Emerging Role for Nucleus Accumbens Medium Spiny Neuron Subtypes in Depression

Sex-Specific Mechanisms Underlie Long-Term Potentiation at Hippocampus→Medium Spiny Neuron Synapses in the Medial Shell of the Nucleus Accumbens

Sex differences have complicated our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many behaviors that are key for survival. As such, continued elucidation of the similarities and differences between sexes is necessary to gain insight into brain function and vulnerability. The connection between the hippocampus (Hipp) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a crucial site where modulation of neuronal activity mediates reward-related behavior. Our previous work demonstrated that long-term potentiation (LTP) of Hipp→NAc synapses is rewarding, and mice can establish learned associations between LTP of these synapses and the contextual environment in which LTP occurred. Here, we investigated sex differences in the mechanisms underlying Hipp→NAc LTP using whole-cell electrophysiology and pharmacology. We observed similarities in basal synaptic strength between males and females and found that LTP occurs postsynaptically with similar magnitudes in both sexes. However, key sex differences emerged as LTP in males required NMDA receptors (NMDAR), whereas LTP in females utilized an NMDAR-independent mechanism involving L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) and estrogen receptor α (ERα). We also uncovered sex-similar features as LTP in both sexes depended on CaMKII activity and occurred independently of dopamine-1 receptor (D1R) activation. Our results have elucidated sex-specific molecular mechanisms for LTP in an integral pathway that mediates reward-related behaviors, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as a variable in mechanistic studies. Continued characterization of sex-specific mechanisms underlying plasticity will offer novel insight into the neurophysiological basis of behavior, with significant implications for understanding how diverse processes mediate behavior and contribute to vulnerability to developing psychiatric disorders.

Mono-methylation of lysine 27 at histone 3 confers lifelong susceptibility to stress

Histone post-translational modifications are critical for mediating persistent alterations in gene expression. By combining unbiased proteomics profiling and genome-wide approaches, we uncovered a role for mono-methylation of lysine 27 at histone H3 (H3K27me1) in the enduring effects of stress. Specifically, mice susceptible to early life stress (ELS) or chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) displayed increased H3K27me1 enrichment in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain-reward region. Stress-induced H3K27me1 accumulation occurred at genes that control neuronal excitability and was mediated by the VEFS domain of SUZ12, a core subunit of the polycomb repressive complex-2, which controls H3K27 methylation patterns. Viral VEFS expression changed the transcriptional profile of the NAc, led to social, emotional, and cognitive abnormalities, and altered excitability and synaptic transmission of NAc D1-medium spiny neurons. Together, we describe a novel function of H3K27me1 in the brain and demonstrate its role as a "chromatin scar" that mediates lifelong stress susceptibility.

Epigenetic aging in major depressive disorder: Clocks, mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives

Depression, a chronic mental disorder characterized by persistent sadness, loss of interest, and difficulty in daily tasks, impacts millions globally with varying treatment options. Antidepressants, despite their long half-life and minimal effectiveness, leave half of patients undertreated, highlighting the need for new therapies to enhance well-being. Epigenetics, which studies genetic changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype without altering the underlying Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence, is explored in this article. This article delves into the intricate relationship between epigenetic mechanisms and depression, shedding light on how environmental stressors, early-life adversity, and genetic predispositions shape gene expression patterns associated with depression. We have also discussed Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which enhance cognitive function and mood regulation in depression. Non-coding RNAs, (ncRNAs) such as Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and micro RNA (miRNAs), are highlighted as potential biomarkers for detecting and monitoring major depressive disorder (MDD). This article also emphasizes the reversible nature of epigenetic modifications and their influence on neuronal growth processes, underscoring the dynamic interplay between genetics, environment, and epigenetics in depression development. It explores the therapeutic potential of targeting epigenetic pathways in treating clinical depression. Additionally, it examines clinical findings related to epigenetic clocks and their role in studying depression and biological aging.

Repurposing Ketamine in the Therapy of Depression and Depression-Related Disorders: Recent Advances and Future Potential

Depression represents a prevalent and enduring mental disorder of significant concern within the clinical domain. Extensive research indicates that depression is very complex, with many interconnected pathways involved. Most research related to depression focuses on monoamines, neurotrophic factors, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, tryptophan metabolism, energy metabolism, mitochondrial function, the gut-brain axis, glial cell-mediated inflammation, myelination, homeostasis, and brain neural networks. However, recently, Ketamine, an ionotropic N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has been discovered to have rapid antidepressant effects in patients, leading to novel and successful treatment approaches for mood disorders. This review aims to summarize the latest findings and insights into various signaling pathways and systems observed in depression patients and animal models, providing a more comprehensive view of the neurobiology of anxious-depressive-like behavior. Specifically, it highlights the key mechanisms of ketamine as a rapid-acting antidepressant, aiming to enhance the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Moreover, we discuss the potential of ketamine as a prophylactic or therapeutic intervention for stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Parvalbumin neurons in the nucleus accumbens shell modulate seizure in temporal lobe epilepsy

A growing number of clinical and animal studies suggest that the nucleus accumbens (NAc), especially the shell, is involved in the pathogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, the role of parvalbumin (PV) GABAergic neurons in the NAc shell involved in TLE is still unclear. In this study, we induced a spontaneous TLE model by intrahippocampal administration of kainic acid (KA), which generally induce acute seizures in first 2 h (acute phase) and then lead to spontaneous recurrent seizures after two months (chronic phase). We found that chemogenetic activation of NAc shell PV neurons could alleviate TLE seizures by reducing the number and period of focal seizures (FSs) and secondary generalized seizures (sGSs), while selective inhibition of PV exacerbated seizure activity. Ruby-virus mapping results identified that the hippocampus (ventral and dorsal) is one of the projection targets of NAc shell PV neurons. Chemogenetic activation of the NAc-Hip PV projection fibers can mitigate seizures while inhibition has no effect on seizure ictogenesis. In summary, our findings reveal that PV neurons in the NAc shell could modulate the seizures in TLE via a long-range NAc-Hip circuit. All of these results enriched the investigation between NAc and epilepsy, offering new targets for future epileptogenesis research and precision therapy.

SIRT1 Coordinates Transcriptional Regulation of Neural Activity and Modulates Depression-Like Behaviors in the Nucleus Accumbens

BACKGROUND

Major depression and anxiety disorders are significant causes of disability and socioeconomic burden. Despite the prevalence and considerable impact of these affective disorders, their pathophysiology remains elusive. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutics for these conditions. We evaluated the role of SIRT1 in regulating dysfunctional processes of reward by using chronic social defeat stress to induce depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Chronic social defeat stress induces physiological and behavioral changes that recapitulate depression-like symptomatology and alters gene expression programs in the nucleus accumbens, but cell type-specific changes in this critical structure remain largely unknown.

METHODS

We examined transcriptional profiles of D1-expressing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) lacking deacetylase activity of SIRT1 by RNA sequencing in a cell type-specific manner using the RiboTag line of mice. We analyzed differentially expressed genes using gene ontology tools including SynGO and EnrichR and further demonstrated functional changes in D1-MSN-specific SIRT1 knockout (KO) mice using electrophysiological and behavioral measurements.

RESULTS

RNA sequencing revealed altered transcriptional profiles of D1-MSNs lacking functional SIRT1 and showed specific changes in synaptic genes including glutamatergic and GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) receptors in D1-MSNs. These molecular changes may be associated with decreased excitatory and increased inhibitory neural activity in Sirt1 KO D1-MSNs, accompanied by morphological changes. Moreover, the D1-MSN-specific Sirt1 KO mice exhibited proresilient changes in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

SIRT1 coordinates excitatory and inhibitory synaptic genes to regulate the GABAergic output tone of D1-MSNs. These findings reveal a novel signaling pathway that has potential for the development of innovative treatments for affective disorders.

Effect of rifampicin on TLR4-signaling pathways in the nucleus accumbens of the rat brain during abstinence of long-term alcohol treatment

AIMS

The treatment with the antibiotic rifampicin (Rif) led to a decrease in the frequency of neurodegenerative pathologies. There are suggestions that the mechanism of action of Rif may be mediated by its effect on toll-like receptor (TLR)4-dependent pathways. We evaluated the expression status of TLR4-dependent genes during abstinence from long-term alcohol treatments in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the rat brain, and also studied the effects of Rif to correct these changes.

