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Frintrop L, Trinh S, Seitz J, Kipp M. The Role of Glial Cells in Regulating Feeding Behavior: Potential Relevance to Anorexia Nervosa. J Clin Med 2021; 11:jcm11010186. [PMID: 35011927 PMCID: PMC8745326 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11010186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Eating behavior is controlled by hypothalamic circuits in which agouti-related peptide-expressing neurons when activated in the arcuate nucleus, promote food intake while pro-opiomelanocortin-producing neurons promote satiety. The respective neurotransmitters signal to other parts of the hypothalamus such as the paraventricular nucleus as well as several extra-hypothalamic brain regions to orchestrate eating behavior. This complex process of food intake may be influenced by glia cells, in particular astrocytes and microglia. Recent studies showed that GFAP+ astrocyte cell density is reduced in the central nervous system of an experimental anorexia nervosa model. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes, among the well-known somatic symptoms, brain volume loss which was associated with neuropsychological deficits while the underlying pathophysiology is unknown. In this review article, we summarize the findings of glia cells in anorexia nervosa animal models and try to deduce which role glia cells might play in the pathophysiology of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa. A better understanding of glia cell function in the regulation of food intake and eating behavior might lead to the identification of new drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Frintrop
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)-381-494-8406
| | - Stefanie Trinh
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
| | - Jochen Seitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
| | - Markus Kipp
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
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2
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Brain Volume Loss, Astrocyte Reduction, and Inflammation in Anorexia Nervosa. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 26:283-313. [PMID: 34888839 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77375-5_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is the third most common chronic disease in adolescence and is characterized by low body weight, body image distortion, weight phobia, and severe somatic consequences. Among the latter, marked brain volume reduction has been linked to astrocyte cell count reduction of about 50% in gray and white matter, while neuronal and other glial cell counts remain normal. Exact underlying mechanisms remain elusive; however, first results point to important roles of the catabolic state and the very low gonadal steroid hormones in these patients. They also appear to involve inflammatory states of "hungry astrocytes" and interactions with the gut microbiota. Functional impairments could affect the role of astrocytes in supporting neurons metabolically, neurotransmitter reuptake, and synapse formation, among others. These could be implicated in reduced learning, mood alterations, and sleep disturbances often seen in patients with AN and help explain their rigidity and difficulties in relearning processes in psychotherapy during starvation.
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Keeler JL, Treasure J, Juruena MF, Kan C, Himmerich H. Ketamine as a Treatment for Anorexia Nervosa: A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2021; 13:4158. [PMID: 34836413 PMCID: PMC8625822 DOI: 10.3390/nu13114158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a highly complex disorder to treat, especially in severe and enduring cases. Whilst the precise aetiology of the disorder is uncertain, malnutrition and weight loss can contribute to reductions in grey and white matter of the brain, impairments in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis and difficulties with cognitive flexibility, memory and learning. Depression is highly comorbid in AN and may be a barrier to recovery. However, traditional antidepressants are often ineffective in alleviating depressive symptoms in underweight patients with AN. There is an urgent need for new treatment approaches for AN. This review gives a conceptual overview for the treatment of AN with ketamine. Ketamine has rapid antidepressant effects, which are hypothesised to occur via increases in glutamate, with sequelae including increased neuroplasticity, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis. This article provides an overview of the use of ketamine for common psychiatric comorbidities of AN and discusses particular safety concerns and side effects. Potential avenues for future research and specific methodological considerations are explored. Overall, there appears to be ample theoretical background, via several potential mechanisms, that warrant the exploration of ketamine as a treatment for adults with AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Louise Keeler
- Section of Eating Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; (J.T.); (H.H.)
| | - Janet Treasure
- Section of Eating Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; (J.T.); (H.H.)
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham BR3 3BX, UK;
| | - Mario F. Juruena
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham BR3 3BX, UK;
- Centre for Affective Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Carol Kan
- Eating Disorder Service, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, 1 Nightingale Place, Kensington & Chelsea, London SW10 9NG, UK;
| | - Hubertus Himmerich
- Section of Eating Disorders, Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, UK; (J.T.); (H.H.)
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham BR3 3BX, UK;
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Yıldırım AB. The effect of exercise on the total number of BrdU + cell counts in rats' hippocampal dentate gyrus: A meta-analysis study. Brain Res 2021; 1766:147512. [PMID: 33961895 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayşegül Burçin Yıldırım
- Gaziantep Islam, Science and Technology University, Faculty of Medicine, Histology-Embriyology Department, Turkey
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Keeler J, Lambert E, Olivola M, Owen J, Xia J, Thuret S, Himmerich H, Cardi V, Treasure J. Lower pattern recognition memory scores in anorexia nervosa. J Eat Disord 2021; 9:49. [PMID: 33865451 PMCID: PMC8052530 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-021-00406-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is extensive evidence for volumetric reductions in the hippocampus in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), however the impact on function is unclear. Pattern separation and recognition are hippocampus-dependent forms of learning thought to underlie stimulus discrimination. METHODS The present study used the Mnemonic Similarity Task to investigate pattern separation and recognition for the first time in patients with AN (N = 46) and healthy controls (N = 56). An Analysis of Covariance examined between-group differences, controlling for age, antidepressant use and method of task delivery (remote vs. in person). RESULTS When controlling for covariates, pattern recognition memory scores were lower in the AN group with a medium effect size (d = 0.51). In contrast, there was a small effect whereby patients with AN had a greater pattern separation score than controls (d = 0.34), albeit this difference was not significant at the p = 0.05 threshold (p = 0.133). Furthermore, pattern separation and recognition memory abilities were not related to age, body mass index, eating disorder psychopathology or trait anxiety levels. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study provides initial evidence for an imbalance in pattern separation and recognition abilities in AN, a hippocampus-dependent cognitive ability. Further studies should endeavour to investigate pattern separation and recognition performance further in AN, as well as investigate other hippocampus-dependent functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Keeler
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - Ellen Lambert
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Miriam Olivola
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of Mental Health and Addictions, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Judith Owen
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Jingjing Xia
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Sandrine Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hubertus Himmerich
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Valentina Cardi
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Janet Treasure
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
