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Deng J, Chen L, Liu CC, Liu M, Guo GQ, Wei JY, Zhang JB, Fan HT, Zheng ZK, Yan P, Zhang XZ, Zhou F, Huang SX, Zhang JF, Xu T, Xie JD, Xin WJ. Distinct Thalamo-Subcortical Circuits Underlie Painful Behavior and Depression-Like Behavior Following Nerve Injury. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2401855. [PMID: 38973158 PMCID: PMC11425852 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202401855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Clinically, chronic pain and depression often coexist in multiple diseases and reciprocally reinforce each other, which greatly escalates the difficulty of treatment. The neural circuit mechanism underlying the chronic pain/depression comorbidity remains unclear. The present study reports that two distinct subregions in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) play different roles in this pathological process. In the first subregion PVT posterior (PVP), glutamatergic neurons (PVPGlu) send signals to GABAergic neurons (VLPAGGABA) in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (VLPAG), which mediates painful behavior in comorbidity. Meanwhile, in another subregion PVT anterior (PVA), glutamatergic neurons (PVAGlu) send signals to the nucleus accumbens D1-positive neurons and D2-positive neurons (NAcD1→D2), which is involved in depression-like behavior in comorbidity. This study demonstrates that the distinct thalamo-subcortical circuits PVPGlu→VLPAGGABA and PVAGlu→NAcD1→D2 mediated painful behavior and depression-like behavior following spared nerve injury (SNI), respectively, which provides the circuit-based potential targets for preventing and treating comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Deng
- Department of Physiology and Pain Research Center, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Physiology and Pain Research Center, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Cui-Cui Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene Regulation, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510120, China
| | - Meng Liu
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, 510000, China
| | - Guo-Qing Guo
- Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jia-You Wei
- Department of Physiology and Pain Research Center, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jian-Bo Zhang
- Department of Pain Medicine, The State Key Clinical Specialty in Pain Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Hai-Ting Fan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Zi-Kun Zheng
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Pu Yan
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Xiang-Zhong Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Department of Neurology, First people's hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, 510168, China
| | - Sui-Xiang Huang
- Department of Pain Medicine, Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital Affiliated to Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Ji-Feng Zhang
- Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Department of Physiology and Pain Research Center, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jing-Dun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Collaborative Innovation for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Wen-Jun Xin
- Department of Physiology and Pain Research Center, Neuroscience Program, Zhongshan School of Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
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Ma J, O'Malley JJ, Kreiker M, Leng Y, Khan I, Kindel M, Penzo MA. Convergent direct and indirect cortical streams shape avoidance decisions in mice via the midline thalamus. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6598. [PMID: 39097600 PMCID: PMC11297946 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50941-6] [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: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Current concepts of corticothalamic organization in the mammalian brain are mainly based on sensory systems, with less focus on circuits for higher-order cognitive functions. In sensory systems, first-order thalamic relays are driven by subcortical inputs and modulated by cortical feedback, while higher-order relays receive strong excitatory cortical inputs. The applicability of these principles beyond sensory systems is uncertain. We investigated mouse prefronto-thalamic projections to the midline thalamus, revealing distinct top-down control. Unlike sensory systems, this pathway relies on indirect modulation via the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). Specifically, the prelimbic area, which influences emotional and motivated behaviors, impacts instrumental avoidance responses through direct and indirect projections to the paraventricular thalamus. Both pathways promote defensive states, but the indirect pathway via the TRN is essential for organizing avoidance decisions through disinhibition. Our findings highlight intra-thalamic circuit dynamics that integrate cortical cognitive signals and their role in shaping complex behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ma
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, 221004, Xuzhou, China
| | - John J O'Malley
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Malaz Kreiker
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yan Leng
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Isbah Khan
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Morgan Kindel
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mario A Penzo
- Section on the Neural Circuits of Emotion and Motivation, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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Illenberger JM, Flores-Ramirez FJ, Pascasio G, Franco M, Mendonsa B, Martin-Fardon R. Pivotal role of orexin signaling in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus during the stress-induced reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior. J Psychopharmacol 2024; 38:647-660. [PMID: 38888086 PMCID: PMC11407285 DOI: 10.1177/02698811241260989] [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] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The orexin (OX) system has received increasing interest as a potential target for treating substance use disorder. OX transmission in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (pPVT), an area activated by highly salient stimuli that are both reinforcing and aversive, mediates cue- and stress-induced reinstatement of reward-seeking behavior. Oral administration of suvorexant (SUV), a dual OX receptor (OXR) antagonist (DORA), selectively reduced conditioned reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior and stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior in dependent rats. AIMS This study tested whether OXR blockade in the pPVT with SUV reduces oxycodone or sweetened condensed milk (SCM) seeking elicited by conditioned cues or stress. METHODS Male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer oxycodone (0.15 mg/kg, i.v., 8 h/day) or SCM (0.1 ml, 2:1 dilution [v/v], 30 min/day). After extinction, we tested the ability of intra-pPVT SUV (15 µg/0.5 µl) to prevent reinstatement of oxycodone or SCM seeking elicited by conditioned cues or footshock stress. RESULTS The rats acquired oxycodone and SCM self-administration, and oxycodone intake correlated with signs of physical opioid withdrawal, confirming dependence. Following extinction, the presentation of conditioned cues or footshock elicited reinstatement of oxycodone- and SCM-seeking behavior. Intra-pPVT SUV blocked stress-induced reinstatement of oxycodone seeking but not conditioned reinstatement of oxycodone or SCM seeking or stress-induced reinstatement of SCM seeking. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that OXR signaling in the pPVT is critical for stress-induced reinstatement of oxycodone seeking, further corroborating OXRs as treatment targets for opioid use disorder.
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Stanyer EC, Hoffmann J, Holland PR. Orexins and primary headaches: an overview of the neurobiology and clinical impact. Expert Rev Neurother 2024; 24:487-496. [PMID: 38517280 PMCID: PMC11034548 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2024.2328728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Primary headaches, including migraines and cluster headaches, are highly prevalent disorders that significantly impact quality of life. Several factors suggest a key role for the hypothalamus, including neuroimaging studies, attack periodicity, and the presence of altered homeostatic regulation. The orexins are two neuropeptides synthesized almost exclusively in the lateral hypothalamus with widespread projections across the central nervous system. They are involved in an array of functions including homeostatic regulation and nociception, suggesting a potential role in primary headaches. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes current knowledge of the neurobiology of orexins, their involvement in sleep-wake regulation, nociception, and functions relevant to the associated symptomology of headache disorders. Preclinical reports of the antinociceptive effects of orexin-A in preclinical models are discussed, as well as clinical evidence for the potential involvement of the orexinergic system in headache. EXPERT OPINION Several lines of evidence support the targeted modulation of orexinergic signaling in primary headaches. Critically, orexins A and B, acting differentially via the orexin 1 and 2 receptors, respectively, demonstrate differential effects on trigeminal pain processing, indicating why dual-receptor antagonists failed to show clinical efficacy. The authors propose that orexin 1 receptor agonists or positive allosteric modulators should be the focus of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C. Stanyer
- Headache Group, Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Sir Jules Thorne Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jan Hoffmann
- Headache Group, Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Philip R. Holland
- Headache Group, Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
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Kooiker CL, Birnie MT, Floriou-Servou A, Ding Q, Thiagarajan N, Hardy M, Baram TZ. Paraventricular Thalamus Neuronal Ensembles Encode Early-life Adversity and Mediate the Consequent Sex-dependent Disruptions of Adult Reward Behaviors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.28.591547. [PMID: 38746198 PMCID: PMC11092514 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.28.591547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Early-life adversity increases risk for mental illnesses including depression and substance use disorders, disorders characterized by dysregulated reward behaviors. However, the mechanisms by which transient ELA enduringly impacts reward circuitries are not well understood. In mice, ELA leads to anhedonia-like behaviors in males and augmented motivation for palatable food and sex-reward cues in females. Here, the use of genetic tagging demonstrated robust, preferential, and sex-specific activation of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) during ELA and a potentiated reactivation of these PVT neurons during a reward task in adult ELA mice. Chemogenetic manipulation of specific ensembles of PVT neurons engaged during ELA identified a role for the posterior PVT in ELA-induced aberrantly augmented reward behaviors in females. In contrast, anterior PVT neurons activated during ELA were required for the anhedonia-like behaviors in males. Thus, the PVT encodes adverse experiences early-in life, prior to the emergence of the hippocampal memory system, and contributes critically to the lasting, sex-modulated impacts of ELA on reward behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L. Kooiker
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Matthew T. Birnie
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Amalia Floriou-Servou
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Qinxin Ding
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Neeraj Thiagarajan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Mason Hardy
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z. Baram
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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Li SH, Li S, Kirouac GJ. Analysis of Monosynaptic Inputs to Thalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Neurons Innervating the Shell of the Nucleus Accumbens and Central Extended Amygdala. Neuroscience 2024; 537:151-164. [PMID: 38056620 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) sends dense projections to the shell of the nucleus accumbens (NAcSh), dorsolateral region of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTDL) and the lateral region of central nucleus of the amygdala (CeL). Projection specific modulation of these pathways has been shown to regulate appetitive and aversive behavioral responses. The present investigation applied an intersectional monosynaptic rabies tracing approach to quantify the brain-wide sources of afferent input to PVT neurons that primarily project to the NAcSh, BSTDL and CeL. The results demonstrate that these projection neurons receive monosynaptic input from similar brain regions. The prefrontal cortex and the ventral subiculum of the hippocampus were major sources of input to the PVT projection neurons. In addition, the lateral septal nucleus, thalamic reticular nucleus and the hypothalamic medial preoptic area, dorsomedial, ventromedial, and arcuate nuclei were sources of input. The subfornical organ, parasubthalamic nucleus, periaqueductal gray matter, lateral parabrachial nucleus, and nucleus of the solitary tract were consistent but lesser sources of input. This input-output relationship is consistent with recent observations that PVT neurons have axons that bifurcate extensively to divergently innervate the NAcSh, BSTDL and CeL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Hong Li
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0W2, Canada
| | - Sa Li
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0W2, Canada
| | - Gilbert J Kirouac
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0W2, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0W2, Canada.
