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Williams IR, Ryugo DK. Bilateral and symmetric glycinergic and glutamatergic projections from the LSO to the IC in the CBA/CaH mouse. Front Neural Circuits 2024; 18:1430598. [PMID: 39184455 PMCID: PMC11341401 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2024.1430598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Auditory space has been conceptualized as a matrix of systematically arranged combinations of binaural disparity cues that arise in the superior olivary complex (SOC). The computational code for interaural time and intensity differences utilizes excitatory and inhibitory projections that converge in the inferior colliculus (IC). The challenge is to determine the neural circuits underlying this convergence and to model how the binaural cues encode location. It has been shown that midbrain neurons are largely excited by sound from the contralateral ear and inhibited by sound leading at the ipsilateral ear. In this context, ascending projections from the lateral superior olive (LSO) to the IC have been reported to be ipsilaterally glycinergic and contralaterally glutamatergic. This study used CBA/CaH mice (3-6 months old) and applied unilateral retrograde tracing techniques into the IC in conjunction with immunocytochemical methods with glycine and glutamate transporters (GlyT2 and vGLUT2, respectively) to analyze the projection patterns from the LSO to the IC. Glycinergic and glutamatergic neurons were spatially intermixed within the LSO, and both types projected to the IC. For GlyT2 and vGLUT2 neurons, the average percentage of ipsilaterally and contralaterally projecting cells was similar (ANOVA, p = 0.48). A roughly equal number of GlyT2 and vGLUT2 neurons did not project to the IC. The somatic size and shape of these neurons match the descriptions of LSO principal cells. A minor but distinct population of small (< 40 μm2) neurons that labeled for GlyT2 did not project to the IC; these cells emerge as candidates for inhibitory local circuit neurons. Our findings indicate a symmetric and bilateral projection of glycine and glutamate neurons from the LSO to the IC. The differences between our results and those from previous studies suggest that species and habitat differences have a significant role in mechanisms of binaural processing and highlight the importance of research methods and comparative neuroscience. These data will be important for modeling how excitatory and inhibitory systems converge to create auditory space in the CBA/CaH mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella R. Williams
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
| | - David K. Ryugo
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head, Neck and Skull Base Surgery, St. Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
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2
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Huang W, Cano JC, Fénelon K. Deciphering the role of brainstem glycinergic neurons during startle and prepulse inhibition. Brain Res 2024; 1836:148938. [PMID: 38615924 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the auditory startle response, a key measure of sensorimotor gating, diminishes with age and is impaired in various neurological conditions. While PPI deficits are often associated with cognitive impairments, their reversal is routinely used in experimental systems for antipsychotic drug screening. Yet, the cellular and circuit-level mechanisms of PPI remain unclear, even under non-pathological conditions. We recently showed that brainstem neurons located in the caudal pontine reticular nucleus (PnC) expressing the glycine transporter type 2 (GlyT2±) receive inputs from the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) and contribute to PPI but via an uncharted pathway. Here, using tract-tracing, immunohistochemistry and in vitro optogenetic manipulations coupled to field electrophysiological recordings, we reveal the neuroanatomical distribution of GlyT2± PnC neurons and PnC-projecting CeA glutamatergic neurons and we provide mechanistic insights on how these glutamatergic inputs suppress auditory neurotransmission in PnC sections. Additionally, in vivo experiments using GlyT2-Cre mice confirm that optogenetic activation of GlyT2± PnC neurons enhances PPI and is sufficient to induce PPI in young mice, emphasizing their role. However, in older mice, PPI decline is not further influenced by inhibiting GlyT2± neurons. This study highlights the importance of GlyT2± PnC neurons in PPI and underscores their diminished activity in age-related PPI decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanyun Huang
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Life Science Laboratories, 240 Thatcher Road, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA
| | - Jose C Cano
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX, 79912, USA
| | - Karine Fénelon
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Life Science Laboratories, 240 Thatcher Road, Amherst, MA, 01002, USA.
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3
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Lue PY, Oliver MH, Neeff M, Thorne PR, Suzuki-Kerr H. Sheep as a large animal model for hearing research: comparison to common laboratory animals and humans. Lab Anim Res 2023; 39:31. [PMID: 38012676 PMCID: PMC10680324 DOI: 10.1186/s42826-023-00182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), caused by pathology in the cochlea, is the most common type of hearing loss in humans. It is generally irreversible with very few effective pharmacological treatments available to prevent the degenerative changes or minimise the impact. Part of this has been attributed to difficulty of translating "proof-of-concept" for novel treatments established in small animal models to human therapies. There is an increasing interest in the use of sheep as a large animal model. In this article, we review the small and large animal models used in pre-clinical hearing research such as mice, rats, chinchilla, guinea pig, rabbit, cat, monkey, dog, pig, and sheep to humans, and compare the physiology, inner ear anatomy, and some of their use as model systems for SNHL, including cochlear implantation surgeries. Sheep have similar cochlear anatomy, auditory threshold, neonatal auditory system development, adult and infant body size, and number of birth as humans. Based on these comparisons, we suggest that sheep are well-suited as a potential translational animal model that bridges the gap between rodent model research to the clinical use in humans. This is especially in areas looking at changes across the life-course or in specific areas of experimental investigation such as cochlear implantation and other surgical procedures, biomedical device development and age-related sensorineural hearing loss research. Combined use of small animals for research that require higher throughput and genetic modification and large animals for medical translation could greatly accelerate the overall translation of basic research in the field of auditory neuroscience from bench to clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Po-Yi Lue
- Department of Physiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Eisdell Moore Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Mark H Oliver
- Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Ngapouri Research Farm Laboratory, University of Auckland, Waiotapu, New Zealand
| | - Michel Neeff
- Department of Physiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Surgery, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Peter R Thorne
- Department of Physiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Eisdell Moore Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Section of Audiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Haruna Suzuki-Kerr
- Department of Physiology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Eisdell Moore Centre, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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Brito DVC, Esteves F, Rajado AT, Silva N, Araújo I, Bragança J, Castelo-Branco P, Nóbrega C. Assessing cognitive decline in the aging brain: lessons from rodent and human studies. NPJ AGING 2023; 9:23. [PMID: 37857723 PMCID: PMC10587123 DOI: 10.1038/s41514-023-00120-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
As life expectancy continues to increase worldwide, age-related dysfunction will largely impact our societies in the future. Aging is well established to promote the deterioration of cognitive function and is the primary risk factor for the development of prevalent neurological disorders. Even in the absence of dementia, age-related cognitive decline impacts specific types of memories and brain structures in humans and animal models. Despite this, preclinical and clinical studies that investigate age-related changes in brain physiology often use largely different methods, which hinders the translational potential of findings. This review seeks to integrate what is known about age-related changes in the brain with analogue cognitive tests used in humans and rodent studies, ranging from "pen and paper" tests to virtual-reality-based paradigms. Finally, we draw parallels between the behavior paradigms used in research compared to the enrollment into clinical trials that aim to study age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- D V C Brito
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - F Esteves
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - A T Rajado
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - N Silva
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
| | - I Araújo
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J Bragança
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - P Castelo-Branco
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - C Nóbrega
- Algarve Biomedical Center-Research Institute (ABC-RI), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal.
- Algarve Biomedical Center- (ABC), Campus Gambelas, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal.
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB), University of Algarve, Gambelas Campus, Bld.2, Faro, Portugal.
- Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal.
