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Finseth TT, Smith B, Van Steenis AL, Glahn DC, Johnson M, Ruttle P, Shirtcliff BA, Shirtcliff EA. When virtual reality becomes psychoneuroendocrine reality: A stress(or) review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 166:107061. [PMID: 38701607 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107061] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
This review article was awarded the Dirk Hellhammer award from ISPNE in 2023. It explores the dynamic relationship between stressors and stress from a historical view as well as a vision towards the future of stress research via virtual reality (VR). We introduce the concept of a "syncytium," a permeable boundary that blurs the distinction between stress and stressor, in order to understand why the field of stress biology continues to inadequately measure stress alone as a proxy for the force of external stressors. Using Virtual Reality (VR) as an illustrative example to explicate the black box of stressors, we examine the distinction between 'immersion' and 'presence' as analogous terms for stressor and stress, respectively. We argue that the conventional psychological approaches to stress measurement and appraisal theory unfortunately fall short in quantifying the force of the stressor, leading to reverse causality fallacies. Further, the concept of affordances is introduced as an ecological or holistic tool to measure and design a stressor's force, bridging the gap between the external environment and an individual's physiological response to stress. Affordances also serve to ameliorate shortcomings in stress appraisal by integrating ecological interdependencies. By combining VR and psychobiological measures, this paper aims to unravel the complexity of the stressor-stress syncytium, highlighting the necessity of assessing both the internal and external facets to gain a holistic understanding of stress physiology and shift away from reverse causality reasoning. We find that the utility of VR extends beyond presence to include affordance-based measures of immersion, which can effectively model stressor force. Future research should prioritize the development of tools that can measure both immersion and presence, thereby providing a more comprehensive understanding of how external stressors interact with individual psychological states.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brandon Smith
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA
| | | | - David C Glahn
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
| | - Megan Johnson
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA
| | - Paula Ruttle
- Center for Translational Neuroscience, University of Oregon, USA
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Tong RL, Kahn UN, Grafe LA, Hitti FL, Fried NT, Corbett BF. Stress circuitry: mechanisms behind nervous and immune system communication that influence behavior. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1240783. [PMID: 37706039 PMCID: PMC10495591 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1240783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Inflammatory processes are increased by stress and contribute to the pathology of mood disorders. Stress is thought to primarily induce inflammation through peripheral and central noradrenergic neurotransmission. In healthy individuals, these pro-inflammatory effects are countered by glucocorticoid signaling, which is also activated by stress. In chronically stressed individuals, the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids are impaired, allowing pro-inflammatory effects to go unchecked. Mechanisms underlying this glucocorticoid resistance are well understood, but the precise circuits and molecular mechanisms by which stress increases inflammation are not as well known. In this narrative review, we summarize the mechanisms by which chronic stress increases inflammation and contributes to the onset and development of stress-related mood disorders. We focus on the neural substrates and molecular mechanisms, especially those regulated by noradrenergic signaling, that increase inflammatory processes in stressed individuals. We also discuss key knowledge gaps in our understanding of the communication between nervous and immune systems during stress and considerations for future therapeutic strategies. Here we highlight the mechanisms by which noradrenergic signaling contributes to inflammatory processes during stress and how this inflammation can contribute to the pathology of stress-related mood disorders. Understanding the mechanisms underlying crosstalk between the nervous and immune systems may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for mood disorders and/or provide important considerations for treating immune-related diseases in individuals suffering from stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rose L. Tong
- Corbett Laboratory, Department of Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
| | - Ubaidah N. Kahn
- Fried Laboratory, Department of Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
| | - Laura A. Grafe
- Grafe Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA, United States
| | - Frederick L. Hitti
- Hitti Laboratory, Department of Neurological Surgery and Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Nathan T. Fried
- Fried Laboratory, Department of Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
| | - Brian F. Corbett
- Corbett Laboratory, Department of Biology, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, United States
