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Rice RC, Gil DV, Baratta AM, Frawley RR, Hill SY, Farris SP, Homanics GE. Inter- and transgenerational heritability of preconception chronic stress or alcohol exposure: Translational outcomes in brain and behavior. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 29:100603. [PMID: 38234394 PMCID: PMC10792982 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress and alcohol (ethanol) use are highly interrelated and can change an individual's behavior through molecular adaptations that do not change the DNA sequence, but instead change gene expression. A recent wealth of research has found that these nongenomic changes can be transmitted across generations, which could partially account for the "missing heritability" observed in genome-wide association studies of alcohol use disorder and other stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we summarize the molecular and behavioral outcomes of nongenomic inheritance of chronic stress and ethanol exposure and the germline mechanisms that could give rise to this heritability. In doing so, we outline the need for further research to: (1) Investigate individual germline mechanisms of paternal, maternal, and biparental nongenomic chronic stress- and ethanol-related inheritance; (2) Synthesize and dissect cross-generational chronic stress and ethanol exposure; (3) Determine cross-generational molecular outcomes of preconception ethanol exposure that contribute to alcohol-related disease risk, using cancer as an example. A detailed understanding of the cross-generational nongenomic effects of stress and/or ethanol will yield novel insight into the impact of ancestral perturbations on disease risk across generations and uncover actionable targets to improve human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. Rice
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniela V. Gil
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Annalisa M. Baratta
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Remy R. Frawley
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Shirley Y. Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Sean P. Farris
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gregg E. Homanics
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Pentkowski NS, Bouquin SJ, Maestas-Olguin CR, Villasenor ZM, Clark BJ. Differential effects of chronic stress on anxiety-like behavior and contextual fear conditioning in the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Behav Brain Res 2022; 418:113661. [PMID: 34780859 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder that leads to severe cognitive and functional impairments. Many AD patients also exhibit neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, prior to the clinical diagnosis of dementia. Chronic stress is associated with numerous adverse health consequences and disease states, and AD patients exhibit altered stress systems. Thus, stress may represent a causal link between neuropsychiatric symptoms and AD. To address this possibility, we examined the effects of chronic stress in the TgF344-AD rat model that co-expresses the mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APPsw) and presenilin 1 (PS1ΔE9) genes. Adult male transgenic (Tg+) and wild-type (WT) rats (6-7.5 months of age), with and without a history of chronic restraint stress, were tested for footshock-induced conditioned fear and for anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze. We found that non-stressed Tg+ rats showed increased anxiety-like behavior compared to non-stressed WT rats. In contrast, Tg+ and WT rats did not differ in levels of freezing immediately following footshock or during contextual re-exposure. Additionally, stressed Tg+ rats were not significantly different from stressed WT rats on any measures of anxiety or fear. Thus, while stress has been linked as a risk factor for AD-related pathology, it appears from the present findings that two weeks of daily restraint stress did not further enhance anxiety- or fear-like behaviors in TgF344-AD rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan S Pentkowski
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87109, USA.
