coping behavior was observed. Either of the single manipulations caused defects in sensorimotor gating, novel object recognition and spatial memory tests, but the combination of the two hits did not further exacerbate the disabilities. Prenatal infection increased the number of dopaminergic neurons in midbrain, whereas postweaning isolation decreased the GABAergic neurons in cortex. Single manipulation reduced the dendritic complexity and spine densities of neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and dentate gyrus. Our results support the current perspective that disturbances in brain development during the prenatal or postnatal period influence the structure and function of the brain and together augment the susceptibility to mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Chun Chang
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Wai-Yu Li
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (W.-Y.L.)
| | - Lukas Jyuhn-Hsiarn Lee
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli 35053, Taiwan;
| | - Li-Jen Lee
- Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan; (Y.-C.C.); (W.-Y.L.)
- Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10048, Taiwan
- Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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13
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Goh JY, O'Sullivan SE, Shortall SE, Zordan N, Piccinini AM, Potter HG, Fone KCF, King MV. Gestational poly(I:C) attenuates, not exacerbates, the behavioral, cytokine and mTOR changes caused by isolation rearing in a rat 'dual-hit' model for neurodevelopmental disorders. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 89:100-117. [PMID: 32485291 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric illnesses have a multifactorial etiology involving genetic and environmental risk factors that trigger persistent neurodevelopmental impairments. Several risk factors have been individually replicated in rodents, to understand disease mechanisms and evaluate novel treatments, particularly for poorly-managed negative and cognitive symptoms. However, the complex interplay between various factors remains unclear. Rodent dual-hit neurodevelopmental models offer vital opportunities to examine this and explore new strategies for early therapeutic intervention. This study combined gestational administration of polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C); PIC, to mimic viral infection during pregnancy) with post-weaning isolation of resulting offspring (to mirror adolescent social adversity). After in vitro and in vivo studies required for laboratory-specific PIC characterization and optimization, we administered 10 mg/kg i.p. PIC potassium salt to time-mated Lister hooded dams on gestational day 15. This induced transient hypothermia, sickness behavior and weight loss in the dams, and led to locomotor hyperactivity, elevated striatal cytokine levels, and increased frontal cortical JNK phosphorylation in the offspring at adulthood. Remarkably, instead of exacerbating the well-characterized isolation syndrome, gestational PIC exposure actually protected against a spectrum of isolation-induced behavioral and brain regional changes. Thus isolation reared rats exhibited locomotor hyperactivity, impaired associative memory and reversal learning, elevated hippocampal and frontal cortical cytokine levels, and increased mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activation in the frontal cortex - which were not evident in isolates previously exposed to gestational PIC. Brains from adolescent littermates suggest little contribution of cytokines, mTOR or JNK to early development of the isolation syndrome, or resilience conferred by PIC. But notably hippocampal oxytocin, which can protect against stress, was higher in adolescent PIC-exposed isolates so might contribute to a more favorable outcome. These findings have implications for identifying individuals at risk for disorders like schizophrenia who may benefit from early therapeutic intervention, and justify preclinical assessment of whether adolescent oxytocin manipulations can modulate disease onset or progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Yin Goh
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Saoirse E O'Sullivan
- School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Royal Derby Hospital, Derby DE22 3DT, UK
| | - Sinead E Shortall
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Nicole Zordan
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Anna M Piccinini
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Harry G Potter
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Kevin C F Fone
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Madeleine V King
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
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He T, Guo C, Wang C, Hu C, Chen H. Effect of early life stress on anxiety and depressive behaviors in adolescent mice. Brain Behav 2020; 10:e01526. [PMID: 31961515 PMCID: PMC7066350 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Adolescence is a critical period for physical and mental development. The effect of early life stress on mood disorders has been intensively studied in adults using rodent models, but it has been less studied in adolescents. The present study aimed to examine the effect of early life stress on anxiety-related and depression-like behaviors in adolescent C57BL/6 mice and the sex difference. METHODS C57BL/6 mice of both sexes were used, and early life stressors included maternal separation (MS, P2-12, 4 hr per day), restraint stress (RS, P33 to 39, 4 hr per day), and their combination (MRS). Open field test, elevated plus maze, and forced swimming test were performed at different time points during adolescence and adulthood. RESULTS It was found that MS did not affect the anxiety-related behaviors of both males and females tested on P30-31 and P41-42. RS decreased the anxiety level in adolescent males but did not affect it in the females. MS, RS, and MRS all significantly increased the depression-like behavior in adolescent males, but only MRS increased the depression-like behavior in adolescent females. All effects on adolescent males and females did not persist into adulthood. CONCLUSION The present results showed that early life stress affected anxiety-related and depression-like behavior in adolescent mice in manners depending on the nature of stress, the developmental period, and sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting He