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5
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Lai J, Dowling M, Bartlett EL. Comparison of age-related declines in behavioral auditory responses versus electrophysiological measures of amplitude modulation. Neurobiol Aging 2022; 117:201-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Jimenez H, Adrien L, Wolin A, Eun J, Chang EH, Burstein ES, Gomar J, Davies P, Koppel J. The impact of pimavanserin on psychotic phenotypes and tau phosphorylation in the P301L/COMT- and rTg(P301L)4510 mouse models of Alzheimer's disease. ALZHEIMER'S & DEMENTIA (NEW YORK, N. Y.) 2022; 8:e12247. [PMID: 35128032 PMCID: PMC8804623 DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Psychosis in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with grave clinical consequences including a precipitous cognitive decline and a hastened demise. These outcomes are aggravated by use of existing antipsychotic medications, which are also associated with cognitive decline and increased mortality; preclinical models that would develop new therapeutic approaches are desperately needed. The current report evaluates the ability of the neoteric antipsychotic, pimavanserin, to normalize hyperkinesis and sensorimotor gating in the novel catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) deleted P301L/COMT- and rTg(P301L)4510 models of psychotic AD, and the impact of pimavanserin on tau pathology. METHODS Female P301L/COMT- mice were behaviorally characterized for abnormalities of locomotion and sensorimotor gating, and biochemically characterized for patterns of tau phosphorylation relative to relevant controls utilizing high-sensitivity tau enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Female P301L/COMT- and rTg(P301L)4510 mice were randomized to pimavanserin or vehicle treatment to study the ability of pimavanserin to normalize locomotion and rescue sensorimotor gating. Additionally, high-sensitivity tau ELISA was used to investigate the impact of treatment on tau phosphorylation. RESULTS P301L/COMT- mice evidenced a hyperlocomotive phenotype and deficits of sensorimotor gating relative to wild-type mice on the same background, and increased tau phosphorylation relative to COMT-competent P301L mice. Pimavanserin normalized the hyperkinetic phenotype in both the P301L/COMT- and rTg(P301L)4510 mice but had no impact on sensorimotor gating in either model. Pimavanserin treatment had little impact on tau phosphorylation patterns. DISCUSSION These data suggest that pimavanserin ameliorates tau-driven excessive locomotion. Given the morbidity associated with aberrant motor behaviors such as pacing in AD and lack of effective treatments, future studies of the impact of pimavanserin on actigraphy in patients with this syndrome may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidy Jimenez
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | - Leslie Adrien
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | - Adam Wolin
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | - John Eun
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | - Eric H. Chang
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Jesus Gomar
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | - Peter Davies
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
| | - Jeremy Koppel
- Northwell HealthThe Feinstein Institutes for Medical ResearchManhassetNew YorkUSA
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Peineau T, Belleudy S, Pietropaolo S, Bouleau Y, Dulon D. Synaptic Release Potentiation at Aging Auditory Ribbon Synapses. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:756449. [PMID: 34733152 PMCID: PMC8558230 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.756449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Age-related hidden hearing loss is often described as a cochlear synaptopathy that results from a progressive degeneration of the inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon synapses. The functional changes occurring at these synapses during aging are not fully understood. Here, we characterized this aging process in IHCs of C57BL/6J mice, a strain which is known to carry a cadherin-23 mutation and experiences early hearing loss with age. These mice, while displaying a large increase in auditory brainstem thresholds due to 50% loss of IHC synaptic ribbons at middle age (postnatal day 365), paradoxically showed enhanced acoustic startle reflex suggesting a hyperacusis-like response. The auditory defect was associated with a large shrinkage of the IHCs' cell body and a drastic enlargement of their remaining presynaptic ribbons which were facing enlarged postsynaptic AMPAR clusters. Presynaptic Ca2+ microdomains and the capacity of IHCs to sustain high rates of exocytosis were largely increased, while on the contrary the expression of the fast-repolarizing BK channels, known to negatively control transmitter release, was decreased. This age-related synaptic plasticity in IHCs suggested a functional potentiation of synaptic transmission at the surviving synapses, a process that could partially compensate the decrease in synapse number and underlie hyperacusis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault Peineau
- Neurophysiologie de la Synapse Auditive, INSERM UMRS 1120, Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Institut de l'Audition, Centre Institut Pasteur/Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Séverin Belleudy
- Neurophysiologie de la Synapse Auditive, INSERM UMRS 1120, Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | | | - Yohan Bouleau
- Neurophysiologie de la Synapse Auditive, INSERM UMRS 1120, Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Institut de l'Audition, Centre Institut Pasteur/Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Didier Dulon
- Neurophysiologie de la Synapse Auditive, INSERM UMRS 1120, Bordeaux Neurocampus, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,Institut de l'Audition, Centre Institut Pasteur/Inserm, Paris, France
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8
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Hendrickx JO, De Moudt S, Calus E, De Deyn PP, Van Dam D, De Meyer GRY. Age-related cognitive decline in spatial learning and memory of C57BL/6J mice. Behav Brain Res 2021; 418:113649. [PMID: 34728276 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
During the last decades, most of the preclinical neurodegenerative research was performed in mouse models of amyloidosis, tauopathies or α-synucleinopathies preferentially maintained on a C57BL/6J background. However, comprehensive neurobehavioural data from C57BL/6J mice outlining the critical point of spontaneous cognitive decline are incomplete. In this study, we aimed for the neurobehavioural phenotyping of hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory of aging C57BL/6J mice. Neurobehavioural phenotyping was performed by means of a Morris Water Maze (MWM) and a Novel Object Recognition (NOR) test. MWM measurements revealed signs of age-related memory loss in C57BL/6J animals from the age of 6 months onward. The NOR assessment strengthened latter finding by decreasing discrimination indexes (DI) and recognition indexes (RI) starting from the age of 6 months. Taken together, these findings contribute to the current knowledge of spontaneous cognitive behaviours of this perhaps most widely used mouse strain and serve as a benchmark for dementia mouse models to distinguish spontaneous from pathological neurodegenerative behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jhana O Hendrickx
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sofie De Moudt
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Elke Calus
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Peter Paul De Deyn
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Research Center, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Debby Van Dam
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Behaviour, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Research Center, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Guido R Y De Meyer
- Laboratory of Physiopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
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Si W, Liu X, Pape HC, Reinscheid RK. Neuropeptide S-Mediated Modulation of Prepulse Inhibition Depends on Age, Gender, Stimulus-Timing, and Attention. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:489. [PMID: 34065431 PMCID: PMC8160819 DOI: 10.3390/ph14050489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Conflicting reports about the role of neuropeptide S (NPS) in animal models of psychotic-like behavior and inconsistent results from human genetic studies seeking potential associations with schizophrenia prompted us to reevaluate the effects of NPS in the prepulse inhibition (PPI) paradigm in mice. Careful examination of NPS receptor (NPSR1) knockout mice at different ages revealed that PPI deficits are only expressed in young male knockout animals (<12 weeks of age), that can be replicated in NPS precursor knockout mice and appear strain-independent, but are absent in female mice. PPI deficits can be aggravated by MK-801 and alleviated by clozapine. Importantly, treatment of wildtype mice with a centrally-active NPSR1 antagonist was able to mimic PPI deficits. PPI impairment in young male NPSR1 and NPS knockout mice may be caused by attentional deficits that are enhanced by increasing interstimulus intervals. Our data reveal a substantial NPS-dependent developmental influence on PPI performance and confirm a significant role of attentional processes for sensory-motor gating. Through its influence on attention and arousal, NPS appears to positively modulate PPI in young animals, whereas compensatory mechanisms may alleviate NPS-dependent deficits in older mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Si
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (W.S.); (X.L.)
| | - Xiaobin Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; (W.S.); (X.L.)
| | - Hans-Christian Pape
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische-Wilhelms University, 48149 Münster, Germany;
| | - Rainer K. Reinscheid
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische-Wilhelms University, 48149 Münster, Germany;
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Schiller University, 07747 Jena, Germany
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Rybalko N, Popelář J, Šuta D, Svobodová Burianová J, Alvaro GS, Large CH, Syka J. Effect of Kv3 channel modulators on auditory temporal resolution in aged Fischer 344 rats. Hear Res 2020; 401:108139. [PMID: 33348192 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
AUT00063 and AUT00202 are novel pharmaceutical modulators of the Kv3 subfamily of voltage-gated K+ channels. Kv3.1 channels, which control fast firing of many central auditory neurons, have been shown to decline with age and this may contribute to age-related deficits in central auditory processing. In the present study, the effects of the two novel compounds that specifically modulate Kv3 channels on auditory temporal processing were examined in aged (19-25-month-old) and young-adult (3-5 month-old) Fischer 344 rats (F344) using a behavioral gap-prepulse inhibition (gap-PPI) paradigm. The acoustic startle response (ASR) and its inhibition induced by a gap in noise were measured before and after drug administration. Hearing thresholds in tested rats were evaluated by the auditory brainstem response (ABR). Aged F344 rats had significantly higher ABR thresholds, lower amplitudes of ASR, and weaker gap-PPI compared with young-adult rats. No influence of AUT00063 and AUT00202 administration was observed on ABR hearing thresholds in rats of both age groups. AUT00063 and AUT00202 had suppressive effect on ASR of F344 rats that was more pronounced with AUT00063. The degree of suppression depended on the dose and age of the rats. Both compounds significantly improved the gap-PPI performance in gap detection tests in aged rats. These results indicate that AUT00063 and AUT00202 may influence intrinsic firing properties of neurons in the central auditory system of aged animals and have the potential to treat aged-related hearing disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Rybalko
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Popelář
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Šuta
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic; Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Svobodová Burianová
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Giuseppe S Alvaro
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Charles H Large
- Autifony Therapeutics Limited, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK
| | - Josef Syka
- Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic
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11
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Bowen Z, Winkowski DE, Kanold PO. Functional organization of mouse primary auditory cortex in adult C57BL/6 and F1 (CBAxC57) mice. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10905. [PMID: 32616766 PMCID: PMC7331716 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67819-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The primary auditory cortex (A1) plays a key role for sound perception since it represents one of the first cortical processing stations for sounds. Recent studies have shown that on the cellular level the frequency organization of A1 is more heterogeneous than previously appreciated. However, many of these studies were performed in mice on the C57BL/6 background which develop high frequency hearing loss with age making them a less optimal choice for auditory research. In contrast, mice on the CBA background retain better hearing sensitivity in old age. Since potential strain differences could exist in A1 organization between strains, we performed comparative analysis of neuronal populations in A1 of adult (~ 10 weeks) C57BL/6 mice and F1 (CBAxC57) mice. We used in vivo 2-photon imaging of pyramidal neurons in cortical layers L4 and L2/3 of awake mouse primary auditory cortex (A1) to characterize the populations of neurons that were active to tonal stimuli. Pure tones recruited neurons of widely ranging frequency preference in both layers and strains with neurons in F1 (CBAxC57) mice exhibiting a wider range of frequency preference particularly to higher frequencies. Frequency selectivity was slightly higher in C57BL/6 mice while neurons in F1 (CBAxC57) mice showed a greater sound-level sensitivity. The spatial heterogeneity of frequency preference was present in both strains with F1 (CBAxC57) mice exhibiting higher tuning diversity across all measured length scales. Our results demonstrate that the tone evoked responses and frequency representation in A1 of adult C57BL/6 and F1 (CBAxC57) mice are largely similar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zac Bowen
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1116 Biosciences Res. Bldg., College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Daniel E Winkowski
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1116 Biosciences Res. Bldg., College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Patrick O Kanold
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 1116 Biosciences Res. Bldg., College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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Jafari Z, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. Prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex and P50 gating in aging and alzheimer's disease. Ageing Res Rev 2020; 59:101028. [PMID: 32092463 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition plays a crucial role in many functional domains, such as cognition, emotion, and actions. Studies on cognitive aging demonstrate changes in inhibitory mechanisms are age- and pathology-related. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is the suppression of an acoustic startle reflex (ASR) to an intense stimulus when a weak prepulse stimulus precedes the startle stimulus. A reduction of PPI is thought to reflect dysfunction of sensorimotor gating which normally suppresses excessive behavioral responses to disruptive stimuli. Both human and rodent studies show age-dependent alterations of PPI of the ASR that are further compromised in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The auditory P50 gating, an index of repetition suppression, also is characterized as a putative electrophysiological biomarker of prodromal AD. This review provides the latest evidence of age- and AD-associated impairment of sensorimotor gating based upon both human and rodent studies, as well as the AD-related disruption of P50 gating in humans. It begins with a concise review of neural networks underlying PPI regulation. Then, evidence of age- and AD-related dysfunction of both PPI and P50 gating is discussed. The attentional/ emotional aspects of sensorimotor gating and the neurotransmitter mechanisms underpinning PPI and P50 gating are also reviewed. The review ends with conclusions and research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, T1K 3M4 AB, Canada; Department of Basic Sciences in Rehabilitation, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Science (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Bryan E Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, T1K 3M4 AB, Canada.
