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Prepulse Inhibition of the Auditory Startle Reflex Assessment as a Hallmark of Brainstem Sensorimotor Gating Mechanisms. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10090639. [PMID: 32947873 PMCID: PMC7563436 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
When a low-salience stimulus of any type of sensory modality-auditory, visual, tactile-immediately precedes an unexpected startle-like stimulus, such as the acoustic startle reflex, the startle motor reaction becomes less pronounced or is even abolished. This phenomenon is known as prepulse inhibition (PPI), and it provides a quantitative measure of central processing by filtering out irrelevant stimuli. As PPI implies plasticity of a reflex and is related to automatic or attentional processes, depending on the interstimulus intervals, this behavioral paradigm might be considered a potential marker of short- and long-term plasticity. Assessment of PPI is directly related to the examination of neural sensorimotor gating mechanisms, which are plastic-adaptive operations for preventing overstimulation and helping the brain to focus on a specific stimulus among other distracters. Despite their obvious importance in normal brain activity, little is known about the intimate physiology, circuitry, and neurochemistry of sensorimotor gating mechanisms. In this work, we extensively review the current literature focusing on studies that used state-of-the-art techniques to interrogate the neuroanatomy, connectomics, neurotransmitter-receptor functions, and sex-derived differences in the PPI process, and how we can harness it as biological marker in neurological and psychiatric pathology.
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2
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Statham P, Hannuna S, Jones S, Campbell N, Robert Colborne G, Browne WJ, Paul ES, Mendl M. Quantifying defence cascade responses as indicators of pig affect and welfare using computer vision methods. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8933. [PMID: 32488058 PMCID: PMC7265448 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65954-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Affective states are key determinants of animal welfare. Assessing such states under field conditions is thus an important goal in animal welfare science. The rapid Defence Cascade (DC) response (startle, freeze) to sudden unexpected stimuli is a potential indicator of animal affect; humans and rodents in negative affective states often show potentiated startle magnitude and freeze duration. To be a practical field welfare indicator, quick and easy measurement is necessary. Here we evaluate whether DC responses can be quantified in pigs using computer vision. 280 video clips of induced DC responses made by 12 pigs were analysed by eye to provide 'ground truth' measures of startle magnitude and freeze duration which were also estimated by (i) sparse feature tracking computer vision image analysis of 200 Hz video, (ii) load platform, (iii) Kinect depth camera, and (iv) Kinematic data. Image analysis data strongly predicted ground truth measures and were strongly positively correlated with these and all other estimates of DC responses. Characteristics of the DC-inducing stimulus, pig orientation relative to it, and 'relaxed-tense' pig behaviour prior to it moderated DC responses. Computer vision image analysis thus offers a practical approach to measuring pig DC responses, and potentially pig affect and welfare, under field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy Statham
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Sion Hannuna
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Samantha Jones
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Neill Campbell
- Department of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - G Robert Colborne
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand
| | - William J Browne
- School of Education and Centre for Multilevel Modelling, University of Bristol, 35 Berkeley Square, Bristol, BS8 1JA, UK
| | - Elizabeth S Paul
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Michael Mendl
- Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, BS40 5DU, UK.