METHODS

The long-term alcohol treatment was performed by intragastric delivery of ethanol solution. At the end of alcohol treatment intraperitoneal injections of Rif (100 mg/kg) or saline were made. Extraction of the brain structures was performed on the 10th day of abstinence from alcohol. We used the SYBR Green qPCR method to quantitatively analyze the relative expression levels of the studied genes.

RESULTS

The long-term alcohol treatment promotes an increase in the level of TLR4 mRNA and mRNA of its endogenous ligand high-mobility group protein B1 during abstinence drop alcohol in NAc of rats. The use of Rif in our study led to a decrease in the increased expression of high-mobility group protein B1, Tlr4, and proinflammatory cytokine genes (Il1β, Il6) in the NAc of the rat brain during abstinence of long-term alcohol treatment. In addition, Rif administration increased the decreased mRNA levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (Il10, Il11).

CONCLUSION

The data obtained indicate the ability of Rif to correct the mechanisms of the TLR4 system genes in the NAc of the rat brain during alcohol abstinence.

Loss of the sustained antidepressant-like effect of (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine in NMDA receptor GluN2D subunit knockout mice

Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has attracted attention for its acute and sustained antidepressant effects in patients with depression. Hydroxynorketamine (HNK), a metabolite of ketamine, exerts antidepressant effects without exerting ketamine's side effects and has attracted much attention in recent years. However, the detailed pharmacological mechanism of action of HNK remains unclear. We previously showed that the GluN2D NMDA receptor subunit is important for sustained antidepressant-like effects of (R)-ketamine. Therefore, we investigated whether the GluN2D subunit is involved in antidepressant-like effects of (2R,6R)-HNK and (2S,6S)-HNK. Treatment with (2R,6R)-HNK but not (2S,6S)-HNK exerted acute and sustained antidepressant-like effects in the tail-suspension test in wildtype mice. Interestingly, sustained antidepressant-like effects of (2R,6R)-HNK were abolished in GluN2D-knockout mice, whereas acute antidepressant-like effects were maintained in GluN2D-knockout mice. When expression levels of GluN2A and GluN2B subunits were evaluated, a decrease in GluN2B protein expression in the nucleus accumbens was found in stressed wildtype mice but not in stressed GluN2D-knockout mice. These results suggest that the GluN2D subunit and possibly the GluN2B subunit are involved in the sustained antidepressant-like effect of (2R,6R)-HNK.

Exploring Novel Antidepressants Targeting G Protein-Coupled Receptors and Key Membrane Receptors Based on Molecular Structures

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a complex mental disorder that involves alterations in signal transmission across multiple scales and structural abnormalities. The development of effective antidepressants (ADs) has been hindered by the dominance of monoamine hypothesis, resulting in slow progress. Traditional ADs have undesirable traits like delayed onset of action, limited efficacy, and severe side effects. Recently, two categories of fast-acting antidepressant compounds have surfaced, dissociative anesthetics S-ketamine and its metabolites, as well as psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). This has led to structural research and drug development of the receptors that they target. This review provides breakthroughs and achievements in the structure of depression-related receptors and novel ADs based on these. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has enabled researchers to identify the structures of membrane receptors, including the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT2A) receptor. These high-resolution structures can be used for the development of novel ADs using virtual drug screening (VDS). Moreover, the unique antidepressant effects of 5-HT1A receptors in various brain regions, and the pivotal roles of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) and tyrosine kinase receptor 2 (TrkB) in regulating synaptic plasticity, emphasize their potential as therapeutic targets. Using structural information, a series of highly selective ADs were designed based on the different role of receptors in MDD. These molecules have the favorable characteristics of rapid onset and low adverse drug reactions. This review offers researchers guidance and a methodological framework for the structure-based design of ADs.

Effect of MCH1, a fatty-acid amide hydrolase inhibitor, on the depressive-like behavior and gene expression of endocannabinoid and dopaminergic-signaling system in the mouse nucleus accumbens

MCH1 is a synthetic macamide that has shown in vitro inhibitory activity on fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), an enzyme responsible for endocannabinoid metabolism. This inhibition can modulate endocannabinoid and dopamine signaling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), potentially having an antidepressant-like effect. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the in vivo administration of MCH1 (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg, ip) in 2-month-old BALB/c male mice (n=97) on forced swimming test (FST), light-dark box (LDB), and open field test (OFT) and on early gene expression changes 2 h after drug injection related to the endocannabinoid system (Cnr1 and Faah) and dopaminergic signaling (Drd1 and Drd2) in the NAc core. We found that the 10 mg/kg MCH1 dose reduced the immobility time compared to the vehicle group in the FST with no effect on anxiety-like behaviors measured in the LDB or OFT. However, a 10 mg/kg MCH1 dose increased locomotor activity in the OFT compared to the vehicle. Moreover, RT-qPCR results showed that the 30 mg/kg MCH1 dose increased Faah gene expression by 2.8-fold, and 10 mg/kg MCH1 increased the Cnr1 gene expression by 4.3-fold compared to the vehicle. No changes were observed in the expression of the Drd1 and Drd2 genes in the NAc at either MCH1 dose. These results indicated that MCH1 might have an antidepressant-like effect without an anxiogenic effect and induces significant changes in endocannabinoid-related genes but not in genes of the dopaminergic signaling system in the NAc of mice.

Sex-specific mechanisms underlie long-term potentiation at hippocampus-nucleus accumbens synapses

Sex differences have complicated our understanding of the neurobiological basis of many behaviors that are key for survival. As such, continued elucidation of the similarities and differences between sexes is necessary in order to gain insight into brain function and vulnerability. The connection between the hippocampus (Hipp) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a crucial site where modulation of neuronal activity mediates reward-related behavior. Our previous work demonstrated that long-term potentiation (LTP) of Hipp-NAc synapses is rewarding, and that mice can make learned associations between LTP of these synapses and the contextual environment in which LTP occurred. Here, we investigate sex differences in the mechanisms underlying Hipp-NAc LTP using whole-cell electrophysiology and pharmacology. We found that males and females display similar magnitudes of Hipp-NAc LTP which occurs postsynaptically. However, LTP in females requires L-type voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels (VGCC) for postsynaptic Ca 2+ influx, while males rely on NMDA receptors (NMDAR). Additionally, females require estrogen receptor α (ERα) activity for LTP while males do not. These differential mechanisms converge as LTP in both sexes depends on CAMKII activity and occurs independently of dopamine-1 receptor (D1R) activation. Our results have elucidated sex-specific molecular mechanisms for LTP in an integral excitatory pathway that mediates reward-related behaviors, emphasizing the importance of considering sex as a variable in mechanistic studies. Continued characterization of sex-specific mechanisms underlying plasticity will offer novel insight into the neurophysiological basis of behavior, with significant implications for understanding how diverse processes mediate behavior and contribute to vulnerability to developing psychiatric disorders.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

Strengthening of Hipp-NAc synapses drives reward-related behaviors. Male and female mice have similar magnitudes of long-term potentiation (LTP) and both sexes have a predicted postsynaptic locus of plasticity. Despite these similarities, we illustrate here that sex-specific molecular mechanisms are used to elicit LTP. Given the bidirectional relationship between Hipp-NAc synaptic strength in mediating reward-related behaviors, the use of distinct molecular mechanisms may explain sex differences observed in stress susceptibility or response to rewarding stimuli. Discovery and characterization of convergent sex differences provides mechanistic insight into the sex-specific function of Hipp-NAc circuitry and has widespread implications for circuits mediating learning and reward-related behavior.

Balance Between Projecting Neuronal Populations of the Nucleus Accumbens Controls Social Behavior in Mice

BACKGROUND

Deficient social interactions are a hallmark of major neuropsychiatric disorders, and accumulating evidence points to altered social reward and motivation as key underlying mechanisms of these pathologies. In the present study, we further explored the role of the balance of activity between D1 and D2 receptor-expressing striatal projection neurons (D1R- and D2R-SPNs) in the control of social behavior, challenging the hypothesis that excessive D2R-SPN activity, rather than deficient D1R-SPN activity, compromises social behavior.

METHODS

We selectively ablated D1R- and D2R-SPNs using an inducible diphtheria toxin receptor-mediated cell targeting strategy and assessed social behavior as well as repetitive/perseverative behavior, motor function, and anxiety levels. We tested the effects of optogenetic stimulation of D2R-SPNs in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and pharmacological compounds repressing D2R-SPN.