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Bremner JD, Piccinelli M, Garcia EV, Moncayo VM, Elon L, Nye JA, Cooke CD, Washington BP, Ortega RA, Desai SR, Okoh AK, Cheung B, Soyebo BO, Shallenberger LH, Raggi P, Shah AJ, Daaboul O, Jajeh MN, Ziegler C, Driggers EG, Murrah N, De Cecco CN, van Assen M, Krafty RT, Quyyumi AA, Vaccarino V. A Pilot Study of Neurobiological Mechanisms of Stress and Cardiovascular Risk. MEDICAL RESEARCH ARCHIVES 2023; 11:3787. [PMID: 37484871 PMCID: PMC10361343 DOI: 10.18103/mra.v11i4.3787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Objective Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death and disability. Although psychological stress has been identified as an important potential contributor, mechanisms by which stress increases risk of heart disease and mortality are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to assess mechanisms by which stress acts through the brain and heart to confer increased CHD risk. Methods Coronary Heart Disease patients (N=10) underwent cardiac imaging with [Tc-99m] sestamibi single photon emission tomography at rest and during a public speaking mental stress task. Patients returned for a second day and underwent positron emission tomography imaging of the brain, heart, bone marrow, aorta (indicating inflammation) and subcutaneous adipose tissue, after injection of [18F]2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose for assessment of glucose uptake followed mental stress. Patients with (N=4) and without (N=6) mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia were compared for glucose uptake in brain, heart, adipose tissue and aorta with mental stress. Results Patients with mental stress-induced ischemia showed a pattern of increased uptake in the heart, medial prefrontal cortex, and adipose tissue with stress. In the heart disease group as a whole, activity increase with stress in the medial prefrontal brain and amygdala correlated with stress-induced increases in spleen (r=0.69, p=0.038; and r=0.69, p=0.04 respectfully). Stress-induced frontal lobe increased uptake correlated with stress-induced aorta uptake (r=0.71, p=0.016). Activity in insula and medial prefrontal cortex was correlated with post-stress activity in bone marrow and adipose tissue. Activity in other brain areas not implicated in stress did not show similar correlations. Increases in medial prefrontal activity with stress correlated with increased cardiac glucose uptake with stress, suggestive of myocardial ischemia (r=0.85, p=0.004). Conclusions These findings suggest a link between brain response to stress in key areas mediating emotion and peripheral organs involved in inflammation and hematopoietic activity, as well as myocardial ischemia, in Coronary Heart Disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Douglas Bremner
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Marina Piccinelli
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Ernest V. Garcia
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Valeria M. Moncayo
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Lisa Elon
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathon A. Nye
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - C. David Cooke
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Brianna P. Washington
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Rebeca Alvarado Ortega
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Shivang R. Desai
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Alexis K. Okoh
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Brian Cheung
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Britt O. Soyebo
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Paolo Raggi
- Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and the Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amit J. Shah
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Obada Daaboul
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Carrie Ziegler
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Nancy Murrah
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carlo N. De Cecco
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department Biomedical Informatics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Marly van Assen
- Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Robert T. Krafty
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arshed A. Quyyumi
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
| | - Viola Vaccarino
- Department Medicine (Cardiology), Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
- Department of Epidemiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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β-Adrenoceptor Blockade Moderates Neuroinflammation in Male and Female EAE Rats and Abrogates Sexual Dimorphisms in the Major Neuroinflammatory Pathways by Being More Efficient in Males. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:1237-1265. [PMID: 35798933 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01246-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Our previous studies showed more severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in male compared with female adult rats, and moderating effect of propranolol-induced β-adrenoceptor blockade on EAE in females, the effect associated with transcriptional stimulation of Nrf2/HO-1 axis in spinal cord microglia. This study examined putative sexual dimorphism in propranolol action on EAE severity. Propranolol treatment beginning from the onset of clinical EAE mitigated EAE severity in rats of both sexes, but to a greater extent in males exhibiting higher noradrenaline levels and myeloid cell β2-adrenoceptor expression in spinal cord. This correlated with more prominent stimulatory effects of propranolol not only on CX3CL1/CX3CR1/Nrf2/HO-1 cascade, but also on Stat3/Socs3 signaling axis in spinal cord microglia/myeloid cells (mirrored in the decreased Stat3 and the increased Socs3 expression) from male rats compared with their female counterparts. Propranolol diminished the frequency of activated cells among microglia, increased their phagocyting/endocyting capacity, and shifted cytokine secretory profile of microglia/blood-borne myeloid cells towards an anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective phenotype. Additionally, it downregulated the expression of chemokines (CCL2, CCL19/21) driving T-cell/monocyte trafficking into spinal cord. Consequently, in propranolol-treated rats fewer activated CD4+ T cells and IL-17+ T cells, including CD4+IL17+ cells coexpressing IFN-γ/GM-CSF, were recovered from spinal cord of propranolol-treated rats compared with sex-matched saline-injected controls. All the effects of propranolol were more prominent in males. The study as a whole disclosed that sexual dimorphism in multiple molecular mechanisms implicated in EAE development may be responsible for greater severity of EAE in male rats and sexually dimorphic action of substances affecting them. Propranolol moderated EAE severity more effectively in male rats, exhibiting greater spinal cord noradrenaline (NA) levels and myeloid cell β2-adrenoceptor (β2-AR) expression than females. Propranolol affected CX3CR1/Nrf2/HO-1 and Stat3/Socs3 signaling axes in myeloid cells, favored their anti-inflammatory/neuroprotective phenotype and, consequently, reduced Th cell reactivation and differentiation into highly pathogenic IL-17/IFN-γ/GM-CSF-producing cells.
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Avendaño R, Hashemi-Zonouz T, Sandoval V, Liu C, Burg M, Sinusas AJ, Lampert R, Liu YH. Anger recall mental stress decreases 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ( 123I-MIBG) uptake and increases heterogeneity of cardiac sympathetic activity in the myocardium in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy. J Nucl Cardiol 2022; 29:798-809. [PMID: 33034036 DOI: 10.1007/s12350-020-02372-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute psychological stressors such as anger can precipitate ventricular arrhythmias, but the mechanism is incompletely understood. Quantification of regional myocardial sympathetic activity with 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-mIBG) SPECT imaging in conjunction with perfusion imaging during mental stress may identify a mismatch between perfusion and sympathetic activity that may exacerbate a mismatch between perfusion and sympathetic activity that could create a milieu of increased vulnerability to ventricular arrhythmia. METHODS Five men with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), and five age-matched healthy male controls underwent serial 123I-mIBG and 99mTc-Tetrofosmin SPECT/CT imaging during an anger recall mental stress task and dual isotope imaging was repeated approximately 1 week later during rest. Images were reconstructed using an iterative reconstruction algorithm with CT-based attenuation correction. The mismatch of left ventricular myocardial 123I-mIBG and 99mTc-Tetrofosmin was assessed along with radiotracer heterogeneity and the 123I-mIBG heart-to-mediastinal ratios (HMR) were calculated using custom software developed at Yale. RESULTS The hemodynamic response to mental stress was similar in both groups. The resting-HMR was greater in healthy control subjects (3.67 ± 0.95) than those with ICM (3.18 ± 0.68, P = .04). Anger recall significantly decreased the HMR in ICM patients (2.62 ± 0.3, P = .04), but not in normal subjects. The heterogeneity of 123I-mIBG uptake in the myocardium was significantly increased in ICM patients during mental stress (26% ± 8.23% vs. rest: 19.62% ± 9.56%; P = .01), whereas the 99mTc-Tetrofosmin uptake pattern was unchanged. CONCLUSION Mental stress decreased the 123I-mIBG HMR, increased mismatch between sympathetic activity and myocardial perfusion, and increased the heterogeneity of 123I-mIBG uptake in ICM patients, while there was no significant change in myocardial defect size or the heterogeneity of 99mTc-Tetrofosmin perfusion. The changes observed in this proof-of-concept study may provide valuable information about the trigger-substrate interaction and the potential vulnerability for ventricular arrhythmias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Avendaño
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Dana 3, PO Box 208017, New Haven, CT, 06520-8017, USA
| | - Taraneh Hashemi-Zonouz
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Dana 3, PO Box 208017, New Haven, CT, 06520-8017, USA
| | - Veronica Sandoval
- Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chi Liu
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Matthew Burg
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Dana 3, PO Box 208017, New Haven, CT, 06520-8017, USA
| | - Albert J Sinusas
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Dana 3, PO Box 208017, New Haven, CT, 06520-8017, USA
- Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rachel Lampert
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Dana 3, PO Box 208017, New Haven, CT, 06520-8017, USA
| | - Yi-Hwa Liu
- Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Dana 3, PO Box 208017, New Haven, CT, 06520-8017, USA.
- Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Chung Yuan Christian University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
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Zeitler EP, Poole JE, Albert CM, Al-Khatib SM, Ali-Ahmed F, Birgersdotter-Green U, Cha YM, Chung MK, Curtis AB, Hurwitz JL, Lampert R, Sandhu RK, Shaik F, Sullivan E, Tamirisa KP, Santos Volgman A, Wright JM, Russo AM. Arrhythmias in Female Patients: Incidence, Presentation and Management. Circ Res 2022; 130:474-495. [PMID: 35175839 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.121.319893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing appreciation for differences in epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes of cardiovascular conditions by sex. Historically, cardiovascular clinical trials have under-represented females, but findings have nonetheless been applied to clinical care in a sex-agnostic manner. Thus, much of the collective knowledge about sex-specific cardiovascular outcomes result from post hoc and secondary analyses. In some cases, these investigations have revealed important sex-based differences with implications for optimizing care for female patients with arrhythmias. This review explores the available evidence related to cardiac arrhythmia care among females, with emphasis on areas in which important sex differences are known or suggested. Considerations related to improving female enrollment in clinical trials as a way to establish more robust clinical evidence for the treatment of females are discussed. Areas of remaining evidence gaps are provided, and recommendations for areas of future research and specific action items are suggested. The overarching goal is to improve appreciation for sex-based differences in cardiac arrhythmia care as 1 component of a comprehensive plan to optimize arrhythmia care for all patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily P Zeitler
- The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH (E.P.Z.).,Division of Cardiology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, The Dartmouth Institute, Lebanon, NH (E.P.Z.)
| | - Jeanne E Poole
- University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle (J.E.P.)
| | - Christine M Albert
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (C.M.A., R.K.S.)
| | - Sana M Al-Khatib
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (S.M.A.-K.)
| | | | | | - Yong-Mei Cha
- Mayo Clinic, St Mary's Campus, Rochester, MN (F.A.-A., Y.-M.C.)
| | | | - Anne B Curtis
- Department of Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo General Medical Center, NY (A.B.C.)
| | | | - Rachel Lampert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT (R.L.)
| | - Roopinder K Sandhu
- Department of Cardiology, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, CA (C.M.A., R.K.S.)
| | - Fatima Shaik
- Division of Cardiology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ (F.S., A.M.R.)
| | | | | | | | - Jennifer M Wright
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI (J.M.W.)
| | - Andrea M Russo
- Division of Cardiology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ (F.S., A.M.R.)