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Trus I, Udenze D, Cox B, Berube N, Nordquist RE, van der Staay FJ, Huang Y, Kobinger G, Safronetz D, Gerdts V, Karniychuk U. Subclinical in utero Zika virus infection is associated with interferon alpha sequelae and sex-specific molecular brain pathology in asymptomatic porcine offspring. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008038. [PMID: 31725819 PMCID: PMC6855438 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during human pregnancy may lead to severe fetal pathology and debilitating impairments in offspring. However, the majority of infections are subclinical and not associated with evident birth defects. Potentially detrimental life-long health outcomes in asymptomatic offspring evoke high concerns. Thus, animal models addressing sequelae in offspring may provide valuable information. To induce subclinical infection, we inoculated selected porcine fetuses at the mid-stage of development. Inoculation resulted in trans-fetal virus spread and persistent infection in the placenta and fetal membranes for two months. Offspring did not show congenital Zika syndrome (e.g., microcephaly, brain calcifications, congenital clubfoot, arthrogryposis, seizures) or other visible birth defects. However, a month after birth, a portion of offspring exhibited excessive interferon alpha (IFN-α) levels in blood plasma in a regular environment. Most affected offspring also showed dramatic IFN-α shutdown during social stress providing the first evidence for the cumulative impact of prenatal ZIKV exposure and postnatal environmental insult. Other eleven cytokines tested before and after stress were not altered suggesting the specific IFN-α pathology. While brains from offspring did not have histopathology, lesions, and ZIKV, the whole genome expression analysis of the prefrontal cortex revealed profound sex-specific transcriptional changes that most probably was the result of subclinical in utero infection. RNA-seq analysis in the placenta persistently infected with ZIKV provided independent support for the sex-specific pattern of in utero-acquired transcriptional responses. Collectively, our results provide strong evidence that two hallmarks of fetal ZIKV infection, altered type I IFN response and molecular brain pathology can persist after birth in offspring in the absence of congenital Zika syndrome. A number of studies showed that Zika virus (ZIKV) can cause severe abnormalities in fetuses, e.g., brain lesions, and subsequently life-long developmental and cognitive impairment in children. However, the majority of infections in pregnant women are subclinical and are not associated with developmental abnormalities in fetuses and newborns. It is known that disruptions to the in utero environment during fetal development can program increased risks for disease in adulthood. For this reason, children affected in utero even by mild ZIKV infection can appear deceptively healthy at birth but develop immune dysfunction and brain abnormalities during postnatal development. Here, we used the porcine model of subclinical fetal ZIKV infection to determine health sequelae in offspring which did not show apparent signs of the disease. We demonstrated that subclinical fetal infection was associated with abnormal immunological responses in apparently healthy offspring under normal environmental conditions and during social stress. We also showed silent sex-specific brain pathology as represented by altered gene expression. Our study provides new insights into potential outcomes of subclinical in utero ZIKV infection. It also emphasizes that further attempts to better understand silent pathology and develop alleviative interventions in ZIKV-affected offspring should take into account interactions of host factors, like sex, and environmental insults, like social stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Trus
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Daniel Udenze
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Brian Cox
- Department of Physiology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nathalie Berube
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Rebecca E. Nordquist
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, CL, Netherlands
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Franz Josef van der Staay
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, CL, Netherlands
| | | | | | - David Safronetz
- Canada National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Volker Gerdts
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
| | - Uladzimir Karniychuk
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
- * E-mail:
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Darbellay J, Cox B, Lai K, Delgado-Ortega M, Wheler C, Wilson D, Walker S, Starrak G, Hockley D, Huang Y, Mutwiri G, Potter A, Gilmour M, Safronetz D, Gerdts V, Karniychuk U. Zika Virus Causes Persistent Infection in Porcine Conceptuses and may Impair Health in Offspring. EBioMedicine 2017; 25:73-86. [PMID: 29097124 PMCID: PMC5704061 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2017.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Outcomes of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in pregnant women vary from the birth of asymptomatic offspring to abnormal development and severe brain lesions in fetuses and infants. There are concerns that offspring affected in utero and born without apparent symptoms may develop mental illnesses. Therefore, animal models are important to test interventions against in utero infection and health sequelae in symptomatic and likely more widespread asymptomatic offspring. To partially reproduce in utero infection in humans, we directly inoculated selected porcine conceptuses with ZIKV. Inoculation resulted in rapid trans-fetal infections, persistent infection in conceptuses, molecular pathology in fetal brains, fetal antibody and type I interferon responses. Offspring infected in utero showed ZIKV in their fetal membranes collected after birth. Some in utero affected piglets were small, depressed, had undersized brains, and showed seizures. Some piglets showed potentially increased activity. Our data suggest that porcine model of persistent in utero ZIKV infection has a strong potential for translational research and can be used to test therapeutic interventions in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Darbellay
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Brian Cox