RESULTS

Targeted deletion of D1R-SPNs in the NAc blunted social behavior in mice, facilitated motor skill learning, and increased anxiety levels. These behaviors were normalized by pharmacological inhibition of D2R-SPN, which also repressed transcription in the efferent nucleus, the ventral pallidum. Ablation of D1R-SPNs in the dorsal striatum had no impact on social behavior but impaired motor skill learning and decreased anxiety levels. Deletion of D2R-SPNs in the NAc produced motor stereotypies but facilitated social behavior and impaired motor skill learning. We mimicked excessive D2R-SPN activity by optically stimulating D2R-SPNs in the NAc and observed a severe deficit in social interaction that was prevented by D2R-SPN pharmacological inhibition.

CONCLUSIONS

Repressing D2R-SPN activity may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to relieve social deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders.

Nucleus accumbens local circuit for cue-dependent aversive learning

Response to threatening environmental stimuli requires detection and encoding of important environmental features that dictate threat. Aversive events are highly salient, which promotes associative learning about stimuli that signal this threat. The nucleus accumbens is uniquely positioned to process this salient, aversive information and promote motivated output, through plasticity on the major projection neurons in the brain area. We describe a nucleus accumbens core local circuit whereby excitatory plasticity facilitates learning and recall of discrete aversive cues. We demonstrate that putative nucleus accumbens substance P release and long-term excitatory plasticity on dopamine 2 receptor-expressing projection neurons are required for cue-dependent fear learning. Additionally, we find that fear learning and recall is dependent on distinct projection neuron subtypes. Our work demonstrates a critical role for nucleus accumbens substance P in cue-dependent aversive learning.

Central activation of the fatty acid sensor GPR120 suppresses microglia reactivity and alleviates sickness- and anxiety-like behaviors

G protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120, Ffar4) is a sensor for long-chain fatty acids including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) known for beneficial effects on inflammation, metabolism, and mood. GPR120 mediates the anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effects of n-3 PUFAs in peripheral tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of GPR120 stimulation on microglial reactivity, neuroinflammation and sickness- and anxiety-like behaviors by acute proinflammatory insults. We found GPR120 mRNA to be enriched in  both murine and human microglia, and in situ hybridization revealed GPR120 expression in microglia of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in mice. In a manner similar to or exceeding n-3 PUFAs, GPR120 agonism (Compound A, CpdA) strongly attenuated lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proinflammatory marker expression in primary mouse microglia, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and inhibited nuclear factor-ĸB translocation to the nucleus. Central administration of CpdA to adult mice blunted LPS-induced hypolocomotion and anxiety-like behavior and reduced TNF-α, IL-1β and IBA-1 (microglia marker) mRNA in the NAc, a brain region modulating anxiety and motivation and implicated in neuroinflammation-induced mood deficits. GPR120 agonist pre-treatment attenuated NAc microglia reactivity and alleviated sickness-like behaviors elicited by central injection TNF-α and IL-1β. These findings suggest that microglial GPR120 contributes to neuroimmune regulation and behavioral changes in response to acute infection and elevated brain cytokines. GPR120 may participate in the protective action of n-3 PUFAs at the neural and behavioral level and offers potential as treatment target for neuroinflammatory conditions.

A novel perspective on the role of nucleus accumbens neurons in encoding associative learning

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) has been considered a key brain region for encoding reward/aversion and cue-outcome associations. These processes are encoded by medium spiny neurons that express either dopamine receptor D1 (D1-MSNs) or D2 (D2-MSNs). Despite the well-established role of NAc neurons in encoding reward/aversion, the underlying processing by D1-/D2-MSNs remains largely unknown. Recent electrophysiological, optogenetic and calcium imaging studies provided insight on the complex role of D1- and D2-MSNs in these behaviours and helped to clarify their involvement in associative learning. Here, we critically discuss findings supporting an intricate and complementary role of NAc D1- and D2-MSNs in associative learning, emphasizing the need for additional studies in order to fully understand the role of these neurons in behaviour.

Ventral striatal islands of Calleja neurons bidirectionally mediate depression-like behaviors in mice

The ventral striatum is a reward center implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. It contains islands of Calleja, clusters of dopamine D3 receptor-expressing granule cells, predominantly in the olfactory tubercle (OT). These OT D3 neurons regulate self-grooming, a repetitive behavior manifested in affective disorders. Here we show that chronic restraint stress (CRS) induces robust depression-like behaviors in mice and decreases excitability of OT D3 neurons. Ablation or inhibition of these neurons leads to depression-like behaviors, whereas their activation ameliorates CRS-induced depression-like behaviors. Moreover, activation of OT D3 neurons has a rewarding effect, which diminishes when grooming is blocked. Finally, we propose a model that explains how OT D3 neurons may influence dopamine release via synaptic connections with OT spiny projection neurons (SPNs) that project to midbrain dopamine neurons. Our study reveals a crucial role of OT D3 neurons in bidirectionally mediating depression-like behaviors, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.

Nucleus Accumbens Local Circuit for Cue-Dependent Aversive Learning

Response to threatening environmental stimuli requires detection and encoding of important environmental features that dictate threat. Aversive events are highly salient which promotes associative learning about stimuli that signal this threat. The nucleus accumbens is uniquely positioned to process this salient, aversive information and promote motivated output, through plasticity on the major projection neurons in the brain area. We uncovered a nucleus accumbens core local circuit whereby excitatory plasticity facilitates learning and recall of discrete aversive cues. We demonstrate that putative nucleus accumbens substance P release and long-term excitatory plasticity on dopamine 2 receptor expressing projection neurons is required for cue-dependent fear learning. Additionally, we found fear learning and recall were dependent on distinct projection-neuron subtypes. Our work demonstrates a critical role for Nucleus Accumbens substance P in cue-dependent aversive learning.

Hedonic eating, obesity, and addiction result from increased neuropeptide Y in the nucleus accumbens during human brain evolution

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is central to motivation and action, exhibiting one of the highest densities of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain. Within the NAc, NPY plays a role in reward and is involved in emotional behavior and in increasing alcohol and drug addiction and fat intake. Here, we examined NPY innervation and neurons of the NAc in humans and other anthropoid primates in order to determine whether there are differences among these various species that would correspond to behavioral or life history variables. We quantified NPY-immunoreactive axons and neurons in the NAc of 13 primate species, including humans, great apes, and monkeys. Our data show that the human brain is unique among primates in having denser NPY innervation within the NAc, as measured by axon length density to neuron density, even after accounting for brain size. Combined with our previous finding of increased dopaminergic innervation in the same region, our results suggest that the neurochemical profile of the human NAc appears to have rendered our species uniquely susceptible to neurophysiological conditions such as addiction. The increase in NPY specific to the NAc may represent an adaptation that favors fat intake and contributes to an increased vulnerability to eating disorders, obesity, as well as alcohol and drug dependence. Along with our findings for dopamine, these deeply rooted structural attributes of the human brain are likely to have emerged early in the human clade, laying the groundwork for later brain expansion and the development of cognitive and behavioral specializations.

Nucleus accumbens D1/D2 circuits control opioid withdrawal symptoms in mice

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is the most promising target for drug use disorder treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of NAc is effective for drug use disorder treatment. However, the mechanisms by which DBS produces its therapeutic effects remain enigmatic. Here, we define a behavioral cutoff criterion to distinguish depressive-like behaviors and non-depressive-like behaviors in mice after morphine withdrawal. We identified a basolateral amygdala (BLA) to NAc D1 medium spiny neuron (MSN) pathway that controls depressive-like behaviors after morphine withdrawal. Furthermore, the paraventricular nucleus of thalamus (PVT) to NAc D2 MSN pathway controls naloxone-induced acute withdrawal symptoms. Optogenetically induced long-term potentiation with κ-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonism enhanced BLA to NAc D1 MSN signaling and also altered the excitation/inhibition balance of NAc D2 MSN signaling. We also verified that a new 50 Hz DBS protocol reversed morphine withdrawal-evoked abnormal plasticity in NAc. Importantly, this refined DBS treatment effectively alleviated naloxone-induced withdrawal symptoms and depressive-like behaviors and prevented stress-induced reinstatement. Taken together, the results demonstrated that input- and cell type-specific synaptic plasticity underlies morphine withdrawal, which may lead to novel targets for the treatment of opioid use disorder.

