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DeLarge AF, Stanley MJ, Daniel JM. Female mice lacking membrane estrogen receptor alpha display impairments in spatial memory. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105597. [PMID: 38944999 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Estrogens exert effects on cognition by acting on estrogen receptors (ER) including ERα. Activation of nuclear ERα results in classical genomic signaling leading to transcriptional changes that occur over hours to days. In contrast, activation of ERα localized to the membrane results in rapid signaling with effects occurring in seconds to minutes. The goal of the current study was to determine the role of membrane ERα in spatial memory. Female wildtype (WT) and transgenic mice that lack membrane ERα and express nuclear only ERα (NOER) were trained on an eight-arm radial-maze task. Following training, mice were tested on delay trials, in which delays ranging from 30 min to 5 h were inserted between the 4th and 5th arm choices. Performance was measured by number of proactive and retroactive errors. Proactive errors are short-term working memory errors defined by reentries into arms previously visited during the post-delay period or errors made during the pre-delay period. Retroactive errors are delay-dependent memory errors, defined as reentries into arms during the post-delay that were previously visited during the pre-delay. Consistent with a role for membrane ERα in rapid signaling, NOER mice made more proactive errors than WTs across all delays. NOER mice made more retroactive errors than WTs only after the 5-h delay. WT and NOER mice performed similarly on elevated plus maze and open field tests indicating no effects of membrane ERα on anxiety-related behavior or locomotor activity. Results reveal that membrane ERα plays important roles in both short-term and longer-term delay-dependent memory either directly or potentially indirectly through a role in the regulation of estradiol levels via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa F DeLarge
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States of America; Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, United States of America.
| | - Marcella J Stanley
- Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, United States of America
| | - Jill M Daniel
- Department of Psychology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, United States of America; Tulane Brain Institute, Tulane University, United States of America; Neuroscience Program, Tulane University, United States of America
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Wang M, Hu S, Fu X, Zhou H, Yang S, Yang C. Neurosteroids: A potential target for neuropsychiatric disorders. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 239:106485. [PMID: 38369032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2024.106485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Neurosteroids are steroids produced by endocrine glands and subsequently entering the brain, and also include steroids synthesis in the brain. It has been widely known that neurosteroids influence many neurological functions, including neuronal signaling, synaptic adaptations, and neuroprotective effects. In addition, abnormality in the synthesis and function of neurosteroids has been closely linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), schizophrenia (SZ), and epilepsy. Given their important role in brain pathophysiology and disorders, neurosteroids offer potential therapeutic targets for a variety of neuropsychiatric diseases, and that therapeutic strategies targeting neurosteroids probably exert beneficial effects. We therefore summarized the role of neurosteroids in brain physiology and neuropsychiatric disorders, and introduced the recent findings of synthetic neurosteroid analogues for potential treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, thereby providing insights for further research in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Suwan Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xinghuo Fu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Huixuan Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Siqi Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Chun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
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Joue G, Navarro-Schröder T, Achtzehn J, Moffat S, Hennies N, Fuß J, Döller C, Wolbers T, Sommer T. Effects of estrogen on spatial navigation and memory. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1037-1063. [PMID: 38407638 PMCID: PMC11031496 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06539-3] [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: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Animal studies suggest that the so-called "female" hormone estrogen enhances spatial navigation and memory. This contradicts the observation that males generally out-perform females in spatial navigation and tasks involving spatial memory. A closer look at the vast number of studies actually reveals that performance differences are not so clear. OBJECTIVES To help clarify the unclear performance differences between men and women and the role of estrogen, we attempted to isolate organizational from activational effects of estrogen on spatial navigation and memory. METHODS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we tested the effects of orally administered estradiol valerate (E2V) in healthy, young women in their low-hormone menstrual cycle phase, compared to healthy, young men. Participants performed several first-person, environmentally rich, 3-D computer games inspired by spatial navigation and memory paradigms in animal research. RESULTS We found navigation behavior suggesting that sex effects dominated any E2 effects with men performing better with allocentric strategies and women with egocentric strategies. Increased E2 levels did not lead to general improvements in spatial ability in either sex but to behavioral changes reflecting navigation flexibility. CONCLUSION Estrogen-driven differences in spatial cognition might be better characterized on a spectrum of navigation flexibility rather than by categorical performance measures or skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Joue