- Department of Physiology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Kenneth Lai
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Mario Delgado-Ortega
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Colette Wheler
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Donald Wilson
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Stewart Walker
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada
| | - Gregory Starrak
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Duncan Hockley
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Yanyun Huang
- Prairie Diagnostic Services, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - George Mutwiri
- School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Andrew Potter
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Matthew Gilmour
- Canada National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - David Safronetz
- Canada National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3R2, Canada
| | - Volker Gerdts
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Uladzimir Karniychuk
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E3, Canada; Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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Swerdlow NR, Braff DL, Geyer MA. Sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex: what we said 25 years ago, what has happened since then, and what comes next. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:1072-1081. [PMID: 27539931 PMCID: PMC6036900 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116661075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Our 1992 paper, 'The neural substrates of sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex: a review of recent findings and their implications', reviewed a series of (then) new and preliminary findings from cross-species studies of prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex, and commented on their implications. At the time that the report was composed, PubMed listed about 40 citations for studies using the search term 'prepulse inhibition'. In the ensuing 25 years, the field has added about 2700 such reports, reflecting the substantial growth in interest in prepulse inhibition and its utility across a number of different experimental applications. The 30th anniversary of the Journal of Psychopharmacology provides an opportunity to comment briefly on what was described in that 1992 report, how the field has progressed in the subsequent decades, and the paths forward for studies of prepulse inhibition and its use as an operational measure of sensorimotor gating. Among these future paths, we highlight the use of prepulse inhibition as: an endophenotype for genomic studies, and a biomarker for healthy brain circuitry, which may predict sensitivity to psychotherapeutics. Our 1992 report was highly speculative and based on paper-thin empirical data, yet viewed in a certain light, it appears to have contained a basic roadmap for a journey spanning the next 25 years of prepulse inhibition research… and 'what a long, strange trip it's been'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - David L Braff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mark A Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
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Henck JW, Elayan I, Vorhees C, Fisher JE, Morford LL. Current Topics in Postnatal Behavioral Testing. Int J Toxicol 2016; 35:499-520. [DOI: 10.1177/1091581816657082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The study of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) continues to be an important component of safety evaluation of candidate therapeutic agents and of industrial and environmental chemicals. Developmental neurotoxicity is considered to be an adverse change in the central and/or peripheral nervous system during development of an organism and has been primarily evaluated by studying functional outcomes, such as changes in behavior, neuropathology, neurochemistry, and/or neurophysiology. Neurobehavioral evaluations are a component of a wide range of toxicology studies in laboratory animal models, whereas neurochemistry and neurophysiology are less commonly employed. Although the primary focus of this article is on neurobehavioral evaluation in pre- and postnatal development and juvenile toxicology studies used in pharmaceutical development, concepts may also apply to adult nonclinical safety studies and Environmental Protection Agency/chemical assessments. This article summarizes the proceedings of a symposium held during the 2015 American College of Toxicology annual meeting and includes a discussion of the current status of DNT testing as well as potential issues and recommendations. Topics include the regulatory context for DNT testing; study design and interpretation; behavioral test selection, including a comparison of core learning and memory systems; age of testing; repeated testing of the same animals; use of alternative animal models; impact of findings; and extrapolation of animal results to humans. Integration of the regulatory experience and scientific concepts presented during this symposium, as well as from subsequent discussion and input, provides a synopsis of the current state of DNT testing in safety assessment, as well as a potential roadmap for future advancement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ikram Elayan
- US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Charles Vorhees
- Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Israelashvili M, Loewenstern Y, Bar-Gad I. Abnormal neuronal activity in Tourette syndrome and its modulation using deep brain stimulation. J Neurophysiol 2015; 114:6-20. [PMID: 25925326 PMCID: PMC4493664 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00277.