Sex and cell-specific gene expression in corticolimbic brain regions associated with psychiatric disorders revealed by bulk and single-nuclei RNA sequencing

BACKGROUND

There are sex-specific differences in the prevalence, symptomology and course of psychiatric disorders. However, preclinical models have primarily used males, such that the molecular mechanisms underlying sex-specific differences in psychiatric disorders are not well established.

METHODS

In this study, we compared transcriptome-wide gene expression profiles in male and female rats within the corticolimbic system, including the cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens medial shell (NAcS), ventral dentate gyrus and the basolateral amygdala (n = 22-24 per group/region).

FINDINGS

We found over 3000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the NAcS between males and females. Of these DEGs in the NAcS, 303 showed sex-dependent conservation DEGs in humans and were significantly enriched for gene ontology terms related to blood vessel morphogenesis and regulation of cell migration. Single nuclei RNA sequencing in the NAcS of male and female rats identified widespread sex-dependent expression, with genes upregulated in females showing a notable enrichment for synaptic function. Female upregulated genes in astrocytes, Drd3+MSNs and oligodendrocyte were also enriched in several psychiatric genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

INTERPRETATION

Our data provide comprehensive evidence of sex- and cell-specific molecular profiles in the NAcS. Importantly these differences associate with anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and cross-disorder, suggesting an intrinsic molecular basis for sex-based differences in psychiatric disorders that strongly implicates the NAcS.

FUNDING

This work was supported by funding from the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (MJM).

The role of the D3 dopamine receptor and its partial agonist cariprazine in patients with schizophrenia and substance use disorder

INTRODUCTION

Comorbidity of substance use disorder (SUD) with schizophrenia, referred to as dual disorder (DD), significantly increases morbidity and mortality compared to schizophrenia alone. A dopaminergic dysregulation seems to be a common pathophysiological basis of the comorbidity.

AREAS COVERED

This article reports the current evidence on the role of dopamine dysregulations in DD, the pharmacological profile of cariprazine, a partial agonist of D3 and D2 dopamine receptors, and first clinical observations that may support its usefulness in the therapy of DD. PubMed/MEDLINE was searched for the keywords 'cariprazine,' 'schizophrenia,' 'dual disorder,' 'dopamine,' and 'dopamine receptor.' Preclinical and clinical studies, and reviews published in English were retrieved.

EXPERT OPINION

Although the management of DD remains challenging, and the evidence for pharmacologic treatments is still unsatisfactory, cariprazine may be a candidate medication in DD due to its unique mechanism of action. Preliminary clinical experiences suggest that cariprazine has both antipsychotic and anticraving properties and should be considered early in patients with DD.

Sex differences in pre- and post-synaptic glutamate signaling in the nucleus accumbens core

BACKGROUND

Glutamate signaling within the nucleus accumbens underlies motivated behavior and is involved in psychiatric disease. Although behavioral sex differences in these processes are well-established, the neural mechanisms driving these differences are largely unexplored. In these studies, we examine potential sex differences in synaptic plasticity and excitatory transmission within the nucleus accumbens core. Further understanding of baseline sex differences in reward circuitry will shed light on potential mechanisms driving behavioral differences in motivated behavior and psychiatric disease.

METHODS

Behaviorally naïve adult male and female Long-Evans rats, C57Bl/6J mice, and constitutive PKMζ knockout mice were killed and tissue containing the nucleus accumbens core was collected for ex vivo slice electrophysiology experiments. Electrophysiology recordings examined baseline sex differences in synaptic plasticity and transmission within this region and the potential role of PKMζ in long-term depression.

RESULTS

Within the nucleus accumbens core, both female mice and rats exhibit higher AMPA/NMDA ratios compared to male animals. Further, female mice have a larger readily releasable pool of glutamate and lower release probability compared to male mice. No significant sex differences were detected in spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude or frequency. Finally, the threshold for induction of long-term depression was lower for male animals than females, an effect that appears to be mediated, in part, by PKMζ.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that there are baseline sex differences in synaptic plasticity and excitatory transmission in the nucleus accumbens core. Our data suggest there are sex differences at multiple levels in this region that should be considered in the development of pharmacotherapies to treat psychiatric illnesses such as depression and substance use disorder.

Impacts of maternal separation stress on ethanol-related responses, anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in adolescent mice

The present work evaluated the consequences of chronic maternal separation (MS), an animal model of early-life stress, on ethanol intake and striatal Fos expression induced by ethanol consumption. Furthermore, we analyzed MS impacts on anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors and on locomotor and plasma corticosterone responses to intraperitoneal treatment with ethanol in adolescent mice. For that, male and female C57BL/6J mice were exposed or not to MS stress, for 3 h per day, from postnatal day (PND) 1 to 14, and submitted to behavioral tests from PND 28. In Experiment 1, MS and control groups of mice were submitted to an involuntary ethanol intake protocol, and striatal Fos expression following ethanol exposure was analyzed. In Experiment 2, mice behavior was assessed in elevated plus-maze, sucrose splash, saccharin preference, and open field tests. Locomotor and plasma corticosterone responses induced by a systemic dose of ethanol (1.75 g/kg) were also evaluated. Our results demonstrated that MS increased ethanol intake only in an acute manner and did not impact ethanol-induced Fos expression in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and shell subregions. MS did not change the parameters analyzed during elevated plus-maze, sucrose splash, preference for saccharin, and open field tests. MS did not affect locomotor activity following ethanol injection nor plasma corticosterone response to the drug. Thus, our data showed that MS transiently increased ethanol intake. However, early-life stress did not impact Fos, locomotor, or plasma corticosterone responses to the drug. In addition, MS did not affect anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in adolescent mice.

Mitofusin-2 in nucleus accumbens D2-MSNs regulates social dominance and neuronal function

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a brain hub regulating motivated behaviors, including social competitiveness. Mitochondrial function in the NAc links anxiety with social competitiveness, and the mitochondrial fusion protein mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) in NAc neurons regulates anxiety-related behaviors. However, it remains unexplored whether accumbal Mfn2 levels also affect social behavior and whether Mfn2 actions in the emotional and social domain are driven by distinct cell types. Here, we found that subordinate-prone highly anxious rats show decreased accumbal Mfn2 levels and that Mfn2 overexpression promotes dominant behavior. In mice, selective Mfn2 downregulation in NAc dopamine D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) induced social subordination, accompanied by decreased accumbal mitochondrial functions and decreased excitability in D2-MSNs. Instead, D1-MSN-targeted Mfn2 downregulation affected competitive ability only transiently and likely because of an increase in anxiety-like behaviors. Our results assign dissociable cell-type specific roles to Mfn2 in the NAc in modulating social dominance and anxiety.

Involvement of brain cell phenotypes in stress-vulnerability and resilience

Stress-related disorders' prevalence is epidemically increasing in modern society, leading to a severe impact on individuals' well-being and a great economic burden on public resources. Based on this, it is critical to understand the mechanisms by which stress induces these disorders. The study of stress made great progress in the past decades, from deeper into the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to the understanding of the involvement of a single cell subtype on stress outcomes. In fact, many studies have used state-of-the-art tools such as chemogenetic, optogenetic, genetic manipulation, electrophysiology, pharmacology, and immunohistochemistry to investigate the role of specific cell subtypes in the stress response. In this review, we aim to gather studies addressing the involvement of specific brain cell subtypes in stress-related responses, exploring possible mechanisms associated with stress vulnerability versus resilience in preclinical models. We particularly focus on the involvement of the astrocytes, microglia, medium spiny neurons, parvalbumin neurons, pyramidal neurons, serotonergic neurons, and interneurons of different brain areas in stress-induced outcomes, resilience, and vulnerability to stress. We believe that this review can shed light on how diverse molecular mechanisms, involving specific receptors, neurotrophic factors, epigenetic enzymes, and miRNAs, among others, within these brain cell subtypes, are associated with the expression of a stress-susceptible or resilient phenotype, advancing the understanding/knowledge on the specific machinery implicate in those events.

Roles of nucleus accumbens shell small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in the conditioned fear freezing

BACKGROUND

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychiatric disorder caused by stressful events, is characterized by long-lasting fear memory. The nucleus accumbens shell (NAcS) is a key brain region that regulates fear-associated behavior. Small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK channels) play a key role in regulating the excitability of NAcS medium spiny neurons (MSNs) but their mechanisms of action in fear freezing are unclear.