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Tobias Navarro-Schröder
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Johannes Achtzehn
- Department of Neurology with Experimental Neurology (CVK), Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Scott Moffat
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 654 Cherry Street, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Nora Hennies
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Fuß
- Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Sex Research, University Duisburg-Essen, Hohlweg 26, 45147, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Döller
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Olav Kyrres Gate 9, 7030, Trondheim, Norway
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Wolbers
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Leipziger Straße 44, 39120, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Sommer
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
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Iqbal J, Huang GD, Xue YX, Yang M, Jia XJ. Role of estrogen in sex differences in memory, emotion and neuropsychiatric disorders. Mol Biol Rep 2024; 51:415. [PMID: 38472517 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-024-09374-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen regulates a wide range of neuronal functions in the brain, such as dendritic spine formation, remodeling of synaptic plasticity, cognition, neurotransmission, and neurodevelopment. Estrogen interacts with intracellular estrogen receptors (ERs) and membrane-bound ERs to produce its effect via genomic and non-genomic pathways. Any alterations in these pathways affect the number, size, and shape of dendritic spines in neurons associated with psychiatric diseases. Increasing evidence suggests that estrogen fluctuation causes changes in dendritic spine density, morphology, and synapse numbers of excitatory and inhibitory neurons differently in males and females. In this review, we discuss the role of estrogen hormone in rodents and humans based on sex differences. First, we explain estrogen role in learning and memory and show that a high estrogen level alleviates the deficits in learning and memory. Secondly, we point out that estrogen produces a striking difference in emotional memories in men and women, which leads them to display sex-specific differences in underlying neuronal signaling. Lastly, we discuss that fluctuations in estrogen levels in men and women are related to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder (BPD), major depressive disorder (MDD), substance use disorder (SUD), and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javed Iqbal
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Geng-Di Huang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China
| | - Yan-Xue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Yang
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Xiao-Jian Jia
- Department of Addiction Medicine, Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Kangning Hospital & Shenzhen Mental Health Center, No. 77 Zhenbi Road, Pingshan District, Shenzhen, 518118, Guangdong, China.
- Clinical College of Mental Health, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.
- Affiliated Mental Health Center, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
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D'Aurizio G, Di Pompeo I, Passarello N, Troisi Lopez E, Sorrentino P, Curcio G, Mandolesi L. Visuospatial working memory abilities in children analyzed by the bricks game task (BGT). PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:2111-2119. [PMID: 36800010 PMCID: PMC9936130 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01803-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The study of the development of visuospatial memory processes is useful for devising personalized educational interventions as well as for understanding the changes in cognitive functioning in an era characterized by technological progress. The present research is aimed at investigating spatial working memory ability in children that attended the first three years of primary school by means of the Brick Game Task (BGT), a novel visuospatial working memory test. BGT is a small-scale ecological test inspired by behavioral walking tasks with nine white bricks in different spatial configurations as well as to Corsi Block-Tapping test.228 Italian children (121 F; mean age: 7.22 ± 1.18) were assigned to three groups based on the primary school class attended: Group 1 (N = 85; 40 F; mean age 6.18 ± .5), Group 2 (N = 61; 36 F; mean age 7.2 ± .83), and Group 3 (N = 82; 44 F; mean age 8.32 ± .94). All participants were asked to complete the Digit Span test, the Corsi Block-Tapping test, and to explore the three spatial configurations of the BGT with the form of Matrix, M-BGT, Cluster, CL-BGT, Cross, CR-BGT.MANOVA revealed a main significant effect for Group (F12,434 = 15.06; p < .0001) indicating that the group of older obtained a better global executive performance than 1 and 2 groups. Multiple linear regression indicated that Corsi Block-Tapping test performance and Age significantly predicted the M-BGT score. Moreover, Corsi Block-Tapping test and Digit Span significantly predicted the CL-BGT performance, showing how a higher score results in a better CL- BGT performance. Finally, Corsi Block-Tapping test, Digit Span, and Age were positively associated with the CR- BGT performance. The present findings evidenced that novel BGT is a sensible visuospatial working memory task suggesting thus its use to assess the children's executive performance in ecological way. These results open to the development of personalized educational interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- G D'Aurizio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio - Loc. Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - I Di Pompeo