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Tourette syndrome (TS) is a common childhood-onset disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics that are typically accompanied by a multitude of comorbid symptoms. Pharmacological treatment options are limited, which has led to the exploration of deep brain stimulation (DBS) as a possible treatment for severe cases. Multiple lines of evidence have linked TS with abnormalities in the motor and limbic cortico-basal ganglia (CBG) pathways. Neurophysiological data have only recently started to slowly accumulate from multiple sources: noninvasive imaging and electrophysiological techniques, invasive electrophysiological recordings in TS patients undergoing DBS implantation surgery, and animal models of the disorder. These converging sources point to system-level physiological changes throughout the CBG pathway, including both general altered baseline neuronal activity patterns and specific tic-related activity. DBS has been applied to different regions along the motor and limbic pathways, primarily to the globus pallidus internus, thalamic nuclei, and nucleus accumbens. In line with the findings that also draw on the more abundant application of DBS to Parkinson's disease, this stimulation is assumed to result in changes in the neuronal firing patterns and the passage of information through the stimulated nuclei. We present an overview of recent experimental findings on abnormal neuronal activity associated with TS and the changes in this activity following DBS. These findings are then discussed in the context of current models of CBG function in the normal state, during TS, and finally in the wider context of DBS in CBG-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Israelashvili
- The Leslie & Susan Goldschmied (Gonda) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Yocheved Loewenstern
- The Leslie & Susan Goldschmied (Gonda) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Izhar Bar-Gad
- The Leslie & Susan Goldschmied (Gonda) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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8
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Swerdlow NR, Light GA. Animal Models of Deficient Sensorimotor Gating in Schizophrenia: Are They Still Relevant? Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2015; 28:305-25. [PMID: 27311762 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2015_5012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Animal models of impaired sensorimotor gating, as assessed by prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle, have demonstrated clear validity at face, predictive, and construct levels for schizophrenia therapeutics, neurophysiological endophenotypes, and potential causative insults for this group of disorders. However, with the growing recognition of the heterogeneity of the schizophrenias, and the less sanguine view of the clinical value of antipsychotic (AP) medications, our field must look beyond "validity," to assess the actual utility of these models. At a substantial cost in terms of research support and intellectual capital, what has come from these models, that we can say has actually helped schizophrenia patients? Such introspection is timely, as we are reassessing not only our view of the genetic and pathophysiological diversity of these disorders, but also the predominant strategies for SZ therapeutics; indeed, our field is gaining awareness that we must move away from a "find what's broke and fix it" approach, toward identifying spared neural and cognitive function in SZ patients, and matching these residual neural assets with learning-based therapies. Perhaps, construct-valid models that identify evidence of "spared function" in neural substrates might reveal opportunities for future therapeutics and allow us to study these substrates at a mechanistic level to maximize opportunities for neuroplasticity. Such an effort will require a retooling of our models, and more importantly, a re-evaluation of their utility. For animal models to remain relevant in the search for schizophrenia therapeutics, they will need to focus less on what is valid and focus more on what is useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0804, USA.
| | - Gregory A Light
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0804, USA
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Godar SC, Mosher LJ, Di Giovanni G, Bortolato M. Animal models of tic disorders: a translational perspective. J Neurosci Methods 2014; 238:54-69. [PMID: 25244952 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tics are repetitive, sudden movements and/or vocalizations, typically enacted as maladaptive responses to intrusive premonitory urges. The most severe tic disorder, Tourette syndrome (TS), is a childhood-onset condition featuring multiple motor and at least one phonic tic for a duration longer than 1 year. The pharmacological treatment of TS is mainly based on antipsychotic agents; while these drugs are often effective in reducing tic severity and frequency, their therapeutic compliance is limited by serious motor and cognitive side effects. The identification of novel therapeutic targets and development of better treatments for tic disorders is conditional on the development of animal models with high translational validity. In addition, these experimental tools can prove extremely useful to test hypotheses on the etiology and neurobiological bases of TS and related conditions. In recent years, the translational value of these animal models has been enhanced, thanks to a significant re-organization of our conceptual framework of neuropsychiatric disorders, with a greater focus on endophenotypes and quantitative indices, rather than qualitative descriptors. Given the complex and multifactorial nature of TS and other tic disorders, the selection of animal models that can appropriately capture specific symptomatic aspects of these conditions can pose significant theoretical and methodological challenges. In this article, we will review the state of the art on the available animal models of tic disorders, based on genetic mutations, environmental interventions as well as pharmacological manipulations. Furthermore, we will outline emerging lines of translational research showing how some of these experimental preparations have led to significant progress in the identification of novel therapeutic targets for tic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C Godar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy; University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Laura J Mosher
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy; University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Giuseppe Di Giovanni
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, University of Malta, Msida, Malta; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Marco Bortolato
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy; University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; Consortium for Translational Research on Aggression and Drug Abuse (ConTRADA), University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA.