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Scharner S, Stengel A. Animal Models for Anorexia Nervosa-A Systematic Review. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:596381. [PMID: 33551774 PMCID: PMC7854692 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.596381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image which usually leads to low caloric intake and hyperactivity. The underlying mechanism and pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa is still poorly understood. In order to learn more about the underlying pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa and to find further possible treatment options, several animal models mimicking anorexia nervosa have been developed. The aim of this review is to systematically search different databases and provide an overview of existing animal models and to discuss the current knowledge gained from animal models of anorexia nervosa. For the systematic data search, the Pubmed—Medline database, Embase database, and Web of Science database were searched. After removal of duplicates and the systematic process of selection, 108 original research papers were included in this systematic review. One hundred and six studies were performed with rodents and 2 on monkeys. Eighteen different animal models for anorexia nervosa were used in these studies. Parameters assessed in many studies were body weight, food intake, physical activity, cessation of the estrous cycle in female animals, behavioral changes, metabolic and hormonal alterations. The most commonly used animal model (75 of the studies) is the activity-based anorexia model in which typically young rodents are exposed to time-reduced access to food (a certain number of hours a day) with unrestricted access to a running wheel. Of the genetic animal models, one that is of particular interest is the anx/anx mice model. Animal models have so far contributed many findings to the understanding of mechanisms of hunger and satiety, physical activity and cognition in an underweight state and other mechanisms relevant for anorexia nervosa in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Scharner
- Department for Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Stengel
- Department for Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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Trinh S, Kogel V, Voelz C, Schlösser A, Schwenzer C, Kabbert J, Heussen N, Clavel T, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Beyer C, Seitz J. Gut microbiota and brain alterations in a translational anorexia nervosa rat model. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 133:156-165. [PMID: 33341454 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder that leads to brain volume reduction and is difficult to treat since the underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood. The human gut microbiota is known to be involved in host metabolism, appetite- and bodyweight regulation, gut permeability, inflammation and gut-brain interactions. In this study, we used a translational activity-based anorexia (ABA) rat model including groups with food restriction, running-wheel access and a combination to disentangle the influences on the gut microbiota and associated changes in brain volume parameters. Our data demonstrated that chronic food restriction but not running-wheel activity had a major influence on the gut microbiota diversity and composition and reduced brain volume. Negative correlations were found between global brain weight and α-diversity, and astrocyte markers and relative abundances of the genera Odoribacter and Bifidobacterium. In contrast, the presence of lactobacilli was positively associated with white and grey brain matter volume. ABA and food-restricted rats are an interesting pre-clinical model to assess the causal influence of starvation on the gut microbiome and gut-brain interactions and can help to dissect the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms relevant to AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Trinh
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Vanessa Kogel
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Clara Voelz
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Anna Schlösser
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Constanze Schwenzer
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Johanna Kabbert
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nicole Heussen
- Department of Medical Statistics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 19, 52074, Aachen, Germany; Centre of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Sigmund Freud University, Freudplatz 3, 1020, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Clavel
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Neuenhofer Weg 21, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Cordian Beyer
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jochen Seitz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, RWTH Aachen University, Neuenhofer Weg 21, 52074, Aachen, Germany
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Keeler J, Patsalos O, Thuret S, Ehrlich S, Tchanturia K, Himmerich H, Treasure J. Hippocampal volume, function, and related molecular activity in anorexia nervosa: A scoping review. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2020; 13:1367-1387. [PMID: 33176113 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2020.1850256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious and persistent eating disorder, characterized by severe dietary restriction and weight loss, with a third of patients developing a severe-enduring form. The factors contributing to this progression are poorly understood, although there is evidence for impairments in neural structures such as the hippocampus, an area particularly affected by malnutrition and chronic stress. AREAS COVERED This study aimed to map the evidence for alterations in hippocampal volume, function, and related molecular activity in anorexia nervosa. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science were searched for studies related to hippocampal function and integrity using a range of methodologies, such as neuropsychological paradigms, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, and analysis of blood components. EXPERT OPINION Thirty-nine studies were included in this review. The majority were neuroimaging studies, which found hippocampus-specific volumetric and functional impairments. Neuropsychological studies showed evidence for a specific memory and learning impairments. There was some evidence for molecular abnormalities (e.g. cortisol), although these were few studies. Taken together, our review suggests that the hippocampus might be a particular region of interest when considering neurobiological approaches to understanding AN. These findings warrant further investigation and may lead to novel treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Keeler
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience ,UK
| | - Olivia Patsalos
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience ,UK
| | - Sandrine Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience , UK
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universitat Dresden, Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neurosciences , Germany
| | - Kate Tchanturia
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience ,UK
| | - Hubertus Himmerich
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience ,UK
| | - Janet Treasure
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience ,UK
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Farinetti A, Aspesi D, Marraudino M, Marzola E, Abbate-Daga G, Gotti S. Maternal Separation in ABA Rats Promotes Cell Proliferation in the Dentate Gyrus of the Hippocampus. Neuroscience 2020; 446:238-248. [PMID: 32795557 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. Several studies support the idea that life stressors during the postnatal period could play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AN, underlying the multifactorial etiology of this disease. The activity-based anorexia (ABA) animal model mimics core features of the mental disorder, including severe food restriction, weight loss, and hyperactivity. Previous results obtained in our lab showed that maternal separation (MS) induces behavioral changes in anorexic-like ABA rats in a sexually dimorphic way: in females, the MS promoted hyperactivity and a less anxious-like phenotype in ABA animals; in males, instead, the MS attenuated the anxiolytic effect of the ABA protocol. These results led us to investigate the effect of the MS on brain areas involved in the control of the anxiety-like behavior. We focused our attention on the adult hippocampal neurogenesis, a process involved in the response to environmental stimuli and stressful condition. We analyzed the volume of the whole hippocampus and the proliferation rate in the dentate gyrus (DG) by quantifying Ki67-cells density and characterizing neuronal phenotype (DCX) and glial cells (GFAP) with double-fluorescence technique. The results obtained showed that only in maternally separated anorexic rats there is an increase of proliferation in DG, underlying the presence of a synergic effect of MS and ABA that boost the proliferation of new neurons and glia progenitors in a more evident way in females in comparison to males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Farinetti
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; NICO-Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy
| | - Dario Aspesi
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Marilena Marraudino
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; NICO-Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy
| | - Enrica Marzola
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Eating Disorders Unit of AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Giovanni Abbate-Daga
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; Eating Disorders Unit of AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Stefano Gotti
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, 10126 Turin, Italy; NICO-Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Orbassano, 10043 Turin, Italy.