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MacCormack JK, Armstrong-Carter EL, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Meltzer-Brody S, Sloan EK, Lindquist KA, Muscatell KA. β-Adrenergic Contributions to Emotion and Physiology During an Acute Psychosocial Stressor. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:959-968. [PMID: 34747583 PMCID: PMC8603364 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE β-Adrenergic receptor signaling, a critical mediator of sympathetic nervous system influences on physiology and behavior, has long been proposed as one contributor to subjective stress. However, prior findings are surprisingly mixed about whether β-blockade (e.g., propranolol) blunts subjective stress, with many studies reporting no effects. We reevaluated this question in the context of an acute psychosocial stressor with more comprehensive measures and a larger-than-typical sample. We also examined the effects of β-blockade on psychophysiological indicators of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system reactivity, given that β-blockade effects for these measures specifically under acute psychosocial stress are not yet well established. METHODS In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 90 healthy young adults received 40 mg of the β-blocker propranolol or placebo. Participants then completed the Trier Social Stress Test, which involved completing an impromptu speech and difficult arithmetic in front of evaluative judges. Self-reported emotions and appraisals as well as psychophysiology were assessed throughout. RESULTS Propranolol blunted Trier Social Stress Test preejection period reactivity (b = 9.68, p = .003), a marker of sympathetic nervous system activity, as well as salivary α-amylase reactivity (b = -0.50, p = .006). Critically, propranolol also blunted negative, high arousal emotions in response to the stressor (b = -0.22, p = .026), but cognitive appraisals remained intact (b values < -0.17, p values > .10). CONCLUSIONS These results provide updated experimental evidence that β-adrenergic blockade attenuates negative, high arousal emotions in response to a psychosocial stressor while also blunting sympathetic nervous system reactivity. Together, these findings shed light on the neurophysiological mechanisms by which stressors transform into the subjective experience we call "stress."Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02972554.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K MacCormack
- From the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience (MacCormack, Gaudier-Diaz, Lindquist, Muscatell), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Department of Psychiatry (MacCormack), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Graduate School of Education (Armstrong-Carter), Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Psychiatry (Meltzer-Brody), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drug Discovery Biology Theme (Sloan), Monash University, Parkville; Division of Surgery (Sloan), Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center (Muscatell) and Carolina Population Center (Muscatell), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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8
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MacCormack JK, Gaudier-Diaz MM, Armstrong-Carter EL, Arevalo JMG, Meltzer-Brody S, Sloan EK, Cole SW, Muscatell KA. Beta-adrenergic blockade blunts inflammatory and antiviral/antibody gene expression responses to acute psychosocial stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:756-762. [PMID: 33452438 PMCID: PMC8027189 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00897-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulation of the immune system is one potential mechanism by which acute stress may contribute to downstream disease etiology and psychopathology. Here, we tested the role of β-adrenergic signaling as a mediator of acute stress-induced changes in immune cell gene expression. In a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial, 90 healthy young adults (44% female) received a single 40 mg dose of the β-blocker propranolol (n = 43) or a placebo (n = 47) and then completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Pre- and post-stress blood samples were assayed for prespecified sets of pro-inflammatory and antiviral/antibody gene transcripts. Analyses revealed increased expression of both inflammatory and antiviral/antibody-related genes in response to the TSST, and these effects were blocked by pre-treatment with propranolol. Bioinformatics identified natural killer cells and dendritic cells as the primary cellular context for transcriptional upregulation, and monocytes as the primary cellular carrier of genes downregulated by the TSST. These effects were in part explained by acute changes in circulating cell types. Results suggest that acute psychosocial stress can induce an "acute defense" molecular phenotype via β-adrenergic signaling that involves mobilization of natural killer cells and dendritic cells at the expense of monocytes. This may represent an adaptive response to the risk of acute injury. These findings offer some of the first evidence in humans that β-blockade attenuates psychosocial stress-induced increases in inflammatory gene expression, offering new insights into the molecular and immunologic pathways by which stress may confer risks to health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K MacCormack
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Monica M Gaudier-Diaz
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jesusa M G Arevalo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Meltzer-Brody
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Erica K Sloan
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Drug Discovery Biology Theme, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Center, Division of Surgery, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Steven W Cole