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, T1K 3M4 AB, Canada.
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13
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Götz T, Pacini AF, Nachtigall PE, Janik VM. The startle reflex in echolocating odontocetes: basic physiology and practical implications. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/5/jeb208470. [PMID: 32165452 PMCID: PMC7075047 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.208470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The acoustic startle reflex is an oligo-synaptic reflex arc elicited by rapid-onset sounds. Odontocetes evolved a range of specific auditory adaptations to aquatic hearing and echolocation, e.g. the ability to downregulate their auditory sensitivity when emitting clicks. However, it remains unclear whether these adaptations also led to changes of the startle reflex. We investigated reactions to startling sounds in two bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and one false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens). Animals were exposed to 50 ms, 1/3 octave band noise pulses of varying levels at frequencies of 1, 10, 25 and 32 kHz while positioned in a hoop station. Startle responses were quantified by measuring rapid muscle contractions using a three-dimensional accelerometer attached to the dolphin. Startle magnitude increased exponentially with increasing received levels. Startle thresholds were frequency dependent and ranged from 131 dB at 32 kHz to 153 dB at 1 kHz (re. 1 µPa). Startle thresholds only exceeded masked auditory AEP thresholds of the animals by 47 dB but were ∼82 dB above published behavioural audiograms for these species. We also tested the effect of stimulus rise time on startle magnitude using a broadband noise pulse. Startle responses decreased with increasing rise times from 2 to 100 ms. Models suggested that rise times of 141–220 ms were necessary to completely mitigate startle responses. Our data showed that the startle reflex is conserved in odontocetes and follows similar principles as in terrestrial mammals. These principles should be considered when assessing and mitigating the effects of anthropogenic noise on marine mammals. Summary: The acoustic startle reflex is conserved in echolocating toothed whales and should be considered when predicting marine mammal responses to human-generated underwater noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Götz
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Aude F Pacini
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, P.O. Box 1346, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA
| | - Paul E Nachtigall
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, P.O. Box 1346, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA
| | - Vincent M Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
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Jafari Z, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. Life-Course Contribution of Prenatal Stress in Regulating the Neural Modulation Network Underlying the Prepulse Inhibition of the Acoustic Startle Reflex in Male Alzheimer's Disease Mice. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:311-325. [PMID: 31070710 PMCID: PMC7029700 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex (ASR), as an index of sensorimotor gating, is one of the most extensively used paradigms in the field of neuropsychiatric disorders. Few studies have examined how prenatal stress (PS) regulates the sensorimotor gating during the lifespan and how PS modifies the development of amyloid-beta (Aβ) pathology in brain areas underlying the PPI formation. We followed alternations in corticosterone levels, learning and memory, and the PPI of the ASR measures in APPNL-G-F/NL-G-F offspring of dams exposed to gestational noise stress. In-depth quantifications of the Aβ plaque accumulation were also performed at 6 months. The results indicated an age-dependent deterioration of sensorimotor gating, long-lasting PS-induced abnormalities in PPI magnitudes, as well as deficits in spatial memory. The PS also resulted in a higher Aβ aggregation predominantly in brain areas associated with the PPI modulation network. The findings suggest the contribution of a PS-induced hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hyperactivity in regulating the PPI modulation substrates leading to the abnormal development of the neural protection system in response to disruptive stimuli. The long-lasting HPA axis dysregulation appears to be the major underlying mechanism in precipitating the Aβ deposition, especially in brain areas contributed to the PPI modulation network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Basic Sciences in Rehabilitation, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bryan E Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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Sichler ME, Löw MJ, Schleicher EM, Bayer TA, Bouter Y. Reduced Acoustic Startle Response and Prepulse Inhibition in the Tg4-42 Model of Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis Rep 2019; 3:269-278. [PMID: 31867566 PMCID: PMC6918877 DOI: 10.3233/adr-190132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensorimotor deficits have been described in several neuropsychiatric disorders including Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate possible sensorimotor gating deficits in the Tg4-42 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease using the prepulse inhibition task (PPI). Previous studies indicated that the hippocampus is essentially involved in the regulation of PPI. We analyzed 7-month-old homozygous Tg4-42 mice as mice at this age display severe neuron loss especially in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. Our results revealed a reduced startle response and PPI in Tg4-42 mice. The observed deficits in startle response and PPI are likely due to altered sensory processing abilities rather than hearing deficits as Tg4-42 displayed intact hearing in the fear conditioning task. The present study demonstrates for the first time that sensorimotor gating is impaired in Tg4-42 mice. Analyzing startle response as well as the PPI may offer valuable measurements to assess the efficacy of therapeutic strategies in the future in this Alzheimer’s disease model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius E Sichler
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Maximilian J Löw
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Eva M Schleicher
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Thomas A Bayer
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Yvonne Bouter
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Goettingen (UMG), Georg-August-University, Goettingen, Germany
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16
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Shoji H, Miyakawa T. Age-related behavioral changes from young to old age in male mice of a C57BL/6J strain maintained under a genetic stability program. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2019; 39:100-118. [PMID: 30816023 PMCID: PMC7292274 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM Aging is thought to coincide with gradual and progressive changes in brain function and behavior over the lifetime. Our previous meta-analytic study reported age-related behavioral changes from young to middle age in male C57BL/6J mice. However, the previous study had some limitations that could affect the generalizability of the findings because of the potential influence of genetic and environmental factors on behavior, in addition to a lack of information regarding the behaviors of old-aged mice. Here, to investigate age-related behavioral changes from young to old age in mice, we analyzed the behaviors of male C57BL/6J mice from four different age groups (8, 47, 73, and 99 weeks of age at the beginning of the experiment) from a colony that had been maintained in a genetically controlled condition based on The Jackson Laboratory's Genetic Stability Program in an environmentally controlled animal facility. METHODS We used a battery of behavioral tests, including the light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, hot plate, social interaction, rotarod, three-chamber social approach, prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, T-maze, Barnes maze, tail suspension, and fear-conditioning tests. RESULTS Some behavioral changes occurred between young and middle age, and further changes in various behaviors were observed in old age. Decreased locomotor activity and increased anxiety-like behavior were found in old-aged mice compared to those in young and middle-aged mice in the light/dark transition test. Similarly, an age-dependent decrease in locomotor activity was observed in the open field test and the elevated plus maze test, while there was an age-dependent increase in the time spent in the center area in the open field test and there were no significant differences among age groups in behavioral measures of anxiety in the elevated plus maze test. Decreases in motor performance and the auditory startle response were found in middle-aged mice compared to those in young mice. Similar behavioral changes and increased pain sensitivity, decreased social novelty preference, reduced working and spatial memory, and impaired cued fear memory were observed in old-aged mice compared to those in young mice. Prepulse inhibition was higher in middle-aged mice than in young and old-aged mice. Age-related changes in depression-related behavior were dependent on the type of test and the test time period. CONCLUSIONS This study generally confirmed our previous report regarding age-related behavioral changes from young to middle age and expanded the previous observations by examining the behaviors of old-aged mice. Our results show age-related changes in a wide range of behaviors in mice from young to old age. Most behaviors showed gradual changes with advancing age, but some types of behaviors, such as vertical activity, prepulse inhibition, and depression-related behavior, did not show unidirectional changes with age. These findings provide basic information about the behavioral characteristics of young, middle-aged, and aged male C57BL/6J mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Shoji
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Japan
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17