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Ballester Roig MN, Leduc T, Dufort-Gervais J, Maghmoul Y, Tastet O, Mongrain V. Probing pathways by which rhynchophylline modifies sleep using spatial transcriptomics. Biol Direct 2023; 18:21. [PMID: 37143153 PMCID: PMC10161643 DOI: 10.1186/s13062-023-00377-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rhynchophylline (RHY) is an alkaloid component of Uncaria, which are plants extensively used in traditional Asian medicines. Uncaria treatments increase sleep time and quality in humans, and RHY induces sleep in rats. However, like many traditional natural treatments, the mechanisms of action of RHY and Uncaria remain evasive. Moreover, it is unknown whether RHY modifies key brain oscillations during sleep. We thus aimed at defining the effects of RHY on sleep architecture and oscillations throughout a 24-h cycle, as well as identifying the underlying molecular mechanisms. Mice received systemic RHY injections at two times of the day (beginning and end of the light period), and vigilance states were studied by electrocorticographic recordings. RESULTS RHY enhanced slow wave sleep (SWS) after both injections, suppressed paradoxical sleep (PS) in the light but enhanced PS in the dark period. Furthermore, RHY modified brain oscillations during both wakefulness and SWS (including delta activity dynamics) in a time-dependent manner. Interestingly, most effects were larger in females. A brain spatial transcriptomic analysis showed that RHY modifies the expression of genes linked to cell movement, apoptosis/necrosis, and transcription/translation in a brain region-independent manner, and changes those linked to sleep regulation (e.g., Hcrt, Pmch) in a brain region-specific manner (e.g., in the hypothalamus). CONCLUSIONS The findings provide support to the sleep-inducing effect of RHY, expose the relevance to shape wake/sleep oscillations, and highlight its effects on the transcriptome with a high spatial resolution. The exposed molecular mechanisms underlying the effect of a natural compound should benefit sleep- and brain-related medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Neus Ballester Roig
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Recherche CIUSSS-NIM, Montréal, QC, H4J 1C5, Canada
| | - Tanya Leduc
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Recherche CIUSSS-NIM, Montréal, QC, H4J 1C5, Canada
| | - Julien Dufort-Gervais
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Recherche CIUSSS-NIM, Montréal, QC, H4J 1C5, Canada
| | - Yousra Maghmoul
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Recherche CIUSSS-NIM, Montréal, QC, H4J 1C5, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada
| | - Olivier Tastet
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 rue St-Denis, Tour Viger, Montréal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada
| | - Valérie Mongrain
- Department of Neuroscience, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3T 1J4, Canada.
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Recherche CIUSSS-NIM, Montréal, QC, H4J 1C5, Canada.
- Centre de Recherche, Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, 900 rue St-Denis, Tour Viger, Montréal, QC, H2X 0A9, Canada.
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Wright CJ, Milosavljevic S, Pocivavsek A. The stress of losing sleep: Sex-specific neurobiological outcomes. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 24:100543. [PMID: 37252645 PMCID: PMC10209346 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep is a vital and evolutionarily conserved process, critical to daily functioning and homeostatic balance. Losing sleep is inherently stressful and leads to numerous detrimental physiological outcomes. Despite sleep disturbances affecting everyone, women and female rodents are often excluded or underrepresented in clinical and pre-clinical studies. Advancing our understanding of the role of biological sex in the responses to sleep loss stands to greatly improve our ability to understand and treat health consequences of insufficient sleep. As such, this review discusses sex differences in response to sleep deprivation, with a focus on the sympathetic nervous system stress response and activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We review sex differences in several stress-related consequences of sleep loss, including inflammation, learning and memory deficits, and mood related changes. Focusing on women's health, we discuss the effects of sleep deprivation during the peripartum period. In closing, we present neurobiological mechanisms, including the contribution of sex hormones, orexins, circadian timing systems, and astrocytic neuromodulation, that may underlie potential sex differences in sleep deprivation responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney J. Wright
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Snezana Milosavljevic
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Ana Pocivavsek
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
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Gao C, Gohel CA, Leng Y, Ma J, Goldman D, Levine AJ, Penzo MA. Molecular and spatial profiling of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. eLife 2023; 12:81818. [PMID: 36867023 PMCID: PMC10014079 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is known to regulate various cognitive and behavioral processes. However, while functional diversity among PVT circuits has often been linked to cellular differences, the molecular identity and spatial distribution of PVT cell types remain unclear. To address this gap, here we used single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and identified five molecularly distinct PVT neuronal subtypes in the mouse brain. Additionally, multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization of top marker genes revealed that PVT subtypes are organized by a combination of previously unidentified molecular gradients. Lastly, comparing our dataset with a recently published single-cell sequencing atlas of the thalamus yielded novel insight into the PVT's connectivity with the cortex, including unexpected innervation of auditory and visual areas. This comparison also revealed that our data contains a largely non-overlapping transcriptomic map of multiple midline thalamic nuclei. Collectively, our findings uncover previously unknown features of the molecular diversity and anatomical organization of the PVT and provide a valuable resource for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Gao
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Chiraag A Gohel
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismRockvilleUnited States
| | - Yan Leng
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jun Ma
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - David Goldman
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismRockvilleUnited States
| | - Ariel J Levine
- National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Mario A Penzo
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
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Vertes RP, Linley SB, Rojas AKP. Structural and functional organization of the midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:964644. [PMID: 36082310 PMCID: PMC9445584 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.964644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The midline and intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus form a major part of the "limbic thalamus;" that is, thalamic structures anatomically and functionally linked with the limbic forebrain. The midline nuclei consist of the paraventricular (PV) and paratenial nuclei, dorsally and the rhomboid and nucleus reuniens (RE), ventrally. The rostral intralaminar nuclei (ILt) consist of the central medial (CM), paracentral (PC) and central lateral (CL) nuclei. We presently concentrate on RE, PV, CM and CL nuclei of the thalamus. The nucleus reuniens receives a diverse array of input from limbic-related sites, and predominantly projects to the hippocampus and to "limbic" cortices. The RE participates in various cognitive functions including spatial working memory, executive functions (attention, behavioral flexibility) and affect/fear behavior. The PV receives significant limbic-related afferents, particularly the hypothalamus, and mainly distributes to "affective" structures of the forebrain including the bed nucleus of stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens and the amygdala. Accordingly, PV serves a critical role in "motivated behaviors" such as arousal, feeding/consummatory behavior and drug addiction. The rostral ILt receives both limbic and sensorimotor-related input and distributes widely over limbic and motor regions of the frontal cortex-and throughout the dorsal striatum. The intralaminar thalamus is critical for maintaining consciousness and directly participates in various sensorimotor functions (visuospatial or reaction time tasks) and cognitive tasks involving striatal-cortical interactions. As discussed herein, while each of the midline and intralaminar nuclei are anatomically and functionally distinct, they collectively serve a vital role in several affective, cognitive and executive behaviors - as major components of a brainstem-diencephalic-thalamocortical circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert P. Vertes
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
| | - Stephanie B. Linley
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychology, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
- Department of Psychological Science, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA, United States
| | - Amanda K. P. Rojas
- Center for Complex Systems and Brain Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, United States
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Kirouac GJ, Li S, Li S. Convergence of monosynaptic inputs from neurons in the brainstem and forebrain on parabrachial neurons that project to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:2409-2437. [PMID: 35838792 PMCID: PMC9418111 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-022-02534-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) projects to areas of the forebrain involved in regulating behavior. Homeostatic challenges and salient cues activate the PVT and evidence shows that the PVT regulates appetitive and aversive responses. The brainstem is a source of afferents to the PVT and the present study was done to determine if the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) is a relay for inputs to the PVT. Retrograde tracing experiments with cholera toxin B (CTB) demonstrate that the LPB contains more PVT projecting neurons than other regions of the brainstem including the catecholamine cell groups. The hypothesis that the LPB is a relay for signals to the PVT was assessed using an intersectional monosynaptic rabies tracing approach. Sources of inputs to LPB included the reticular formation; periaqueductal gray (PAG); nucleus cuneiformis; and superior and inferior colliculi. Distinctive clusters of input cells to LPB-PVT projecting neurons were also found in the dorsolateral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTDL) and the lateral central nucleus of the amygdala (CeL). Anterograde viral tracing demonstrates that LPB-PVT neurons densely innervate all regions of the PVT in addition to providing collateral innervation to the preoptic area, lateral hypothalamus, zona incerta and PAG but not the BSTDL and CeL. The paper discusses the anatomical evidence that suggests that the PVT is part of a network of interconnected neurons involved in arousal, homeostasis, and the regulation of behavioral states with forebrain regions potentially providing descending modulation or gating of signals relayed from the LPB to the PVT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert J Kirouac
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W2, Canada. .,Departments of Psychiatry and Human Anatomy and Cell Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W2, Canada.