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio - Loc. Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - N Passarello
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - E Troisi Lopez
- Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University of Naples "Parthenope", Naples, Italy
| | - P Sorrentino
- Institut de Neurosciences Des Systemès, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - G Curcio
- Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio - Loc. Coppito, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - L Mandolesi
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Johnson KA, Petrie MA, Shields RK. Biomarkers for rapid H-reflex operant conditioning among females. J Neurophysiol 2023; 129:685-699. [PMID: 36791051 PMCID: PMC10010925 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00188.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Operant conditioning of a spinal monosynaptic pathway using the Hoffman reflex (H-reflex) is well established in animal and human studies. There is a subset within the human population (∼20% nonresponders) who are unable to up train this pathway suggesting some distinct or unique identifying characteristics. Importantly, females, who have a nine times higher rate of injury during human performance activities than men, have been understudied in areas of CNS neuroplasticity. Our long-term goal is to understand if innate ability to rapidly up train the H-reflex is predictive of future performance-based injury among females. In this study, we primarily determined whether healthy, young females could rapidly increase the H-reflex within a single session of operant conditioning and secondarily determined if electro-physiological, humoral, cognitive, anthropometric, or anxiety biomarkers distinguished the responders from nonresponders. Eighteen females (mean age: 24) participated in the study. Overall, females showed a group main effect for up training the H-reflex (P < 0.05). Of the cohort, 10 of 18 females met the criteria for up training the H-reflex (responders). The responders showed lower levels of estradiol (P < 0.05). A multivariate stepwise regression model supported that extracellular to intracellular water ratio (ECW/ICW) and H-max/M-max ratio explained 60% of the variation in up training among females. These findings support that females can acutely upregulate the H-reflex with training and that electro-physiological and hormonal factors may be associated with the up training.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Young females who acutely increase their H-reflexes with operant conditioning had lower levels of estradiol. However, the best predictors of those who could up-train the H-reflex were baseline H-reflex excitability (H-max/M-max) and extracellular to intracellular water ratio (ECW/ICW). Future studies are warranted to understand the complex relationship between operant conditioning, human performance, and injury among active young females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin A Johnson
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Michael A Petrie
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
| | - Richard K Shields
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, United States
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Lacasse JM, Boulos V, Fisher C, Hamilton S, Heron M, Mac Cionnaith CE, Peronace V, Tito N, Brake WG. Combined effects of the contraceptive hormones, ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel, on the use of place and response memory in gonadally-intact female rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 147:105974. [PMID: 36403510 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During maze navigation rats can rely on hippocampus-mediated place memory or striatum-mediated response memory. Ovarian hormones bias whether females use place or response memory to reach a reward. Here, we investigated the impact of the contraceptive hormones, ethinyl estradiol (EE) and levonorgestrel (LNG), on memory bias. A total of 63 gonadally-intact female rats were treated with either 10 μg/kg of EE alone, 20 μg/kg of LNG alone, both 10 μg/kg of EE and 20 μg/kg of LNG together, or a sesame oil injection with 5% ethanol as a vehicle control. Rats in the control condition were tested during the diestrus phase of the estrous cycle in order to control for the low circulating levels of gonadotropin and ovarian hormones that occur with oral contraceptive administration. Rats treated with LNG alone had a bias towards the use of place memory compared to diestrus phase control rats. This bias was not observed if LNG was administered in combination with EE. Rats treated with EE or EE+LNG did not have a statistically significant difference in memory bias compared to rats in the control group. These data show that synthetic hormones contained in oral contraceptives administered to females influence which cognitive strategy is predominantly used during navigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M Lacasse
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada.
| | - Vanessa Boulos
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Caleigh Fisher
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Sarran Hamilton
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Megan Heron
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Conall E Mac Cionnaith
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Vanessa Peronace
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Noémie Tito
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Wayne G Brake
- Centre for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal H4B 1R6, Canada.