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Shoji H, Miyakawa T. Relationships between the acoustic startle response and prepulse inhibition in C57BL/6J mice: a large-scale meta-analytic study. Mol Brain 2018; 11:42. [PMID: 30001725 PMCID: PMC6044095 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-018-0382-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is the suppression of a startle reflex response to a startle stimulus that occurs when a weak prepulse stimulus precedes the startle stimulus. PPI is measured to assess sensorimotor gating across species, including humans and rodents. Reduced PPI, which is thought to reflect dysfunction of sensorimotor gating, is reported in patients with psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and in animal models of these disorders. Individual differences in basal startle reactivity occur even in a genetically homogenous group of animals; however, there is limited information regarding whether basal levels of the startle response are associated with variations in PPI levels. Here, to explore the relationship between an acoustic startle response (ASR) and PPI, we performed a meta-analysis of data obtained from more than 1300 C57BL/6J male mice on the influence of an ASR to 110- and 120-dB startle stimuli on the PPI levels of the ASR at 74- and 78-dB prepulse intensities. Examination of scatter plots of the ASR amplitudes and PPI levels followed by correlation analyses indicated that there is no simple linear relationship between the two measures; when mice were divided into three groups on the basis of their startle amplitudes, there were positive correlations between the amplitude of the ASR to the 110-dB stimulus and PPI levels in a group of mice that showed lower ASR amplitudes among the genetically homogenous group, whereas no significant correlations were identified in groups of mice that showed intermediate and higher ASR amplitudes. As indicated by the correlation analysis, the lowest responders to the 110-dB stimulus exhibited lower levels of PPI than the intermediate or higher responders. In contrast, for the 120-dB stimulus, a negative correlation was identified between the amplitude of the ASR to the 120-dB stimulus and the PPI levels in the groups of mice that showed intermediate or higher ASR amplitudes. Lower and intermediate responders showed higher levels of PPI than higher responders to the 120-dB stimulus. These findings suggest that basal startle reactivity may affect PPI levels in male C57BL/6J mice, thus representing one potential confounding factor that may confuse the interpretation of PPI results. These findings emphasize the importance of careful examination of startle reactivity to ensure a reliable assessment of PPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Shoji
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi, 470-1192, Japan.
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18
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Sukoff Rizzo SJ, Anderson LC, Green TL, McGarr T, Wells G, Winter SS. Assessing Healthspan and Lifespan Measures in Aging Mice: Optimization of Testing Protocols, Replicability, and Rater Reliability. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 8:e45. [DOI: 10.1002/cpmo.45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stacey J. Sukoff Rizzo
- Mouse Neurobehavioral Phenotyping Facility, Center for Biometric Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor Maine
| | - Laura C. Anderson
- Mouse Neurobehavioral Phenotyping Facility, Center for Biometric Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor Maine
| | - Torrian L. Green
- Mouse Neurobehavioral Phenotyping Facility, Center for Biometric Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor Maine
| | - Tracy McGarr
- Mouse Neurobehavioral Phenotyping Facility, Center for Biometric Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor Maine
| | - Gaylynn Wells
- Mouse Neurobehavioral Phenotyping Facility, Center for Biometric Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor Maine
| | - Shawn S. Winter
- Mouse Neurobehavioral Phenotyping Facility, Center for Biometric Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory; Bar Harbor Maine
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19
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O'Leary TP, Shin S, Fertan E, Dingle RN, Almuklass A, Gunn RK, Yu Z, Wang J, Brown RE. Reduced acoustic startle response and peripheral hearing loss in the 5xFAD mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2017; 16:554-563. [DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T. P. O'Leary
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - S. Shin
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - E. Fertan
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - R. N. Dingle
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - A. Almuklass
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences; King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Science; Riyadh Saudi Arabia
| | - R. K. Gunn
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Z. Yu
- Department of School of Human Communication Disorders; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - J. Wang
- Department of School of Human Communication Disorders; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - R. E. Brown
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
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20
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Omata Y, Tharasegaran S, Lim YM, Yamasaki Y, Ishigaki Y, Tatsuno T, Maruyama M, Tsuda L. Expression of amyloid-β in mouse cochlear hair cells causes an early-onset auditory defect in high-frequency sound perception. Aging (Albany NY) 2017; 8:427-39. [PMID: 26959388 PMCID: PMC4833138 DOI: 10.18632/aging.100899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that defects in the sensory system are highly correlated with age-related neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). This raises the possibility that sensory cells possess some commonalities with neurons and may provide a tool for studying AD. The sensory system, especially the auditory system, has the advantage that depression in function over time can easily be measured with electrophysiological methods. To establish a new mouse AD model that takes advantage of this benefit, we produced transgenic mice expressing amyloid-β (Aβ), a causative element for AD, in their auditory hair cells. Electrophysiological assessment indicated that these mice had hearing impairment, specifically in high-frequency sound perception (>32 kHz), at 4 months after birth. Furthermore, loss of hair cells in the basal region of the cochlea, which is known to be associated with age-related hearing loss, appeared to be involved in this hearing defect. Interestingly, overexpression of human microtubule-associated protein tau, another factor in AD development, synergistically enhanced the Aβ-induced hearing defects. These results suggest that our new system reflects some, if not all, aspects of AD progression and, therefore, could complement the traditional AD mouse model to monitor Aβ-induced neuronal dysfunction quantitatively over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiro Omata
- Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia (CAMD), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Obu, Aichi, Japan.,Presend address: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Suganya Tharasegaran
- Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia (CAMD), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Young-Mi Lim
- Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia (CAMD), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasutoyo Yamasaki
- Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia (CAMD), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhito Ishigaki
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kanazawa Medical University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Takanori Tatsuno
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kanazawa Medical University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Mitsuo Maruyama
- Department of Molecular Aging, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Aichi, Japan
| | - Leo Tsuda
- Center for Development of Advanced Medicine for Dementia (CAMD), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG), Obu, Aichi, Japan
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Gleich O, Semmler P, Strutz J. Behavioral auditory thresholds and loss of ribbon synapses at inner hair cells in aged gerbils. Exp Gerontol 2016; 84:61-70. [PMID: 27569111 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The potential contribution of auditory synaptopathy to age dependent hearing loss was studied in groups of young and old gerbils. The analysis of the number of inner hair cell ribbon synapses in aged gerbils (37.9±3.3months of age) revealed only a relatively small (11-17%) loss in the basal two thirds of the cochlea, while a more pronounced reduction was identified towards the apex (almost 40%) when compared to a group of young gerbils (9.5±3.2months of age). Mean threshold elevation in the old gerbils was around 25dB at 2 and 10kHz. Frequency-specific behavioral thresholds and ribbon synapse counts were not significantly correlated for the middle and basal regions of the cochlea, despite thresholds varying over a 45dB SPL range. This suggests that besides a small age-dependent loss of ribbon synapses, additional cochlear pathologies, most likely a decreased endocochlear potential, contribute to peripheral hearing loss in old gerbils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Otto Gleich
- ENT-Department University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Philipp Semmler
- ENT-Department University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Strutz
- ENT-Department University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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22
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Age-related changes in behavior in C57BL/6J mice from young adulthood to middle age. Mol Brain 2016; 9:11. [PMID: 26822304 PMCID: PMC4730600 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-016-0191-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 287] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aging is considered to be associated with progressive changes in the brain and its associated sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. A large number of studies comparing young and aged animals have reported differences in various behaviors between age-cohorts, indicating behavioral dysfunctions related to aging. However, relatively little is known about behavioral changes from young adulthood to middle age, and the effect of age on behavior during the early stages of life remains to be understood. In order to investigate age-related changes in the behaviors of mice from young adulthood to middle age, we performed a large-scale analysis of the behavioral data obtained from our behavioral test battery involving 1739 C57BL/6J wild-type mice at 2–12 months of age. Results Significant behavioral differences between age groups (2–3-, 4–5-, 6–7-, and 8–12-month-old groups) were found in all the behavioral tests, including the light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, rotarod, social interaction, prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, tail suspension, Barnes maze, and fear conditioning tests, except for the hot plate test. Compared with the 2–3-month-old group, the 4–5- and 6–7-month-old groups exhibited decreased locomotor activity to novel environments, motor function, acoustic startle response, social behavior, and depression-related behavior, increased prepulse inhibition, and deficits in spatial and cued fear memory. For most behaviors, the 8–12-month-old group showed similar but more pronounced changes in most of these behaviors compared with the younger age groups. Older groups exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the light/dark transition test whereas those groups showed seemingly decreased anxiety-like behavior measured by the elevated plus maze test. Conclusions The large-scale analysis of behavioral data from our battery of behavioral tests indicated age-related changes in a wide range of behaviors from young adulthood to middle age in C57BL/6J mice, though these results might have been influenced by possible confounding factors such as the time of day at testing and prior test experience. Our results also indicate that relatively narrow age differences can produce significant behavioral differences during adulthood in mice. These findings provide an insight into our understanding of the neurobiological processes underlying brain function and behavior that are subject to age-related changes in early to middle life. The findings also indicate that age is one of the critical factors to be carefully considered when designing behavioral tests and interpreting behavioral differences that might be induced by experimental manipulations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-016-0191-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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23