| | - Sa Li
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W2, Canada
| | - Shuanghong Li
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 780 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W2, Canada
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12
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Bu X, Liu C, Fu B. Research progress of the paraventricular thalamus in the regulation of sleep-wake and emotional behaviors. IBRAIN 2022; 8:219-226. [PMID: 37786895 PMCID: PMC10529009 DOI: 10.1002/ibra.12034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
The paraventricular thalamus (PVT) is a major component of the midline structure of the thalamus. It is one of the nonspecific nuclei of the thalamus, which plays a great role in the regulation of cortical arousal. PVT, an important node in the central nervous system, sends widespread outputs to many brain regions and also accepts plentiful inputs from many brain regions to modulate diverse functions, including sleep-wake state, attention, memory, and pain. Recently, with the increasing prevalence of sleep disorders and mood disorders, people pay great attention to PVT, which was implicated in arousal and emotional behaviors. Therefore, the main purpose of this review is to illustrate the characteristic of PVT to provide a reference for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao‐Li Bu
- Department of Intensive Care MedicineAffiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Cheng‐Xi Liu
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ ProtectionZunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
| | - Bao Fu
- Department of Intensive Care MedicineAffiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical UniversityZunyiGuizhouChina
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13
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Elahdadi Salmani M, Sarfi M, Goudarzi I. Hippocampal orexin receptors: Localization and function. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2022; 118:393-421. [PMID: 35180935 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Orexin (hypocretin) is secreted from the perifornical/lateral hypothalamus and is well known for sleep regulation. Orexin has two, orexin A and B, transcripts and two receptors, type 1 and 2 (OX1R and OX2R), located in the plasma membrane of neurons in different brain areas, including the hippocampus involved in learning, memory, seizures, and epilepsy, as physiologic and pathologic phenomena. OX1R is expressed in the dentate gyrus and CA1 and the OX2R in the CA3 areas. Orexin enhances learning and memory as well as reward, stress, seizures, and epilepsy, partly through OX1Rs, while either aggravating or alleviating those phenomena via OX2Rs. OX1Rs activation induces long-term changes of synaptic responses in the hippocampus, an age and concentration-dependent manner. Briefly, we will review the localization and functions of hippocampal orexin receptors, their role in learning, memory, stress, reward, seizures, epilepsy, and hippocampal synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Iran Goudarzi
- School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran
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14
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Kim H, Jung HR, Kim JB, Kim DJ. Autonomic Dysfunction in Sleep Disorders: From Neurobiological Basis to Potential Therapeutic Approaches. J Clin Neurol 2022; 18:140-151. [PMID: 35274834 PMCID: PMC8926769 DOI: 10.3988/jcn.2022.18.2.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep disorder has been portrayed as merely a common dissatisfaction with sleep quality and quantity. However, sleep disorder is actually a medical condition characterized by inconsistent sleep patterns that interfere with emotional dynamics, cognitive functioning, and even physical performance. This is consistent with sleep abnormalities being more common in patients with autonomic dysfunction than in the general population. The autonomic nervous system coordinates various visceral functions ranging from respiration to neuroendocrine secretion in order to maintain homeostasis of the body. Because the cell population and efferent signals involved in autonomic regulation are spatially adjacent to those that regulate the sleep-wake system, sleep architecture and autonomic coordination exert effects on each other, suggesting the presence of a bidirectional relationship in addition to shared pathology. The primary goal of this review is to highlight the bidirectional and shared relationship between sleep and autonomic regulation. It also introduces the effects of autonomic dysfunction on insomnia, breathing disorders, central disorders of hypersomnolence, parasomnias, and movement disorders. This information will assist clinicians in determining how neuromodulation can have the greatest therapeutic effects in patients with sleep disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakseung Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hee Ra Jung
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jung Bin Kim
- Department of Neurology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Dong-Joo Kim
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Neurology, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
- NeuroTx, Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea
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15
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Fiedler D, Pape HC, Lange MD. Stress-induced impairment of fear extinction recall is associated with changes in neuronal activity patterns in PVT. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110338. [PMID: 33915218 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Treatment resistance of anxiety-related disorders often arises from an inappropriate fear expression, impairment in fear extinction, and spontaneous return of fear. Stress exposure is considered a high risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders, but understanding of the long-term consequences of stress is limited, particularly when it comes to treatment outcome. Therefore, studying the consequences of acute stress would provide critical information on the role of stress in psychopathology. In the present study, we investigated the effect of acute immobilization stress on anxiety-like behavior and on conditioned fear memory. Our results demonstrate that prior stress exposure had no effect on anxiety-related behavior, fear acquisition, as well as fear extinction compared to non-stressed controls, but resulted in significantly higher rates of freezing during recall of extinction, indicating a consolidation failure. Further, immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of the immediate early gene c-Fos after recall of extinction revealed increased neuronal activity in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) in previously stressed animals compared to non-stressed controls. These results indicate, firstly, that acute stress affects long-term fear memory even after successful extinction training, and secondly, a strong involvement of the PVT in maladaptive fear responses induced by prior stress. Thus, stress-induced changes in PVT neuronal activity might be of importance for the pathophysiology of stress-sensitive anxiety-related psychiatric disorders, since exposure to an earlier acute stressor could counteract the success of therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Fiedler
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - H C Pape
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - M D Lange
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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16
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Hartmann MC, Pleil KE. Circuit and neuropeptide mechanisms of the paraventricular thalamus across stages of alcohol and drug use. Neuropharmacology 2021; 198:108748. [PMID: 34389397 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is a midline thalamic brain region that has emerged as a critical circuit node in the regulation of behaviors across domains of affect and motivation, stress responses, and alcohol- and drug-related behaviors. The influence of the PVT in this diverse array of behaviors is a function of its ability to integrate and convey information about salience and valence through its connections with cortical, hypothalamic, hindbrain, and limbic brain regions. While understudied to date, recent studies suggest that several PVT efferents play critical and complex roles in drug and alcohol-related phenotypes. The PVT is also the site of signaling for many neuropeptides released from the synaptic terminals of distal inputs and local neuropeptidergic neurons within. While there is some evidence that neuropeptides including orexin, neurotensin, substance P, and cocaine and amphetamine-related transcript (CART) signal in the PVT to regulate alcohol/drug intake and reinstatement, there remains an overall lack of understanding of the roles of neuropeptides in the PVT in addiction-related behaviors, especially in a circuit-specific context. In this review, we present the current status of preclinical research regarding PVT circuits and neuropeptide modulation of the PVT in three aspects of the addiction cycle: reward/acquisition, withdrawal, and relapse, with a focus on alcohol, opioids (particularly morphine), and psychostimulants (particularly cocaine). Given the PVT's unique position within the broader neural landscape, we further discuss the potential ways in which neuropeptides may regulate these behaviors through their actions upon PVT circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Hartmann
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Kristen E Pleil
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA; Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
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17
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De Groote A, de Kerchove d'Exaerde A. Thalamo-Nucleus Accumbens Projections in Motivated Behaviors and Addiction. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:711350. [PMID: 34335197 PMCID: PMC8322971 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.711350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral striatum, also called nucleus accumbens (NAc), has long been known to integrate information from cortical, thalamic, midbrain and limbic nuclei to mediate goal-directed behaviors. Until recently thalamic afferents have been overlooked when studying the functions and connectivity of the NAc. However, findings from recent studies have shed light on the importance and roles of precise Thalamus to NAc connections in motivated behaviors and in addiction. In this review, we summarize studies using techniques such as chemo- and optogenetics, electrophysiology and in vivo calcium imaging to elucidate the complex functioning of the thalamo-NAc afferents, with a particular highlight on the projections from the Paraventricular Thalamus (PVT) to the NAc. We will focus on the recent advances in the understanding of the roles of these neuronal connections in motivated behaviors, with a special emphasis on their implications in addiction, from cue-reward association to the mechanisms driving relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie De Groote
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alban de Kerchove d'Exaerde
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
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18
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Iglesias AG, Flagel SB. The Paraventricular Thalamus as a Critical Node of Motivated Behavior via the Hypothalamic-Thalamic-Striatal Circuit. Front Integr Neurosci 2021; 15:706713. [PMID: 34220458 PMCID: PMC8250420 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2021.706713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we highlight evidence that supports a role for the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) in motivated behavior. We include a neuroanatomical and neurochemical overview, outlining what is known of the cellular makeup of the region and its most prominent afferent and efferent connections. We discuss how these connections and distinctions across the anterior-posterior axis correspond to the perceived function of the PVT. We then focus on the hypothalamic-thalamic-striatal circuit and the neuroanatomical and functional placement of the PVT within this circuit. In this regard, the PVT is ideally positioned to integrate information regarding internal states and the external environment and translate it into motivated actions. Based on data that has emerged in recent years, including that from our laboratory, we posit that orexinergic (OX) innervation from the lateral hypothalamus (LH) to the PVT encodes the incentive motivational value of reward cues and thereby alters the signaling of the glutamatergic neurons projecting from the PVT to the shell of the nucleus accumbens (NAcSh). The PVT-NAcSh pathway then modulates dopamine activity and resultant cue-motivated behaviors. As we and others apply novel tools and approaches to studying the PVT we will continue to refine the anatomical, cellular, and functional definitions currently ascribed to this nucleus and further elucidate its role in motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda G. Iglesias
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Shelly B. Flagel
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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19
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Lonstein JS, Linning-Duffy K, Tang Y, Moody A, Yan L. Impact of daytime light intensity on the central orexin (hypocretin) system of a diurnal rodent (Arvicanthis niloticus). Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:4167-4181. [PMID: 33899987 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin is implicated in sleep and arousal, energy expenditure, reward, affective state and cognition. Our previous work using diurnal Nile grass rats (Arvicanthis niloticus) found that orexin mediates the effects of environmental light, particularly daytime light intensity, on affective and cognitive behaviours. The present study further investigated how daytime light intensity affects the central orexin system in male and female grass rats. Subjects were housed for 4 weeks in 12:12 hr dim light:dark (50 lux, dimLD) or in 12:12 hr bright light:dark cycle (1000 lux, brightLD). Day/night fluctuations in some orexin measures were also assessed. Despite similar hypothalamic prepro-orexin mRNA expression across all conditions, there were significantly more orexin-immunoreactive neurons, larger somata, greater optical density or higher orexin A content at night (ZT14) than during the day (ZT2), and/or in animals housed in brightLD compared to dimLD. Grass rats in brightLD also had higher cisternal CSF levels of orexin A. Furthermore, orexin receptor OX1R and OX2R proteins in the medial prefrontal cortex were higher in brightLD than dimLD males, but lower in brightLD than dimLD females. In the CA1 and dorsal raphe nucleus, females had higher OX1R than males without any significant effects of light condition, and OX2R levels were unaffected by sex or light. These results reveal that daytime light intensity alters the central orexin system of both male and female diurnal grass rats, sometimes sex-specifically, and provides insight into the mechanisms underlying how daytime light intensity impacts orexin-regulated functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Katrina Linning-Duffy
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Yuping Tang
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Anna Moody
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Lily Yan
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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20
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The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus: an integrative node underlying homeostatic behavior. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:538-549. [PMID: 33775435 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Early anatomical evidence suggested that the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) regulates arousal, as well as emotional and motivated behaviors. We discuss recent studies using modern techniques which now confirm and expand the involvement of the rodent PVT in these functions. Despite the emerging notion that the PVT is implicated in various behavioral processes, a recurrent theme is that activity in this brain region depends on internal state information arriving from the hypothalamus and brainstem, and is influenced by prior experience. We propose that the primary function of the PVT is to detect homeostatic challenges by integrating information about prior experiences, competing needs, and internal state to guide adaptive behavioral responses aimed at restoring homeostasis.