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8
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Yu X, Qi X, Wei L, Zhao L, Deng W, Guo W, Wang Q, Ma X, Hu X, Ni P, Li T. Fingolimod ameliorates schizophrenia-like cognitive impairments induced by phencyclidine in male rats. Br J Pharmacol 2023; 180:161-173. [PMID: 36106568 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Improvement of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia remains an unmet need owing to the lack of new therapies and drugs. Recent studies have reported that fingolimod, an immunomodulatory drug for treating multiple sclerosis, demonstrates anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects in several neurological disease models. This suggests its usefulness for ameliorating cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. Herein, we assessed the efficacy profile and mechanism of fingolimod in a rat model of phencyclidine (PCP)-induced schizophrenia. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with PCP for 14 days. The therapeutic effect of fingolimod on cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze and fear conditioning tests. Hippocampal neurogenesis and the expression of astrocytes and microglia were evaluated using immunostaining. Cytokine expression was quantified using multiplexed flow cytometry. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase were determined using western blot analysis. KEY RESULTS Fingolimod attenuated cognitive deficits and restored hippocampal neurogenesis in a dose-dependent manner in PCP-treated rats. Fingolimod treatment exerted anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting microglial activation and IL-6 and IL-1β pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. The underlying mechanism involves the upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein expression and activation of the ERK signalling pathway. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS This is the first preclinical assessment of the effects of fingolimod on cognitive function in a model for schizophrenia. Our results suggest the immune system plays an crucial role in cognitive alterations in schizophrenia and highlight the potential of immunomodulatory strategies to improve cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueli Yu
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueyu Qi
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Long Wei
- The Psychiatric Laboratory, The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liansheng Zhao
- The Psychiatric Laboratory, The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Wei Deng
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wanjun Guo
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- The Psychiatric Laboratory, The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaohong Ma
- The Psychiatric Laboratory, The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xun Hu
- The Clinical Research Center and Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Peiyan Ni
- The Psychiatric Laboratory, The State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Li
- Department of Neurobiology, Affiliated Mental Health Center & Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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9
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Oral contraceptives and cognition: A systematic review. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 69:101052. [PMID: 36581228 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Oral contraceptives (OCs) are widely used. While the physical impacts of OCs have been well researched, there is increasing interest on potential impacts of OCs on brain, behaviour and cognition. We systematically reviewed the literature to determine the influence of OCs on cognition, including neurocognition, social cognition and emotional processing. Inclusionary criteria were: (a) premenopausal females taking OCs; (b) a control group of naturally cycling women or OCs users in their inactive (i.e. 'sugar pill') phase; and (c) at least one measure of performance on a neurocognitive or social cognitive task. The systematic review found that OC use was associated with some differences in performance on all cognitive domains examined (with the exception of basic auditory attention and psychomotor performance). Several factors were identified that are likely to modulate the way OCs influence cognition, including task related factors, OC type and control group characteristics. Directions for future research are highlighted.
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Li M, Shi Q, Jiang X, Liu X, Han W, Fan X, Li P, Qi K. Paternal preconceptional diet enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids affects offspring brain function in mice. Front Nutr 2022; 9:969848. [PMID: 36386900 PMCID: PMC9650249 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.969848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies demonstrate that paternal nutrition prior to conception may determine offspring development and health through epigenetic modification. This study aims to investigate the effects of paternal supplementation of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on the brain development and function, and associated gene imprinting in the offspring. Three to four-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (founder) were fed with an n-3 PUFA-deficient diet (n-3 D), and two n-3 PUFA supplementation diets – a normal n-3 PUFA content diet (n-3 N) and a high n-3 PUFA content diet (n-3 H) for 12 weeks. Then they were mated to 10-week-old virgin female C57BL/6J mice to generate the offspring. The results showed that paternal n-3 PUFA supplementation in preconception reduced the anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, and improved sociability, learning and memory in the offspring, along with increased synaptic number, upregulated expressions of neuron specific enolase, myelin basic protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, and altered expressions of genes associated with mitochondria biogenesis, fusion, fission and autophagy. Furthermore, with paternal n-3 PUFA supplementation, the expression of imprinted gene Snrpn was downregulated both in testes of the founder mice and their offspring, but upregulated in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, with altered DNA methylation in its differentially methylated region. The data suggest that higher paternal intake of n-3 PUFAs in preconception may help to maintain optimal brain development and function in the offspring, and further raise the possibility of paternal nutritional intervention for mental health issues in subsequent generations.