METHOD

We established an animal model of traumatic memory using conditioned fear freezing paradigm, and investigated the alterations in SK channels of NAc MSNs subsequent to fear conditioning in mice. We then utilized an adeno-associated virus (AAV) transfection system to overexpress the SK3 subunit and explore the function of the NAcS MSNs SK3 channel in conditioned fear freezing.

RESULTS

Fear conditioning activated NAcS MSNs with enhanced excitability and reduced the SK channel-mediated medium after-hyperpolarization (mAHP) amplitude. The expression of NAcS SK3 were also reduced time-dependently. The overexpression of NAcS SK3 impaired conditioned fear consolidation without affecting conditioned fear expression, and blocked fear conditioning-induced alterations in NAcS MSNs excitability and mAHP amplitude. Additionally, the amplitudes of mEPSC, AMPAR/NMDAR ratio, and membrane surface GluA1/A2 expression in NAcS MSNs was increased by fear conditioning and returned to normal levels upon SK3 overexpression, indicating that fear conditioning-induced decrease of SK3 expression caused postsynaptic excitation by facilitating AMPAR transmission to the membrane.

CONCLUSION

These findings show that the NAcS MSNs SK3 channel plays a critical role in conditioned fear consolidation and that it may influence PTSD pathogenesis, making it a potential therapeutic target against PTSD.

Emotionally clocked out: cell-type specific regulation of mood and anxiety by the circadian clock system in the brain

Circadian rhythms are self-sustained oscillations of biological systems that allow an organism to anticipate periodic changes in the environment and optimally align feeding, sleep, wakefulness, and the physiological and biochemical processes that support them within the 24 h cycle. These rhythms are generated at a cellular level by a set of genes, known as clock genes, which code for proteins that inhibit their own transcription in a negative feedback loop and can be perturbed by stress, a risk factor for the development of mood and anxiety disorders. A role for circadian clocks in mood and anxiety has been suggested for decades on the basis of clinical observations, and the dysregulation of circadian rhythms is a prominent clinical feature of stress-related disorders. Despite our understanding of central clock structure and function, the effect of circadian dysregulation in different neuronal subtypes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the master pacemaker region, as well as other brain systems regulating mood, including mesolimbic and limbic circuits, is just beginning to be elucidated. In the brain, circadian clocks regulate neuronal physiological functions, including neuronal activity, synaptic plasticity, protein expression, and neurotransmitter release which in turn affect mood-related behaviors via cell-type specific mechanisms. Both animal and human studies have revealed an association between circadian misalignment and mood disorders and suggest that internal temporal desynchrony might be part of the etiology of psychiatric disorders. To date, little work has been conducted associating mood-related phenotypes to cell-specific effects of the circadian clock disruptions. In this review, we discuss existing literature on how clock-driven changes in specific neuronal cell types might disrupt phase relationships among cellular communication, leading to neuronal circuit dysfunction and changes in mood-related behavior. In addition, we examine cell-type specific circuitry underlying mood dysfunction and discuss how this circuitry could affect circadian clock. We provide a focus for future research in this area and a perspective on chronotherapies for mood and anxiety disorders.

Ketamine rescues anhedonia by cell-type and input specific adaptations in the Nucleus Accumbens

Ketamine's role in providing a rapid and sustained antidepressant response, particularly for patients unresponsive to conventional treatments, is increasingly recognized. A core symptom of depression, anhedonia, or the loss of enjoyment or interest in previously pleasurable activities, is known to be significantly alleviated by ketamine. While several hypotheses have been proposed regarding the mechanisms by which ketamine alleviates anhedonia, the specific circuits and synaptic changes responsible for its sustained therapeutic effects are not yet understood. Here, we show that the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a major hub of the reward circuitry, is essential for ketamine's effect in rescuing anhedonia in mice subjected to chronic stress, a critical risk factor in the genesis of depression in humans. Specifically, a single exposure to ketamine rescues stress-induced decreased strength of excitatory synapses on NAc D1 dopamine receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs). By using a novel cell-specific pharmacology method, we demonstrate that this cell-type specific neuroadaptation is necessary for the sustained therapeutic effects of ketamine. To test for causal sufficiency, we artificially mimicked ketamine-induced increase in excitatory strength on D1-MSNs and found that this recapitulates the behavioral amelioration induced by ketamine. Finally, to determine the presynaptic origin of the relevant glutamatergic inputs for ketamine-elicited synaptic and behavioral effects, we used a combination of opto- and chemogenetics. We found that ketamine rescues stress-induced reduction in excitatory strength at medial prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus inputs to NAc D1-MSNs. Chemogenetically preventing ketamine-evoked plasticity at those unique inputs to the NAc reveals a ketamine-operated input-specific control of hedonic behavior. These results establish that ketamine rescues stress-induced anhedonia via cell-type-specific adaptations as well as information integration in the NAc via discrete excitatory synapses.

Mapping metabolite change in the mouse brain after esketamine injection by ambient mass spectrometry imaging and metabolomics

Ketamine is a new, fast, and effective antidepression treatment method; however, the possible dissociation effects, sensory changes, abuse risk, and the inability to accurately identify whether patients have a significant response to ketamine limit its clinical use. Further exploration of the antidepressant mechanisms of ketamine will contribute to its safe and practical application. Metabolites, the products of upstream gene expression and protein regulatory networks, play an essential role in various physiological and pathophysiological processes. In traditional metabonomics it is difficult to achieve the spatial localization of metabolites, which limits the further analysis of brain metabonomics by researchers. Here, we used a metabolic network mapping method called ambient air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization (AFADESI)-mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). We found the main changes in glycerophospholipid metabolism around the brain and sphingolipid metabolism changed mainly in the globus pallidus, which showed the most significant metabolite change after esketamine injection. The spatial distribution of metabolic changes was evaluated in the whole brain, and the potential mechanism of esketamine's antidepressant effect was explored in this research.

Monomethylation of Lysine 27 at Histone 3 Confers Lifelong Susceptibility to Stress

Histone post-translational modifications are critical for mediating persistent alterations in gene expression. By combining unbiased proteomics profiling, and genome-wide approaches, we uncovered a role for mono-methylation of lysine 27 at histone H3 (H3K27me1) in the enduring effects of stress. Specifically, mice exposed to early life stress (ELS) or to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) in adulthood displayed increased enrichment of H3K27me1, and transient decreases in H3K27me2, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain-reward region. Stress induction of H3K27me1 was mediated by the VEFS domain of SUZ12, a core subunit of the polycomb repressive complex-2, which is induced by chronic stress and controls H3K27 methylation patterns. Overexpression of the VEFS domain led to social, emotional, and cognitive abnormalities, and altered excitability of NAc D1 mediums spiny neurons. Together, we describe a novel function of H3K27me1 in brain and demonstrate its role as a "chromatin scar" that mediates lifelong stress susceptibility.

Attenuated facial movement in depressed women is associated with symptom severity, and nucleus accumbens functional connectivity

It is assumed that mood can be inferred from one's facial expression. While this association may prove to be an objective marker for mood disorders, few studies have explicitly evaluated this linkage. The facial movement responses of women with major depressive disorder (n = 66) and healthy controls (n = 46) under emotional stimuli were recorded using webcam. To boost facial movements, the naturalistic audio-visual stimuli were presented. To assess consistent global patterns across facial movements, scores for facial action units were extracted and projected onto principal component using principal component analysis. The associations of component for facial movements with functional brain circuitry was also investigated. Clusters of mouth movements, such as lip press and stretch, identified by principal component analysis, were attenuated in depressive patients compared to those in healthy controls. This component of facial movements was associated with depressive symptoms, and the strengths of resting brain functional connectivity between nucleus accumbens and both posterior insular cortex and thalamus. The evaluation of facial movements may prove to be a promising quantitative marker for assessing depressive symptoms and their underlying brain circuitry.

Adaptations in Nucleus Accumbens Neuron Subtypes Mediate Negative Affective Behaviors in Fentanyl Abstinence

BACKGROUND

Opioid discontinuation generates a withdrawal syndrome marked by increased negative affect. Increased symptoms of anxiety and dysphoria during opioid discontinuation are significant barriers to achieving long-term abstinence in opioid-dependent individuals. While adaptations in the nucleus accumbens are implicated in opioid abstinence syndrome, the precise neural mechanisms are poorly understood. Additionally, our current knowledge is limited to changes following natural and semisynthetic opioids, despite recent increases in synthetic opioid use and overdose.