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of EducationCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of PsychologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Chen Guo
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of EducationCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of PsychologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Chunlian Wang
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of EducationCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of PsychologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Chunrong Hu
- Department of Alternative MedicineNo. 9 Chongqing HospitalChongqingChina
| | - Huanxin Chen
- Key Lab of Cognition and Personality of the Ministry of EducationCollaborative Innovation Center for Brain ScienceSchool of PsychologySouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
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15
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de Souza JA, do Amaral Almeida LC, Tavares GA, Falcão LDAL, Beltrão LC, Costa FCO, de Souza FL, da Silva MC, de Souza SL. Dual exposure to stress in different stages of development affects eating behavior of male Wistar rats. Physiol Behav 2020; 214:112769. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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16
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Dobrovolsky AP, Gedzun VR, Bogin VI, Ma D, Ichim TE, Sukhanova IA, Malyshev AV, Dubynin VA. Beneficial effects of xenon inhalation on behavioral changes in a valproic acid-induced model of autism in rats. J Transl Med 2019; 17:400. [PMID: 31796043 PMCID: PMC6891980 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-019-02161-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas that has been used for the last several decades as an anesthetic during surgery. Its antagonistic effect on glutamate subtype of NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors resulted in evaluation of this gas for treatment of CNS pathologies, including psychoemotional disorders. The aim of this study was to assess the behavioral effects of acute inhalation of subanesthetic concentrations of Xe and to study the outcomes of Xe exposure in valproic acid (VPA)-induced rodent model of autism. METHODS We have conducted two series of experiments with a battery of behavioral tests aimed to evaluate locomotion, anxiety- and depression-like behavior, and social behavior in healthy, VPA-treated and Xe-exposed young rats. RESULTS We have shown that in healthy animals Xe exposure resulted in acute and delayed decrease of exploratory motivation, partial decrease in risk-taking and depressive-like behavior as well as improved sensorimotor integration during the negative geotaxis test. Acute inhalations of Xe in VPA-exposed animals led to improvement in social behavior, decrease in exploratory motivation, and normalization of behavior in forced-swim test. CONCLUSION Behavioral modulatory effects of Xe are probably related to its generalized action on excitatory/inhibitory balance within the CNS. Our data suggest that subanesthetic short-term exposures to Xe have beneficial effect on several behavioral modalities and deserves further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Dobrovolsky
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Ostrovitianov str. 1, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - V R Gedzun
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - V I Bogin
- Nobilis Therapeutics Inc, Portland, OR, USA
| | - D Ma
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine & Intensive Care, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - T E Ichim
- Nobilis Therapeutics Inc, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Iu A Sukhanova
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A V Malyshev
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - V A Dubynin
- Department of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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Du X, McCarthny CR, Notaras M, van den Buuse M, Hill RA. Effect of adolescent androgen manipulation on psychosis-like behaviour in adulthood in BDNF heterozygous and control mice. Horm Behav 2019; 112:32-41. [PMID: 30928609 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Males are more prone to psychosis, schizophrenia and substance abuse and addiction in adolescence and early adulthood than females. However, the role of androgens during this developmental period is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine how androgens in adolescence influence psychosis-like behaviour in adulthood and whether brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a mediator of these developmental effects. METHODS Wild-type and BDNF heterozygous male mice were castrated at pre-pubescence and implanted with testosterone or dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In adulthood, we assessed amphetamine- and MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion as a model of psychosis-like behaviour. Western blot analysis was used to quantify levels of the dopamine transporter (DAT) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits. RESULTS While castration itself had little effect on behaviour, adolescent testosterone, but not DHT, significantly reduced amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion, whereas both testosterone and DHT reduced the effect of MK-801. These effects were similar in mice of either genotype. In wildtype mice, both testosterone and DHT treatment reduced DAT expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but these effects were absent in BDNF heterozygous mice. There were no effects on NMDA receptor subunit levels. CONCLUSIONS The differential effect of adolescent testosterone and DHT on amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion in adulthood suggests involvement of conversion of testosterone to estrogen and subsequent modulation of dopaminergic signalling. In contrast, the similar effect of testosterone and DHT treatment on NMDA receptor-mediated hyperlocomotion indicates it is mediated by androgen receptors. The involvement of BDNF in these hormone effects remains to be elucidated. These results demonstrate that, during adolescence, androgens significantly influence key pathways related to various mental illnesses prevalent in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Du
