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Ivanova D, Voliotis M, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, O'Byrne KT, Li XF. NK3R signalling in the posterodorsal medial amygdala is involved in stress-induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion in female mice. J Neuroendocrinol 2024; 36:e13384. [PMID: 38516965 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Psychosocial stress negatively impacts reproductive function by inhibiting pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) is responsible in part for processing stress and modulating the reproductive axis. Activation of the neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) suppresses the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulse generator, under hypoestrogenic conditions, and NK3R activity in the amygdala has been documented to play a role in stress and anxiety. We investigate whether NK3R activation in the MePD is involved in mediating the inhibitory effect of psychosocial stress on LH pulsatility in ovariectomised female mice. First, we administered senktide, an NK3R agonist, into the MePD and monitored the effect on pulsatile LH secretion. We then delivered SB222200, a selective NK3R antagonist, intra-MePD in the presence of predator odour, 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole (TMT) and examined the effect on LH pulses. Senktide administration into the MePD dose-dependently suppresses pulsatile LH secretion. Moreover, NK3R signalling in the MePD mediates TMT-induced suppression of the GnRH pulse generator, which we verified using a mathematical model. The model verifies our experimental findings: (i) predator odour exposure inhibits LH pulses, (ii) activation of NK3R in the MePD inhibits LH pulses and (iii) NK3R antagonism in the MePD blocks stressor-induced inhibition of LH pulse frequency in the absence of ovarian steroids. These results demonstrate for the first time that NK3R neurons in the MePD mediate psychosocial stress-induced suppression of the GnRH pulse generator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deyana Ivanova
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin T O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Xiao-Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Science and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
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Wojtas MN, Diaz-González M, Stavtseva N, Shoam Y, Verma P, Buberman A, Izhak I, Geva A, Basch R, Ouro A, Perez-Benitez L, Levy U, Borcel E, Nuñez Á, Venero C, Rotem-Dai N, Veksler-Lublinsky I, Knafo S. Interplay between hippocampal TACR3 and systemic testosterone in regulating anxiety-associated synaptic plasticity. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:686-703. [PMID: 38135756 PMCID: PMC11153148 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02361-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Tachykinin receptor 3 (TACR3) is a member of the tachykinin receptor family and falls within the rhodopsin subfamily. As a G protein-coupled receptor, it responds to neurokinin B (NKB), its high-affinity ligand. Dysfunctional TACR3 has been associated with pubertal failure and anxiety, yet the mechanisms underlying this remain unclear. Hence, we have investigated the relationship between TACR3 expression, anxiety, sex hormones, and synaptic plasticity in a rat model, which indicated that severe anxiety is linked to dampened TACR3 expression in the ventral hippocampus. TACR3 expression in female rats fluctuates during the estrous cycle, reflecting sensitivity to sex hormones. Indeed, in males, sexual development is associated with a substantial increase in hippocampal TACR3 expression, coinciding with elevated serum testosterone and a significant reduction in anxiety. TACR3 is predominantly expressed in the cell membrane, including the presynaptic compartment, and its modulation significantly influences synaptic activity. Inhibition of TACR3 activity provokes hyperactivation of CaMKII and enhanced AMPA receptor phosphorylation, associated with an increase in spine density. Using a multielectrode array, stronger cross-correlation of firing was evident among neurons following TACR3 inhibition, indicating enhanced connectivity. Deficient TACR3 activity in rats led to lower serum testosterone levels, as well as increased spine density and impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dentate gyrus. Remarkably, aberrant expression of functional TACR3 in spines results in spine shrinkage and pruning, while expression of defective TACR3 increases spine density, size, and the magnitude of cross-correlation. The firing pattern in response to LTP induction was inadequate in neurons expressing defective TACR3, which could be rectified by treatment with testosterone. In conclusion, our study provides valuable insights into the intricate interplay between TACR3, sex hormones, anxiety, and synaptic plasticity. These findings highlight potential targets for therapeutic interventions to alleviate anxiety in individuals with TACR3 dysfunction and the implications of TACR3 in anxiety-related neural changes provide an avenue for future research in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Natalia Wojtas
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), Departamento Biología Celular e Histología Facultad de Medicina y Enfermería, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Marta Diaz-González
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Nadezhda Stavtseva
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Yuval Shoam
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Poonam Verma
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Assaf Buberman
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Inbar Izhak
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Aria Geva
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Roi Basch
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Alberto Ouro
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
- NeuroAging Group Laboratory (NEURAL), Clinical Neurosciences Research Laboratory (LINC), Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Centro de investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lucia Perez-Benitez
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), Departamento Biología Celular e Histología Facultad de Medicina y Enfermería, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain
| | - Uri Levy
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Erika Borcel
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ángel Nuñez
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cesar Venero
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Madrid, Spain
| | - Noa Rotem-Dai
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Isana Veksler-Lublinsky
- Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Shira Knafo
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, and the School of Brain Sciences and Cognition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
- Instituto Biofisika (UPV/EHU, CSIC), Departamento Biología Celular e Histología Facultad de Medicina y Enfermería, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, 48013, Spain.