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21
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Kirouac GJ. The Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus as an Integrating and Relay Node in the Brain Anxiety Network. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:627633. [PMID: 33732118 PMCID: PMC7959748 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.627633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain anxiety network is composed of a number of interconnected cortical regions that detect threats and execute appropriate defensive responses via projections to the shell of the nucleus accumbens (NAcSh), dorsolateral region of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTDL) and lateral region of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeL). The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is anatomically positioned to integrate threat- and arousal-related signals from cortex and hypothalamus and then relay these signals to neural circuits in the NAcSh, BSTDL, and CeL that mediate defensive responses. This review describes the anatomical connections of the PVT that support the view that the PVT may be a critical node in the brain anxiety network. Experimental findings are reviewed showing that the arousal peptides orexins (hypocretins) act at the PVT to promote avoidance of potential threats especially following exposure of rats to a single episode of footshocks. Recent anatomical and experimental findings are discussed which show that neurons in the PVT provide divergent projections to subcortical regions that mediate defensive behaviors and that the projection to the NAcSh is critical for the enhanced social avoidance displayed in rats exposed to footshocks. A theoretical model is proposed for how the PVT integrates cortical and hypothalamic signals to modulate the behavioral responses associated with anxiety and other challenging situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilbert J. Kirouac
- Department of Oral Biology, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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22
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Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. Cocaine-Seeking Behavior Induced by Orexin A Administration in the Posterior Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus Is Not Long-Lasting: Neuroadaptation of the Orexin System During Cocaine Abstinence. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:620868. [PMID: 33708078 PMCID: PMC7940839 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.620868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypothalamic orexin (Orx) projections to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) have received growing interest because of their role in drug-seeking behavior. Using an established model of cocaine dependence (i.e., long access [LgA] to cocaine), we previously showed that OrxA injections in the posterior PVT (pPVT) reinstated extinguished cocaine-seeking behavior in rats after an intermediate period of abstinence (2-3 weeks). Considering the long-lasting nature of drug-seeking behavior, the present study examined whether the priming effect of intra-pPVT OrxA administration was preserved after a period of protracted abstinence (4-5 weeks) in rats that self-administered cocaine under LgA conditions. Furthermore, to better understand whether a history of cocaine dependence affects the Orx system-particularly the hypothalamic Orx↔pPVT connection-the number of Orx-expressing cells in the lateral hypothalamus (LH), dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), and perifornical area (PFA) and number of orexin receptor 1 (OrxR1)- and OrxR2-expressing cells in the pPVT were quantified. Orexin A administration in the pPVT induced cocaine-seeking behavior after intermediate abstinence, as reported previously. At protracted abstinence, however, the priming effect of OrxA was absent. A higher number of cells that expressed Orx was observed in the LH/DMH/PFA at both intermediate and protracted abstinence. In the pPVT, the number of OrxR2-expressing cells was significantly higher only at intermediate abstinence, with no changes in the number of OrxR1-expressing cells. These data build on our previous findings that the hypothalamic Orx↔pPVT connection is strongly recruited shortly after cocaine abstinence and demonstrate that the priming effect of OrxA is not long lasting. Furthermore, these findings suggest that throughout abstinence, the Orx↔pPVT connection undergoes neuroadaptive changes, reflected by alterations of the number of OrxR2-expressing cells in the pPVT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Matzeu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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23
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Motivational competition and the paraventricular thalamus. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:193-207. [PMID: 33609570 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Although significant progress has been made in understanding the behavioral and brain mechanisms for motivational systems, much less is known about competition between motivational states or motivational conflict (e.g., approach - avoidance conflict). Despite being produced under diverse conditions, behavior during motivational competition has two signatures: bistability and metastability. These signatures reveal the operation of positive feedback mechanisms in behavioral selection. Different neuronal architectures can instantiate this selection to achieve bistability and metastability in behavior, but each relies on circuit-level inhibition to achieve rapid and stable selection between competing tendencies. Paraventricular thalamus (PVT) is identified as critical to this circuit level inhibition, resolving motivational competition via its extensive projections to local inhibitory networks in the ventral striatum and extended amygdala, enabling adaptive responding under motivational conflict.
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Stimulatory, but not anxiogenic, doses of caffeine act centrally to activate interscapular brown adipose tissue thermogenesis in anesthetized male rats. Sci Rep 2021; 11:113. [PMID: 33420284 PMCID: PMC7794454 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80505-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of central orexin in the sympathetic control of interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT) thermogenesis has been established in rodents. Stimulatory doses of caffeine activate orexin positive neurons in the lateral hypothalamus, a region of the brain implicated in stimulating BAT thermogenesis. This study tests the hypothesis that central administration of caffeine is sufficient to activate BAT. Low doses of caffeine administered either systemically (intravenous [IV]; 10 mg/kg) and centrally (intracerebroventricular [ICV]; 5-10 μg) increases BAT thermogenesis, in anaesthetised (1.5 g/kg urethane, IV) free breathing male rats. Cardiovascular function was monitored via an indwelling intra-arterial cannula and exhibited no response to the caffeine. Core temperature did not significantly differ after administration of caffeine via either route of administration. Caffeine administered both IV and ICV increased neuronal activity, as measured by c-Fos-immunoreactivity within subregions of the hypothalamic area, previously implicated in regulating BAT thermogenesis. Significantly, there appears to be no neural anxiety response to the low dose of caffeine as indicated by no change in activity in the basolateral amygdala. Having measured the physiological correlate of thermogenesis (heat production) we have not measured indirect molecular correlates of BAT activation. Nevertheless, our results demonstrate that caffeine, at stimulatory doses, acting via the central nervous system can increase thermogenesis, without adverse cardio-dynamic impact.
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25
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The lateral hypothalamus and orexinergic transmission in the paraventricular thalamus promote the attribution of incentive salience to reward-associated cues. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3741-3758. [PMID: 32852601 PMCID: PMC7960144 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05651-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Prior research suggests that the neural pathway from the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) mediates the attribution of incentive salience to Pavlovian reward cues. However, a causal role for the LHA and the neurotransmitters involved have not been demonstrated in this regard. OBJECTIVES To examine (1) the role of LHA in the acquisition of Pavlovian conditioned approach (PavCA) behaviors, and (2) the role of PVT orexin 1 receptors (OX1r) and orexin 2 receptors (OX2r) in the expression of PavCA behaviors and conditioned reinforcement. METHODS Rats received excitotoxic lesions of the LHA prior to Pavlovian training. A separate cohort of rats characterized as sign-trackers (STs) or goal-trackers (GTs) received the OX1r antagonist SB-334867, or the OX2r antagonist TCS-OX2-29, into the PVT, to assess their effects on the expression of PavCA behavior and on the conditioned reinforcing properties of a Pavlovian reward cue. RESULTS LHA lesions attenuated the development of sign-tracking behavior. Administration of either the OX1r or OX2r antagonist into the PVT reduced sign-tracking behavior in STs. Further, OX2r antagonism reduced the conditioned reinforcing properties of a Pavlovian reward cue in STs. CONCLUSIONS The LHA is necessary for the development of sign-tracking behavior; and blockade of orexin signaling in the PVT attenuates the expression of sign-tracking behavior and the conditioned reinforcing properties of a Pavlovian reward cue. Together, these data suggest that LHA orexin inputs to the PVT are a key component of the circuitry that encodes the incentive motivational value of reward cues.