METHODS

We used a combination of cell subtype-specific viral labeling and electrophysiology in male and female mice to investigate structural and functional plasticity in nucleus accumbens medium spiny neuron (MSN) subtypes after fentanyl abstinence. We characterized molecular adaptations after fentanyl abstinence with subtype-specific RNA sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis. We used viral-mediated gene transfer to manipulate the molecular signature of fentanyl abstinence in D1-MSNs.

RESULTS

Here, we show that fentanyl abstinence increases anxiety-like behavior, decreases social interaction, and engenders MSN subtype-specific plasticity in both sexes. D1-MSNs, but not D2-MSNs, exhibit dendritic atrophy and an increase in excitatory drive. We identified a cluster of coexpressed dendritic morphology genes downregulated selectively in D1-MSNs that are transcriptionally coregulated by E2F1. E2f1 expression in D1-MSNs protects against loss of dendritic complexity, altered physiology, and negative affect-like behaviors caused by fentanyl abstinence.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that fentanyl abstinence causes unique structural, functional, and molecular changes in nucleus accumbens D1-MSNs that can be targeted to alleviate negative affective symptoms during abstinence.

Nucleus accumbens in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder: A brief review

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most prevalent mental disorder characterized by anhedonia, loss of motivation, avolition, behavioral despair and cognitive abnormalities. Despite substantial advancements in the pathophysiology of MDD in recent years, the pathogenesis of this disorder is not fully understood. Meanwhile,the treatment of MDD with currently available antidepressants is inadequate, highlighting the urgent need for clarifying the pathophysiology of MDD and developing novel therapeutics. Extensive studies have demonstrated the involvement of nuclei such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIP), nucleus accumbens (NAc), hypothalamus, etc., in MDD. NAc,a region critical for reward and motivation,dysregulation of its activity seems to be a hallmark of this mood disorder. In this paper, we present a review of NAc related circuits, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying MDD and share an analysis of the gaps in current research and possible future research directions.

GABAergic neurons in the nucleus accumbens core mediate the antidepressant effects of sevoflurane

General anaesthetics have been widely applied to induce reversible loss and recovery of consciousness in clinical practice and have been shown to have reliably safe profiles. Since brief exposure to general anaesthetics can result in long-lasting and global changes in neuronal structures and function, these drugs also exhibit strong therapeutic potential for mood disorders. Preliminary and clinical studies have suggested that the inhalational anaesthetic drug sevoflurane might relieve symptoms of depression. However, the antidepressant effects of sevoflurane and the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In the present study, we confirmed that the antidepressant and anxiolytic effects of inhaling 2.5% sevoflurane for 30 min were comparable to those of ketamine and could be sustained for 48 h. Activation of GABAergic (γ-aminobutyric acidergic) neurons in the nucleus accumbens core by chemogenetics was shown to mimic the antidepressant effects of inhaled sevoflurane, whereas inhibition of these neurons significantly prevented these effects. Considered together, these results suggested that sevoflurane might exert rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects via modulation of neuronal activities in the nucleus accumbens core nucleus.

Reorganization of Brain Networks as a Substrate of Resilience: An Analysis of Cytochrome c Oxidase Activity in Rats

The unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) model has been used to induce depressive-like symptoms in animal models, showing adequate predictive validity. Our work aims to evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on resilience in this experimental model of depression. We also aim to assess changes in brain connectivity using cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry in cerebral regions related to cognitive-affective processes associated with depressive disorder: dorsal hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, accumbens, and habenula nuclei. Five groups of rats were used: UCMS, EE, EE + UCMS (enrichment + stress), BG (basal level of brain activity), and CONT (behavioral tests only). We assessed the hedonic responses elicited by sucrose solution using a consumption test; the anxiety level was evaluated using the elevated zero maze test, and the unconditioned fear responses were assessed by the cat odor test. The behavioral results showed that the UCMS protocol induces elevated anhedonia and anxiety. But these responses are attenuated previous exposure to EE. Regarding brain activity, the UCMS group showed greater activity in the habenula compared to the EE + UCMS group. EE induced a functional reorganization of brain activity. The EE + UCMS and UCMS groups showed different patterns of connections between brain regions. Our results showed that EE favors greater resilience and could reduce vulnerability to disorders such as depression and anxiety, modifying metabolic brain activity.

Matcha Tea Powder's Antidepressant-like Effect through the Activation of the Dopaminergic System in Mice Is Dependent on Social Isolation Stress

Matcha tea powder is believed to have various physiological benefits; however, its detailed mechanism of action has been poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether the mental state of mice, due to social isolation stress, affects the antidepressant-like effect of Matcha tea powder by using the tail suspension test. Oral administration of Matcha tea powder reduced the duration of immobility in the stress-susceptible C57BL/6J strain, but not in BALB/c strain. In C57BL/6J mice, SCH23390, a dopamine D1 receptor blocker, prevented Matcha tea powder from exerting its antidepressant-like effect. Matcha tea powder also increased the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) region and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) region in C57BL/6J mice, but not in BALB/c mice. In contrast, Matcha tea powder did not change the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) region. Notably, C57BL/6J mice with a shorter immobility time had a higher number of c-Fos-positive cells in the PFC, NAc, and VTA regions. However, no such correlation was observed in the stress-tolerant BALB/c mice. These results suggest that Matcha tea powder exerts an antidepressant-like effect through the activation of the dopaminergic system including the PFC-NAc-VTA circuit and that mental states are important factors affecting the physiological benefits of Matcha tea powder.

Molecular, Circuit, and Stress Response Characterization of Ventral Pallidum Npas1-Neurons

Altered activity of the ventral pallidum (VP) underlies disrupted motivation in stress and drug exposure. The VP is a very heterogeneous structure composed of many neuron types with distinct physiological properties and projections. Neuronal PAS 1-positive (Npas1+) VP neurons are thought to send projections to brain regions critical for motivational behavior. While Npas1+ neurons have been characterized in the globus pallidus external, there is limited information on these neurons in the VP. To address this limitation, we evaluated the projection targets of the VP Npas1+ neurons and performed RNA-sequencing on ribosome-associated mRNA from VP Npas1+ neurons to determine their molecular identity. Finally, we used a chemogenetic approach to manipulate VP Npas1+ neurons during social defeat stress (SDS) and behavioral tasks related to anxiety and motivation in Npas1-Cre mice. We used a similar approach in females using the chronic witness defeat stress (CWDS). We identified VP Npas1+ projections to the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, medial and lateral habenula, lateral hypothalamus, thalamus, medial and lateral septum, and periaqueductal gray area. VP Npas1+ neurons displayed distinct translatome representing distinct biological processes. Chemogenetic activation of hM3D(Gq) receptors in VP Npas1+ neurons increased susceptibility to a subthreshold SDS and anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and open field while the activation of hM4D(Gi) receptors in VP Npas1+ neurons enhanced resilience to chronic SDS and CWDS. Thus, the activity of VP Npas1+ neurons modulates susceptibility to social stressors and anxiety-like behavior. Our studies provide new information on VP Npas1+ neuron circuitry, molecular identity, and their role in stress response.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ventral pallidum (VP) is a structure connected to both reward-related and aversive brain centers. It is a key brain area that signals the hedonic value of natural rewards. Disruption in the VP underlies altered motivation in stress and substance use disorder. However, VP is a very heterogeneous area with multiple neuron subtypes. This study characterized the projection pattern and molecular signatures of VP Neuronal PAS 1-positive (Npas1+) neurons. We further used tools to alter receptor signaling in VP Npas1+ neurons in stress to demonstrate a role for these neurons in stress behavioral outcomes. Our studies have implications for understanding brain cell type identities and their role in brain disorders, such as depression, a serious disorder that is precipitated by stressful events.

Plasticity of synapses and reward circuit function in the genesis and treatment of depression

What changes in brain function cause the debilitating symptoms of depression? Can we use the answers to this question to invent more effective, faster acting antidepressant drug therapies? This review provides an overview and update of the converging human and preclinical evidence supporting the hypothesis that changes in the function of excitatory synapses impair the function of the circuits they are embedded in to give rise to the pathological changes in mood, hedonic state, and thought processes that characterize depression. The review also highlights complementary human and preclinical findings that classical and novel antidepressant drugs relieve the symptoms of depression by restoring the functions of these same synapses and circuits. These findings offer a useful path forward for designing better antidepressant compounds.