| | - Samuel J Bouquin
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87109, USA
| | | | | | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87109, USA
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Dorantes-Nieto Á, Cortes C, Ugarte A, Trujillo Hernández A, Carrasco Á, Cepeda-Freyre HA, Eguibar JR. Yawning and Penile Erection Frequencies Are Resilient to Maternal Care Manipulation in the High-Yawning Subline of Sprague-Dawley Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:20. [PMID: 32226363 PMCID: PMC7080979 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Yawning is a stereotyped behavioral pattern characterized by wide opening of the mouth associated with deep inspiration followed by short expiration. All vertebrate species yawn, but with low frequencies. We obtained two sublines of Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats by a strict inbreeding process: one with a high-yawning frequency (HY) of 20 yawns/h, which is one order of magnitude higher with respect to the low-yawning frequency (LY) subline, with 2 yawns/h. Outbred SD rats had a yawning frequency of 1 yawn/h. HY dams had a different organization of maternal care with respect to that displayed by LY and SD dams because HY dams constructed lower quality nests and had more re-retrieving and atypical retrieving. The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in maternal care using in- and cross-fostering between the sublines and SD dams and to measure spontaneous and dopaminergic-induced yawning, penile erections, grooming and scratching bouts. We also measured the expression of dopamine D2 receptors in the striatum using Western blot analysis. Our results showed that HY male rats reared by SD or LY dams did not significantly differ in yawning frequencies with respect to HY male rats reared by mothers of their own phenotype. Maternal care did not differ between sublines and SD dams independent of the litter they reared. However, LY rats reared by HY dams showed a significant increase in the number of spontaneous penile erections. Importantly, in-fostered HY male rats had the highest number of yawns induced by systemic administration of (−)-quinpirole supporting that higher maternal care display can influence the frequency of dopaminergic-induced yawning. In fact HY male rats in all conditions yawned more than did LY and SD male rats independent of the dam that raised them supporting a strong influence of genetic background. However SD male rats raised by LY dams showed significantly increased the dopamine D2 receptor expression. In conclusion, maternal care and the environmental nest conditions during the lactation period did not change the phenotypic characteristics of the yawning sublines supporting that their genetic background is fundamental for the expression of spontaneous or dopaminergic-induced yawning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carmen Cortes
- Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Araceli Ugarte
- Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | | | - Ángeles Carrasco
- Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | | | - Jose R Eguibar
- Institute of Physiology, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico.,Research Office, Vice-rectory of Research and Postgraduate Studies, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
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Uchida S, Yamagata H, Seki T, Watanabe Y. Epigenetic mechanisms of major depression: Targeting neuronal plasticity. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018; 72:212-227. [PMID: 29154458 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses as it affects more than 350 million people globally. Major depressive disorder is etiologically complex and disabling. Genetic factors play a role in the etiology of major depression. However, identical twin studies have shown high rates of discordance, indicating non-genetic mechanisms as well. For instance, stressful life events increase the risk of depression. Environmental stressors also induce stable changes in gene expression within the brain that may lead to maladaptive neuronal plasticity in regions implicated in disease pathogenesis. Epigenetic events alter the chromatin structure and thus modulate expression of genes that play a role in neuronal plasticity, behavioral response to stress, depressive behaviors, and response to antidepressants. Here, we review new information regarding current understanding of epigenetic events that may impact depression. In particular, we discuss the roles of histone acetylation, DNA methylation, and non-coding RNA. These novel mechanisms of action may lead to new therapeutic strategies for treating major depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusaku Uchida
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Yamagata
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Tomoe Seki
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Watanabe
- Division of Neuropsychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Japan
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Dye JA, Gibbs-Flournoy EA, Richards JH, Norwood J, Kraft K, Hatch GE. Neonatal rat age, sex and strain modify acute antioxidant response to ozone. Inhal Toxicol 2017; 29:291-303. [PMID: 28880688 DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2017.1369602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third leading cause of death in the US and its impact continues to increase in women. Oxidant insults during critical periods of early life appear to increase risk of COPD through-out the life course. To better understand susceptibility to early life exposure to oxidant air pollutants we used Fisher (F344), Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar (WIS) male and female neonatal rat pups to assess: (A) if strain (i.e. genetics), sex, or stage of early life development affected baseline lung antioxidant or redox enzyme levels and (B) if these same factors modulated antioxidant responsiveness to acute ozone exposure (1 ppm × 2 h) on post-natal day (PND) 14, 21, or 28. In air-exposed pups from PND14-28, some parameters were unchanged (e.g. uric acid), some decreased (e.g. superoxide dismutase), while others increased (e.g. glutathione recycling enzymes) especially post-weaning. Lung total glutathione levels decreased in F344 and SD pups, but were relatively unchanged in WIS pups. Post-ozone exposure, data suggest that: (1) the youngest (PND14) pups were the most adversely affected; (2) neonatal SD and WIS pups, especially females, were more prone to ozone effects than males of the same age and (3) F344 neonates (females and males) were less susceptible to oxidative lung insult, not unlike F344 adults. Differences in antioxidant levels and responsiveness between sexes and strains and at different periods of development may provide a basis for assessing later life health outcomes - with implications for humans with analogous genetic or dietary-based lung antioxidant deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janice A Dye