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Levenberg K, Hajnal A, George DR, Saunders EFH. Prolonged functional cerebral asymmetry as a consequence of dysfunctional parvocellular paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus signaling: An integrative model for the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder. Med Hypotheses 2020; 146:110433. [PMID: 33317848 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2020.110433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 45 million people worldwide are diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD). While there are many known risk factors and models of the pathologic processes influencing BD, the exact neurologic underpinnings of BD are unknown. We attempt to integrate the existing literature and create a unifying hypothesis regarding the pathophysiology of BD with the hope that a concrete model may potentially facilitate more specific diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of BD in the future. We hypothesize that dysfunctional signaling from the parvocellular neurons of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) results in the clinical presentation of BD. Functional damage to this nucleus and its signaling pathways may be mediated by myriad factors (e.g. immune dysregulation and auto-immune processes, polygenetic variation, dysfunctional interhemispheric connections, and impaired or overactivated hypothalamic axes) which could help explain the wide variety of clinical presentations along the BD spectrum. The neurons of the PVN regulate ultradian rhythms, which are observed in cyclic variations in healthy individuals, and mediate changes in functional hemispheric lateralization. Theoretically, dysfunctional PVN signaling results in prolonged functional hemispheric dominance. In this model, prolonged right hemispheric dominance leads to depressive symptoms, whereas left hemispheric dominance correlated to the clinical picture of mania. Subsequently, physiologic processes that increase signaling through the PVN (hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis, hypothalamic- pituitary-gonadal axis, and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis activity, suprachiasmatic nucleus pathways) as well as, neuro-endocrine induced excito-toxicity, auto-immune and inflammatory flairs may induce mood episodes in susceptible individuals. Potentially, ultradian rhythms slowing with age, in combination with changes in hypothalamic axes and maturation of neural circuitry, accounts for BD clinically presenting more frequently in young adulthood than later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate Levenberg
- College of Medicine, Penn State University College of Medicine, State College, USA.
| | - Andras Hajnal
- Neural & Behavioral Sciences, Penn State University College of Medicine, State College, USA
| | - Daniel R George
- Department of Humanities, Penn State University College of Medicine, Hershey, USA
| | - Erika F H Saunders
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Penn State University College of Medicine, State College, USA
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Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of Orexin Receptors in the Posterior Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus Prevents Stress-Induced Reinstatement of Reward-Seeking Behavior in Rats With a History of Ethanol Dependence. Front Integr Neurosci 2020; 14:599710. [PMID: 33240054 PMCID: PMC7683390 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2020.599710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural systems involved in processing natural rewards and drugs of abuse overlap and exposure to drugs of abuse induce neuroadaptations that can cause compulsive-like behavior. For example, the recruitment of the orexin (Orx) system by drugs of abuse has been proposed to induce neuroadaptations that in turn alter its function, reflected by maladaptive, compulsive, and addictive behavior. Orexin neurons project to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT)—particularly the posterior part (pPVT), a structure that plays a key role in stress regulation. This study investigated whether Orx transmission in the pPVT plays a role in stress-induced reinstatement of reward-seeking behavior toward ethanol (EtOH) and a highly palatable food reward [sweetened condensed milk (SCM)] in rats and whether this role changes with EtOH dependence. After being trained to orally self-administer EtOH or SCM, the rats were made dependent (EtOHD and SCMD) by chronic intermittent EtOH vapor exposure. The control nondependent groups (EtOHND and SCMND) were exposed to air. Following extinction, the rats were tested for stress-induced reinstatement of EtOH- and SCM-seeking behavior. Stress reinstated EtOH- and SCM-seeking behavior in all groups (EtOHD/ND and SCMD/ND). Administration of the dual Orx receptor (OrxR) antagonist TCS1102 (15 μg) in the pPVT prevented stress-induced reinstatement only in dependent rats (EtOHD and SCMD). In parallel, the qPCR analysis showed that Orx mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and OrxR1/R2 mRNA expression in the pPVT were increased at the time of testing in the EtOHD and SCMD groups. These results are the first to implicate Orx transmission in the pPVT in the stress-induced reinstatement of reward-seeking behavior in EtOH dependent rats and indicate the maladaptive recruitment of Orx transmission in the pPVT by EtOH dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Matzeu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Barson JR, Mack NR, Gao WJ. The Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus Is an Important Node in the Emotional Processing Network. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:598469. [PMID: 33192373 PMCID: PMC7658442 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.598469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) has for decades been acknowledged to be an important node in the limbic system, but studies of emotional processing generally fail to incorporate it into their investigational framework. Here, we propose that the PVT should be considered as an integral part of the emotional processing network. Through its distinct subregions, cell populations, and connections with other limbic nuclei, the PVT participates in both major features of emotion: arousal and valence. The PVT, particularly the anterior PVT, can through its neuronal activity promote arousal, both as part of the sleep-wake cycle and in response to novel stimuli. It is also involved in reward, being both responsive to rewarding stimuli and itself affecting behavior reflecting reward, likely via specific populations of cells distributed throughout its subregions. Similarly, neuronal activity in the PVT contributes to depression-like behavior, through yet undefined subregions. The posterior PVT in particular demonstrates a role in anxiety-like behavior, generally promoting but also inhibiting this behavior. This subregion is also especially responsive to stressors, and it functions to suppress the stress response following chronic stress exposure. In addition to participating in unconditioned or primary emotional responses, the PVT also makes major contributions to conditioned emotional behavior. Neuronal activity in response to a reward-predictive cue can be detected throughout the PVT, and endogenous activity in the posterior PVT strongly predicts approach or seeking behavior. Similarly, neuronal activity during conditioned fear retrieval is detected in the posterior PVT and its activation facilitates the expression of conditioned fear. Much of this involvement of the PVT in arousal and valence has been shown to occur through the same general afferents and efferents, including connections with the hypothalamus, prelimbic and infralimbic cortices, nucleus accumbens, and amygdala, although a detailed functional map of the PVT circuits that control emotional responses remains to be delineated. Thus, while caveats exist and more work is required, the PVT, through its extensive connections with other prominent nuclei in the limbic system, appears to be an integral part of the emotional processing network.
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Li SB, de Lecea L. The hypocretin (orexin) system: from a neural circuitry perspective. Neuropharmacology 2020; 167:107993. [PMID: 32135427 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.107993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Hypocretin/orexin neurons are distributed restrictively in the hypothalamus, a brain region known to orchestrate diverse functions including sleep, reward processing, food intake, thermogenesis, and mood. Since the hypocretins/orexins were discovered more than two decades ago, extensive studies have accumulated concrete evidence showing the pivotal role of hypocretin/orexin in diverse neural modulation. New method of viral-mediated tracing system offers the possibility to map the monosynaptic inputs and detailed anatomical connectivity of Hcrt neurons. With the development of powerful research techniques including optogenetics, fiber-photometry, cell-type/pathway specific manipulation and neuronal activity monitoring, as well as single-cell RNA sequencing, the details of how hypocretinergic system execute functional modulation of various behaviors are coming to light. In this review, we focus on the function of neural pathways from hypocretin neurons to target brain regions. Anatomical and functional inputs to hypocretin neurons are also discussed. We further briefly summarize the development of pharmaceutical compounds targeting hypocretin signaling. This article is part of the special issue on Neuropeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Bin Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Luis de Lecea
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1201 Welch Road, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Meffre J, Sicre M, Diarra M, Marchessaux F, Paleressompoulle D, Ambroggi F. Orexin in the Posterior Paraventricular Thalamus Mediates Hunger-Related Signals in the Nucleus Accumbens Core. Curr Biol 2019; 29:3298-3306.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 06/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Zhou K, Zhu Y. The paraventricular thalamic nucleus: A key hub of neural circuits underlying drug addiction. Pharmacol Res 2019; 142:70-76. [PMID: 30772461 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive, out-of-control drug use and the appearance of negative somatic and emotional consequences when drug access is prevented. The limited efficacy of treatment urges researchers toward a deeper understanding of the neural mechanism of drug addiction. Brain circuits that regulate reward and motivation are considered to be the neural substrate of drug addiction. An increasing body of literature indicates that the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) could serve as a key node in the neurocircuits that control goal-directed behaviors. In this review, we summarize the anatomical and functional evidence that the PVT regulates drug-related behaviors. The PVT receives extensive inputs from the brainstem and hypothalamus, and is reciprocally connected with the limbic system. Neurons in the PVT are recruited by drug exposure as well as cues and context associated with drug taking. Pathway-specific perturbation studies have begun to decipher the precise role of PVT circuits in drug-related behaviors. We also highlight recent findings about the involvement of neural plasticity of the PVT pathways in drug addiction and provide perspectives on future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuikui Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yingjie Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Ren S, Wang Y, Yue F, Cheng X, Dang R, Qiao Q, Sun X, Li X, Jiang Q, Yao J, Qin H, Wang G, Liao X, Gao D, Xia J, Zhang J, Hu B, Yan J, Wang Y, Xu M, Han Y, Tang X, Chen X, He C, Hu Z. The paraventricular thalamus is a critical thalamic area for wakefulness. Science 2018; 362:429-434. [PMID: 30361367 DOI: 10.1126/science.aat2512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Clinical observations indicate that the paramedian region of the thalamus is a critical node for controlling wakefulness. However, the specific nucleus and neural circuitry for this function remain unknown. Using in vivo fiber photometry or multichannel electrophysiological recordings in mice, we found that glutamatergic neurons of the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) exhibited high activities during wakefulness. Suppression of PVT neuronal activity caused a reduction in wakefulness, whereas activation of PVT neurons induced a transition from sleep to wakefulness and an acceleration of emergence from general anesthesia. Moreover, our findings indicate that the PVT–nucleus accumbens projections and hypocretin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus to PVT glutamatergic neurons’ projections are the effector pathways for wakefulness control. These results demonstrate that the PVT is a key wakefulness-controlling nucleus in the thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuancheng Ren
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yaling Wang
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Faguo Yue
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
- Department of Sleep and Psychology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Xiaofang Cheng
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Ruozhi Dang
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Qicheng Qiao
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xueqi Sun
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Qian Jiang
- Department of Sleep and Psychology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Jiwei Yao
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Han Qin
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Guanzhong Wang
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Xiang Liao
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Dong Gao
- Department of Sleep and Psychology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Jianxia Xia
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Bo Hu
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Junan Yan
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
| | - Yanjiang Wang
- Department of Neurology, Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China
| | - Min Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yunyun Han
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine and Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xiangdong Tang
- Sleep Medicine Center, Laboratory of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Translational Neuroscience Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Brain Research Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Chao He
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
| | - Zhian Hu
- Department of Physiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
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Abstract
The neuropeptides orexins are important in regulating the neurobiological systems that respond to stressful stimuli. Furthermore, orexins are known to play a role many of the phenotypes associated with stress-related mental illness such as changes in cognition, sleep-wake states, and appetite. Interestingly, orexins are altered in stress-related psychiatric disorders such as Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety Disorders. Thus, orexins may be a potential target for treatment of these disorders. In this review, we will focus on what is known about the role of orexins in acute and repeated stress, in stress-induced phenotypes relevant to psychiatric illness in preclinical models, and in stress-related psychiatric illness in humans. We will also briefly discuss how orexins may contribute to sex differences in the stress response and subsequent phenotypes relevant to mental health, as many stress-related psychiatric disorders are twice as prevalent in women.