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11
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Griksiene R, Monciunskaite R, Ruksenas O. What is there to know about the effects of progestins on the human brain and cognition? Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 67:101032. [PMID: 36029852 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Progestins are an important component of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) and hormone replacement therapies (HRTs). Despite an increasing number of studies elucidating the effects of HCs and HRTs, little is known about the effects of different types of progestins included in these medications on the brain. Animal studies suggest that various progestins interact differently with sex steroid, mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptors and have specific modulatory effects on neurotransmitter systems and on the expression of neuropeptides, suggesting differential impacts on cognition and behavior. This review focuses on the currently available knowledge from human behavioral and neuroimaging studies pooled with evidence from animal research regarding the effects of progestins on the brain. The reviewed information is highly relevant for improving women's mental health and making informed choices regarding specific types of contraception or treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramune Griksiene
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Rasa Monciunskaite
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
| | - Osvaldas Ruksenas
- Department of Neurobiology and Biophysics, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Lithuania
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12
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Tronson NC, Schuh KM. Hormonal contraceptives, stress, and the brain: The critical need for animal models. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 67:101035. [PMID: 36075276 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.101035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Hormonal contraceptives are among the most important health and economic developments in the 20thCentury, providing unprecedented reproductive control and a range of health benefits including decreased premenstrual symptoms and protections against various cancers. Hormonal contraceptives modulate neural function and stress responsivity. These changes are usually innocuous or even beneficial, including their effects onmood. However, in approximately 4-10% of users, or up to 30 million people at any given time, hormonal contraceptives trigger depression or anxiety symptoms. How hormonal contraceptives contribute to these responses and who is at risk for adverse outcomes remain unknown. In this paper, we discussstudies of hormonal contraceptive use in humans and describe the ways in which laboratory animal models of contraceptive hormone exposure will be an essential tool for expanding findings to understand the precise mechanisms by which hormonal contraceptives influence the brain, stress responses, and depression risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie C Tronson
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Kristen M Schuh
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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13
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Marchant IC, Chabert S, Martínez-Pinto J, Sotomayor-Zárate R, Ramírez-Barrantes R, Acevedo L, Córdova C, Olivero P. Estrogen, Cognitive Performance, and Functional Imaging Studies: What Are We Missing About Neuroprotection? Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:866122. [PMID: 35634466 PMCID: PMC9133497 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.866122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Menopause transition can be interpreted as a vulnerable state characterized by estrogen deficiency with detrimental systemic effects as the low-grade chronic inflammation that appears with aging and partly explains age-related disorders as cancer, diabetes mellitus and increased risk of cognitive impairment. Over the course of a lifetime, estrogen produces several beneficial effects in healthy neurological tissues as well as cardioprotective effects, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, clinical evidence on the efficacy of hormone treatment in menopausal women has failed to confirm the benefit reported in observational studies. Unambiguously, enhanced verbal memory is the most robust finding from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, what merits consideration for future studies aiming to determine estrogen neuroprotective efficacy. Estrogen related brain activity and functional connectivity remain, however, unexplored. In this context, the resting state paradigm may provide valuable information about reproductive aging and hormonal treatment effects, and their relationship with brain imaging of functional connectivity may be key to understand and anticipate estrogen cognitive protective effects. To go in-depth into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying rapid-to-long lasting protective effects of estrogen, we will provide a comprehensive review of cognitive tasks used in animal studies to evaluate the effect of hormone treatment on cognitive performance and discuss about the tasks best suited to the demonstration of clinically significant differences in cognitive performance to be applied in human studies. Eventually, we will focus on studies evaluating the DMN activity and responsiveness to pharmacological stimulation in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivanny Carolina Marchant
- Laboratorio de Modelamiento en Medicina, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile
- Centro Interoperativo en Ciencias Odontológicas y Médicas, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- *Correspondence: Ivanny Carolina Marchant
| | - Stéren Chabert
- Millennium Nucleus in Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Ingeniería Biomédica, Universidad de Valparaiso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería en Salud, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Jonathan Martínez-Pinto
- Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa, Valparaíso, Chile
- Laboratorio de Neuroquímica y Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate
- Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa, Valparaíso, Chile
- Laboratorio de Neuroquímica y Neurofarmacología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | | | - Lilian Acevedo
- Servicio de Neurología Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Claudio Córdova
- Laboratorio de Estructura y Función Celular, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Pablo Olivero
- Centro Interoperativo en Ciencias Odontológicas y Médicas, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Laboratorio de Estructura y Función Celular, Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Pablo Olivero
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14
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Application of Real and Virtual Radial Arm Maze Task in Human. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12040468. [PMID: 35447999 PMCID: PMC9027137 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12040468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) emerges as a promising technology capable of creating different scenarios in which the body, environment, and brain are closely related, proving enhancements in the diagnosis and treatment of several spatial memory deficits. In recent years, human spatial navigation has increasingly been studied in interactive virtual environments. However, navigational tasks are still not completely adapted in immersive 3D VR systems. We stipulate that an immersive Radial Arm Maze (RAM) is an excellent instrument, allowing the participants to be physically active within the maze exactly as in the walking RAM version in reality modality. RAM is a behavioral ecological task that allows the analyses of different facets of spatial memory, distinguishing declarative components from procedural ones. In addition to describing the characteristics of RAM, we will also analyze studies in which RAM has been used in virtual modality to provide suggestions into RAM building in immersive modality.
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