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Götz T, Janik VM. Non-lethal management of carnivore predation: long-term tests with a startle reflex-based deterrence system on a fish farm. Anim Conserv 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- T. Götz
- Sea Mammal Research Unit; Scottish Oceans Institute; University of St Andrews; St Andrews Scotland UK
| | - V. M. Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit; Scottish Oceans Institute; University of St Andrews; St Andrews Scotland UK
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24
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Weber M, Wu T, Hanson JE, Alam NM, Solanoy H, Ngu H, Lauffer BE, Lin HH, Dominguez SL, Reeder J, Tom J, Steiner P, Foreman O, Prusky GT, Scearce-Levie K. Cognitive Deficits, Changes in Synaptic Function, and Brain Pathology in a Mouse Model of Normal Aging(1,2,3). eNeuro 2015; 2:ENEURO.0047-15.2015. [PMID: 26473169 PMCID: PMC4606159 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0047-15.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2015] [Revised: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Age is the main risk factor for sporadic Alzheimer's disease. Yet, cognitive decline in aged rodents has been less well studied, possibly due to concomitant changes in sensory or locomotor function that can complicate cognitive tests. We tested mice that were 3, 11, and 23 months old in cognitive, sensory, and motor measures, and postmortem measures of gliosis and neural activity (c-Fos). Hippocampal synaptic function was also examined. While age-related impairments were detectable in tests of spatial memory, greater age-dependent effects were observed in tests of associative learning [active avoidance (AA)]. Gross visual function was largely normal, but startle responses to acoustic stimuli decreased with increased age, possibly due to hearing impairments. Therefore, a novel AA variant in which light alone served as the conditioning stimuli was used. Age-related deficits were again observed. Mild changes in vision, as measured by optokinetic responses, were detected in 19- versus 4-month-old mice, but these were not correlated to AA performance. Thus, deficits in hearing or vision are unlikely to account for the observed deficits in cognitive measures. Increased gliosis was observed in the hippocampal formation at older ages. Age-related changes in neural function and plasticity were observed with decreased c-Fos in the dentate gyrus, and decreased synaptic strength and paired-pulse facilitation in CA1 slices. This work, which carefully outlines age-dependent impairments in cognitive and synaptic function, c-Fos activity, and gliosis during normal aging in the mouse, suggests robust translational measures that will facilitate further study of the biology of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Weber
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - Tiffany Wu
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Jesse E. Hanson
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Nazia M. Alam
- Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, New York, 10605
| | - Hilda Solanoy
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Hai Ngu
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Benjamin E. Lauffer
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Han H. Lin
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Sara L. Dominguez
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Jens Reeder
- Department of Bioinformatics, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Jennifer Tom
- Department of Bioinformatics, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Pascal Steiner
- Department of Neuroscience, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Oded Foreman
- Department of Pathology, Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080
| | - Glen T. Prusky
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College, Burke Medical Research Institute, White Plains, New York 10605
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Alderks PW, Sisneros JA. Development of the acoustically evoked behavioral response in larval plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus. PLoS One 2013; 8:e82182. [PMID: 24340003 PMCID: PMC3858275 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ontogeny of hearing in fishes has become a major interest among bioacoustics researchers studying fish behavior and sensory ecology. Most fish begin to detect acoustic stimuli during the larval stage which can be important for navigation, predator avoidance and settlement, however relatively little is known about the hearing capabilities of larval fishes. We characterized the acoustically evoked behavioral response (AEBR) in the plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, and used this innate startle-like response to characterize this species' auditory capability during larval development. Age and size of larval midshipman were highly correlated (r2 = 0.92). The AEBR was first observed in larvae at 1.4 cm TL. At a size ≥1.8 cm TL, all larvae responded to a broadband stimulus of 154 dB re1 µPa or −15.2 dB re 1 g (z-axis). Lowest AEBR thresholds were 140–150 dB re 1 µPa or −33 to −23 dB re 1 g for frequencies below 225 Hz. Larval fish with size ranges of 1.9–2.4 cm TL had significantly lower best evoked frequencies than the other tested size groups. We also investigated the development of the lateral line organ and its function in mediating the AEBR. The lateral line organ is likely involved in mediating the AEBR but not necessary to evoke the startle-like response. The midshipman auditory and lateral line systems are functional during early development when the larvae are in the nest and the auditory system appears to have similar tuning characteristics throughout all life history stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W. Alderks
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Joseph A. Sisneros
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Li X, Sanneman JD, Harbidge DG, Zhou F, Ito T, Nelson R, Picard N, Chambrey R, Eladari D, Miesner T, Griffith AJ, Marcus DC, Wangemann P. SLC26A4 targeted to the endolymphatic sac rescues hearing and balance in Slc26a4 mutant mice. PLoS Genet 2013; 9:e1003641. [PMID: 23874234 PMCID: PMC3708829 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 06/01/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations of SLC26A4 are a common cause of human hearing loss associated with enlargement of the vestibular aqueduct. SLC26A4 encodes pendrin, an anion exchanger expressed in a variety of epithelial cells in the cochlea, the vestibular labyrinth and the endolymphatic sac. Slc26a4 (Δ/Δ) mice are devoid of pendrin and develop a severe enlargement of the membranous labyrinth, fail to acquire hearing and balance, and thereby provide a model for the human phenotype. Here, we generated a transgenic mouse line that expresses human SLC26A4 controlled by the promoter of ATP6V1B1. Crossing this transgene into the Slc26a4 (Δ/Δ) line restored protein expression of pendrin in the endolymphatic sac without inducing detectable expression in the cochlea or the vestibular sensory organs. The transgene prevented abnormal enlargement of the membranous labyrinth, restored a normal endocochlear potential, normal pH gradients between endolymph and perilymph in the cochlea, normal otoconia formation in the vestibular labyrinth and normal sensory functions of hearing and balance. Our study demonstrates that restoration of pendrin to the endolymphatic sac is sufficient to restore normal inner ear function. This finding in conjunction with our previous report that pendrin expression is required for embryonic development but not for the maintenance of hearing opens the prospect that a spatially and temporally limited therapy will restore normal hearing in human patients carrying a variety of mutations of SLC26A4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangming Li
- Anatomy & Physiology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Joel D. Sanneman
- Anatomy & Physiology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Donald G. Harbidge
- Anatomy & Physiology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Fei Zhou
- Anatomy & Physiology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Taku Ito
- Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Raoul Nelson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Nephrology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Nicolas Picard
- Inserm, UMRS 970, Centre de recherche PARCC (Paris centre de recherche cardiovasculaire); Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Régine Chambrey
- Inserm, UMRS 970, Centre de recherche PARCC (Paris centre de recherche cardiovasculaire); Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Eladari
- Inserm, UMRS 970, Centre de recherche PARCC (Paris centre de recherche cardiovasculaire); Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Département de Physiologie, HEGP, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Tracy Miesner
- Comparative Medicine Group, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Andrew J. Griffith
- Otolaryngology Branch, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel C. Marcus
- Anatomy & Physiology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
| | - Philine Wangemann
- Anatomy & Physiology Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, United States of America
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Age-related changes in the acoustic startle reflex in Fischer 344 and Long Evans rats. Exp Gerontol 2012; 47:966-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2012.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Revised: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 09/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Abstract
The use of genetically modified mice can accelerate progress in auditory research. However, the fundamental profile of mouse hearing has not been thoroughly documented. In the current study, we explored mouse middle ear transmission by measuring sound-evoked vibrations at several key points along the ossicular chain using a laser-Doppler vibrometer. Observations were made through an opening in pars flaccida. Simultaneously, the pressure at the tympanic membrane close to the umbo was monitored using a micro-pressure-sensor. Measurements were performed in C57BL mice, which are widely used in hearing research. Our results show that the ossicular local transfer function, defined as the ratio of velocity to the pressure at the tympanic membrane, was like a high-pass filter, almost flat at frequencies above ∼15 kHz, decreasing rapidly at lower frequencies. There was little phase accumulation along the ossicles. Our results suggested that the mouse ossicles moved almost as a rigid body. Based on these 1-dimensional measurements, the malleus-incus-complex primarily rotated around the anatomical axis passing through the gonial termination of the anterior malleus and the short process of the incus, but secondary motions were also present. This article is part of a special issue entitled "MEMRO 2012".