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Matzeu A, Martin-Fardon R. Drug Seeking and Relapse: New Evidence of a Role for Orexin and Dynorphin Co-transmission in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus. Front Neurol 2018; 9:720. [PMID: 30210441 PMCID: PMC6121102 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The long-lasting vulnerability to relapse remains the main challenge for the successful treatment of drug addiction. Neural systems that are involved in processing natural rewards and drugs of abuse overlap. However, neuroplasticity that is caused by drug exposure may be responsible for maladaptive, compulsive, and addictive behavior. The orexin (Orx) system participates in regulating numerous physiological processes, including energy metabolism, arousal, and feeding, and is recruited by drugs of abuse. The Orx system is differentially recruited by drugs and natural rewards. Specifically, we found that the Orx system is more engaged by drugs than by non-drugs, such as sweetened condensed milk (SCM) or a glucose saccharin solution (GSS), in an operant model of reward seeking. Although stimuli (S+) that are conditioned to cocaine (COC), ethanol, and SCM/GSS equally elicited reinstatement, Orx receptor blockade reversed conditioned reinstatement for drugs vs. non-drugs. Moreover, the hypothalamic recruitment of Orx cells was greater in rats that were tested with the COC S+ vs. SCM S+, indicating of a preferential role for the Orx system in perseverative, compulsive-like COC seeking and not behavior that is motivated by palatable food. Accumulating evidence indicates that the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), which receives major Orx projections, mediates drug-seeking behavior. All Orx neurons contain dynorphin (Dyn), and Orx and Dyn are co-released. In the VTA, they play opposing roles in reward and motivation. To fully understand the physiological and behavioral roles of Orx transmission in the PVT, one important consideration is that Orx neurons that project to the PVT may co-release Orx with another peptide, such as Dyn. The PVT expresses both Orx receptors and κ opioid receptors, suggesting that Orx and Dyn act in tandem when released in the PVT, in addition to the VTA. The present review discusses recent findings that suggest the maladaptive recruitment of Orx/Dyn-PVT neurotransmission by drugs of abuse vs. a highly palatable food reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Matzeu
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Cheng J, Wang J, Ma X, Ullah R, Shen Y, Zhou YD. Anterior Paraventricular Thalamus to Nucleus Accumbens Projection Is Involved in Feeding Behavior in a Novel Environment. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:202. [PMID: 29930498 PMCID: PMC5999750 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging food in a novel environment is essential for survival. Animals coordinate the complex motivated states and decide whether to initiate feeding or escape from unfamiliar scenes. Neurons in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) receive multiple inputs from the hypothalamus, forebrain, and caudal brainstem that are known to regulate feeding behavior. The PVT neurons also project to the forebrain regions that are involved in reward and motivation. Notably, the PVT neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are activated when an incentive stimulus is presented. Optogenetic activation of the PVT-NAc path has been shown to increase the motivation for sucrose-seeking in instrumental tasks. However, how the PVT circuitry regulates the feeding behavior in a novel environment remains largely obscure. In the present study, we found that the activity of glutamatergic neurons in the anterior PVT (aPVT) projecting to the NAc dictates the novelty-suppressed feeding behavior in mice. Optogenetic activation of the aPVT-NAc projection increased the feeding time and food consumption in mice under a moderate food restriction in a novel open field where the food was placed in the central area. The exploratory and anxiety-like behaviors, however, were not altered by the aPVT-NAc activation. Our work reveals that activation of the aPVT-NAc pathway in mice generates a motivation to consume food in a novel environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Cheng
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jincheng Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolin Ma
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Rahim Ullah
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Department of Endocrinology, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Shen
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Dong Zhou
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology of Ministry of Health, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Neurobiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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Transient inactivation of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus enhances cue-induced reinstatement in goal-trackers, but not sign-trackers. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:999-1014. [PMID: 29285634 PMCID: PMC5871598 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4816-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) has been shown to mediate cue-motivated behaviors, such as sign- and goal-tracking, as well as reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior. However, the role of the PVT in mediating individual variation in cue-induced drug-seeking behavior remains unknown. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine if inactivation of the PVT differentially mediates cue-induced drug-seeking behavior in sign-trackers and goal-trackers. METHODS Rats were characterized as sign-trackers (STs) or goal-trackers (GTs) based on their Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior. Rats were then exposed to 15 days of cocaine self-administration, followed by a 2-week forced abstinence period and then extinction training. Rats then underwent tests for cue-induced reinstatement and general locomotor activity, prior to which they received an infusion of either saline (control) or baclofen/muscimol (B/M) to inactivate the PVT. RESULTS Relative to control animals of the same phenotype, GTs show a robust increase in cue-induced drug-seeking behavior following PVT inactivation, whereas the behavior of STs was not affected. PVT inactivation did not affect locomotor activity in either phenotype. CONCLUSION In GTs, the PVT appears to inhibit the expression of drug-seeking, presumably by attenuating the incentive value of the drug cue. Thus, inactivation of the PVT releases this inhibition in GTs, resulting in an increase in cue-induced drug-seeking behavior. PVT inactivation did not affect cue-induced drug-seeking behavior in STs, suggesting that the role of the PVT in encoding the incentive motivational value of drug cues differs between STs and GTs.
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Dynorphin Counteracts Orexin in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus: Cellular and Behavioral Evidence. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1010-1020. [PMID: 29052613 PMCID: PMC5854806 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The orexin (Orx) system plays a critical role in drug addiction and reward-related behaviors. The dynorphin (Dyn) system promotes depressive-like behavior and plays a key role in the aversive effects of stress. Orx and Dyn are co-released and have opposing functions in reward and motivation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Previous studies suggested that OrxA transmission in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (pPVT) participates in cocaine-seeking behavior. This study determined whether Orx and Dyn interact in the pPVT. Using the brain slice preparation for cellular recordings, superfusion of DynA onto pPVT neurons decreased the frequency of spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (s/mEPSCs). OrxA increased the frequency of sEPSCs but had no effect on mEPSCs, suggesting a network-driven effect of OrxA. The amplitudes of s/mEPSCs were unaffected by the peptides, indicating a presynaptic action on glutamate release. Augmentation of OrxA-induced glutamate release was reversed by DynA. Utilizing a behavioral approach, separate groups of male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer cocaine or sweetened condensed milk (SCM). After extinction, rats received intra-pPVT administration of OrxA±DynA±the κ-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (NorBNI) under extinction conditions. OrxA reinstated cocaine- and SCM-seeking behavior, with a greater effect in cocaine animals. DynA blocked OrxA-induced cocaine seeking but not SCM seeking. NorBNI did not induce or potentiate cocaine-seeking behavior induced by OrxA but reversed DynA effect. This indicates that the κ-opioid system in the pPVT counteracts OrxA-induced cocaine seeking, suggesting a novel therapeutic target to prevent cocaine relapse.
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Laperchia C, Xu YZ, Mumba Ngoyi D, Cotrufo T, Bentivoglio M. Neural Damage in Experimental Trypanosoma brucei gambiense Infection: Hypothalamic Peptidergic Sleep and Wake-Regulatory Neurons. Front Neuroanat 2018. [PMID: 29535612 PMCID: PMC5835115 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2018.00013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuron populations of the lateral hypothalamus which synthesize the orexin (OX)/hypocretin or melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) peptides play crucial, reciprocal roles in regulating wake stability and sleep. The disease human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also called sleeping sickness, caused by extracellular Trypanosoma brucei (T. b.) parasites, leads to characteristic sleep-wake cycle disruption and narcoleptic-like alterations of the sleep structure. Previous studies have revealed damage of OX and MCH neurons during systemic infection of laboratory rodents with the non-human pathogenic T. b. brucei subspecies. No information is available, however, on these peptidergic neurons after systemic infection with T. b. gambiense, the etiological agent of 97% of HAT cases. The present study was aimed at the investigation of immunohistochemically characterized OX and MCH neurons after T. b. gambiense or T. b. brucei infection of a susceptible rodent, the multimammate mouse, Mastomysnatalensis. Cell counts and evaluation of OX fiber density were performed at 4 and 8 weeks post-infection, when parasites had entered the brain parenchyma from the periphery. A significant decrease of OX neurons (about 44% reduction) and MCH neurons (about 54% reduction) was found in the lateral hypothalamus and perifornical area at 8 weeks in T. b. gambiense-infected M. natalensis. A moderate decrease (21% and 24% reduction, respectively), which did not reach statistical significance, was found after T. b. brucei infection. In two key targets of diencephalic orexinergic innervation, the peri-suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) region and the thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT), densitometric analyses showed a significant progressive decrease in the density of orexinergic fibers in both infection paradigms, and especially during T. b. gambiense infection. Altogether the findings provide novel information showing that OX and MCH neurons are highly vulnerable to chronic neuroinflammatory signaling caused by the infection of human-pathogenic African trypanosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Laperchia
- Department of Neuroscience Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Yuan-Zhong Xu
- Department of Neuroscience Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Dieudonné Mumba Ngoyi
- Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Tiziana Cotrufo
- Department of Neuroscience Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Marina Bentivoglio
- Department of Neuroscience Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.,National Institute of Neuroscience (INN), Verona Unit, Verona, Italy
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Zséli G, Vida B, Szilvásy-Szabó A, Tóth M, Lechan RM, Fekete C. Neuronal connections of the central amygdalar nucleus with refeeding-activated brain areas in rats. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:391-414. [PMID: 28852859 PMCID: PMC5773374 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1501-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 08/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Following fasting, satiety is accompanied by neuronal activation in brain areas including the central amygdalar nucleus (CEA). Since CEA is known to inhibit food intake, we hypothesized that CEA contributes to the termination of meal during refeeding. To better understand the organization of this satiety-related circuit, the interconnections of the CEA with refeeding-activated neuronal groups were elucidated using retrograde (cholera toxin-β subunit, CTB) and anterograde (phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin, PHA-L) tracers in male rats. C-Fos-immunoreactivity was used as marker of neuronal activation. The refeeding-activated input of the CEA primarily originated from the paraventricular thalamic, parasubthalamic and parabrachial nuclei. Few CTB-c-Fos double-labeled neurons were detected in the prefrontal cortex, lateral hypothalamic area, nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) and the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BNST). Only few refeeding-activated proopiomelanocortin-producing neurons of the arcuate nucleus projected to the CEA. Anterograde tract tracing revealed a high density of PHAL-labeled axons contacted with refeeding-activated neurons in the BNST, lateral hypothalamic area, parasubthalamic, paraventricular thalamic and parabrachial nuclei and NTS; a low density of labeled axons was found in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus. Chemogenetic activation of the medial CEA (CEAm) inhibited food intake during the first hour of refeeding, while activation of lateral CEA had no effect. These data demonstrate the existence of reciprocal connections between the CEA and distinct refeeding-activated hypothalamic, thalamic and brainstem nuclei, suggesting the importance of short feedback loops in the regulation of satiety and importance of the CEAm in the regulation of food intake during refeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Györgyi Zséli
- Department of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 43 Szigony St, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
- Neuroendocrinology Program, Semmelweis University Neurosciences Doctoral School, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Barbara Vida
- Department of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 43 Szigony St, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Information Technology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anett Szilvásy-Szabó
- Department of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 43 Szigony St, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
- Neuroendocrinology Program, Semmelweis University Neurosciences Doctoral School, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mónika Tóth
- Department of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 43 Szigony St, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
| | - Ronald M Lechan
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Tupper Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Csaba Fekete
- Department of Endocrine Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 43 Szigony St, Budapest, 1083, Hungary.