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Sampedro-Viana D, Cañete T, Mourelo L, Oliveras I, Peralta-Vallejo N, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Low prepulse inhibition predicts lower social interaction, impaired spatial working memory, reference memory and cognitive flexibility in genetically heterogeneous rats. Physiol Behav 2023; 271:114355. [PMID: 37734470 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
The "Genetically Heterogeneous National Institutes of Health (NIHHS)" stock rat (hereafter HS) shows a wide phenotypic variation, as a result of having been derived from eight inbred rat strains. Thus, these rats may be a conceivable parallel model of a healthy human sample. In order to evaluate whether HS rats have face validity as an animal model of schizophrenia-relevant features, it should be demonstrated that they present behavioural traits that may model negative and cognitive symptoms of the disorder. Previous studies on HS rats have shown that prepulse inhibition (PPI, a measure of sensorimotor gating processes), which is impaired in schizophrenic patients, is correlated with their working memory performance. In this study, we evaluated whether low PPI in the HS stock rat predicts impairments of spatial working memory (SWM), spatial reference memory and cognitive flexibility in the Morris water maze (MWM) test, and we evaluated HS rats for social interaction (SI) in a social investigation task. HS rats were stratified into 2 different groups according to their PPI scores, i.e. low- and high-PPI. In the SI task, low-PPI rats showed decreased social behaviour compared to high-PPI rats. In addition, relative to high-PPI HS rats, the low-PPI group displayed poorer SWM performance, impaired cognitive flexibility (in a reversal task) and worsened long-term spatial memory. Such differential behaviours in social and cognitive paradigms provide evidence on the face validity of low-PPI HS rats as a model of negative-like and cognitive schizophrenia-relevant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - T Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L Mourelo
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - I Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N Peralta-Vallejo
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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Fernández-Teruel A, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Oliveras I, Torrubia R, Tobeña A. Contribution of the Roman rat lines/strains to personality neuroscience: neurobehavioral modeling of internalizing/externalizing psychopathologies. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 6:e8. [PMID: 38107777 PMCID: PMC10725777 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2023.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The Roman high-avoidance (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rat lines/strains were established in Rome through bidirectional selection of Wistar rats for rapid (RHA) or extremely poor (RLA) acquisition of a two-way active avoidance task. Relative to RHAs, RLA rats exhibit enhanced threat sensitivity, anxiety, fear and vulnerability to stress, a passive coping style and increased sensitivity to frustration. Thus, RLA rats' phenotypic profile falls well within the "internalizing" behavior spectrum. Compared with RLAs and other rat strains/stocks, RHAs present increased impulsivity and reward sensitivity, deficits in social behavior and attentional/cognitive processes, novelty-induced hyper-locomotion and vulnerability to psychostimulant sensitization and drug addiction. Thus, RHA rats' phenotypes are consistent with a "disinhibiting externalizing" profile. Many neurobiological/molecular traits differentiate both rat lines/strains. For example, relative to RLA rats, RHAs exhibit decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus and amygdala, increased functional tone of the mesolimbic dopamine system, a deficit of central metabotropic glutamate-2 (mGlu2) receptors, increased density of serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the PFC, impairment of GABAergic transmission in the PFC, alterations of several synaptic markers and increased density of pyramidal immature dendrític spines in the PFC. These characteristics suggest an immature brain of RHA rats and are reminiscent of schizophrenia features like hypofrontality and disruption of the excitation/inhibition cortical balance. We review evidence supporting RLA rats as a valid model of anxiety/fear, stress and frustration vulnerability, whereas RHA rats represent a promising translational model of neurodevelopmental alterations related to impulsivity, schizophrenia-relevant features and comorbidity with drug addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Sampedro-Viana D, Cañete T, Sanna F, Oliveras I, Lavín V, Torrecilla P, Río-Álamos C, Tapias-Espinosa C, Sánchez-González A, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Atypical antipsychotics attenuate MK801-induced social withdrawal and hyperlocomotion in the RHA rat model of schizophrenia-relevant features. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:1931-1945. [PMID: 37442829 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06411-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The administration of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonists constitutes a widely used model that produce both positive (e.g., hyperactivity) and negative (e.g., social withdrawal) symptoms relevant for schizophrenia in rodents. These effects can be reversed with the administration of atypical (second and third generation) antipsychotics. OBJECTIVES In this study we combined the NMDAR-antagonist model with the Roman High-Avoidance (RHA) strain, a psychogenetically selected model of schizophrenia-relevant features. We also studied whether some atypical antipsychotic drugs (clozapine, ziprasidone, and aripiprazole) would be able to attenuate or reverse the behavioural alterations induced by MK801 and whether such effects might be dependent on the rat strain. METHODS MK801 dose-response study was conducted in RHA and Roman Low-Avoidance (RLA) male rats. After that, the 0.15 mg/kg MK801 dose was selected to carry out pharmacological studies versus atypical antipsychotics. RESULTS In the first experiment we establish that MK801 (dizocilpine), a NMDAR antagonist, produces dose-related hyperactivity and social withdrawal, which are more marked in RHA than RLA rats. The administration of the atypical antipsychotics clozapine (2.5 mg/kg) or ziprasidone (2.5 mg/kg) partially reversed or attenuated some of the social behaviour deficits and hyperactivity induced by the administration of MK801. Aripiprazole (3 mg/kg), a third-generation antipsychotic, reversed or attenuated the social preference deficit, the hyperactivity and the impairment of social latency induced by MK801. CONCLUSIONS These results seem to be in line with previous studies with the NMDAR-antagonist model and add face (MK801-induced social withdrawal and hyperactivity) and predictive (attenuation of MK801-induced effects by atypical antipsychotics) validity to the RHA rat strain as a model of schizophrenia-relevant features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valeria Lavín
- Department of Clinical & Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pilar Torrecilla
- Department of Clinical & Health Psychology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristóbal Río-Álamos
- Department of Psychology, School of Medicine, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Carles Tapias-Espinosa
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Sánchez-González
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193, Barcelona, Spain.
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Cuesta-Martínez S, Ruiz-Leyva L, Jiménez-García AM, Aparicio-Mescua T, López-Guarnido O, Pautassi RM, Morón I, Cendán CM. Binging from Food to Alcohol: A Sequential Interaction Between Binging Behaviors in Male Wistar Rats. Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4781. [PMID: 37575384 PMCID: PMC10415202 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of excessive alcohol (ethanol) and/or highly palatable food self-administration is an essential task to elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie these behaviors. Previous work has highlighted that ethanol self-administration is modulated by both the induction of aversive states (i.e., stress or frustration) and by the concurrent availability of appetitive stimuli (e.g., food). In our protocol, rats are food deprived for three days until they reach 82%-85% of their ad libitum weight. After that, rats are exposed daily for 10 days to a brief binge or control eating experience with highly sugary and palatable food (i.e., the ingestion of 11.66 and 0.97 kcal/3 min, respectively), which is followed by a two-bottle-choice test (ethanol vs. water) in their home cages for 90 min. This model induces robust binge eating, which is followed by a selective increase in ethanol self-administration. Therefore, this protocol allows to study: a) behavioral and neurobiological factors related to binge eating, b) different stages of alcohol use, and c) interactions between the latter and other addictive-like behaviors, like binge eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Cuesta-Martínez
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedical Research Center (CIBM) and Institute of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, 18016, Granada, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, University Hospital Complex of Granada, 18012, Granada, Spain
| | - Leandro Ruiz-Leyva
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedical Research Center (CIBM) and Institute of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, 18016, Granada, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, University Hospital Complex of Granada, 18012, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana María Jiménez-García
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Nature, University of Nebrija, Hoyo de Manzanares, 28240, Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa Aparicio-Mescua
- Department of Psychobiology and Centre of Investigation of Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada, Campus Cartuja, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Olga López-Guarnido
- Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, 18016, Granada, Spain
| | - Ricardo Marcos Pautassi
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M. y M. Ferreyra (INIMEC – CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Córdoba, 5000, Argentina, Faculty of Psychology, UNC, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ignacio Morón
- Department of Psychobiology and Centre of Investigation of Mind, Brain, and Behavior (CIMCYC), Faculty of Psychology, University of Granada, Campus Cartuja, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Cruz Miguel Cendán
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedical Research Center (CIBM) and Institute of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Parque Tecnológico de Ciencias de la Salud, 18016, Granada, Spain
