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Lee J, Ju G, Park H, Chung S, Son JW, Shin CJ, Lee SI, Kim S. Hippocampal Subfields and White Matter Connectivity in Patients with Subclinical Geriatric Depression. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12030329. [PMID: 35326285 PMCID: PMC8946804 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12030329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite an abundance of research related to the functional and structural changes of the brain in patients with geriatric depression, knowledge related to early alterations such as decreased white matter connectivity and their association with cognitive decline remains lacking. We aimed to investigate early alterations in hippocampal microstructure and identify their associations with memory function in geriatric patients with subclinical depression. Nineteen participants with subclinical geriatric depression and 19 healthy controls aged ≥65 years exhibiting general cognitive function within the normal range were included in the study and underwent assessments of verbal memory. Hippocampal subfield volumes were determined based on T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (T1-MPRAGE) images, while group tractography and connectometry analyses were conducted using diffusion tensor images. Our findings indicated that the volumes of whole bilateral hippocampus, cornus ammonis (CA) 1, molecular layer, left subiculum, CA3, hippocampal tail, right CA4, and granule cell/molecular layers of the dentate gyrus (GC-ML-DG) were significantly smaller in the subclinical depression group than in the control group. In the subclinical depression group, verbal learning was positively correlated with the volumes of the CA1, GC-ML-DG, molecular layer, and whole hippocampus in the right hemisphere. The fractional anisotropy of the bilateral fornix was also significantly lower in the subclinical depression group and exhibited a positive correlation with verbal learning and recall in both groups. Our results suggest that hippocampal microstructure is disrupted and associated with memory in patients with subclinical depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeonghwan Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Gawon Ju
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Hyemi Park
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Seungwon Chung
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Jung-Woo Son
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Chul-Jin Shin
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Sang Ick Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
| | - Siekyeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Chungbuk National University Hospital, Cheongju 28644, Korea; (J.L.); (G.J.); (H.P.); (S.C.); (J.-W.S.); (C.-J.S.); (S.I.L.)
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 28644, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-43-269-6364; Fax: +82-43-267-7951
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Martin LA, Hsu FW, Herd B, Gregg M, Sample H, Kaplan J. Executive functions in agenesis of the corpus callosum: Working memory and sustained attention in the BTBR inbred mouse strain. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e01933. [PMID: 33300691 PMCID: PMC7821616 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) is characterized by the congenital partial or complete absence of the corpus callosum. Several strains of mice have been reported to carry AgCC, with the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf /J (BTBR) inbred mouse strain consistently showing a complete absence of the corpus callosum, as well as a variable reduction in the size of the hippocampal commissure. While much research has focused on the social deficits of the BTBR strain, little research on its cognitive behavior has been conducted. The goal of our study was to compare two facets of executive functioning, spatial working memory, and sustained attention between the BTBR and C57BL/6J (B6) strains. METHODS Spatial working memory was measured utilizing a delayed matching-to-position (DMTP) task and sustained attention was measured utilizing an operant task in which mice were trained to distinguish signal and nonsignal events. RESULTS Both the BTBR and B6 mice demonstrated a predictable decline in performance on the DMTP task as the delay interval increased and predictable increase in performance on the sustained attention task as the duration of the signal event increased. Although no significant differences were found between strains on the performance of these tasks, there was a significant difference in learning the association between lever pressing and food reward. Histological investigation confirmed the complete absence of commissural fibers from the corpus callosum, but also the hippocampal commissure, counter to a previous study. CONCLUSION The results suggest spatial working memory and sustained attention are unaffected by the absence of these commissural fibers alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren A Martin
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Fang-Wei Hsu
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Brooke Herd
- Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Michael Gregg
- Department of Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA
| | - Hannah Sample
- Center for Next-Gen Precision Diagnostics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jason Kaplan
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Coatesville, PA, USA
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Maeta K, Hattori S, Ikutomo J, Edamatsu H, Bilasy SE, Miyakawa T, Kataoka T. Comprehensive behavioral analysis of mice deficient in Rapgef2 and Rapgef6, a subfamily of guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rap small GTPases possessing the Ras/Rap-associating domain. Mol Brain 2018; 11:27. [PMID: 29747665 PMCID: PMC5946393 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-018-0370-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapgef2 and Rapgef6 define a subfamily of guanine nucleotide exchange factors for Rap small GTPases, characterized by the possession of the Ras/Rap-associating domain. Previous genomic analyses suggested their possible involvement in the etiology of schizophrenia. We recently demonstrated the development of an ectopic cortical mass (ECM), which resembles the human subcortical band heterotopia, in the dorsal telencephalon-specific Rapgef2 conditional knockout (Rapgef2-cKO) brains. Additional knockout of Rapgef6 in Rapgef2-cKO mice resulted in gross enlargement of the ECM whereas knockout of Rapgef6 alone (Rapgef6-KO) had no discernible effect on the brain morphology. Here, we performed a battery of behavioral tests to examine the effects of Rapgef2 or Rapgef6 deficiency on higher brain functions. Rapgef2-cKO mice exhibited hyperlocomotion phenotypes. They showed decreased anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and the open-field tests as well as increased depression-like behavior in the Porsolt forced swim and tail suspension tests. They also exhibited increased sociability especially in novel environments. They showed defects in cognitive function as evidenced by reduced learning ability in the Barnes circular maze test and by impaired working memory in the T maze tests. In contrast, although Rapgef6 and Rapgef2 share similarities in biochemical roles, Rapgef6-KO mice exhibited mild behavioral abnormalities detected with a number of behavioral tests, such as hyperlocomotion phenotype in the open-field test and the social interaction test with a novel environment and working-memory defects in the T-maze test. In conclusion, although there were differences in their brain morphology and the magnitude of the behavioral abnormalities, Rapgef2-cKO mice and Rapgef6-KO mice exhibited hyperlocomotion phenotype and working-memory defect, both of which could be recognized as schizophrenia-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiro Maeta
- Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017 Japan
- Present address: Department of Neurotherapeutics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871 Japan
| | - Satoko Hattori
- Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 1-98 Dengakugakubo, Kutsukake-cho, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192 Japan
| | - Junji Ikutomo
- Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017 Japan
| | - Hironori Edamatsu
- Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017 Japan
| | - Shymaa E. Bilasy
- Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017 Japan
- Present address: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, El-shikh Zayed, Ismailia, 41522 Egypt
| | - 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
| | - Tohru Kataoka
- Division of Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017 Japan
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Cheng N, Alshammari F, Hughes E, Khanbabaei M, Rho JM. Dendritic overgrowth and elevated ERK signaling during neonatal development in a mouse model of autism. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179409. [PMID: 28609458 PMCID: PMC5469475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (hereafter referred to as “ASD”) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impaired social communication and interactions, and restricted, repetitive activities or interests. Alterations in network connectivity and memory function are frequently observed in autism patients, often involving the hippocampus. However, specific changes during early brain development leading to disrupted functioning remain largely unclear. Here, we investigated the development of dendritic arbor of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons in the BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) mouse model of autism. BTBR mice display the defining behavioural features of autism, and also exhibit impaired learning and memory. We found that compared to control C57BL/6J (B6) animals, the lengths of both apical and basal dendrites were significantly greater in neonatal BTBR animals. Further, basal dendrites in the BTBR mice had higher branching complexity. In contrast, cross-sectional area of the soma was unchanged. In addition, we observed a similar density of CA1 pyramidal neurons and thickness of the neuronal layer between the two strains. Thus, there was a specific, compartmentalized overgrowth of dendrites during early development in the BTBR animals. Biochemical analysis further showed that the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) pathway was up-regulated in the hippocampus of neonatal BTBR animals. Since dendritic structure is critical for information integration and relay, our data suggest that altered development of dendrites could potentially contribute to impaired hippocampal function and behavior observed in the BTBR model, and that this might be related to increased activation of the ERK pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Cheng
- Developmental Neurosciences Research Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Fawaz Alshammari
- O’Brien Centre for the Bachelor of Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Hughes
- Developmental Neurosciences Research Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maryam Khanbabaei
- Developmental Neurosciences Research Program, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jong M. Rho
- Departments of Pediatrics, Clinical Neurosciences, Physiology & Pharmacology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Predictability and randomness of paw choices are critical elements in the behavioural plasticity of mouse paw preference. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Long-term memory deficits are associated with elevated synaptic ERK1/2 activation and reversed by mGluR5 antagonism in an animal model of autism. Neuropsychopharmacology 2014; 39:1664-73. [PMID: 24448645 PMCID: PMC4023139 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2013] [Revised: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A significant proportion of patients with autism exhibit some degree of intellectual disability. The BTBR T(+) Itpr3(tf)/J mouse strain exhibits behaviors that align with the major diagnostic criteria of autism. To further evaluate the BTBR strain's cognitive impairments, we quantified hippocampus-dependent object location memory (OLM) and found that one-third of the BTBR mice exhibited robust memory, whereas the remainder did not. Fluorescence deconvolution tomography was used to test whether synaptic levels of activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), a protein that contributes importantly to plasticity, correlate with OLM scores in individual mice. In hippocampal field CA1, the BTBRs had fewer post-synaptic densities associated with high levels of phosphorylated (p-) ERK1/2 as compared with C57BL/6 mice. Although counts of p-ERK1/2 immunoreactive synapses did not correlate with OLM performance, the intensity of synaptic p-ERK1/2 immunolabeling was negatively correlated with OLM scores across BTBRs. Metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) 5 signaling activates ERK1/2. Therefore, we tested whether treatment with the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP normalizes synaptic and learning measures in BTBR mice: MPEP facilitated OLM and decreased synaptic p-ERK1/2 immunolabeling intensity without affecting numbers of p-ERK1/2+ synapses. In contrast, semi-chronic ampakine treatment, which facilitates memory in other models of cognitive impairment, had no effect on OLM in BTBRs. These results suggest that intellectual disabilities associated with different neurodevelopmental disorders on the autism spectrum require distinct therapeutic strategies based on underlying synaptic pathology.
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