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - C R McCarthny
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - M Notaras
- Center for Neurogenetics, Brain & Mind Research Institute, Cornell University, NY, USA
| | - M van den Buuse
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Australia; The College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
| | - R A Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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18
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Effects of early life stress on biochemical indicators of the dopaminergic system: A 3 level meta-analysis of rodent studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:1-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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19
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Larsen B, Luna B. Adolescence as a neurobiological critical period for the development of higher-order cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 94:179-195. [PMID: 30201220 PMCID: PMC6526538 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The transition from adolescence to adulthood is characterized by improvements in higher-order cognitive abilities and corresponding refinements of the structure and function of the brain regions that support them. Whereas the neurobiological mechanisms that govern early development of sensory systems are well-understood, the mechanisms that drive developmental plasticity of association cortices, such as prefrontal cortex (PFC), during adolescence remain to be explained. In this review, we synthesize neurodevelopmental findings at the cellular, circuit, and systems levels in PFC and evaluate them through the lens of established critical period (CP) mechanisms that guide early sensory development. We find remarkable correspondence between these neurodevelopmental processes and the mechanisms driving CP plasticity, supporting the hypothesis that adolescent development is driven by CP mechanisms that guide the rapid development of neurobiology and cognitive ability during adolescence and their subsequent stability in adulthood. Critically, understanding adolescence as a CP not only provides a mechanism for normative adolescent development, it provides a framework for understanding the role of experience and neurobiology in the emergence of psychopathology that occurs during this developmental period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Larsen
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States.
| | - Beatriz Luna
- Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States
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20
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Ali EF, MacKay JC, Graitson S, James JS, Cayer C, Audet MC, Kent P, Abizaid A, Merali Z. Palatable Food Dampens the Long-Term Behavioral and Endocrine Effects of Juvenile Stressor Exposure but May Also Provoke Metabolic Syndrome in Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:216. [PMID: 30283308 PMCID: PMC6156124 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The juvenile period is marked by a reorganization and growth of important brain regions including structures associating with reward seeking behaviors such as the nucleus accumbens (NA) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). These changes are impacted by stressors during the juvenile period and may lead to a predisposition to stress induced psychopathology and abnormal development of brain reward systems. Like in humans, adult rodents engage certain coping mechanisms such as increases in the consumption of calorie-rich palatable foods to reduce stress, but this behavior can lead to obesity and metabolic disorders. In this study, we examined whether stressors during the juvenile period led to increased caloric intake when a palatable diet was accessible, and whether this diet attenuated adult stress responses. In addition, we examined if the stress buffering effects produced by the palatable diet were also accompanied by an offset propensity towards obesity, and by alterations in mRNA expression of dopamine (DA) receptors in the NA and PFC in adulthood. To this end, juvenile male Wistar rats underwent episodic stressor exposure (forced swim, elevated platform stress and restraint) on postnatal days (PD) 27-29 and received access to regular chow or daily limited access to a palatable diet until adulthood. At the age of 2 months, rats were tested on a social interaction test that screens for anxiety-like behaviors and their endocrine responses to an acute stressor. Animals were sacrificed, and their brains processed to detect differences in DA receptor subtype expression in the PFC and NA using qPCR. Results showed that rats that were stressed during the juvenile period displayed higher social anxiety and a sensitized corticosterone response as adults and these effects were attenuated by access to the palatable diet. Nevertheless, rats that experienced juvenile stress and consumed a palatable diet showed greater adiposity in adulthood. Interestingly, the same group displayed greater mRNA expression of DA receptors at the NA. This suggests that access to a palatable diet mitigates the behavioral and endocrine effects of juvenile stressor exposure in adulthood, but at the cost of metabolic imbalances and a sensitized dopaminergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Fatima Ali