- Biosanitary Research Institute, University Hospital Complex of Granada, 18012, Granada, Spain
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Fernández-Teruel A. From Phenomes to Genes: Phenotype-based Strategies in Rodents for Research on the Neurobiological and Genetic Bases of Psychiatric-relevant Traits. Curr Neuropharmacol 2023; 21:1836-1839. [PMID: 37439333 PMCID: PMC10514527 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x2109230518164435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and
Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences,
School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona,
08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Zhang WW, Chen T, Li SY, Wang XY, Liu WB, Wang YQ, Mi WL, Mao-Ying QL, Wang YQ, Chu YX. Tachykinin receptor 3 in the lateral habenula alleviates pain and anxiety comorbidity in mice. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1049739. [PMID: 36756128 PMCID: PMC9900122 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1049739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The coexistence of chronic pain and anxiety is a common clinical phenomenon. Here, the role of tachykinin receptor 3 (NK3R) in the lateral habenula (LHb) in trigeminal neuralgia and in pain-associated anxiety was systematically investigated. First, electrophysiological recording showed that bilateral LHb neurons are hyperactive in a mouse model of trigeminal neuralgia made by partial transection of the infraorbital nerve (pT-ION). Chemicogenetic activation of bilateral LHb glutamatergic neurons in naive mice induced orofacial allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors, and pharmacological activation of NK3R in the LHb attenuated allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors induced by pT-ION. Electrophysiological recording showed that pharmacological activation of NK3R suppressed the abnormal excitation of LHb neurons. In parallel, pharmacological inhibition of NK3R induced orofacial allodynia and anxiety-like behavior in naive mice. The electrophysiological recording showed that pharmacological inhibition of NK3R activates LHb neurons. Neurokinin B (NKB) is an endogenous high-affinity ligand of NK3R, which binds NK3R and activates it to perform physiological functions, and further neuron projection tracing showed that the front section of the periaqueductal gray (fPAG) projects NKB-positive nerve fibers to the LHb. Optogenetics combined with electrophysiology recordings characterize the functional connections in this fPAG NKB → LHb pathway. In addition, electrophysiological recording showed that NKB-positive neurons in the fPAG were more active than NKB-negative neurons in pT-ION mice. Finally, inhibition of NKB release from the fPAG reversed the analgesic and anxiolytic effects of LHb Tacr3 overexpression in pT-ION mice, indicating that fPAG NKB → LHb regulates orofacial allodynia and pain-induced anxious behaviors. These findings for NK3R suggest the cellular mechanism behind pT-ION in the LHb and suggest that the fPAG NKB → LHb circuit is involved in pain and anxiety comorbidity. This previously unrecognized pathway might provide a potential approach for relieving the pain and anxiety associated with trigeminal neuralgia by targeting NK3R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Wen Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Teng Chen
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Yi Li
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Yue Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Bo Liu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Quan Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Li Mi
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Institute of Acupuncture Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi-Liang Mao-Ying
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Institute of Acupuncture Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Qing Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Institute of Acupuncture Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Yu-Xia Chu, ; Yan-Qing Wang,
| | - Yu-Xia Chu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Acupuncture Mechanism and Acupoint Function, Institute of Acupuncture Research, Fudan University, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Yu-Xia Chu, ; Yan-Qing Wang,
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9
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Yoon KJ, Park S, Kwak SH, Moon HY. Effects of Voluntary Running Wheel Exercise-Induced Extracellular Vesicles on Anxiety. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:665800. [PMID: 34276303 PMCID: PMC8280765 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.665800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most frequently diagnosed psychological condition, associated with serious comorbidities including excessive fear and interference with daily life. Drugs for anxiety disorders are typically prescribed but the side effects include weight gain, nausea, and sleepiness. Exercise is an effective treatment for anxiety. Exercise induces the release of extracellular vesicles (EVs) into the circulation, which transmit signals between organs. However, the effects of exercise-induced EVs on anxiety remain poorly understood. Here, we isolated EVs from the sera of mice that were sedentary or that voluntarily exercised. We characterized the changes in the miRNA profile of serum EVs after 4 weeks of voluntary exercise. miRNA sequencing showed that 82 miRNAs (46 of which were positive and 36 negative regulators) changed after exercise. We selected genes affected by at least two miRNAs. Of