Progranulin from different gliocytes in the nucleus accumbens exerts distinct roles in FTD- and neuroinflammation-induced depression-like behaviors

BACKGROUND

Neuroinflammation in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is well known to influence the progression of depression. However, the molecular mechanisms triggering NAc neuroinflammation in depression have not been fully elucidated. Progranulin (PGRN) is a multifunctional growth factor that is linked to the innate immune response and inflammation, and PGRN plays a key role in neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here, the purpose of this study was to validate whether PGRN was involved in the NAc neuroinflammation-promoted depressive-like phenotype.

METHODS

A NAc neuroinflammation-relevant depression-like model was established using wild-type (WT) and PGRN-knockout (KO) mice after NAc injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and various behavioral tests related to cognition, social recognition, depression and anxiety were performed with WT and PGRNKO mice with or without NAc immune challenge. RT‒PCR, ELISA, western blotting and immunofluorescence staining were used to determine the expression and function of PGRN in the neuroinflammatory reaction in the NAc after LPS challenge. The morphology of neurons in the NAc from WT and PGRNKO mice under conditions of NAc neuroinflammation was analyzed using Golgi-Cox staining, followed by Sholl analyses. The potential signaling pathways involved in NAc neuroinflammation in PGRNKO mice were investigated by western blotting.

RESULTS

Under normal conditions, PGRN deficiency induced FTD-like behaviors in mice and astrocyte activation in the NAc, promoted the release of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 and increased dendritic complexity and synaptic protein BDNF levels in the NAc. However, NAc neuroinflammation enhanced PGRN expression, which was located in astrocytes and microglia within the NAc, and PGRN deficiency in mice alleviated NAc neuroinflammation-elicited depression-like behaviors, seemingly inhibiting astrocyte- and microglia-related inflammatory reactions and neuroplasticity complexity in the NAc via the p38 and nuclear factor of kappa (NF-κB) signaling pathways present in the NAc after neuroinflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that PGRN exerts distinct function on different behaviors, showing protective roles in the FTD-like behavior and detrimental effects on the neuroinflammation-related depression-like behavior, resulting from mediating astrocyte and microglial functions from the NAc in different status.

Nucleus accumbens shell modulates seizure propagation in a mouse temporal lobe epilepsy model

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form of epilepsy with focal seizures which in some conditions can develop into secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures by the propagation of epileptic activities in the temporal lobe to other brain areas. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) has been suggested as a treatment target for TLE as accumulating evidence indicates that the NAc, especially its shell, participates in the process of epileptic seizures of patients and animal models with TLE. The majority of neurons in the NAc are GABAergic medium spiny neurons (MSNs) expressing dopamine receptor D1 (D1R) or dopamine receptor D2 (D2R). However, the direct evidence of the NAc shell participating in the propagation of TLE seizures is missing, and its cell type-specific modulatory roles in TLE seizures are unknown. In this study, we microinjected kainic acid into basolateral amygdala (BLA) to make a mouse model of TLE with initial focal seizures and secondarily generalized seizures (SGSs). We found that TLE seizures caused robust c-fos expression in the NAc shell and increased neuronal excitability of D1R-expressing MSN (D1R-MSN) and D2R-expressing MSN (D2R-MSN). Pharmacological inhibition of the NAc shell alleviated TLE seizures by reducing the number of SGSs and seizure stages. Cell-type-specific chemogenetic inhibition of either D1R-MSN or D2R-MSN showed similar effects with pharmacological inhibition of the NAc shell. Both pharmacological and cell-type-specific chemogenetic inhibition of the NAc shell did not alter the onset time of focal seizures. Collectively, these findings indicate that the NAc shell and its D1R-MSN or D2R-MSN mainly participate in the propagation and generalization of the TLE seizures.

A thalamic circuit facilitates stress susceptibility via melanocortin 4 receptor-mediated activation of nucleus accumbens shell

AIMS

Central melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) has been reported to induce anhedonia via eliciting dysfunction of excitatory synapses. It is evident that metabolic signals are closely related to chronic stress-induced depression. Here, we investigated that a neural circuit is involved in melanocortin signaling contributing to susceptibility to stress.

METHODS

Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) was used to develop depressive-like behavior. Electrophysiologic and chemogenetic approaches were performed to evaluate the role of paraventricular thalamus (PVT) glutamatergic to nucleus accumbens shell (NAcsh) circuit in stress susceptibility. Pharmacological and genetic manipulations were applied to investigate the molecular mechanisms of melanocortin signaling in the circuit.

RESULTS

CSDS increases the excitatory neurotransmission in NAcsh through MC4R signaling. The enhanced excitatory synaptic input in NAcsh is projected from PVT glutamatergic neurons. Moreover, chemogenetic manipulation of PVT^Glu -NAcsh projection mediates the susceptibility to stress, which is dependent on MC4R signaling. Overall, these results reveal that the strengthened excitatory neurotransmission in NAcsh originates from PVT glutamatergic neurons, facilitating the susceptibility to stress through melanocortin signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results make a strong case for harnessing a thalamic circuit to reorganize excitatory synaptic transmission in relieving stress susceptibility and provide insights gained on metabolic underpinnings of protection against stress-induced depressive-like behavior.

[The effect of rifampicin on the system of Toll-like receptors in the nucleus accumbens of the brain of long-term alcoholized rats during alcohol withdrawal]

Nucleus accumbens (NAc) is the ventral part of the striatum of the brain; it is an important part of the mesolimbic pathway involved in the reward system that mediates the formation of various forms of addiction, in particular alcohol addiction. Neuroimaging data and in vitro studies indicate the development of a pronounced neurodegenerative process in the NAc, with long-term alcohol use, but the key mechanisms mediating this process remain unknown. In recent years, the attention of researchers has been focused on studying the system of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the increased activity of which is clearly shown in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus during prolonged alcohol exposure, but there is a need to study the role of this system in other brain structures. In this study, we have shown that prolonged alcohol exposure (2 months) with moderate doses of ethanol (2 g/kg) promotes a pronounced increase in the expression of the Tlr4 gene and its endogenous ligand Hmgb1 in NAc during the period of alcohol withdrawal in rats. Injections of rifampicin (100 mg/kg) reduced the elevated expression level of Hmgb1, Tlr4, as well as pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (IL1β, IL6), while the administration of the drug increased the reduced level of mRNA of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL10, IL11).

Dopamine-Mediated Major Depressive Disorder in the Neural Circuit of Ventral Tegmental Area-Nucleus Accumbens-Medial Prefrontal Cortex: From Biological Evidence to Computational Models

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious psychiatric disorder, with an increasing incidence in recent years. The abnormal dopaminergic pathways of the midbrain cortical and limbic system are the key pathological regions of MDD, particularly the ventral tegmental area- nucleus accumbens- medial prefrontal cortex (VTA-NAc-mPFC) neural circuit. MDD usually occurs with the dysfunction of dopaminergic neurons in VTA, which decreases the dopamine concentration and metabolic rate in NAc/mPFC brain regions. However, it has not been fully explained how abnormal dopamine concentration levels affect this neural circuit dynamically through the modulations of ion channels and synaptic activities. We used Hodgkin-Huxley and dynamical receptor binding model to establish this network, which can quantitatively explain neural activity patterns observed in MDD with different dopamine concentrations by changing the kinetics of some ion channels. The simulation replicated some important pathological patterns of MDD at the level of neurons and circuits with low dopamine concentration, such as the decreased action potential frequency in pyramidal neurons of mPFC with significantly reduced burst firing frequency. The calculation results also revealed that NaP and KS channels of mPFC pyramidal neurons played key roles in the functional regulation of this neural circuit. In addition, we analyzed the synaptic currents and local field potentials to explain the mechanism of MDD from the perspective of dysfunction of excitation-inhibition balance, especially the disinhibition effect in the network. The significance of this article is that we built the first computational model to illuminate the effect of dopamine concentrations for the NAc-mPFC-VTA circuit between MDD and normal groups, which can be used to quantitatively explain the results of existing physiological experiments, predict the results for unperformed experiments and screen possible drug targets.