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Kaufmann LK, Hänggi J, Jäncke L, Baur V, Piccirelli M, Kollias S, Schnyder U, Martin-Soelch C, Milos G. Age influences structural brain restoration during weight gain therapy in anorexia nervosa. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:126. [PMID: 32366823 PMCID: PMC7198513 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0809-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging studies on anorexia nervosa (AN) have consistently reported globally reduced gray matter in patients with acute AN. While first studies on adolescent AN patients provide evidence for the reversibility of these impairments after weight gain, longitudinal studies with detailed regional analysis for adult AN patients are lacking and factors associated with brain restitution are poorly understood. We investigated structural changes in anorexia nervosa using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images with surface-based morphometry. The sample consisted of 26 adult women with severe AN and 30 healthy controls. The longitudinal design comprised three time points, capturing the course of weight-restoration therapy in AN patients at distinct stages of weight gain (BMI ≤ 15.5 kg/m2; 15.5 < BMI < 17.5 kg/m2; BMI ≥ 17.5 kg/m2). Compared to controls, AN patients showed globally decreased cortical thickness and subcortical volumes at baseline. Linear mixed effect models revealed the reversibility of these alterations, with brain restoration being most pronounced during the first half of treatment. The restoration of cortical thickness of AN patients negatively correlated with age, but not duration of illness. After weight restoration, residual group differences of cortical thickness remained in the superior frontal cortex. These findings indicate that structural brain alterations of adult patients with severe AN recuperate independently of the duration of illness during weight-restoration therapy. The temporal pattern of brain restoration suggests a decrease in restoration rate over the course of treatment, with patients' age as a strong predictor of brain restitution, possibly reflecting decreases of brain plasticity as patients grow older.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa-Katrin Kaufmann
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. .,Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
| | - Jürgen Hänggi
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ,grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland ,grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Dynamic of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Volker Baur
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Piccirelli
- grid.412004.30000 0004 0478 9977Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Spyros Kollias
- grid.412004.30000 0004 0478 9977Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Schnyder
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Martin-Soelch
- grid.8534.a0000 0004 0478 1713Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Gabriella Milos
- grid.7400.30000 0004 1937 0650Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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11
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Gilman TL, Owens WA, George CM, Metzel L, Vitela M, Ferreira L, Bowman MA, Gould GG, Toney GM, Daws LC. Age- and Sex-Specific Plasticity in Dopamine Transporter Function Revealed by Food Restriction and Exercise in a Rat Activity-Based Anorexia Paradigm. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2019; 371:268-277. [PMID: 31481515 PMCID: PMC6795746 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.119.260794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Eating disorders such as anorexia typically emerge during adolescence, are characterized by engagement in compulsive and detrimental behaviors, and are often comorbid with neuropsychiatric disorders and drug abuse. No effective treatments exist. Moreover, anorexia lacks adolescent animal models, contributing to a poor understanding of underlying age-specific neurophysiological disruptions. To evaluate the contribution of dopaminergic signaling to the emergence of anorexia-related behaviors during the vulnerable adolescent period, we applied an established adult activity-based anorexia (ABA) paradigm (food restriction plus unlimited exercise access for 4 to 5 days) to adult and adolescent rats of both sexes. At the end of the paradigm, measures of plasma volume, blood hormone levels, dopamine transporter (DAT) expression and function, acute cocaine-induced locomotion, and brain water weight were taken. Adolescents were dramatically more affected by the ABA paradigm than adults in all measures. In vivo chronoamperometry and cocaine locomotor responses revealed sex-specific changes in adolescent DAT function after ABA that were independent of DAT expression differences. Hematocrit, insulin, ghrelin, and corticosterone levels did not resemble shifts typically observed in patients with anorexia, though decreases in leptin levels aligned with human reports. These findings are the first to suggest that food restriction in conjunction with excessive exercise sex-dependently and age-specifically modulate DAT functional plasticity during adolescence. The adolescent vulnerability to this relatively short manipulation, combined with blood measures, evidence need for an optimized age-appropriate ABA paradigm with greater face and predictive validity for the study of the pathophysiology and treatment of anorexia. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Adolescent rats exhibit a distinctive, sex-specific plasticity in dopamine transporter function and cocaine response after food restriction and exercise access; this plasticity is both absent in adults and not attributable to changes in dopamine transporter expression levels. These novel findings may help explain sex differences in vulnerability to eating disorders and drug abuse during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Lee Gilman
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - W Anthony Owens
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Christina M George
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Lauren Metzel
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Melissa Vitela
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Livia Ferreira
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Melodi A Bowman
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Georgianna G Gould
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Glenn M Toney
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
| | - Lynette C Daws
- Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology (T.L.G., W.A.O., C.M.G., L.M., M.V., L.F., M.A.B., G.G.G., G.M.T., L.C.D.), Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (T.L.G., L.C.D.), Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (G.M.T., L.C.D.), and Department of Pharmacology (L.C.D.), University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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12
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The reduction of astrocytes and brain volume loss in anorexia nervosa-the impact of starvation and refeeding in a rodent model. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:159. [PMID: 31164627 PMCID: PMC6548775 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0493-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an often chronic, difficult to treat illness that leads to brain volume reductions in gray and white matter. The underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood, despite its potential importance in explaining the neuropsychological deficits and clinical symptoms associated with the illness. We used the activity-based anorexia model (ABA), which includes food reduction and running wheel access in female rats to study brain changes after starvation and refeeding. Longitudinal animal MRI and post-mortem brain sections confirmed a reduction in the mean brain volumes of ABA animals compared to controls. In addition, the mean number of astrocytes was reduced by over 50% in the cerebral cortex and corpus callosum, while the mean number of neurons was unchanged. Furthermore, mean astrocytic GFAP mRNA expression was similarly reduced in the ABA animals, as was the mean cell proliferation rate, whereas the mean apoptosis rate did not increase. After refeeding, the starvation-induced effects were almost completely reversed. The observation of the astrocyte reduction in our AN animal model is an important new finding that could help explain starvation-induced neuropsychological changes in patients with AN. Astrocyte-targeted research and interventions could become a new focus for both AN research and therapy.