these, 27.27% were associated with neurotrophin signaling (9.09% with each of central nervous system neuronal development, cerebral cortical cell migration, and peripheral neuronal development). We also analyzed behavioral changes in mice with 3 weeks of restraint stress-induced anxiety after injection of 20 μg amounts of EVs from exercised or sedentary mice into the left cerebral ventricle. We found that exercise-derived EVs reduced anxiety (compared to a control group) in a nest-building test but found no between-group differences in the rotarod or open field tests. Exercise-derived EVs enhanced the expression of neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction genes. Thus, exercise-derived EVs may exhibit anti-anxiety effects and may be of therapeutic utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyeong Jin Yoon
- Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Suhong Park
- Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seung Hee Kwak
- Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyo Youl Moon
- Department of Physical Education, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Institute of Sport Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Institute on Aging, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
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10
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Parker CC, Lusk R, Saba LM. Alcohol Sensitivity as an Endophenotype of Alcohol Use Disorder: Exploring Its Translational Utility between Rodents and Humans. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E725. [PMID: 33066036 PMCID: PMC7600833 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex, chronic, relapsing disorder with multiple interacting genetic and environmental influences. Numerous studies have verified the influence of genetics on AUD, yet the underlying biological pathways remain unknown. One strategy to interrogate complex diseases is the use of endophenotypes, which deconstruct current diagnostic categories into component traits that may be more amenable to genetic research. In this review, we explore how an endophenotype such as sensitivity to alcohol can be used in conjunction with rodent models to provide mechanistic insights into AUD. We evaluate three alcohol sensitivity endophenotypes (stimulation, intoxication, and aversion) for their translatability across human and rodent research by examining the underlying neurobiology and its relationship to consumption and AUD. We show examples in which results gleaned from rodents are successfully integrated with information from human studies to gain insight in the genetic underpinnings of AUD and AUD-related endophenotypes. Finally, we identify areas for future translational research that could greatly expand our knowledge of the biological and molecular aspects of the transition to AUD with the broad hope of finding better ways to treat this devastating disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa C. Parker
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA
| | - Ryan Lusk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Laura M. Saba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
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11
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Abstract
The Tacr3 gene encodes tachykinin receptor 3 (NK3R), which belongs to the tachykinin receptor family. This family of proteins includes typical G protein-coupled receptors and belongs to the rhodopsin subfamily. NK3R functions by binding to its high-affinity ligand, neurokinin B(NKB). The role of Tacr3/NK3R in growth and reproduction has been extensively studied, but Tacr3/NK3R is also widely expressed in the nervous system from the spinal cord to the brain and is involved in both physiological and pathological processes in the nervous system, including mood disorders, chronic pain, learning and memory deficiencies, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, addiction-related processes, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, body fluid management, neural development, and schizophrenia. Here, we summarize the structure of NK3R/NKB and its cellular signaling as well as the expression of Tacr3/NK3R in the nervous system, and we provide a comprehensive summary of the role of Tacr3/NK3R in neurological diseases, including reproduction-related disorders and other neurological diseases. At the end of this review, we propose the hypothesis that Tacr3/NK3R mediates a variety of brain functions by affecting the excitability of different neurons with specific functions. On the basis of this "excited or not" hypothesis, more studies related to Tacr3 should be carried out in other nervous system diseases in order to better understand the biological roles of Tacr3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-wen Zhang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqing Wang
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Xia Chu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Institutes of Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institutes of Brain Science, Brain Science Collaborative Innovation Center, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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12