Role of the striatal dopamine, GABA and opioid systems in mediating feeding and fat intake

Food intake, which is a highly reinforcing behavior, provides nutrients required for survival in all animals. However, when fat and sugar consumption goes beyond the daily needs, it can favor obesity. The prevalence and severity of this health problem has been increasing with time. Besides covering nutrient and energy needs, food and in particular its highly palatable components, such as fats, also induce feelings of joy and pleasure. Experimental evidence supports a role of the striatal complex and of the mesolimbic dopamine system in both feeding and food-related reward processing, with the nucleus accumbens as a key target for reward or reinforcing-associated signaling during food intake behavior. In this review, we provide insights concerning the impact of feeding, including fat intake, on different types of receptors and neurotransmitters present in the striatal complex. Reciprocally, we also cover the evidence for a modulation of palatable food intake by different neurochemical systems in the striatal complex and in particular the nucleus accumbens, with a focus on dopamine, GABA and the opioid system.

The BDNF-TrkB Pathway Acts Through Nucleus Accumbens D2 Expressing Neurons to Mediate Stress Susceptible Outcomes

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a critical role in stress response including neuropsychiatric disorders that are precipitated by stress, such as major depressive disorder (MDD). BDNF acts through its full-length BDNF receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) to trigger a pro-plasticity effect. In contrast, the truncated isoform of the BDNF receptor (TrkB.t1) triggers an anti-plasticity effect. In stress outcomes, BDNF acting in the hippocampus has a stress resilience effect, and, inversely, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), BDNF acts as a stress susceptible molecule. It is unknown if BDNF-TrkB acts on a specific NAc projection neuron, i.e., medium spiny neuron (MSN or spiny projection neuron), a subtype in stress outcomes. To determine this, we performed chronic social or vicarious witness defeat stress (CSDS or CWDS) in mice expressing TrkB.t1 in dopamine receptor 1 or 2 containing MSNs (D1- or D2-MSNs). Our results showed that TrkB.t1 overexpression in NAc D2-MSNs prevented the CSDS-induced social avoidance or other stress susceptible behaviors in male and female mice. We further showed that this overexpression in D2-MSNs blocked stress susceptible behavior induced by intra-NAc BDNF infusion. In contrast, our results demonstrate that overexpression of TrkB.t1 on NAc D1-MSNs facilitates the SDS susceptible behaviors. Our study provides enhanced details into the NAc cell subtype role of BDNF-TrkB signaling in stress outcomes.

The estrous cycle and 17β-estradiol modulate the electrophysiological properties of rat nucleus accumbens core medium spiny neurons

The nucleus accumbens core is a key nexus within the mammalian brain for integrating the premotor and limbic systems and regulating important cognitive functions such as motivated behaviors. Nucleus accumbens core functions show sex differences and are sensitive to the presence of hormones such as 17β-estradiol (estradiol) in normal and pathological contexts. The primary neuron type of the nucleus accumbens core, the medium spiny neuron (MSN), exhibits sex differences in both intrinsic excitability and glutamatergic excitatory synapse electrophysiological properties. Here, we provide a review of recent literature showing how estradiol modulates rat nucleus accumbens core MSN electrophysiology within the context of the estrous cycle. We review the changes in MSN electrophysiological properties across the estrous cycle and how these changes can be mimicked in response to exogenous estradiol exposure. We discuss in detail recent findings regarding how acute estradiol exposure rapidly modulates excitatory synapse properties in nucleus accumbens core but not caudate-putamen MSNs, which mirror the natural changes seen across estrous cycle phases. These recent insights demonstrate the strong impact of sex-specific estradiol action upon nucleus accumbens core neuron electrophysiology.

Upregulation of Cell Division Cycle 20 Expression Alters the Morphology of Neuronal Dendritic Spines in the Nucleus Accumbens by Promoting FMRP Ubiquitination

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is the key area of the reward circuit, but its heterogeneity has been poorly studied. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we revealed a subcluster of GABAergic neurons characterized by cell division cycle 20 (Cdc20) mRNA expression in the NAc of adult rats. We studied the coexpression of Cdc20 and Gad1 mRNA in the NAc neurons of adult rats and assessed Cdc20 protein expression in the NAc during rat development. Moreover, we microinjected AAV2/9-hSyn-Cdc20 with or without the dual-AAV system into the bilateral NAc for sparse labelling to observe changes in the synaptic morphology of mature neurons and assessed rat behaviours in open field and elevated plus maze tests. Furthermore, we performed the experiments with a Cdc20 inhibitor, Cdc20 overexpression AAV vector, and Cdc20 conditional knockout primary striatal neurons to understand the ubiquitination-dependent degradation of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) in vitro and in vivo. We confirmed the mRNA expression of Cdc20 in the NAc GABAergic neurons of adult rats, and its protein level was decreased significantly 3 weeks post-birth. Upregulated Cdc20 expression in the bilateral NAc decreased the dendritic spine density in mature neurons and induced anxiety-like behaviour in rats. Cdc20-APC triggered FMRP degradation through K48-linked polyubiquitination in Neuro-2a cells and primary striatal neurons and downregulated FMRP expression in the NAc of adult rats. These data revealed that upregulation of Cdc20 in the bilateral NAc reduced dendritic spine density and led to anxiety-like behaviours, possibly by enhancing FMRP degradation via K48-linked polyubiquitination.

Deficiency of Tet3 in nucleus accumbens enhances fear generalization and anxiety-like behaviors in mice

Stress‐induced neuroepigenetic programming gains growing more and more interest in the studies of the etiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, seldom attention is focused on DNA demethylation in fear memory generalization, which is the core characteristic of PTSD. Here, we show that ten‐eleven translocation protein 3 (TET3), the most abundant DNA demethylation enzyme of the TET family in neurons, senses environmental stress and bridges neuroplasticity with behavioral adaptation during fear generalization. Foot shock strength dependently induces fear generalization and TET3 expression in nucleus accumbens (NAc) in mice. Inhibition of DNA demethylation by infusing demethyltransferase inhibitors or AAV‐Tet3‐shRNA virus in NAc enhances the fear generalization and anxiety‐like behavior. Furthermore, TET3 knockdown impairs the dendritic spine density, PSD length, and thickness of neurons, decreases DNA hydroxymethylation (5hmC), reduces the expression of synaptic plasticity‐related genes including Homer1, Cdkn1a, Cdh8, Vamp8, Reln, Bdnf, while surprisingly increases immune‐related genes Stat1, B2m, H2‐Q7, H2‐M2, C3, Cd68 shown by RNA‐seq. Notably, knockdown of TET3 in NAc activates microglia and CD39‐P2Y12R signaling pathway, and inhibition of CD39 reverses the effects of TET3 knockdown on the fear memory generalization and anxiety. Overexpression of TET3 by Crispr‐dSaCas9 virus delivery to activate endogenous Tet3 in NAc increases dendritic spine density of neurons in NAc and reverses fear memory generalization and anxiety‐like behavior in mice. These results suggest that TET3 modulates fear generalization and anxiety via regulating synaptic plasticity and CD39 signaling pathway.

Neurotransmitter and Related Metabolic Profiling in the Nucleus Accumbens of Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress-Induced Anhedonia-Like Rats

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious mental disorder that affects many people. The neurotransmitter deficiency hypothesis has been the crux of much research on the treatment of depression. Anhedonia, as a core symptom, was closely associated with altered levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA), and diverse types of glutamate (Glu) receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). However, there were no reports showing how Glu changed in the NAc, and there were other unreported molecules involved in modulating stress-induced anhedonia. Thus, we investigated changes in neurotransmitters and their related metabolites in GABAergic, serotonergic and catecholaminergic pathways in the NAc of a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress- (CUMS-) induced anhedonia-like behavior. Then, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was employed to detect target neurotransmitters and related metabolites in the NAc. Finally, the Western blot was used to assess the expression of key enzymes and receptors. Here, we found that the 5-HT level in anhedonia-susceptible (Sus) rats was increased while the Glu level decreased. DA did not show a significant change among CUMS rats. Correspondingly, we detected a reduction in monoamine oxidase-A (MAOA) and Glu receptor 1 levels in anhedonia-Sus rats while Glu receptor 2 (GluR2) and NMDA2B levels were increased in anhedonia-resilient (Res) rats. We also found that the levels of glutamine (Gln), kynurenic acid (Kya), histamine (HA), L-phenylalanine (L-Phe), and tyramine (Tyra) were changed after CUMS. These alterations in neurotransmitters may serve as a new insight into understanding the development of anhedonia-like behavior in depression.