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Schalla MA, Stengel A. Activity Based Anorexia as an Animal Model for Anorexia Nervosa-A Systematic Review. Front Nutr 2019; 6:69. [PMID: 31165073 PMCID: PMC6536653 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2019.00069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe eating disorder affecting around 1 per 100 persons. However, the knowledge about its underlying pathophysiology is limited. To address the need for a better understanding of AN, an animal model was established early on in the late 1960's: the activity-based anorexia (ABA) model in which rats have access to a running wheel combined with restricted food access leading to self-starving/body weight loss and hyperactivity. Both symptoms, separately or combined, can also be found in patients with AN. The aim of this systematic review was to compile the current knowledge about this animal model as well as to address gaps in knowledge. Using the data bases of PubMed, Embase and Web of science 102 publications were identified meeting the search criteria. Here, we show that the ABA model mimics core features of human AN and has been characterized with regards to brain alterations, hormonal changes as well as adaptations of the immune system. Moreover, pharmacological interventions in ABA animals and new developments, such as a chronic adaptation of the ABA model, will be highlighted. The chronic model might be well suited to display AN characteristics but should be further characterized. Lastly, limitations of the model will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha A Schalla
- Department for Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Stengel
- Department for Psychosomatic Medicine, Charité Center for Internal Medicine and Dermatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
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14
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Lamanna J, Sulpizio S, Ferro M, Martoni R, Abutalebi J, Malgaroli A. Behavioral assessment of activity-based-anorexia: how cognition can become the drive wheel. Physiol Behav 2019; 202:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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15
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Nickel K, Joos A, Tebartz van Elst L, Matthis J, Holovics L, Endres D, Zeeck A, Hartmann A, Tüscher O, Maier S. Recovery of cortical volume and thickness after remission from acute anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2018; 51:1056-1069. [PMID: 30212599 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Reduced grey (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes and increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have been frequently reported in anorexia nervosa (AN), but studies focusing on cortical thickness (CT) are scarce and findings inconsistent. We conducted the first study in AN that analyzed both parameters in the same study to gain novel and comprehensive insight. METHOD Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis was performed on T1-weighted magnetic resonance images from 34 predominantly adult women with acute AN, 24 REC participants, and 41 healthy controls (HC). Global brain segment volumes (GM, WM, and CSF), regional GM volume, and cortical thickness measures were obtained from the same study sample. We further focused on recovery by including a REC group. RESULTS The GM and WM volumes were decreased, and correspondingly, the CSF volume increased in the AN in comparison to the HC and REC groups. No significant volume differences between the REC and HC groups could be observed. AN patients showed reduced regional GM volumes in the right hippocampus and the left middle and right inferior frontal gyrus. Cortical thinning occurred in the AN group, which was particularly robust in fronto-parietal areas. The REC and HC groups failed to show any regional GM or cortical thickness differences. DISCUSSION AN is accompanied by severe loss of brain volume and cortical thickness as assessed by complementary investigation tools. However, these changes seem to be largely reversible, which should be encouraging for therapists and patients. The underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain unclear and should be assessed in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Nickel
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Joos
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ludger Tebartz van Elst
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jamila Matthis
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Holovics
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dominique Endres
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Almut Zeeck
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Armin Hartmann
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Tüscher
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Simon Maier
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Section for Experimental Neuropsychiatry, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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16
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Frintrop L, Liesbrock J, Paulukat L, Johann S, Kas MJ, Tolba R, Heussen N, Neulen J, Konrad K, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Beyer C, Seitz J. Reduced astrocyte density underlying brain volume reduction in activity-based anorexia rats. World J Biol Psychiatry 2018; 19:225-235. [PMID: 28132573 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2016.1273552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Severe grey and white matter volume reductions were found in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) that were linked to neuropsychological deficits while their underlying pathophysiology remains unclear. For the first time, we analysed the cellular basis of brain volume changes in an animal model (activity-based anorexia, ABA). METHODS Female rats had 24 h/day running wheel access and received reduced food intake until a 25% weight reduction was reached and maintained for 2 weeks. RESULTS In ABA rats, the volumes of the cerebral cortex and corpus callosum were significantly reduced compared to controls by 6% and 9%, respectively. The number of GFAP-positive astrocytes in these regions decreased by 39% and 23%, total astrocyte-covered area by 83% and 63%. In neurons no changes were observed. The findings were complemented by a 60% and 49% reduction in astrocyte (GFAP) mRNA expression. CONCLUSIONS Volumetric brain changes in ABA animals mirror those in human AN patients. These alterations are associated with a reduction of GFAP-positive astrocytes as well as GFAP expression. Reduced astrocyte functioning could help explain neuronal dysfunctions leading to symptoms of rigidity and impaired learning. Astrocyte loss could constitute a new research target for understanding and treating semi-starvation and AN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Frintrop
- a Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Johanna Liesbrock
- a Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany.,b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Lisa Paulukat
- a Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany.,b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Sonja Johann
- a Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Martien J Kas
- c Department of Translational Neuroscience , Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht , Utrecht , The Netherlands.,d Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen , the Netherlands
| | - Rene Tolba
- e Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Nicole Heussen
- f Department of Medical Statistics , University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Joseph Neulen
- g Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Cordian Beyer
- a Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
| | - Jochen Seitz
- b Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy , University Hospital, RWTH Aachen University , Aachen , Germany
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17
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Frank GKW, Favaro A, Marsh R, Ehrlich S, Lawson EA. Toward valid and reliable brain imaging results in eating disorders. Int J Eat Disord 2018; 51:250-261. [PMID: 29405338 PMCID: PMC7449370 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Human brain imaging can help improve our understanding of mechanisms underlying brain function and how they drive behavior in health and disease. Such knowledge may eventually help us to devise better treatments for psychiatric disorders. However, the brain imaging literature in psychiatry and especially eating disorders has been inconsistent, and studies are often difficult to replicate. The extent or severity of extremes of eating and state of illness, which are often associated with differences in, for instance hormonal status, comorbidity, and medication use, commonly differ between studies and likely add to variation across study results. Those effects are in addition to the well-described problems arising from differences in task designs, data quality control procedures, image data preprocessing and analysis or statistical thresholds applied across studies. Which of those factors are most relevant to improve reproducibility is still a question for debate and further research. Here we propose guidelines for brain imaging research in eating disorders to acquire valid results that are more reliable and clinically useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido K. W. Frank