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Tupper Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
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Choudhary AG, Somalwar AR, Sagarkar S, Rale A, Sakharkar A, Subhedar NK, Kokare DM. CART neurons in the lateral hypothalamus communicate with the nucleus accumbens shell via glutamatergic neurons in paraventricular thalamic nucleus to modulate reward behavior. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 223:1313-1328. [PMID: 29116427 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1544-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) serves as a transit node processing food and drug-associated reward information, but its afferents and efferents have not been fully defined. We test the hypothesis that the CART neurons in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) project to the PVT neurons, which in turn communicate via the glutamatergic fibers with the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh), the canonical site for reward. Rats conditioned to self-stimulate via an electrode in the right LH-medial forebrain bundle were used. Intra-PVT administration of CART (55-102) dose-dependently (10-50 ng/rat) lowered intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) threshold and increased lever press activity, suggesting reward-promoting action of the peptide. However, treatment with CART antibody (intra-PVT) or MK-801 (NMDA antagonist, intra-AcbSh) produced opposite effects. A combination of sub-effective dose of MK-801 (0.01 µg/rat, intra-AcbSh) and effective dose of CART (25 ng/rat, intra-PVT) attenuated CART's rewarding action. Further, we screened the LH-PVT-AcbSh circuit for neuroadaptive changes induced by conditioning experience. A more than twofold increase was noticed in the CART mRNA expression in the LH on the side ipsilateral to the implanted electrode for ICSS. In addition, the PVT of conditioned rats showed a distinct increase in the (a) c-Fos expressing cells and CART fiber terminals, and (b) CART and vesicular glutamate transporter 2 immunostained elements. Concomitantly, the AcbSh showed a striking increase in expression of NMDA receptor subunit NR1. We suggest that CART in LH-PVT and glutamate in PVT-AcbSh circuit might support food-seeking behavior under natural conditions and also store reward memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit G Choudhary
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, 440 033, India
| | - Amita R Somalwar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, 440 033, India
| | - Sneha Sagarkar
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411 007, India
| | - Abhishek Rale
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, 411 008, India
| | - Amul Sakharkar
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411 007, India
| | - Nishikant K Subhedar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune, 411 008, India
| | - Dadasaheb M Kokare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, 440 033, India.
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Ogawa Y, Kanda T, Vogt K, Yanagisawa M. Anatomical and electrophysiological development of the hypothalamic orexin neurons from embryos to neonates. J Comp Neurol 2017; 525:3809-3820. [PMID: 28608460 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The amount, quality, and diurnal pattern of sleep change greatly during development. Developmental changes of sleep/wake architecture are in a close relationship to brain development. The fragmentation of wake episodes is one of the salient features in the neonatal period, which is also observed in mature animals and human individuals lacking neuropeptide orexin/hypocretin signaling. This raises the possibility that developmental changes of lateral hypothalamic orexin neurons are relevant to the development of sleep/wake architecture. However, little information is available on morphological and physiological features of developing orexin neurons. To address the cellular basis for maturation of the sleep/wake regulatory system, we investigated the functional development of orexin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. The anatomical development as well as the changes in the electrophysiological characteristics of orexin neurons was examined from embryonic to postnatal stages in orexin-EGFP mice. Prepro-orexin promoter activity was detectable at embryonic day (E) 12.0, followed by expression of orexin A after E14.0. The number of orexin neurons and their membrane capacitance reached similar levels to adults by postnatal day (P) 7, while their membrane potentials, firing rates, and action potential waveforms were developed by P21. The hyperpolarizing effect of serotonin, which is a major inhibitory signal for adult orexin neurons, was detected after E18.0 and matured at P1. These results suggest that the expression of orexin peptides precedes the maturation of electrophysiological activity of orexin neurons. The function of orexin neurons gradually matures by 3 weeks after birth, coinciding with maturation of sleep/wake architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukino Ogawa
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takeshi Kanda
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kaspar Vogt
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Masashi Yanagisawa
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
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42
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Do-Monte FH, Minier-Toribio A, Quiñones-Laracuente K, Medina-Colón EM, Quirk GJ. Thalamic Regulation of Sucrose Seeking during Unexpected Reward Omission. Neuron 2017; 94:388-400.e4. [PMID: 28426970 PMCID: PMC5484638 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.03.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Revised: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is thought to regulate behavioral responses under emotionally arousing conditions. Reward-associated cues activate PVT neurons; however, the specific PVT efferents regulating reward seeking remain elusive. Using a cued sucrose-seeking task, we manipulated PVT activity under two emotionally distinct conditions: (1) when reward was available during the cue as expected or (2) when reward was unexpectedly omitted during the cue. Pharmacological inactivation of the anterior PVT (aPVT), but not the posterior PVT, increased sucrose seeking only when reward was omitted. Consistent with this, photoactivation of aPVT neurons abolished sucrose seeking, and the firing of aPVT neurons differentiated reward availability. Photoinhibition of aPVT projections to the nucleus accumbens or to the amygdala increased or decreased, respectively, sucrose seeking only when reward was omitted. Our findings suggest that PVT bidirectionally modulates sucrose seeking under the negative (frustrative) conditions of reward omission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio H Do-Monte
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico.
| | - Angélica Minier-Toribio
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Kelvin Quiñones-Laracuente
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Estefanía M Medina-Colón
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
| | - Gregory J Quirk
- Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan 00936, Puerto Rico
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43
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Choi EA, McNally GP. Paraventricular Thalamus Balances Danger and Reward. J Neurosci 2017; 37:3018-3029. [PMID: 28193686 PMCID: PMC6596734 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3320-16.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging animals balance the need to seek food and energy against the accompanying dangers of injury and predation. To do so, they rely on learning systems encoding reward and danger. Whereas much is known about these separate learning systems, little is known about how they interact to shape and guide behavior. Here we show a key role for the rat paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), a nucleus of the dorsal midline thalamus, in this interaction. First, we show behavioral competition between reward and danger: the opportunity to seek food reward negatively modulates expression of species-typical defensive behavior. Then, using a chemogenetic approach expressing the inhibitory hM4Di designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug in PVT neurons, we show that the PVT is central to this behavioral competition. Chemogenetic PVT silencing biases behavior toward either defense or reward depending on the experimental conditions, but does not consistently favor expression of one over the other. This bias could not be attributed to changes in fear memory retrieval, learned safety, or memory interference. Rather, our results demonstrate that the PVT is essential for balancing conflicting behavioral tendencies toward danger and reward, enabling adaptive responding under this basic selection pressure.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Among the most basic survival problems faced by animals is balancing the need to seek food and energy against the accompanying dangers of injury and predation. Although much is known about the brain mechanisms that underpin learning about reward and danger, little is known about how these interact to solve basic survival problems. Here we show competition between defensive (to avoid predatory detection) and approach (to obtain food) behavior. We show that the paraventricular thalamus, a nucleus of the dorsal midline thalamus, is integral to this behavioral competition. The paraventricular thalamus balances the competing behavioral demands of danger and reward, enabling adaptive responding under this selection pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun A Choi
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052 Australia
| | - Gavan P McNally
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052 Australia
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Öz P, Kaya Yertutanol FD, Gözler T, Özçetin A, Uzbay IT. Lesions of the paraventricular thalamic nucleus attenuates prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Neurosci Lett 2017; 642:31-36. [PMID: 28137649 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.01.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) is a midline nucleus with strong connections to cortical and subcortical brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus and receives strong projections from brain stem nuclei. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is mediated and modulated by complex cortical and subcortical networks that are yet to be fully identified in detail. Here, we suggest that the PVT may be an important brain region for the modulation of PPI. In our study, the paraventricular thalamic nuclei of rats were electrolytically lesioned. Two weeks after the surgery, the PPI responses of the animals were monitored and recorded using measurements of acoustic startle reflex. Our results show that disruption of the PVT dramatically attenuated PPI at prepulse intensities of 74, 78 and 86dB compared to that in the sham lesion group. Thus, we suggest that the PVT may be an important part of the PPI network in the rat brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pınar Öz
- Neuropsychopharmacology Application and Research Center (NPARC), Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey.