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Dong
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia University, P&S 11-452, 630 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Turner J, Larsen D, Hughes L, Moechars D, Shore S. Time course of tinnitus development following noise exposure in mice. J Neurosci Res 2012; 90:1480-8. [PMID: 22434653 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.22827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2011] [Revised: 10/12/2011] [Accepted: 10/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Gap-induced prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle (GPIAS) has been used in rats and mice to study the problem of tinnitus. The current study demonstrates that similar methods can be used to study the temporal development of tinnitus over time in middle-aged mice. Six-month-old mice on a mixed C57Bl6 × 129 background were anesthetized with isoflurane and exposed to unilateral noise (n = 15), or sham exposure for controls (n = 8), for 1 hr (16-kHz octave band signal, 116-dB SPL). Tinnitus was tested in eight different sound frequency bands before and at postexposure time points of 1, 3-4, 7, 14, 21, and 30 days and monthly thereafter until 7 months postexposure. Noise-exposed mice displayed a number of changes in GPIAS consistent with the presence of hyperacusis and tinnitus. Noise exposure was associated with acute tinnitus measured 1 day later at several frequencies at and above the exposure frequency center. Consistent, chronic tinnitus then emerged in the 24-kHz range. Several time points following noise exposure suggested evidence of hyperacusis, often followed temporally by the development of deficits in GPIAS (reflecting tinnitus). Temporal development of these changes following noise exposure are discussed in the context of the interactions among aging, noise exposure, and the associated neurochemical changes that occur at early stages of auditory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Turner
- Department of Surgery/Otolaryngology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL 62794, USA.
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30
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Ouagazzal AM, Meziane H. Acoustic Startle Reflex and Prepulse Inhibition. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MOUSE BIOLOGY 2012; 2:25-35. [PMID: 26069003 DOI: 10.1002/9780470942390.mo110132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The completion of genome sequencing in humans and mice has opened new opportunities to study the relationship between gene expression and behavior and for development of novel therapeutic approaches for brain diseases. Recently, several international programs for large-scale production and phenotyping of genetically modified mice have been launched (e.g., EUCOMM, EUMODIC, IMPC), and comprehensive high-throughput behavioral phenotyping strategies have been developed (EUMORPHIA). In this context, startle reflex represents an important research tool for studying the impact of genetic manipulations not only on sensory processes but also on complex brain functions such as cognition, emotions, and movement control. In this unit, step-by-step protocols for measurement of acoustic startle reactivity and prepulse inhibition of startle in mice are described, and supporting experimental data presented. Curr. Protoc. Mouse Biol. 2:25-35 © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdel Mottalib Ouagazzal
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), CNRS, UMR7104, Illkirch, France
| | - Hamid Meziane
- Institut Clinique de la Souris (ICS), Illkirch, France
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31
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Young JW, Meves JM, Tarantino IS, Caldwell S, Geyer MA. Delayed procedural learning in α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor knockout mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2011; 10:720-33. [PMID: 21679297 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2011.00711.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) has long been a procognitive therapeutic target to treat schizophrenia. Evidence on the role of this receptor in cognition has been lacking, however, in part due to the limited availability of suitable ligands. The behavior of α7-nAChR knockout (KO) mice has been examined previously, but cognitive assessments using tests with cross-species translatability have been limited to date. Here, we assessed the cognitive performance of α7-nAChR KO and wild-type (WT) littermate mice in the attentional set-shifting task of executive functioning, the radial arm maze test of spatial working memory span capacity and the novel object recognition test of short-term memory. The reward motivation of these mutants was assessed using the progressive ratio breakpoint test. In addition, we assessed the exploratory behavior and sensorimotor gating using the behavioral pattern monitor and prepulse inhibition, respectively. α7-nAChR KO mice exhibited normal set-shifting, but impaired procedural learning (rule acquisition) in multiple paradigms. Spatial span capacity, short-term memory, motivation for food, exploration and sensorimotor gating were all comparable to WT littermates. The data presented here support the notion that this receptor is important for such procedural learning, when patterns in the environment become clear and a rule is learned. In combination with the impaired attention observed previously in these mice, this finding suggests that agonist treatments should be examined in clinical studies of attention and procedural learning, perhaps in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- J W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA.
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32
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Flood DG, Zuvich E, Marino MJ, Gasior M. Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex and response to antipsychotic treatments in two outbred mouse strains in comparison to the inbred DBA/2 mouse. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 215:441-54. [PMID: 21301810 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2196-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2010] [Accepted: 01/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Naturally low prepulse inhibition (PPI) in DBA/2 mice is increased by marketed antipsychotics and compounds acting at novel targets relevant to schizophrenia. Whether other mouse strains with naturally low PPI respond similarly and could be translational models of schizophrenia is unknown. OBJECTIVE Baseline levels of PPI were determined in outbred CF-1 and Black Swiss mice. CF-1 and Black Swiss mice were then compared to DBA/2 mice for their responses to typical (haloperidol) and atypical (clozapine) antipsychotics and to compounds with potential antipsychotic activity, a histamine H(3) receptor antagonist (thioperamide) and a glycine transporter-1 inhibitor (SSR504734). RESULTS CF-1 and Black Swiss mice had naturally low PPI, similar to the level in C57BL/6 mice, but higher than that in DBA/2 mice. Haloperidol (0.3-1 mg/kg) increased PPI in DBA/2, CF-1, and Black Swiss mice. Clozapine (3 mg/kg) increased PPI in DBA/2 and CF-1 mice, but not in Black Swiss mice. Thioperamide (10-30 mg/kg) and SSR504734 (30 mg/kg) increased PPI only in DBA/2 mice. Strain differences in PPI responsiveness were not due to differences in brain concentrations of the tested compounds. CONCLUSIONS CF-1 mice with naturally low PPI may be useful for testing typical and atypical antipsychotics while Black Swiss mice only responded to a typical antipsychotic. DBA/2 mice remain the only strain with naturally low PPI that responds to marketed antipsychotics, as well as to compounds with novel mechanisms of action. Thus, DBA/2 mice may be the strain of choice for screening novel chemical entities for their ability to increase PPI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorothy G Flood
- EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc, 480 Aresenal St, Watertown, MA 02472, USA.