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado,Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Angela Favaro
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Rachel Marsh
- Department of Psychiatry, The New York State Psychiatric Institute and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Stefan Ehrlich
- Division of Psychological and Social Medicine and Developmental Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Eating Disorder Treatment and Research Center, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts,Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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18
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Structural Neuroimaging of Anorexia Nervosa: Future Directions in the Quest for Mechanisms Underlying Dynamic Alterations. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:224-234. [PMID: 28967386 PMCID: PMC6053269 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and extreme weight loss. Pseudoatrophic brain changes are often readily visible in individual brain scans, and AN may be a valuable model disorder to study structural neuroplasticity. Structural magnetic resonance imaging studies have found reduced gray matter volume and cortical thinning in acutely underweight patients to normalize following successful treatment. However, some well-controlled studies have found regionally greater gray matter and persistence of structural alterations following long-term recovery. Findings from diffusion tensor imaging studies of white matter integrity and connectivity are also inconsistent. Furthermore, despite the severity of AN, the number of existing structural neuroimaging studies is still relatively low, and our knowledge of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms for macrostructural brain changes is rudimentary. We critically review the current state of structural neuroimaging in AN and discuss the potential neurobiological basis of structural brain alterations in the disorder, highlighting impediments to progress, recent developments, and promising future directions. In particular, we argue for the utility of more standardized data collection, adopting a connectomics approach to understanding brain network architecture, employing advanced magnetic resonance imaging methods that quantify biomarkers of brain tissue microstructure, integrating data from multiple imaging modalities, strategic longitudinal observation during weight restoration, and large-scale data pooling. Our overarching objective is to motivate carefully controlled research of brain structure in eating disorders, which will ultimately help predict therapeutic response and improve treatment.
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19
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Seitz J, Konrad K, Herpertz-Dahlmann B. Extend, Pathomechanism and Clinical Consequences of Brain Volume Changes in Anorexia Nervosa. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:1164-1173. [PMID: 29119931 PMCID: PMC6187749 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666171109145651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 01/01/1970] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Brain volume deficits of grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) are often found in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). However, until recently, little was known about the influencing factors of these brain volume alterations, nor their exact quantification and rehabilitation. METHODS This review addresses these open questions and further explores what is now known about the underlying pathobiology and the clinical consequences including human studies as well as animal studies mimicking anorexia nervosa in rodents. RESULTS GM was reduced by 3.7% in adults and 7.6% in adolescents with AN. WM was reduced on average 2.2% in adult patients and 3.2% in adolescents. Most volume deficits in adults are reversible after long-term recovery; for adolescents, data are less clear. The main influencing factors for GM were absolute lowest weight at admission and illness duration. Cerebellar and WM reductions at admission predicted clinical outcome at one year follow-up. New studies found GABA receptor changes in GM and astrocyte loss in both GM and WM, as well as a possible role for oestrogen deficit. All three could partly explain clinical symptoms of anxiety, rigidity and learning impairments in patients with AN. CONCLUSION Brain volume deficits in AN seem to play a causal role in the course and the prognosis of AN. A better understanding of these brain changes could lead to more targeted therapies for patients with AN, including astrocyte-directed approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochen Seitz
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Beate Herpertz-Dahlmann
- Clinic for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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20
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Foldi CJ, Milton LK, Oldfield BJ. A focus on reward in anorexia nervosa through the lens of the activity-based anorexia rodent model. J Neuroendocrinol 2017; 29. [PMID: 28475260 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Patients suffering anorexia nervosa (AN) become anhedonic, unable or unwilling to derive normal pleasures and tend to avoid rewarding outcomes, most profoundly in food intake. The activity-based anorexia model recapitulates many of the pathophysiological and behavioural hallmarks of the human condition, including a reduction in food intake, excessive exercise, dramatic weight loss, loss of reproductive cycles, hypothermia and anhedonia, and therefore it allows investigation into the underlying neurobiology of anorexia nervosa. The use of this model has directed attention to disruptions in central reward neurocircuitry, which may contribute to disease susceptibility. The purpose of this review is to demonstrate the utility of this unique model to provide insight into the mechanisms of reward relevant to feeding and weight loss, which may ultimately help to unravel the neurobiology of anorexia nervosa and, in a broader sense, the foundation of reward-based feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Foldi
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - L K Milton
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - B J Oldfield
- Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
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21
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Establishment of a chronic activity-based anorexia rat model. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 293:191-198. [PMID: 28970163 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anorexia nervosa (AN) is often a chronic eating disorder characterised by body image disturbance and low body weight often associated with starvation-induced amenorrhoea and excessive exercise. Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is an animal model representing many somatic aspects of this psychiatric illness. We systematically manipulated the extent and length of starvation and animal age to find the optimal parameters to study chronic starvation. NEW METHODS Wistar rats had 24h/day running wheel access and received 40% of their baseline food intake until a 20% or 25% weight reduction was reached (acute starvation). This body weight was then maintained for two weeks (chronic starvation). The rats of different ages of 4 or 8 weeks were used to represent early and late adolescent animals, respectively. The complete absence of a menstrual cycle was defined as the primary outcome parameter. RESULTS Acute starvation caused a disruption of the oestrous cycle in 58% of the animals. During chronic starvation, a complete loss of the oestrous cycle could be found. Furthermore, 4-week-old rats exhibited higher levels of hyperactivity and amenorrhoea than 8-week-old animals. A 20% starvation level led to 90% loss of cycle, while a 25% starvation level triggered complete loss. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Most current ABA models focus on acute starvation, while most patients are chronically ill. CONCLUSIONS The optimal parameters to achieve complete amenorrhoea included early adolescence, chronic starvation and 25% weight loss. The new ABA model allows studying the effects of chronic AN on underlying behavioural, hormonal and brain pathobiology.