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Keely A Muscatell
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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9
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Ahmari N, Hayward LF, Zubcevic J. The importance of bone marrow and the immune system in driving increases in blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity in hypertension. Exp Physiol 2020; 105:1815-1826. [PMID: 32964557 DOI: 10.1113/ep088247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the topic of this review? This manuscript provides a review of the current understanding of the role of the sympathetic nervous system in regulation of bone marrow-derived immune cells and the effect that the infiltrating bone marrow cells may have on perpetuation of the sympathetic over-activation in hypertension. What advances does it highlight? We highlight the recent advances in understanding of the neuroimmune interactions both peripherally and centrally as they relate to blood pressure control. ABSTRACT The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays a crucial role in maintaining physiological homeostasis, in part by regulating, integrating and orchestrating processes between many physiological systems, including the immune system. Sympathetic nerves innervate all primary and secondary immune organs, and all cells of the immune system express β-adrenoreceptors. In turn, immune cells can produce cytokines, chemokines and neurotransmitters capable of modulating neuronal activity and, ultimately, SNS activity. Thus, the essential role of the SNS in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune functions is mediated, in part, via β-adrenoreceptor-induced activation of bone marrow cells by noradrenaline. Interestingly, both central and systemic inflammation are well-established hallmarks of hypertension and its co-morbidities, including an inflammatory process involving the transmigration and infiltration of immune cells into tissues. We propose that physiological states that prolong β-adrenoreceptor activation in bone marrow can disrupt neuroimmune homeostasis and impair communication between the immune system and SNS, leading to immune dysregulation, which, in turn, is sustained via a central mechanism involving neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niousha Ahmari
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Linda F Hayward
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jasenka Zubcevic
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Ferizovic H, Spasojevic N, Stefanovic B, Jankovic M, Dronjak S. The fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 modulates splenic catecholamines in chronically stressed female and male rats. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 85:106615. [PMID: 32447219 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The changes in sympathetic innervations in lymphoid organs could be a key factor in immune dysregulation. The endocannabinoid system has been shown to exhibit potent immunomodulatory effects that may differ between males and females, representing a potential therapeutic target for peripheral and central inflammatory disorders. Thus, in the present study, an examination was made of the effect of fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 treatment on splenic catecholamine content, synthesis, uptake and degradation in chronically unpredictably stressed (CUS) female and male rats. The results show that CUS increases anxiety-like behaviors and that URB597 had an anxiolytic effect on chronically stressed animals of both sexes. CUS induced the expression of plasma interleukin - 6 (IL-6), interleukin - 10 (IL-10) and IL-6 in the spleen, whereas the expression of IL-10 was reduced in the spleen of both sexes. URB597 treatment did not cause changes in IL-6 in plasma or the spleen, whereas it increased IL-10 in the spleen in CUS animals of both sexes. CUS caused a significant depletion of noradrenaline content in the spleen of female rats and a reduction in noradrenaline uptake in the spleen of female rats, while stressed males had a small but insignificant decrease of splenic noradrenaline levels and an enhanced uptake. The FAAH inhibitor URB597 enhances reduced noradrenaline content, affecting its uptake directly at the level of the spleen. It gives rise to the possibility that endocannabinoids exert a neurorestorative effect on the sympathetic nerve system and cell-mediated immune responses in the spleen of chronically stressed rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harisa Ferizovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Natasa Spasojevic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Bojana Stefanovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Jankovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sladjana Dronjak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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Benghanem S, Mazeraud A, Azabou E, Chhor V, Shinotsuka CR, Claassen J, Rohaut B, Sharshar T. Brainstem dysfunction in critically ill patients. Crit Care 2020; 24:5. [PMID: 31907011 PMCID: PMC6945639 DOI: 10.1186/s13054-019-2718-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The brainstem conveys sensory and motor inputs between the spinal cord and the brain, and contains nuclei of the cranial nerves. It controls the sleep-wake cycle and vital functions via the ascending reticular activating system and the autonomic nuclei, respectively. Brainstem dysfunction may lead to sensory and motor deficits, cranial nerve palsies, impairment of consciousness, dysautonomia, and respiratory failure. The brainstem is prone to various primary and secondary insults, resulting in acute or chronic dysfunction. Of particular importance for characterizing brainstem dysfunction and identifying the underlying etiology are a detailed clinical examination, MRI, neurophysiologic tests such as brainstem auditory evoked potentials, and an analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid. Detection of brainstem dysfunction is challenging but of utmost importance in comatose and deeply sedated patients both to guide therapy and to support outcome prediction. In the present review, we summarize the neuroanatomy, clinical syndromes, and diagnostic techniques of critical illness-associated brainstem dysfunction for the critical care setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Benghanem