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33
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Lazar NL, Singh S, Paton T, Clapcote SJ, Gondo Y, Fukumura R, Roder JC, Cain DP. Missense mutation of the reticulon-4 receptor alters spatial memory and social interaction in mice. Behav Brain Res 2011; 224:73-9. [PMID: 21645550 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2011] [Revised: 05/17/2011] [Accepted: 05/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The reticulon-4 receptor, encoded by RTN4R, limits axonal sprouting and neural plasticity by inhibiting the outgrowth of neurites. Human association studies have implicated mutations in RTN4R in the development of schizophrenia, including the identification of several rare nonconservative missense mutations of RTN4R in schizophrenia patients. To investigate the effects of missense mutation of the reticulon-4 receptor on phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia, we behaviourally characterized a novel Rtn4r mutant mouse line with an amino acid substitution (R189H) in the Nogo-66 binding site. Behavioural assays included prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle, locomotor activity, social interaction and spatial cognition. When compared with wildtype littermates, Rtn4r mutant mice exhibited greater social preference, which may reflect a social-anxyolitic effect, and a mild impairment in spatial cognition. Given the mild effect of the R189H mutation of Rtn4r on behavioural phenotypes relevant to schizophrenia, our results do not support missense mutation of RTN4R as a strong risk factor in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah L Lazar
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
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34
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Kennard JA, Woodruff-Pak DS. Age sensitivity of behavioral tests and brain substrates of normal aging in mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2011; 3:9. [PMID: 21647305 PMCID: PMC3103996 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2011.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 05/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of age sensitivity, the capacity of a behavioral test to reliably detect age-related changes, has utility in the design of experiments to elucidate processes of normal aging. We review the application of these tests in studies of normal aging and compare and contrast the age sensitivity of the Barnes maze, eyeblink classical conditioning, fear conditioning, Morris water maze, and rotorod. These tests have all been implemented to assess normal age-related changes in learning and memory in rodents, which generalize in many cases to age-related changes in learning and memory in all mammals, including humans. Behavioral assessments are a valuable means to measure functional outcomes of neuroscientific studies of aging. Highlighted in this review are the attributes and limitations of these measures in mice in the context of age sensitivity and processes of brain aging. Attributes of these tests include reliability and validity as assessments of learning and memory, well-defined neural substrates, and sensitivity to neural and pharmacological manipulations and disruptions. These tests engage the hippocampus and/or the cerebellum, two structures centrally involved in learning and memory that undergo functional and anatomical changes in normal aging. A test that is less well represented in studies of normal aging, the context pre-exposure facilitation effect (CPFE) in fear conditioning, is described as a method to increase sensitivity of contextual fear conditioning to changes in the hippocampus. Recommendations for increasing the age sensitivity of all measures of normal aging in mice are included, as well as a discussion of the potential of the under-studied CPFE to advance understanding of subtle hippocampus-mediated phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Kennard
- Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Neuroscience Program and Department of Psychology, Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA, USA
| | - Diana S. Woodruff-Pak
- Systems Neuroscience Laboratory, Neuroscience Program and Department of Psychology, Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PA, USA
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35
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Götz T, Janik VM. Repeated elicitation of the acoustic startle reflex leads to sensitisation in subsequent avoidance behaviour and induces fear conditioning. BMC Neurosci 2011; 12:30. [PMID: 21489285 PMCID: PMC3101131 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-12-30] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2010] [Accepted: 04/13/2011] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autonomous reflexes enable animals to respond quickly to potential threats, prevent injury and mediate fight or flight responses. Intense acoustic stimuli with sudden onsets elicit a startle reflex while stimuli of similar intensity but with longer rise times only cause a cardiac defence response. In laboratory settings, habituation appears to affect all of these reflexes so that the response amplitude generally decreases with repeated exposure to the stimulus. The startle reflex has become a model system for the study of the neural basis of simple learning processes and emotional processing and is often used as a diagnostic tool in medical applications. However, previous studies did not allow animals to avoid the stimulus and the evolutionary function and long-term behavioural consequences of repeated startling remain speculative. In this study we investigate the follow-up behaviour associated with the startle reflex in wild-captured animals using an experimental setup that allows individuals to exhibit avoidance behaviour. RESULTS We present evidence that repeated elicitation of the acoustic startle reflex leads to rapid and pronounced sensitisation of sustained spatial avoidance behaviour in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). Animals developed rapid flight responses, left the exposure pool and showed clear signs of fear conditioning. Once sensitised, seals even avoided a known food source that was close to the sound source. In contrast, animals exposed to non-startling (long rise time) stimuli of the same maximum sound pressure habituated and flight responses waned or were absent from the beginning. The startle threshold of grey seals expressed in units of sensation levels was comparable to thresholds reported for other mammals (93 dB). CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that the acoustic startle reflex plays a crucial role in mediating flight responses and strongly influences the motivational state of an animal beyond a short-term muscular response by mediating long-term avoidance. The reflex is therefore not only a measure of emotional state but also influences emotional processing. The biological function of the startle reflex is most likely associated with mediating rapid flight responses. The data indicate that repeated startling by anthropogenic noise sources might have severe effects on long-term behaviour. Future, studies are needed to investigate whether such effects can be associated with reduced individual fitness or even longevity of individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Götz
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Vincent M Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
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36
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Kou ZZ, Zhang Y, Zhang T, Li H, Li YQ. Age-related increase in PKC gamma expression in the cochlear nucleus of hearing impaired C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice. J Chem Neuroanat 2010; 41:20-4. [PMID: 21056652 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2010.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2010] [Revised: 10/28/2010] [Accepted: 10/28/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Age-dependent alteration in cellular signaling is implicated in the onset of age-related hearing loss (presbycusis). The gamma subtype of protein kinase C (PKCγ) is a PKC isoenzyme exclusively expressed in central nervous system but its potential role in the presbycusis remains unclear. Using two presbycusis-like animal models (C57BL/6J strain and BALB/c strain), the auditory thresholds were assessed by auditory brainstem response (ABR) in young (2-month-old), adult (8-month-old) and old (24-month-old) groups, and the localization and expression of PKCγ in the cochlear nucleus (CN) was examined by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and Real-Time PCR. The results showed that PKCγ immmunoreactive (-ir) neurons were mainly concentrated in the molecular layer and fusiform layer of the dorsal CN (DCN) and their number was increased significantly with aging (p<0.05). Moreover, compared with 2-month-old mice, PKCγ expression in the CN at both protein and mRNA levels was significantly increased in the 8-month-old mice and 24-month-old mice (p<0.05). Thus our findings demonstrate a potential link between the increased PKCγ expression and the age-related hearing loss in these mice, suggesting novel strategies for the prevention and therapy of age-associated auditory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Zhen Kou
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
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37
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Young JW, Wallace CK, Geyer MA, Risbrough VB. Age-associated improvements in cross-modal prepulse inhibition in mice. Behav Neurosci 2010; 124:133-140. [PMID: 20141288 DOI: 10.1037/a0018462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating that is thought to probe preattentional filtering mechanisms. PPI is deficient in several neuropsychiatric disorders, possibly reflecting abnormalities in frontal-cortical-striatal circuitry. Several studies support the predictive validity of animal PPI to model human sensorimotor gating phenomena but only limited studies have addressed the effects of aging. Studies in humans suggest that PPI is improved or unaffected as humans age (>60 years) and does not correlate with cognitive decline in aged populations. Rodent studies to date, however, suggest that PPI declines with age. Here we tested the hypothesis that PPI measures in rodents are sensitive to stimulus modality, with the prediction that intact sensory modalities in aged animals would be predictive of aging-induced increases in PPI. To test our hypothesis, we assessed PPI using acoustic, tactile, and visual prepulses in young (4 month) and old (23 month) C57BL/6N mice. Consistent with data across species, we observed reduced startle reactivity in older mice. Aging effects on PPI interacted significantly with prepulse modality, with deficient acoustic PPI but increased visual and tactile PPI in aged animals. These data are therefore consistent with PPI studies in older humans when controlling for hearing impairments. The results are discussed in terms of 1) cross-species translational validity for mouse PPI testing, 2) the need for startle reactivity differences to be accounted for in PPI analyses, and 3) the utility of cross-modal PPI testing in subjects where hearing loss has been documented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark A Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California
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38
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Riquelme R, Cediel R, Contreras J, la Rosa Lourdes RD, Murillo-Cuesta S, Hernandez-Sanchez C, Zubeldia JM, Cerdan S, Varela-Nieto I. A comparative study of age-related hearing loss in wild type and insulin-like growth factor I deficient mice. Front Neuroanat 2010; 4:27. [PMID: 20661454 PMCID: PMC2907134 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2010.00027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Accepted: 06/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) belongs to the family of insulin-related peptides that fulfils a key role during the late development of the nervous system. Human IGF1 mutations cause profound deafness, poor growth and mental retardation. Accordingly, Igf1−/− null mice are dwarfs that have low survival rates, cochlear alterations and severe sensorineural deafness. Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is a common disorder associated with aging that causes social and cognitive problems. Aging is also associated with a decrease in circulating IGF-I levels and this reduction has been related to cognitive and brain alterations, although there is no information as yet regarding the relationship between presbycusis and IGF-I biodisponibility. Here we present a longitudinal study of wild type Igf1+/+ and null Igf1−/− mice from 2 to 12 months of age comparing the temporal progression of several parameters: hearing, brain morphology, cochlear cytoarchitecture, insulin-related factors and IGF gene expression and IGF-I serum levels. Complementary invasive and non-invasive techniques were used, including auditory brainstem-evoked response (ABR) recordings and in vivo MRI brain imaging. Igf1−/− null mice presented profound deafness at all the ages studied, without any obvious worsening of hearing parameters with aging. Igf1+/+ wild type mice suffered significant age-related hearing loss, their auditory thresholds and peak I latencies augmenting as they aged, in parallel with a decrease in the circulating levels of IGF-I. Accordingly, there was an age-related spiral ganglion degeneration in wild type mice that was not evident in the Igf1 null mice. However, the Igf1−/− null mice in turn developed a prematurely aged stria vascularis reminiscent of the diabetic strial phenotype. Our data indicate that IGF-I is required for the correct development and maintenance of hearing, supporting the idea that IGF-I-based therapies could contribute to prevent or ameliorate age-related hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Riquelme