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Bronfeld M, Israelashvili M, Bar-Gad I. Pharmacological animal models of Tourette syndrome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:1101-19. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Revised: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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11
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Swerdlow NR. Update: studies of prepulse inhibition of startle, with particular relevance to the pathophysiology or treatment of Tourette Syndrome. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2012; 37:1150-6. [PMID: 23017868 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2012] [Revised: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI) is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, in which the motor response to an abrupt, intense stimulus is inhibited by a weak lead stimulus. PPI is reduced in several brain disorders, including Tourette Syndrome (TS); it is regulated by forebrain circuitry, including portions of the basal ganglia implicated in the pathophysiology of TS, and is also heritable and under strong genetic control. PPI has been the focus of numerous translational models, because it is expressed by most mammalian species, with remarkable conservation of response characteristics and underlying neural circuitry between rodents and primates. Several of these models have recently explored causative factors in TS - from genes to specific basal ganglia perturbations - as well as potential TS therapeutics, including novel pharmacological and neurosurgical interventions. With the focus on Comprehensive Behavioral Interventions for Tics (CBIT) in the evolving treatment model for TS, future studies might apply PPI as a predictive measure for CBIT response, or for identifying medications that might augment CBIT efficacy. In the end, a measure based on a simple pontine-based reflex will have limitations in its ability to explicate any complex behavioral phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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12
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Levin R, Heresco-Levy U, Edelman S, Shapira H, Ebstein RP, Lichtenberg P. Hypnotizability and sensorimotor gating: a dopaminergic mechanism of hypnosis. Int J Clin Exp Hypn 2011; 59:399-405. [PMID: 21867376 DOI: 10.1080/00207144.2011.594678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Dopaminergic mechanisms have been theorized to influence hypnotizability and sensorimotor gating. In this study, the authors investigated an association between sensorimotor gating, as measured by prepulse inhibition (PPI), and hypnotizability, as assessed by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C). They found an inverse correlation between the SSHS:C and PPI. This finding, which replicates an earlier study, provides further evidence for a dopaminergic basis for hypnotizability and suggests additional avenues for research, including a method for possibly enhancing hypnotizability through pharmacological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raz Levin
- Department of Psychiatry, Herzog Memorial Hospital, Givat Shaul, Jerusalem, Israel
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13
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Gieling ET, Nordquist RE, van der Staay FJ. Assessing learning and memory in pigs. Anim Cogn 2011; 14:151-73. [PMID: 21203792 PMCID: PMC3040303 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-010-0364-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2010] [Revised: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 11/25/2010] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in (mini) pigs (Sus scrofa) as species for cognitive research. A major reason for this is their physiological and anatomical similarity with humans. For example, pigs possess a well-developed, large brain. Assessment of the learning and memory functions of pigs is not only relevant to human research but also to animal welfare, given the nature of current farming practices and the demands they make on animal health and behavior. In this article, we review studies of pig cognition, focusing on the underlying processes and mechanisms, with a view to identifying. Our goal is to aid the selection of appropriate cognitive tasks for research into pig cognition. To this end, we formulated several basic criteria for pig cognition tests and then applied these criteria and knowledge about pig-specific sensorimotor abilities and behavior to evaluate the merits, drawbacks, and limitations of the different types of tests used to date. While behavioral studies using (mini) pigs have shown that this species can perform learning and memory tasks, and much has been learned about pig cognition, results have not been replicated or proven replicable because of the lack of validated, translational behavioral paradigms that are specially suited to tap specific aspects of pig cognition. We identified several promising types of tasks for use in studies of pig cognition, such as versatile spatial free-choice type tasks that allow the simultaneous measurement of several behavioral domains. The use of appropriate tasks will facilitate the collection of reliable and valid data on pig cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Titia Gieling
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Farm Animal Health, Emotion and Cognition Program, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca Elizabeth Nordquist
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Farm Animal Health, Emotion and Cognition Program, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Franz Josef van der Staay
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Farm Animal Health, Emotion and Cognition Program, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Universiteitsweg 100, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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The pig as a model animal for studying cognition and neurobehavioral disorders. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2011; 7:359-83. [PMID: 21287323 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2010_112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
In experimental animal research, a short phylogenetic distance, i.e., high resemblance between the model species and the species to be modeled is expected to increase the relevance and generalizability of results obtained in the model species. The (mini)pig shows multiple advantageous characteristics that have led to an increase in the use of this species in studies modeling human medical issues, including neurobehavioral (dys)functions. For example, the cerebral cortex of pigs, unlike that of mice or rats, has cerebral convolutions (gyri and sulci) similar to the human neocortex. We expect that appropriately chosen pig models will yield results of high translational value. However, this claim still needs to be substantiated by research, and the area of pig research is still in its infancy. This chapter provides an overview of the pig as a model species for studying cognitive dysfunctions and neurobehavioral disorders and their treatment, along with a discussion of the pros and cons of various tests, as an aid to researchers considering the use of pigs as model animal species in biomedical research.