- Department of Neurology, Neuro-ICU, Sorbonne University, APHP Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
- Medical ICU, Cochin Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien Mazeraud
- Department of Neuro-ICU, GHU-Paris, Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Pastuer Institute, Paris, France
| | - Eric Azabou
- Department of Physiology, Clinical Neurophysiology Unit, APHP, Raymond Poincaré Hospital, University of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, Garches, France
| | - Vibol Chhor
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Saint-Joseph Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Cassia Righy Shinotsuka
- Intensive Care Unit and Postgraduate Program, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jan Claassen
- Department of Neurology, Neuro-ICU, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin Rohaut
- Department of Neurology, Neuro-ICU, Sorbonne University, APHP Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
- Department of Neurology, Neuro-ICU, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière, ICM, INSERM UMRS 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Pitié- Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, F-75013, France
| | - Tarek Sharshar
- Department of Neuro-ICU, GHU-Paris, Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France.
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, Pastuer Institute, Paris, France.
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12
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de Baumont A, Bortoluzzi A, Wollenhaupt de Aguiar B, Scotton E, Pinto Guimarães LS, Kapczinski F, Belem da Silva CT, Manfro GG. Anxiety disorders in childhood are associated with youth IL-6 levels: A mediation study including metabolic stress and childhood traumatic events. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 115:43-50. [PMID: 31103845 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders (ADs) are chronic conditions that often have their onset in childhood and adolescence. Inflammation and oxidative stress markers have been associated with the vulnerability to ADs, however it is not known if ADs in childhood can influence these biomarkers levels longitudinally. This study aims to investigate a possible association between ADs and serum levels of IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, BDNF, and protein carbonyl content, assessed after 5 years of follow-up. Moreover, we studied possible mediators for these associations, including physical activity, metabolic markers and childhood trauma. From 240 individuals evaluated at baseline, 73 were re-evaluated in the follow-up. Psychiatric diagnoses were assessed with the K-SADS or the MINI and child trauma questionnaire (CTQ) to evaluate presence of trauma. We searched serum levels of IL-10, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α (flow cytometry), BDNF (sandwich-ELISA) and carbonyl content in proteins (PCC method). We found a significant direct association between ADs at baseline and log IL-6 (B = 0.34, S.E. = 0.11, p = 0.002) and between AD and log BDNF (B = -0.10, S.E. = 0.05, p = 0.033) five years later. Searching for possible mediators of these association, we found that levels of HDL-cholesterol (ΔB = -0.148) partially mediated the association between ADs and IL-6. No significant mediators were found in the association between ADs and BDNF. Moreover, this association is no longer significant after controlling for the presence of depression. Our results demonstrated that previous AD diagnosis was associated with higher levels of IL-6 in the follow-up evaluation, suggesting that the presence of anxiety in childhood could influence altered inflammatory markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica de Baumont
- Anxiety Disorders Outpatient Program for Children and Adolescents, Protaia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS/Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Basic Research and Advanced Investigations in Neurosciences, BRAIN Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Andressa Bortoluzzi
- Anxiety Disorders Outpatient Program for Children and Adolescents, Protaia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS/Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Sciences/Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Basic Research and Advanced Investigations in Neurosciences, BRAIN Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Bianca Wollenhaupt de Aguiar
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil; St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ellen Scotton
- Post Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Flavio Kapczinski
- Post Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Gisele Gus Manfro
- Anxiety Disorders Outpatient Program for Children and Adolescents, Protaia, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS/Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Institute of Basic Sciences/Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Basic Research and Advanced Investigations in Neurosciences, BRAIN Laboratory, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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