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Samantha Graitson
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jonathan Stewart James
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Christian Cayer
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Marie-Claude Audet
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Nutrition Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Pamela Kent
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alfonso Abizaid
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Zul Merali
- The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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On the Developmental Timing of Stress: Delineating Sex-Specific Effects of Stress across Development on Adult Behavior. Brain Sci 2018; 8:brainsci8070121. [PMID: 29966252 PMCID: PMC6071226 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8070121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress, and the chronic overactivation of major stress hormones, is associated with several neuropsychiatric disorders. However, clinical literature on the exact role of stress either as a causative, triggering, or modulatory factor to mental illness remains unclear. We suggest that the impact of stress on the brain and behavior is heavily dependent on the developmental timing at which the stress has occurred, and as such, this may contribute to the overall variability reported on the association of stress and mental illness. Here, animal models provide a way to comprehensively assess the temporal impact of stress on behavior in a controlled manner. This review particularly focuses on the long-term impact of stress on behavior in various rodent stress models at three major developmental time points: early life, adolescence, and adulthood. We characterize the various stressor paradigms into physical, social, and pharmacological, and discuss commonalities and differences observed across these various stress-inducing methods. In addition, we discuss here how sex can influence the impact of stress at various developmental time points. We conclude here that early postnatal life and adolescence represent particular periods of vulnerability, but that stress exposure during early life can sometimes lead to resilience, particularly to fear-potentiated memories. In the adult brain, while shorter periods of stress tended to enhance spatial memory, longer periods caused impairments. Overall, males tended to be more vulnerable to the long-term effects of early life and adolescent stress, albeit very few studies incorporate both sexes, and further well-powered sex comparisons are needed.
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Sukhanova YA, Volodina MA, Sebentsova EA, Glazova NY, Manchenko DM, Inozemtseva LS, Andreeva LA, Dolotov OV, Levitskaya NG. Long-Term Changes in Behavior and the Content of BDNF in the Rat Brain Caused by Neonatal Isolation: The Effects of an Analog of ACTH(4-10) Semax. NEUROCHEM J+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712418010154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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23
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de Souza JA, da Silva MC, de Matos RJB, do Amaral Almeida LC, Beltrão LC, de Souza FL, de Castro RM, de Souza SL. Pre-weaning maternal separation increases eating later in life in male and female offspring, but increases brainstem dopamine receptor 1a and 2a only in males. Appetite 2018; 123:114-119. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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24
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Bondar NP, Merkulova TI. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and early-life stress: Multifaceted interplay. J Biosci 2017; 41:751-758. [PMID: 27966494 DOI: 10.1007/s12038-016-9648-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key regulator of neural development and plasticity. Longterm changes in the BDNF pathway are associated with childhood adversity and adult depression symptoms. Initially, stress-induced decreases in the BDNF pathway were found in some studies, but subsequent reports indicated the relationship between stress and BDNF to be much more complex, and the concept was significantly revised. In the present mini-review, we focus on the structure and regulation of the Bbnf gene as well as on the stress-BDNF interactions under early-life adverse conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya P Bondar
- Laboratory of Gene Expression Regulation, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia,
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25
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McCormick CM, Green MR, Simone JJ. Translational relevance of rodent models of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function and stressors in adolescence. Neurobiol Stress 2017; 6:31-43. [PMID: 28229107 PMCID: PMC5314422 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevations in glucocorticoids that result from environmental stressors can have programming effects on brain structure and function when the exposure occurs during sensitive periods that involve heightened neural development. In recent years, adolescence has gained increasing attention as another sensitive period of development, a period in which pubertal transitions may increase the vulnerability to stressors. There are similarities in physical and behavioural development between humans and rats, and rats have been used effectively as an animal model of adolescence and the unique plasticity of this period of ontogeny. This review focuses on benefits and challenges of rats as a model for translational research on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function and stressors in adolescence, highlighting important parallels and contrasts between adolescent rats and humans, and we review the main stress procedures that are used in investigating HPA stress responses and their consequences in adolescence in rats. We conclude that a greater focus on timing of puberty as a factor in research in adolescent rats may increase the translational relevance of the findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl M. McCormick