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Fernández-Teruel A, Tobeña A. Revisiting the role of anxiety in the initial acquisition of two-way active avoidance: pharmacological, behavioural and neuroanatomical convergence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 118:739-758. [PMID: 32916193 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Two-way active avoidance (TWAA) acquisition constitutes a particular case of approach -avoidance conflict for laboratory rodents. The present article reviews behavioural, psychopharmacological and neuroanatomical evidence accumulated along more than fifty years that provides strong support to the contention that anxiety is critical in the transition from CS (conditioned stimulus)-induced freezing to escape/avoidance responses during the initial stages of TWAA acquisition. Thus, anxiolytic drugs of different types accelerate avoidance acquisition, anxiogenic drugs impair it, and avoidance during these initial acquisition stages is negatively associated with other typical measures of anxiety. In addition behavioural and developmental treatments that reduce or increase anxiety/stress respectively facilitate or impair TWAA acquisition. Finally, evidence for the regulation of TWAA acquisition by septo-hippocampal and amygdala-related mechanisms is discussed. Collectively, the reviewed evidence gives support to the initial acquisition of TWAA as a paradigm with considerable predictive and (in particular) construct validity as an approach-avoidance conflict-based rodent anxiety model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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13
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Østerbøg TB, On DM, Oliveras I, Río-Álamos C, Sanchez-Gonzalez A, Tapias-Espinosa C, Tobeña A, González-Maeso J, Fernández-Teruel A, Aznar S. Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 2 and Dopamine Receptor 2 Gene Expression Predict Sensorimotor Gating Response in the Genetically Heterogeneous NIH-HS Rat Strain. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 57:1516-1528. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01829-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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14
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Tapias-Espinosa C, Río-Álamos C, Sampedro-Viana D, Gerbolés C, Oliveras I, Sánchez-González A, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Increased exploratory activity in rats with deficient sensorimotor gating: a study of schizophrenia-relevant symptoms with genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS and Roman rat strains. Behav Processes 2018; 151:96-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2018] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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15
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Jaiswal S, Tsai SY, Juan CH, Liang WK, Muggleton NG. Better Cognitive Performance Is Associated With the Combination of High Trait Mindfulness and Low Trait Anxiety. Front Psychol 2018; 9:627. [PMID: 29780338 PMCID: PMC5946020 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
There are several ways in which cognitive and neurophysiological parameters have been consistently used to explain the variability in cognitive ability between people. However, little has been done to explore how such cognitive abilities are influenced by differences in personality traits. Dispositional mindfulness and anxiety are two inversely linked traits that have been independently attributed to a range of cognitive functions. The current study investigated these two traits in combination along with measures of the attentional network, cognitive inhibition, and visual working memory (VWM) capacity. A total of 392 prospective participants were screened to select two experimental groups each of 30 healthy young adults, with one having high mindfulness and low anxiety (HMLA) and the second having low mindfulness and high anxiety (LMHA). The groups performed an attentional network task, a color Stroop task, and a change detection test of VWM capacity. Results showed that the HMLA group was more accurate than the LMHA group on the Stroop and change detection tasks. Additionally, the HMLA group was more sensitive in detecting changes and had a higher WMC than the LMHA group. This research adds to the literature that has investigated mindfulness and anxiety independently with a comprehensive investigation of the effects of these two traits in conjunction on executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish Jaiswal
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Yang Tsai
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Hung Juan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Kuang Liang
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
| | - Neil G. Muggleton
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, National Central University, Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, United Kingdom
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16
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McCoy CR, Jackson NL, Day J, Clinton SM. Genetic predisposition to high anxiety- and depression-like behavior coincides with diminished DNA methylation in the adult rat amygdala. Behav Brain Res 2016; 320:165-178. [PMID: 27965039 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2016] [Revised: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Understanding biological mechanisms that shape vulnerability to emotional dysfunction is critical for elucidating the neurobiology of psychiatric illnesses like anxiety and depression. To elucidate molecular and epigenetic alterations in the brain that contribute to individual differences in emotionality, our laboratory utilized a rodent model of temperamental differences. Rats bred for low response to novelty (Low Responders, LRs) are inhibited in novel situations and display high