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22
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Morin JP, Rodríguez-Durán LF, Guzmán-Ramos K, Perez-Cruz C, Ferreira G, Diaz-Cintra S, Pacheco-López G. Palatable Hyper-Caloric Foods Impact on Neuronal Plasticity. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:19. [PMID: 28261067 PMCID: PMC5306218 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural plasticity is an intrinsic and essential characteristic of the nervous system that allows animals “self-tuning” to adapt to their environment over their lifetime. Activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in the central nervous system is a form of neural plasticity that underlies learning and memory formation, as well as long-lasting, environmentally-induced maladaptive behaviors, such as drug addiction and overeating of palatable hyper-caloric (PHc) food. In western societies, the abundance of PHc foods has caused a dramatic increase in the incidence of overweight/obesity and related disorders. To this regard, it has been suggested that increased adiposity may be caused at least in part by behavioral changes in the affected individuals that are induced by the chronic consumption of PHc foods; some authors have even drawn attention to the similarity that exists between over-indulgent eating and drug addiction. Long-term misuse of certain dietary components has also been linked to chronic neuroimmune maladaptation that may predispose individuals to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. In this review article, we discuss recent evidence that shows how consumption of PHc food can cause maladaptive neural plasticity that converts short-term ingestive drives into compulsive behaviors. We also discuss the neural mechanisms of how chronic consumption of PHc foods may alter brain function and lead to cognitive impairments, focusing on prenatal, childhood and adolescence as vulnerable neurodevelopmental stages to dietary environmental insults. Finally, we outline a societal agenda for harnessing permissive obesogenic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pascal Morin
- Department of Health Sciences, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM)Lerma, Mexico; Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-EssenEssen, Germany
| | - Luis F Rodríguez-Durán
- Department of Health Sciences, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM)Lerma, Mexico; Laboratory of Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Division of Research and Graduate Studies, Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Kioko Guzmán-Ramos
- Department of Health Sciences, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM) Lerma, Mexico
| | - Claudia Perez-Cruz
- Department of Pharmacology, Center of Research and Advance Studies (CINVESTAV) Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Guillaume Ferreira
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology, National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), UMR 1286Bordeaux, France; Laboratory of Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology, Université de BordeauxBordeaux, France
| | - Sofia Diaz-Cintra
- Institute of Neurobiology, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Gustavo Pacheco-López
- Department of Health Sciences, Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM)Lerma, Mexico; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) ZurichSchwerzenbach, Switzerland
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Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:2426413. [PMID: 27579183 PMCID: PMC4992534 DOI: 10.1155/2016/2426413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder observed primarily in young women. The neurobiology of the disorder is unknown but recently magnetic resonance imaging showed a volume reduction of the hippocampus in anorexic patients. Dehydration-induced anorexia (DIA) is a murine model that mimics core features of this disorder, including severe weight loss due to voluntary reduction in food intake. The energy supply to the brain is mediated by astrocytes, but whether their density is compromised by anorexia is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate GFAP+ cell density in the main regions of the hippocampus (CA1, CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus) in the DIA model. Our results showed that GFAP+ cell density was significantly reduced (~20%) in all regions of the hippocampus, except in CA1. Interestingly, DIA significantly reduced the GFAP+ cells/nuclei ratio in CA2 (−23%) and dentate gyrus (−48%). The reduction of GFAP+ cell density was in agreement with a lower expression of GFAP protein. Additionally, anorexia increased the expression of the intermediate filaments vimentin and nestin. Accordingly, anorexia increased the number of reactive astrocytes in CA2 and dentate gyrus more than twofold. We conclude that anorexia reduces the hippocampal GFAP+ cell density and increases vimentin and nestin expression.
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Seitz J, Herpertz-Dahlmann B, Konrad K. Brain morphological changes in adolescent and adult patients with anorexia nervosa. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2016; 123:949-59. [DOI: 10.1007/s00702-016-1567-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Burkert NT, Koschutnig K, Ebner F, Freidl W. Structural hippocampal alterations, perceived stress, and coping deficiencies in patients with anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:670-6. [PMID: 25864963 DOI: 10.1002/eat.22397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental illness that mainly affects young females. Studies have found a reduction of the hippocampus-amygdala formation in people with AN, a brain region that is especially vulnerable to stress. In addition, patients with AN were found to perceive higher stress levels and to have more coping deficiencies than healthy controls. No prior study has considered a connection between stress, coping, and the hippocampal volume in AN. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to analyze the volume of hippocampal substructures, and its relation to stress and coping. METHOD We tested 21 females currently affected by AN and 21 age-matched normal controls (NC). Demographic and behavioral data were assessed. A magnetic resonance (MR) scanner was used to collect data reflecting volume of cortical structures. We performed comparisons between groups and calculated correlations between the hippocampal volume and coping strategies or stress. RESULTS The results showed a significant reduction of the hippocampal fimbria and a significant enlargement of the hippocampal fissure in patients with AN compared to the NC. In addition, patients with AN were found to report higher stress levels and to have more coping deficiencies than healthy controls. The hippocampal volume showed a trend-level association with stress in patients with AN. DISCUSSION In sum, our study provides the first-available evidence that perceived stress in patients with AN could be related to hippocampal volume. Our results may contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of AN and, therefore, help to improve the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie T Burkert
- Medical University Graz, Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Graz, Austria
| | - Karl Koschutnig
- Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Institute of Psychology, Graz, Austria
| | - Franz Ebner
- General Hospital Graz, Clinic of Neuroradiology, Graz, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Freidl
- Medical University Graz, Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Graz, Austria
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Dehydration-Induced Anorexia Reduces Astrocyte Density in the Rat Corpus Callosum. Neural Plast 2015; 2015:474917. [PMID: 26090235 PMCID: PMC4452107 DOI: 10.1155/2015/474917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder associated with severe weight loss as a consequence of voluntary food intake avoidance. Animal models such as dehydration-induced anorexia (DIA) mimic core features of the disorder, including voluntary reduction in food intake, which compromises the supply of energy to the brain. Glial cells, the major population of nerve cells in the central nervous system, play a crucial role in supplying energy to the neurons. The corpus callosum (CC) is the largest white matter tract in mammals, and more than 99% of the cell somata correspond to glial cells in rodents. Whether glial cell density is altered in anorexia is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate glial cell density in the three main regions of the CC (genu, body, and splenium) in a murine model of DIA. The astrocyte density was significantly reduced (~34%) for the DIA group in the body of the CC, whereas in the genu and the splenium no significant changes were observed. DIA and forced food restriction (FFR) also reduced the ratio of astrocytes to glial cells by 57.5% and 22%, respectively, in the body of CC. Thus, we conclude that DIA reduces astrocyte density only in the body of the rat CC.