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Matthew R. Green
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Jonathan J. Simone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, L2S 3A1, Canada
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Majcher‐Maślanka I, Solarz A, Wędzony K, Chocyk A. The effects of early‐life stress on dopamine system function in adolescent female rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2017; 57:24-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2017.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Majcher‐Maślanka
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure31‐343KrakówSmętna Street 12Poland
| | - Anna Solarz
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure31‐343KrakówSmętna Street 12Poland
| | - Krzysztof Wędzony
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure31‐343KrakówSmętna Street 12Poland
| | - Agnieszka Chocyk
- Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure31‐343KrakówSmętna Street 12Poland
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27
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Chronic Postnatal Stress Induces Depressive-like Behavior in Male Mice and Programs second-Hit Stress-Induced Gene Expression Patterns of OxtR and AvpR1a in Adulthood. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:4813-4819. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0043-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Transcriptomic signatures of neuronal differentiation and their association with risk genes for autism spectrum and related neuropsychiatric disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2016; 6:e864. [PMID: 27483382 PMCID: PMC5022076 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are also implicated in fragile X syndrome (FXS), intellectual disabilities (ID) or schizophrenia (SCZ), and converge on neuronal function and differentiation. The SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line, the most widely used system to study neurodevelopment, is currently discussed for its applicability to model cortical development. We implemented an optimal neuronal differentiation protocol of this system and evaluated neurodevelopment at the transcriptomic level using the CoNTeXT framework, a machine-learning algorithm based on human post-mortem brain data estimating developmental stage and regional identity of transcriptomic signatures. Our improved model in contrast to currently used SH-SY5Y models does capture early neurodevelopmental processes with high fidelity. We applied regression modelling, dynamic time warping analysis, parallel independent component analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify activated gene sets and networks. Finally, we tested and compared these sets for enrichment of risk genes for neuropsychiatric disorders. We confirm a significant overlap of genes implicated in ASD with FXS, ID and SCZ. However, counterintuitive to this observation, we report that risk genes affect pathways specific for each disorder during early neurodevelopment. Genes implicated in ASD, ID, FXS and SCZ were enriched among the positive regulators, but only ID-implicated genes were also negative regulators of neuronal differentiation. ASD and ID genes were involved in dendritic branching modules, but only ASD risk genes were implicated in histone modification or axonal guidance. Only ID genes were over-represented among cell cycle modules. We conclude that the underlying signatures are disorder-specific and that the shared genetic architecture results in overlaps across disorders such as ID in ASD. Thus, adding developmental network context to genetic analyses will aid differentiating the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Sex differences in animal models of schizophrenia shed light on the underlying pathophysiology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 67:41-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Idrizi R, Malcolm P, Weickert CS, Zavitsanou K, Suresh Sundram. Striatal but not frontal cortical up-regulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor in rats exposed to immune activation in utero and cannabinoid treatment in adolescence. Psychiatry Res 2016; 240:260-264. [PMID: 27138815 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In utero maternal immune activation (MIA) and cannabinoid exposure during adolescence constitute environmental risk factors for schizophrenia. We investigated these risk factors alone and in combination ("two-hit") on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and neuregulin-1 receptor (ErbB4) levels in the rat brain. EGFR but not ErbB4 receptor protein levels were significantly increased in the nucleus accumbens and striatum of "two-hit" rats only, with no changes seen at the mRNA level. These findings support region specific EGF-system dysregulation as a plausible mechanism in this animal model of schizophrenia pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rejhan Idrizi
- Molecular Psychopharmacology Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Peter Malcolm
- Molecular Psychopharmacology Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Cynthia Shannon Weickert
- NeuRA, Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Katerina Zavitsanou
- NeuRA, Schizophrenia Research Institute, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Suresh Sundram
- Molecular Psychopharmacology Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Northern Psychiatry Research Centre, Northern Area Mental Health Servic(f)e, Epping, Victoria, Australia.