anxiety, helplessness, and diminished sociability compared to High Novelty Responder (HR) rats. Our current transcriptome profiling experiment identified widespread gene expression differences in the amygdala of adult HR/LR rats; we hypothesize that HR/LR gene expression and downstream behavioral differences stem from distinct epigenetic (specifically DNA methylation) patterning in the HR/LR brain. Although we found similar levels of DNA methyltransferase proteins in the adult HR/LR amygdala, next-generation sequencing analysis of the methylome revealed 793 differentially methylated genomic sites between the groups. Most of the differentially methylated sites were hypermethylated in HR versus LR, so we next tested the hypothesis that enhancing DNA methylation in LRs would improve their anxiety/depression-like phenotype. We found that increasing DNA methylation in LRs (via increased dietary methyl donor content) improved their anxiety-like behavior and decreased their typically high levels of Forced Swim Test (FST) immobility; however, dietary methyl donor depletion exacerbated LRs' high FST immobility. These data are generally consistent with findings in depressed patients showing that treatment with DNA methylation-promoting agents improves depressive symptoms, and highlight epigenetic mechanisms that may contribute to individual differences in risk for emotional dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea R McCoy
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Nateka L Jackson
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham AL, USA
| | - Jeremy Day
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham AL, USA
| | - Sarah M Clinton
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA.
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17
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Martínez-Membrives E, López-Aumatell R, Blázquez G, Cañete T, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Spatial learning in the genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rat stock and RLA-I/RHA-I rats: revisiting the relationship with unconditioned and conditioned anxiety. Physiol Behav 2015; 144:15-25. [PMID: 25747770 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
To characterize learning/memory profiles for the first time in the genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rat stock, and to examine whether these are associated with anxiety, we evaluated NIH-HS rats for spatial learning/memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) and in the following anxiety/fear tests: the elevated zero-maze (ZM; unconditioned anxiety), a context-conditioned fear test and the acquisition of two-way active avoidance (conditioned anxiety). NIH-HS rats were compared with the Roman High- (RHA-I) and Low-Avoidance (RLA-I) rat strains, given the well-known differences between the Roman strains/lines in anxiety-related behavior and in spatial learning/memory. The results show that: (i) As expected, RLA-I rats were more anxious in the ZM test, displayed more frequent context-conditioned freezing episodes and fewer avoidances than RHA-I rats. (ii) Scores of NIH-HS rats in these tests/tasks mostly fell in between those of the Roman rat strains, and were usually closer to the values of the RLA-I strain. (iii) Pigmented NIH-HS (only a small part of NIH-HS rats were albino) rats were the best spatial learners and displayed better spatial memory than the other three (RHA-I, RLA-I and NIH-HS albino) groups. (iv) Albino NIH-HS and RLA-I rats also showed better learning/memory than the RHA-I strain. (v) Within the NIH-HS stock, the most anxious rats in the ZM test presented the best learning and/or memory efficiency (regardless of pigmentation). In summary, NIH-HS rats display a high performance in spatial learning/memory tasks and a passive coping strategy when facing conditioned conflict situations. In addition, unconditioned anxiety in NIH-HS rats predicts better spatial learning/memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Martínez-Membrives
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Regina López-Aumatell
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Blázquez
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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18
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Oliveras I, Río-Álamos C, Cañete T, Blázquez G, Martínez-Membrives E, Giorgi O, Corda MG, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Prepulse inhibition predicts spatial working memory performance in the inbred Roman high- and low-avoidance rats and in genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rats: relevance for studying pre-attentive and cognitive anomalies in schizophrenia. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:213. [PMID: 26347624 PMCID: PMC4539526 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models of schizophrenia-relevant symptoms are increasingly important for progress in our understanding of the neurobiological basis of the disorder and for discovering novel and more specific treatments. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) and working memory, which are impaired in schizophrenic patients, are among the symptoms/processes modeled in those animal analogs. We have evaluated whether a genetically-selected rat model, the Roman high-avoidance inbred strain (RHA-I), displays PPI deficits as compared with its Roman low-avoidance (RLA-I) counterpart and the genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rat stock. We have investigated whether PPI deficits predict spatial working memory impairments (in the Morris water maze; MWM) in these three rat types (Experiment 1), as well as in a separate sample of NIH-HS rats stratified according to their extreme (High, Medium, Low) PPI scores (Experiment 2). The results from Experiment 1 show that RHA-I rats display PPI and spatial working memory deficits compared to both RLA-I and NIH-HS rats. Likewise, in Experiment 2, "Low-PPI" NIH-HS rats present significantly impaired working memory with respect to "Medium-PPI" and "High-PPI" NIH-HS subgroups. Further support to these results comes from correlational, factorial, and multiple regression analyses, which reveal that PPI is positively associated with spatial working memory performance. Conversely, cued learning in the MWM was not associated with PPI. Thus, using genetically-selected and genetically heterogeneous rats, the present study shows, for the first time, that PPI is a positive predictor of performance in a spatial working memory task. These results may have translational value for schizophrenia symptom research in humans, as they suggest that either by psychogenetic selection or by focusing on extreme PPI scores from a genetically heterogeneous rat stock, it is possible to detect a useful (perhaps "at risk") phenotype to study cognitive anomalies linked to schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ignasi Oliveras and Alberto Fernández-Teruel, Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08913 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain ;
| | - Cristóbal Río-Álamos
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Blázquez
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Esther Martínez-Membrives
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of CagliariCagliari, Italy
| | - Maria G. Corda
- Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of CagliariCagliari, Italy
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Ignasi Oliveras and Alberto Fernández-Teruel, Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08913 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain ;
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19
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Sabariego M, Morón I, Gómez MJ, Donaire R, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A, Martínez-Conejero JA, Esteban FJ, Torres C. Incentive loss and hippocampal gene expression in inbred Roman high- (RHA-I) and Roman low- (RLA-I) avoidance rats. Behav Brain Res 2013; 257:62-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2013] [Revised: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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20
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Díaz-Morán S, Palència M, Mont-Cardona C, Cañete T, Blázquez G, Martínez-Membrives E, López-Aumatell R, Sabariego M, Donaire R, Morón I, Torres C, Martínez-Conejero JA, Tobeña A, Esteban FJ, Fernández-Teruel A. Gene expression in hippocampus as a function of differential trait anxiety levels in genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rats. Behav Brain Res 2013; 257:129-39. [PMID: 24095878 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Revised: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 09/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
To identify genes involved in the development/expression of anxiety/fear, we analyzed the gene expression profile in the hippocampus of genetically heterogeneous NIH-HS rats. The NIH-HS rat stock is a unique genetic resource for the fine mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) to very small genomic regions, due to the high amount of genetic recombinants accumulated along more than 50 breeding generations, and for the same reason it can be expected that those genetically heterogeneous rats should be especially useful for studying differential gene expression as a function of anxiety, fearfulness or other complex traits. We selected high- and low-anxious NIH-HS rats according to the number of avoidance responses they performed in a single 50-trial session of the two-way active avoidance task. Rats were also tested in unconditioned anxiety/fearfulness tests, i.e. the elevated zero-maze and a "novel-cage activity" test. Three weeks after behavioral testing, the hippocampus was dissected and prepared for the microarray study. There appeared 29 down-regulated and 37 up-regulated SNC-related genes (fold-change>|2.19|, FDR<0.05) in the "Low-anxious" vs. the "High-anxious" group. Regression analyses (stepwise) revealed that differential expression of some genes could be predictive of anxiety/fear responses. Among those genes for which the present results suggest a link with individual differences in trait anxiety, nine relevant genes (Avpr1b, Accn3, Cd74, Ltb, Nrg2, Oprdl1, Slc10a4, Slc5a7 and RT1-EC12), tested for validation through qRT-PCR, have either neuroendocrinological or neuroinmunological/inflammation-related functions, or have been related with the hippocampal cholinergic system, while some of them have also been involved in the modulation of anxiety or stress-related (neurobiological and behavioral) responses (i.e. Avpr1b, Oprdl1). The present work confirms the usefulness of NIH-HS rats as a good animal model for research on the neurogenetic basis or mechanisms involved in anxiety and/or fear, and suggest that some MHC-(neuroinmunological/inflammation)-related pathways, as well as the cholinergic system within the hippocampus, may play a role in shaping individual differences in trait anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sira Díaz-Morán
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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