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas "Alberto Sols", CSIC-UAM Madrid, Spain
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Zhang J, Zhang X. Electrical stimulation of the dorsal cochlear nucleus induces hearing in rats. Brain Res 2009; 1311:37-50. [PMID: 19941837 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2009.11.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2009] [Revised: 11/11/2009] [Accepted: 11/12/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Auditory brainstem implants (ABIs) restore hearing by electrical stimulation of the cochlear nucleus (CN). Depending on the physiological condition, duration of the pre-existing deafness, extent of damage to the CN, and the number of channels accessible to the tonotopic frequency gradients of the CN, ABIs improve speech understanding to varying degrees. Although the ventral cochlear nucleus, a mainstream auditory structure, has been considered a logic target for ABI stimulation, it is not yet clear how the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) contributes to patients' hearing during ABI stimulation. To better understand the mechanisms underlying ABIs, we tested if electrical stimulation of the rat DCN induces hearing using a novel electrical prepulse inhibition (ePPI) of startle reflex behavior model. Our results showed that bipolar electrical stimulation of all channels in the DCN induced behavioral manifestation of hearing and that electrical stimulation of certain channels in the DCN induced robust neural activity in auditory cortex channels that responded to acoustic stimulation and demonstrated well-defined frequency tuning curves. This suggests that the DCN plays an important role in electrical hearing and should be further pursued in designing new ABIs. The novel ePPI behavioral paradigm may potentially be developed into an efficient method for testing hearing in animals with an implantable prosthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinsheng Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 5E-UHC, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4201 Saint Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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Pannier S, Couloigner V, Messaddeq N, Elmaleh-Bergès M, Munnich A, Romand R, Legeai-Mallet L. Activating Fgfr3 Y367C mutation causes hearing loss and inner ear defect in a mouse model of chondrodysplasia. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2008; 1792:140-7. [PMID: 19073250 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2008.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2008] [Revised: 10/27/2008] [Accepted: 11/10/2008] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is a key regulator of skeletal development and activating mutations in FGFR3 cause skeletal dysplasias, including hypochondroplasia, achondroplasia and thanatophoric dysplasia. The introduction of the Y367C mutation corresponding to the human Y373C thanatophoric dysplasia type I (TDI) mutation into the mouse genome, resulted in dwarfism with a skeletal phenotype remarkably similar to that of human chondrodysplasia. To investigate the role of the activating Fgfr3 Y367C mutation in auditory function, the middle and inner ear of the heterozygous mutant Fgfr3(Y367C/+) mice were examined. The mutant Fgfr3(Y367C/+) mice exhibit fully penetrant deafness with a significantly elevated auditory brainstem response threshold for all frequencies tested. The inner ear defect is mainly associated with an increased number of pillar cells or modified supporting cells in the organ of Corti. Hearing loss in the Fgfr3(Y367C/+) mouse model demonstrates the crucial role of Fgfr3 in the development of the inner ear and provides novel insight on the biological consequences of FGFR3 mutations in chondrodysplasia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Pannier
- INSERM U781-Université Paris Descartes-Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades-149 rue de Sèvres-75015, Paris, France
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Zou J, Minasyan A, Keisala T, Zhang Y, Wang JH, Lou YR, Kalueff A, Pyykkö I, Tuohimaa P. Progressive hearing loss in mice with a mutated vitamin D receptor gene. Audiol Neurootol 2008; 13:219-30. [PMID: 18259074 DOI: 10.1159/000115431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2007] [Accepted: 10/19/2007] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Both hypo- and hypervitaminosis D can cause sensorineural hearing loss, and aural symptoms due to vitamin D insufficiency are especially common during gravidity. Hormonal forms of vitamin D regulate transcription by binding with the high-affinity vitamin D receptor (VDR). OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of impaired vitamin D action in VDR knockout (KO) mice on hearing, cochlear morphology, and cochlear gene expression. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighteen young male and female mice (10 VDR KO and 8 wild type, WT, < or =6 months old), 33 adult male and female mice (16 VDR KO and 17 WT, between 7 and 14 months old), and 11 aged male and female mice (5 VDR KO and 6 WT, > or =15 months old) on 129S1 genetic background were studied. Auditory thresholds were evaluated by auditory brain stem response. Morphological changes were analyzed using plastic embedding and light microscopy. The expression of key genes (known to play a role in the regulation of cochlear function), and caspase 3 activity, were assessed using immunofluorescent confocal microscopy. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference between the young and the adult groups, and between the adult and aged groups of WT mice. There was also a statistically significant difference between the adult and aged groups in VDR KO mice, and between the young WT group and the young VDR KO group. Spiral ganglion cell loss was observed in the basal turn of adult VDR KO mice, a phenomenon infrequently found in WT mice. Expression of connexin 26, KCNJ10, and transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily 4/6 was not affected by VDR KO-mediated hearing loss. Caspase 3 activation was detected in the spiral ganglion cell and its satellite cells, stria vascularis, spiral ligament fibrocytes, and the organ of Corti in both genotypes. However, the percentage of positive cells and the staining intensity were lower in the VDR KO (compared to the WT) mice. CONCLUSION These data suggest that sensorineural hearing loss progressively developed at an earlier age in VDR KO mice. While the fundamental gene expressions in the cochlea were not influenced by VDR mutation, it resulted in decrease of caspase 3 activation, which may be one of the factors underlying accelerating age-related hearing loss observed in VDR KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zou
- Department of Otolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland
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A novel rat strain with enhanced sensitivity to the effects of dopamine agonists on startle gating. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2007; 88:280-90. [PMID: 17936348 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2007.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2007] [Revised: 08/21/2007] [Accepted: 08/24/2007] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared to outbred Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, inbred Brown Norway (BN) rats exhibit less prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI) at long prepulse intervals, and more PPI at short intervals. Sensitivity to dopaminergic drug effects on PPI differs substantially across strains, and is heritable within SD and other outbred strains. To further understand the heritability of PPI and its sensitivity to dopamine agonists, we assessed PPI and apomorphine sensitivity in SD, BN and F1 (SD x BN) rats. METHODS PPI was measured in BN, SD and F1 rats under a variety of stimulus conditions, and after treatment with apomorphine. RESULTS Findings confirmed significantly more PPI in BN compared to SD rats at short prepulse intervals, and significantly more PPI in SD compared to BN rats at long intervals. F1s were "supersensitive" to both the PPI-disruptive effects of apomorphine at longer intervals, and the PPI-enhancing effects of apomorphine at shorter intervals, compared to either parental strain. CONCLUSION Differences in sensorimotor gating between SD and BN rats are robust, time-locked and consistent across studies. Unlike patterns in other strains, heritability of PPI apomorphine sensitivity phenotypes in SD x BN F1s cannot be easily explained by simple additive effects.
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Kalueff AV, Ishikawa K, Griffith AJ. Anxiety and otovestibular disorders: linking behavioral phenotypes in men and mice. Behav Brain Res 2007; 186:1-11. [PMID: 17822783 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2007] [Accepted: 07/20/2007] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Human anxiety and vestibular disorders have long been known to co-occur. Paralleling human clinical and non-clinical data, mounting genetic, pharmacological and behavioral evidence confirms that animal anxiety interplays and co-exists with vestibular/balance deficits. However, relatively few animal models have addressed the nature of this relationship. This paper examines side-by-side human psychiatric and otovestibular phenotypes with animal experimentation data, and outlines future directions of translational research in this field. Discussed here are recently developed specific animal models targeting this interplay, other traditional animal tests sensitive to altered anxiety and vestibular domains, and the existing problems with translation of animal data into human phenotypes. The role of hearing deficits and their contribution to anxiety and vestibular phenotypes are also outlined. Overall, the overlap between anxiety and balance disorders emerges as an important phenomenon in both animal and clinical studies, and may contribute markedly to the complexity of behavioral and physiological phenotypes. Animal experimental models that focus on the interplay between anxiety and vestibular disorders are needed to improve our understanding of this important biomedical problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allan V Kalueff
- Laboratory of Clinical Science, Building 10, Room 3D41, National Institute of Mental Health, 10 Center Dr. MSC 1264, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892-1264, USA.
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Miko IJ, Nakamura PA, Henkemeyer M, Cramer KS. Auditory brainstem neural activation patterns are altered in EphA4- and ephrin-B2-deficient mice. J Comp Neurol 2007; 505:669-81. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.21530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Bickel S, Lipp HP, Umbricht D. Impaired attentional modulation of auditory evoked potentials in N-methyl-D-aspartate NR1 hypomorphic mice. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2006; 6:558-68. [PMID: 17116169 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2006.00283.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
In human neurophysiology, auditory event-related potentials (AEPs) are used to investigate cognitive processes such as selective attention. Selective attention to specific tones causes a negative enhancement of AEPs known as processing negativity (PN), which is reduced in patients with schizophrenia. The evidence suggests that impaired selective attention in these patients may partially depend on deficient N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-mediated signaling. The goal of this study was to corroborate the involvement of the NMDAR in selective attention using a mouse model. To this end, we first investigated the presence of PN-like activity in C57BL/6J mice by recording AEPs during a fear-conditioning paradigm. Two alternating trains of tones, differing in stimulus duration, were presented on 7 subsequent days. One group received a mild foot shock delivered within the presentation of one train (conditioning train) on days 3-5 (conditioning days), while controls were never shocked. The fear-conditioned group (n= 9) indeed showed a PN-like activity during conditioning days manifested as a significant positive enhancement in the AEPs to the stimuli in the conditioning train that was not observed in the controls. The same paradigm was then applied to mice with reduced expression of the NMDAR1 (NR1) subunit and to a wild-type control group (each group n= 6). The NR1 mutants showed an associative AEP enhancement, but its magnitude was significantly reduced as compared with the magnitude in wild-type mice. We conclude that electrophysiological manifestations of selective attention are observable yet of different polarity in mice and that they require intact NMDAR-mediated signaling. Thus, deficient NMDAR functioning may contribute to abnormal selective attention in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bickel
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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