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Bahi A. Sustained lentiviral-mediated overexpression of microRNA124a in the dentate gyrus exacerbates anxiety- and autism-like behaviors associated with neonatal isolation in rats. Behav Brain Res 2016; 311:298-308. [PMID: 27211062 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are highly disabling psychiatric disorders. Despite a strong genetic etiology, there are no efficient therapeutic interventions that target the core symptoms of ASD. Emerging evidence suggests that dysfunction of microRNA (miR) machinery may contribute to the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in ASD. Here, we report a stress model demonstrating that neonatal isolation-induced long-lasting hippocampal elevation of miR124a was associated with reduced expression of its target BDNF mRNA. In addition, we investigated the impact of lentiviral-mediated overexpression of miR124a into the dentate gyrus (DG) on social interaction, repetitive- and anxiety-like behaviors in the neonatal isolation (Iso) model of autism. Rats isolated from the dams on PND 1 to PND 11 were assessed for their social interaction, marble burying test (MBT) and repetitive self-grooming behaviors as adults following miR124a overexpression. Also, anxiety-like behavior and locomotion were evaluated in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open-field (OF) tests. Results show that, consistent with previously published reports, Iso rats displayed decreased social interaction contacts but increased repetitive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Interestingly, across both autism- and anxiety-like behavioral assays, miR124a overexpression in the DG significantly exacerbated repetitive behaviors, social impairments and anxiety with no effect on locomotor activity. Our novel findings attribute neonatal isolation-inducible cognitive impairments to induction of miR124a and consequently suppressed BDNF mRNA, opening venues for intercepting these miR124a-mediated damages. They also highlight the importance of studying microRNAs in the context of ASD and identify miR124a as a novel potential therapeutic target for improving mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amine Bahi
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
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Daskalakis NP, De Kloet ER, Yehuda R, Malaspina D, Kranz TM. Early Life Stress Effects on Glucocorticoid-BDNF Interplay in the Hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2015; 8:68. [PMID: 26635521 PMCID: PMC4644789 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2015.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is implicated in the etiology of multiple psychiatric disorders. Important biological effects of ELS are manifested in stress-susceptible regions of the hippocampus and are partially mediated by long-term effects on glucocorticoid (GC) and/or neurotrophin signaling pathways. GC-signaling mediates the regulation of stress response to maintain homeostasis, while neurotrophin signaling plays a key role in neuronal outgrowth and is crucial for axonal guidance and synaptic integrity. The neurotrophin and GC-signaling pathways co-exist throughout the central nervous system (CNS), particularly in the hippocampus, which has high expression levels of glucocorticoid-receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid-receptors (MR) as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB). This review addresses the effects of ELS paradigms on GC- and BDNF-dependent mechanisms and their crosstalk in the hippocampus, including potential implications for the pathogenesis of common stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos P Daskalakis
- Traumatic Stress Studies Division and Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA ; Mental Health Patient Care Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Edo Ronald De Kloet
- Department of Medical Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research Leiden, Netherlands ; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Traumatic Stress Studies Division and Laboratory of Molecular Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA ; Mental Health Patient Care Center, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center Bronx, NY, USA ; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY, USA
| | - Dolores Malaspina
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine New York, NY, USA
| | - Thorsten M Kranz
- Departments of Cell Biology, Physiology and Neuroscience, and Psychiatry, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University New York, NY, USA
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Varani AP, Pedrón VT, Machado LM, Antonelli MC, Bettler B, Balerio GN. Lack of GABAB receptors modifies behavioural and biochemical alterations induced by precipitated nicotine withdrawal. Neuropharmacology 2014; 90:90-101. [PMID: 25479464 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2014.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 11/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The nicotine (NIC) withdrawal syndrome is considered to be a major cause of the high relapse rate among individuals undergoing smoking cessation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a possible role of GABAB receptors in NIC withdrawal, by comparing GABAB1 knockout mice and their wild-type littermates. We analysed the time course of the global withdrawal score, the anxiety-like effects, monoamine concentrations, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, the corticosterone plasmatic levels and [(3)H]epibatidine binding sites during NIC withdrawal precipitated by mecamylamine, a nicotinic receptor antagonist (MEC). In NIC withdrawn wild-type mice, we observed a global withdrawal score, an anxiety-like effect in the elevated plus maze, a decrease of the striatal dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid concentrations, an increase of corticosterone plasma levels, a reduction of BDNF expression in several brain areas and an increase of [(3)H]epibatidine binding sites in specific brain regions. Interestingly, the effects found in NIC withdrawn wild-type mice were absent in GABAB1 knockout mice, suggesting that GABAB1 subunit of the GABAB receptor is involved in the regulation of the behavioural and biochemical alterations induced by NIC withdrawal in mice. These results reveal an interaction between the GABAB receptors and the neurochemical systems through which NIC exerts its long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés P Varani
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Valeria T Pedrón
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Lirane Moutinho Machado
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina
| | - Marta C Antonelli
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas (UBA-CONICET), Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bernhard Bettler
- Department of Biomedicine, Institute of Physiology, Pharmazentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50/70, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Graciela N Balerio
- Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacológicas (CONICET), Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina; Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Junín 956, 5° Piso, Buenos Aires C1113AAD, Argentina.
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