| | - F Duygu Kaya Yertutanol
- Neuropsychopharmacology Application and Research Center (NPARC), Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey; Department of Psychology, Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Tayfun Gözler
- Neuropsychopharmacology Application and Research Center (NPARC), Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Ayşe Özçetin
- Neuropsychopharmacology Application and Research Center (NPARC), Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - I Tayfun Uzbay
- Neuropsychopharmacology Application and Research Center (NPARC), Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey; Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Üsküdar University, İstanbul, Turkey
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45
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Davimes JG, Alagaili AN, Bennett NC, Mohammed OB, Bhagwandin A, Manger PR, Gravett N. Neurochemical organization and morphology of the sleep related nuclei in the brain of the Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx. J Chem Neuroanat 2017; 81:53-70. [PMID: 28163217 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2017.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx, is a member of the superorder Cetartiodactyla and is native to the Arabian Desert. The desert environment can be considered extreme in which to sleep, as the ranges of temperatures experienced are beyond what most mammals encounter. The current study describes the nuclear organization and neuronal morphology of the systems that have been implicated in sleep control in other mammals for the Arabian oryx. The nuclei delineated include those revealed immunohistochemically as belonging to the cholinergic, catecholaminergic, serotonergic and orexinergic systems within the basal forebrain, hypothalamus, midbrain and pons. In addition, we examined the GABAergic neurons and their terminal networks surrounding or within these nuclei. The majority of the neuronal systems examined followed the typical mammalian organizational plan, but some differences were observed: (1) the neuronal morphology of the cholinergic laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) and pedunculopontine tegmental (PPT) nuclei, as well as the parvocellular subdivision of the orexinergic main cluster, exhibited Cetartiodactyl-specific features; (2) the dorsal division of the catecholaminergic anterior hypothalamic group (A15d), which has not been reported in any member of the Artiodactyla studied to date, was present in the brain of the Arabian oryx; and (3) the catecholaminergic tuberal cell group (A12) was notably more expansive than previously seen in any other mammal. The A12 nucleus has been associated functionally to osmoregulation in other mammals, and thus its expansion could potentially be a species specific feature of the Arabian oryx given their native desert environment and the need for extreme water conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua G Davimes
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Abdulaziz N Alagaili
- KSU Mammals Research Chair, Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- SARChI Chair for Mammalian Behavioural Ecology and Physiology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Osama B Mohammed
- KSU Mammals Research Chair, Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Nadine Gravett
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, 2193, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Barson JR, Poon K, Ho HT, Alam MI, Sanzalone L, Leibowitz SF. Substance P in the anterior thalamic paraventricular nucleus: promotion of ethanol drinking in response to orexin from the hypothalamus. Addict Biol 2017. [PMID: 26223289 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) appears to participate in drug addiction. Recent evidence in rats shows that ethanol drinking is increased by orexin/hypocretin (OX) afferents from the hypothalamus, acting specifically in the anterior (aPVT) rather than posterior (pPVT) PVT subregion. The present study sought to identify neuropeptides transcribed within the PVT, which themselves might contribute to ethanol drinking and possibly mediate the actions of OX. We discovered that substance P (SP) in the aPVT can stimulate intermittent-access ethanol drinking, similar to OX, and that SP receptor [neurokinin 1 receptor/tachykinin receptor 1 (NK1R)] antagonists in this subregion reduce ethanol drinking. As with OX, this effect is site specific, with SP in the pPVT or dorsal third ventricle having no effect on ethanol drinking, and it is behaviorally specific, with SP in the aPVT reducing the drinking of sucrose and stimulating it in the pPVT. A close relationship between SP and OX was demonstrated by a stimulatory effect of local OX injection on SP mRNA and peptide levels, specifically in the aPVT but not pPVT, and a stimulatory effect of OX on SP expression in isolated thalamic neurons, reflecting postsynaptic actions. A functional relationship between OX and SP in the aPVT is suggested by our additional finding that ethanol drinking induced by OX is blocked by a local NK1R antagonist administered at a sub-threshold dose. These results, suggesting that SP in the aPVT mediates the stimulatory effect of OX on ethanol drinking, identify a new role for SP in the control of this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R. Barson
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology; The Rockefeller University; New York NY USA
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy; Drexel University College of Medicine; Philadelphia PA USA
| | - Kinning Poon
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology; The Rockefeller University; New York NY USA
| | - Hui Tin Ho
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology; The Rockefeller University; New York NY USA
| | - Mohammad I. Alam
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology; The Rockefeller University; New York NY USA
| | - Lilia Sanzalone
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology; The Rockefeller University; New York NY USA
| | - Sarah F. Leibowitz
- Laboratory of Behavioral Neurobiology; The Rockefeller University; New York NY USA
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Matzeu A, Cauvi G, Kerr TM, Weiss F, Martin-Fardon R. The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus is differentially recruited by stimuli conditioned to the availability of cocaine versus palatable food. Addict Biol 2017; 22:70-77. [PMID: 26096647 PMCID: PMC4788574 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is not traditionally considered part of the brain addiction neurocircuitry but has received growing attention with regard to a role in the modulation of drug-seeking behavior. This study sought to establish the pattern of neural activation induced by a response-reinstating discriminative stimulus (SD ) conditioned to either cocaine (COC) or a conventional reinforcer using a palatable food substance, sweetened condensed milk (SCM). Male Wistar rats were trained to associate one SD (S+ ; COC or SCM availability) and a distinctly different SD (S- ; non-reward; i.e. the availability of saline or the absence of SCM). Following extinction of COC- and SCM-reinforced responding, rats were presented with the respective S+ or S- alone and tested for the reinstatement of reward seeking. The COC S+ and SCM S+ elicited identical reinstatement, whereas the non-reward S- was behaviorally ineffective. PVT sections were obtained following completion of the reinstatement tests and labeled for Fos. The number of Fos+ neurons was compared among rats that were presented with the COC S+ , SCM S+ or S- . Rats that were presented with the COC S+ exhibited a significant increase in Fos expression compared with rats that were presented with the S- . Moreover, Fos expression was significantly correlated with the number of reinstatement responses that were induced by the COC S+ . In contrast, the SCM S+ and S- produced identical increases in Fos expression, without behaviorally relevant correlations. The findings implicate the PVT as an important site that is selectively recruited during COC-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Matzeu
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gabrielle Cauvi
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tony M. Kerr
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Friedbert Weiss
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Department, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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48
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Wang H, Li S, Kirouac GJ. Role of the orexin (hypocretin) system in contextual fear conditioning in rats. Behav Brain Res 2017; 316:47-53. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Haight JL, Fuller ZL, Fraser KM, Flagel SB. A food-predictive cue attributed with incentive salience engages subcortical afferents and efferents of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. Neuroscience 2016; 340:135-152. [PMID: 27793779 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.10.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2016] [Revised: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) has been implicated in behavioral responses to reward-associated cues. However, the precise role of the PVT in these behaviors has been difficult to ascertain since Pavlovian-conditioned cues can act as both predictive and incentive stimuli. The "sign-tracker/goal-tracker" rat model has allowed us to further elucidate the role of the PVT in cue-motivated behaviors, identifying this structure as a critical component of the neural circuitry underlying individual variation in the propensity to attribute incentive salience to reward cues. The current study assessed differences in the engagement of specific PVT afferents and efferents in response to presentation of a food-cue that had been attributed with only predictive value or with both predictive and incentive value. The retrograde tracer fluorogold (FG) was injected into the PVT or the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats, and cue-induced c-Fos in FG-labeled cells was quantified. Presentation of a predictive stimulus that had been attributed with incentive value elicited c-Fos in PVT afferents from the lateral hypothalamus, medial amygdala (MeA), and the prelimbic cortex (PrL), as well as posterior PVT efferents to the NAc. PVT afferents from the PrL also showed elevated c-Fos levels following presentation of a predictive stimulus alone. Thus, presentation of an incentive stimulus results in engagement of subcortical brain regions; supporting a role for the hypothalamic-thalamic-striatal axis, as well as the MeA, in mediating responses to incentive stimuli; whereas activity in the PrL to PVT pathway appears to play a role in processing the predictive qualities of reward-paired stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua L Haight
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Zachary L Fuller
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kurt M Fraser
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Shelly B Flagel
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Department of Psychiatry, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
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Gökdeniz E, Özgür A, Canbeyli R. Automated Neuroanatomical Relation Extraction: A Linguistically Motivated Approach with a PVT Connectivity Graph Case Study. Front Neuroinform 2016; 10:39. [PMID: 27708573 PMCID: PMC5030238 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2016.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the relations among different regions of the brain is vital for a better understanding of how the brain functions. While a large number of studies have investigated the neuroanatomical and neurochemical connections among brain structures, their specific findings are found in publications scattered over a large number of years and different types of publications. Text mining techniques have provided the means to extract specific types of information from a large number of publications with the aim of presenting a larger, if not necessarily an exhaustive picture. By using natural language processing techniques, the present paper aims to identify connectivity relations among brain regions in general and relations relevant to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) in particular. We introduce a linguistically motivated approach based on patterns defined over the constituency and dependency parse trees of sentences. Besides the presence of a relation between a pair of brain regions, the proposed method also identifies the directionality of the relation, which enables the creation and analysis of a directional brain region connectivity graph. The approach is evaluated over the manually annotated data sets of the WhiteText Project. In addition, as a case study, the method is applied to extract and analyze the connectivity graph of PVT, which is an important brain region that is considered to influence many functions ranging from arousal, motivation, and drug-seeking behavior to attention. The results of the PVT connectivity graph show that PVT may be a new target of research in mood assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erinç Gökdeniz
- Department of Computer Engineering, Boğaziçi University İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Arzucan Özgür
- Department of Computer Engineering, Boğaziçi University İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Reşit Canbeyli
- Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University İstanbul, Turkey
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