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27
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Chowdhury TG, Barbarich-Marsteller NC, Chan TE, Aoki C. Activity-based anorexia has differential effects on apical dendritic branching in dorsal and ventral hippocampal CA1. Brain Struct Funct 2014; 219:1935-45. [PMID: 23959245 PMCID: PMC3930623 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-013-0612-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder to which adolescent females are particularly vulnerable. Like AN, activity-based anorexia (ABA), a rodent model of AN, results in elevation of stress hormones and has genetic links to anxiety disorders. The hippocampus plays a key role in the regulation of anxiety and responds with structural changes to hormones and stress, suggesting that it may play a role in AN. The hippocampus of ABA animals exhibits increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and increased GABA receptor expression, but the structural effects of ABA have not been studied. We used Golgi staining of neurons to determine whether ABA in female rats during adolescence results in structural changes to the apical dendrites in hippocampal CA1 and contrasted to the effects of food restriction (FR) and exercise (EX), the environmental factors used to induce ABA. In the dorsal hippocampus, which preferentially mediates spatial learning and cognition, cells of ABA animals had less total dendritic length and fewer dendritic branches in stratum radiatum (SR) than in control (CON). In the ventral hippocampus, which preferentially mediates anxiety, ABA evoked more branching in SR than CON. In both dorsal and ventral regions, the main effect of exercise was localized to the SR while the main effect of food restriction occurred in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare. Taken together with data on spine density, these results indicate that ABA elicits pathway-specific changes in the hippocampus that may underlie the increased anxiety and reduced behavioral flexibility observed in ABA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicole C. Barbarich-Marsteller
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032
| | - Thomas E. Chan
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003
| | - Chiye Aoki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003
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Mori M, Murata Y, Matsuo A, Takemoto T, Mine K. Chronic Treatment with the 5-HT1A Receptor Partial Agonist Tandospirone Increases Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Neurol Ther 2014; 3:67-77. [PMID: 26000223 PMCID: PMC4381917 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-013-0015-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A large-scale clinical trial, the Sequence Trial Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study, concluded that about one-third of the studied patients with major depressive disorder remitted during the initial treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and that approximately half of the remitted subjects relapsed over a 1-year follow-up. The development of new therapeutic approaches with potent efficacy and good tolerability for the treatment of depressive disorders is of great importance. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been proposed to be important for understanding and treating depression and anxiety. The present study aimed to elucidate whether or not 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) receptor partial agonists have a potential therapeutic effect for the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders, from the standpoint of neurogenesis. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subcutaneously administered a vehicle or tandospirone (TDS) (1 or 10 mg/kg) once daily for 14 days. The effects of chronic TDS treatment on neurogenesis were evaluated on the day after the last injection. The quantification of hippocampal neurogenesis was estimated using immunostaining with doublecortin (DCX), a marker protein of newborn neurons. RESULTS Chronic TDS treatment resulted in a significant increase in the number of DCX-positive cells per volume of dentate gyrus in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION The results strongly suggest that 5-HT1A receptor partial agonists would be useful and beneficial in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders through increased hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayoshi Mori
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1, Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180 Japan
| | - Yusuke Murata
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1, Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180 Japan
| | - Asami Matsuo
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1, Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180 Japan
| | - Tomoyo Takemoto
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, 8-19-1, Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka, 814-0180 Japan
| | - Kazunori Mine
- Faculty of Neurology and Psychiatry, Mito Hospital, Shime-Higashi, Shime-Machi, Kasuya-Gun, Fukuoka, Japan
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Bahari H, Caruso V, Morris MJ. Late-onset exercise in female rat offspring ameliorates the detrimental metabolic impact of maternal obesity. Endocrinology 2013; 154:3610-21. [PMID: 23928377 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Rising rates of maternal obesity/overweight bring the need for effective interventions in offspring. We observed beneficial effects of postweaning exercise, but the question of whether late-onset exercise might benefit offspring exposed to maternal obesity is unanswered. Thus we examined effects of voluntary exercise implemented in adulthood on adiposity, hormone profiles, and genes involved in regulating appetite and metabolism in female offspring. Female Sprague Dawley rats were fed either normal chow or high-fat diet (HFD) ad libitum for 5 weeks before mating and throughout gestation/lactation. At weaning, female littermates received either chow or HFD and, after 7 weeks, half were exercised (running wheels) for 5 weeks. Tissues were collected at 15 weeks. Maternal obesity was associated with increased hypothalamic inflammatory markers, including suppressor of cytokine signaling 3, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expression in the arcuate nucleus. In the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), Y1 receptor, melanocortin 4 receptor, and TNF-α mRNA were elevated. In the hippocampus, maternal obesity was associated with up-regulated fat mass and obesity-associated gene and TNF-α mRNA. We observed significant hypophagia across all exercise groups. In female offspring of lean dams, the reduction in food intake by exercise could be related to altered signaling at the PVN melanocortin 4 receptor whereas in offspring of obese dams, this may be related to up-regulated TNF-α. Late-onset exercise ameliorated the effects of maternal obesity and postweaning HFD in reducing body weight, adiposity, plasma leptin, insulin, triglycerides, and glucose intolerance, with greater beneficial effects in offspring of obese dams. Overall, hypothalamic inflammation was increased by maternal obesity or current HFD, and the effect of exercise was dependent on maternal diet. In conclusion, even after a significant sedentary period, many of the negative impacts of maternal obesity could be improved by voluntary exercise and healthy diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasnah Bahari
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia.