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15
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Ferguson SA, Gopee NV, Paule MG, Howard PC. Female mini-pig performance of temporal response differentiation, incremental repeated acquisition, and progressive ratio operant tasks. Behav Processes 2009; 80:28-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2008.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2008] [Revised: 08/14/2008] [Accepted: 08/18/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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16
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Abstract
Hypnosis involves the manipulation of conscious attentional discrimination. The prepulse inhibition (PPI) paradigm assesses primary unconscious information processing. We investigated the correlation between hypnotizability and PPI of the startle reflex. Forty-eight healthy subjects were evaluated with the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) and acoustic PPI. Subjects were divided into low, medium, and high hypnotizable groups. The low-hypnotizable group showed a significantly higher inhibition of the startle response, at lead intervals 60 ms and 120 ms, than did the medium- and high-hypnotizable groups. We conclude that hypnotizability and PPI may be negatively correlated. These findings lend further support for the role of dopaminergic neurotransmission mechanisms in the determination of hypnotizability levels.
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Lind NM, Moustgaard A, Jelsing J, Vajta G, Cumming P, Hansen AK. The use of pigs in neuroscience: Modeling brain disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2007; 31:728-51. [PMID: 17445892 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2007.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 365] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2006] [Revised: 02/05/2007] [Accepted: 02/18/2007] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The use of pigs in neuroscience research has increased in the past decade, which has seen broader recognition of the potential of pigs as an animal for experimental modeling of human brain disorders. The volume of available background data concerning pig brain anatomy and neurochemistry has increased considerably in recent years. The pig brain, which is gyrencephalic, resembles the human brain more in anatomy, growth and development than do the brains of commonly used small laboratory animals. The size of the pig brain permits the identification of cortical and subcortical structures by imaging techniques. Furthermore, the pig is an increasingly popular laboratory animal for transgenic manipulations of neural genes. The present paper focuses on evaluating the potential for modeling symptoms, phenomena or constructs of human brain diseases in pigs, the neuropsychiatric disorders in particular. Important practical and ethical aspects of the use of pigs as an experimental animal as pertaining to relevant in vivo experimental brain techniques are reviewed. Finally, current knowledge of aspects of behavioral processes including learning and memory are reviewed so as to complete the summary of the status of pigs as a species suitable for experimental models of diverse human brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna Marie Lind
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Panum Institute, Blegdamsvej 3B, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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18
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Swerdlow NR, Sutherland AN. Using animal models to develop therapeutics for Tourette Syndrome. Pharmacol Ther 2005; 108:281-93. [PMID: 15970330 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2005.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2005] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The science of Tourette Syndrome (TS) is advancing at multiple levels of analysis and will be enhanced through the use of animal models. Particular challenges in the development of TS animal models reflect complex features of this disorder, including its waxing and waning course and its "invisible" sensory and psychic symptoms. Animal models can achieve face, predictive, or construct validity based on their particular features. Predictive validity, of most direct relevance to drug development for TS, is achieved to some degree by a several animal models, although the reliance of most of these models on measures of motor suppression may ultimately limit their utility. Other models achieve construct validity with proposed pathophysiological mechanisms related to the immune and neural circuit etiologies of TS. One model-deficient sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex-is discussed in terms of its present and future applications towards advancing our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of TS. In addition to models that will advance the pharmacotherapy of TS, other animal models may enhance the utility of nonpharmacologic TS treatments, ranging from behavior therapy to deep brain stimulation (DBS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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