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Casteels C, Gérard N, van Kuyck K, Pottel L, Nuttin B, Bormans G, Van Laere K. Small animal PET imaging of the type 1 cannabinoid receptor in a rodent model for anorexia nervosa. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2013; 41:308-21. [PMID: 24006151 DOI: 10.1007/s00259-013-2522-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Several lines of evidence strongly implicate a dysfunctional endocannabinoid system (ECS) in eating disorders. Using [(18)F]MK-9470 and small animal positron emission tomography (PET), we investigated for the first time cerebral changes in type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor binding in vivo in the activity-based rat model of anorexia (ABA), in comparison to distinct motor- and food-related control conditions and in relation to gender and behavioural variables. METHODS In total, experiments were conducted on 80 Wistar rats (23 male and 57 female). Male rats were assigned to the cross-sectional conditions: ABA (n = 12) and CONTROL (n = 11), whereas female rats were divided between two settings: (1) a cross-sectional design using ABA (n = 13), CONTROL (n = 9), and two extra control conditions for each of the variables manipulated in ABA, i.e. DIET (n = 8) and WHEEL (n = 9), and (2) a longitudinal one using ABA (n = 10) and CONTROL (n = 8) studied at baseline, during the model and upon recovery. The ABA group was subjected to food restriction in the presence of a running wheel, the DIET group to food restriction without wheel, the WHEEL group to a normal diet with wheel and CONTROL animals had a normal diet and no running wheel. Parametric CB1 receptor images of each group were spatially normalized to Paxinos space and analysed voxel-wise. RESULTS In the ABA model, absolute [(18)F]MK-9470 binding was significantly increased in all cortical and subcortical brain areas as compared to control conditions (male +67 %; female >51%, all p cluster < 6.3×10(-6)) that normalized towards baseline values after weight gain. Additionally, relative [(18)F]MK-9470 binding was increased in the hippocampus, inferior colliculus and entorhinal cortex of female ABA (+4.6%; p cluster < 1.3×10(-6)), whereas no regional differences were observed in male subjects. Again, relative [(18)F]MK-9470 binding values normalized upon weight gain. CONCLUSION These data point to a widespread transient disturbance of the endocannabinoid transmission, specifically for CB1 receptors in the ABA model. Our data also suggest (1) gender effects on regional CB1 receptor binding in the hippocampus and (2) add further proof to the validity of the ABA model to mimic aspects of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Casteels
- Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital and KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 bus 7003, 3000, Leuven, Belgium,
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Aoki C, Sabaliauskas N, Chowdhury T, Min JY, Colacino AR, Laurino K, Barbarich-Marsteller NC. Adolescent female rats exhibiting activity-based anorexia express elevated levels of GABA(A) receptor α4 and δ subunits at the plasma membrane of hippocampal CA1 spines. Synapse 2012; 66:391-407. [PMID: 22213233 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Revised: 12/06/2011] [Accepted: 12/14/2011] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Activity-based anorexia (ABA) is an animal model for anorexia nervosa that has revealed genetic links to anxiety traits and neurochemical characteristics within the hypothalamus. However, few studies have used this animal model to investigate the biological basis for vulnerability of pubertal and adolescent females to ABA, even though the great majority of the anorexia nervosa cases are females exhibiting the first symptoms during puberty. GABAergic inhibition of the hippocampus strongly regulates anxiety as well as plasticity throughout life. We recently showed that the hippocampal CA1 of female mice undergo a dramatic change at puberty onset--from expressing virtually none of the nonsynaptic α4βδ GABA(A) receptors (GABARs) prepubertally to expressing these GABARs at ~7% of the CA1 dendritic spine membranes at puberty onset. Furthermore, we showed that this change underlies the enhanced modulation of anxiety, neuronal excitability, and NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus by the stress neurosteroid, THP (3α-OH-5α[β]-pregnan-20-one or [allo]pregnanolone). Here, we used quantitative electron microscopy to determine whether ABA induction in female rats during adolescence also elevates the expression of α4 and δ subunits of α4βδ GABARs, as was observed at puberty onset for mice. Our analysis revealed that rats also exhibit a rise of α4 and δ subunits of α4βδ GABARs at puberty onset, in that these subunits are detectable at ~6% of the dendritic spine membranes of CA1 pyramidal cells at puberty onset (postnatal day 32-36; P32-36) but this drops to about 2% by P40-P44. The levels of α4 and δ subunits at the CA1 spines remained low following exposure of females to either of the two environmental factors needed to generate ABA--food restriction and access to a running wheel for 4 days--from P40 to P44. This pattern contrasted greatly from those of ABA animals, for which the two environmental factors were combined. Within the hippocampus of ABA animals, 12% of the spine profiles were labeled for α4, reflecting a sixfold increase, relative to hippocampi of age-matched (P44) control females (p < 0.005). Concurrently, 7% of the spine profiles were labeled for δ, reflecting a 130% increase from the control values of 3% (p = 0.01). No measurable change was detected for spine size. The observed magnitude of increase in the α4 and δ subunits at spines is sufficient to increase both tonic inhibition of hippocampus and anxiety during stress, thereby likely to exacerbate hyperactivity and weight loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiye Aoki
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, New York 10003, USA.
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