- a National Health and Environmental Research Laboratory (NHEERL) Office of Research and Development , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, Durham , NC , USA
| | - Eugene A Gibbs-Flournoy
- b ORISE, Office of Research and Development , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park , NC , USA
| | - Judy H Richards
- a National Health and Environmental Research Laboratory (NHEERL) Office of Research and Development , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, Durham , NC , USA
| | - Joel Norwood
- a National Health and Environmental Research Laboratory (NHEERL) Office of Research and Development , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, Durham , NC , USA
| | | | - Gary E Hatch
- a National Health and Environmental Research Laboratory (NHEERL) Office of Research and Development , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, Durham , NC , USA
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McCarty R. Cross-fostering: Elucidating the effects of gene×environment interactions on phenotypic development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 73:219-254. [PMID: 28034661 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Cross-fostering of litters from soon after birth until weaning is a valuable tool to study the ways in which gene×environment interactions program the development of neural, physiological and behavioral characteristics of mammalian species. In laboratory mice and rats, the primary focus of this review, cross-fostering of litters between mothers of different strains or treatment groups (intraspecific) or between mothers of different species (interspecific) has been conducted over the past 9 decades. Areas of particular interest have included maternal effects on emotionality, social preferences, responses to stressful stimulation, nutrition and growth, blood pressure regulation, and epigenetic effects on brain development and behavior. Results from these areas of research highlight the critical role of the postnatal maternal environment in programming the development of offspring phenotypic characteristics. In addition, experimental paradigms that have included cross-fostering have permitted investigators to tease apart prenatal versus postnatal effects of various treatments on offspring development and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard McCarty
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240 USA.
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Maccari S, Polese D, Reynaert ML, Amici T, Morley-Fletcher S, Fagioli F. Early-life experiences and the development of adult diseases with a focus on mental illness: The Human Birth Theory. Neuroscience 2016; 342:232-251. [PMID: 27235745 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2015] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, early adverse experiences, including mother-pup interactions, shape the response of an individual to chronic stress or to stress-related diseases during adult life. This has led to the elaboration of the theory of the developmental origins of health and disease, in particular adult diseases such as cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. In addition, in humans, as stated by Massimo Fagioli's Human Birth Theory, birth is healthy and equal for all individuals, so that mental illness develop exclusively in the postnatal period because of the quality of the relationship in the first year of life. Thus, this review focuses on the importance of programming during the early developmental period on the manifestation of adult diseases in both animal models and humans. Considering the obvious differences between animals and humans we cannot systematically move from animal models to humans. Consequently, in the first part of this review, we will discuss how animal models can be used to dissect the influence of adverse events occurring during the prenatal and postnatal periods on the developmental trajectories of the offspring, and in the second part, we will discuss the role of postnatal critical periods on the development of mental diseases in humans. Epigenetic mechanisms that cause reversible modifications in gene expression, driving the development of a pathological phenotype in response to a negative early postnatal environment, may lie at the core of this programming, thereby providing potential new therapeutic targets. The concept of the Human Birth Theory leads to a comprehension of the mental illness as a pathology of the human relationship immediately after birth and during the first year of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Maccari
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, 59000 Lille, France; IRCCS Neuromed, 86077, Italy; Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
| | - Daniela Polese
- NESMOS Department, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Unit of Psychiatry, Federico II University of Naples, Italy
| | - Marie-Line Reynaert
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, 59000 Lille, France
| | | | - Sara Morley-Fletcher
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8576, UGSF, Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale et Fonctionnelle, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Francesca Fagioli
- Prevention and early Intervention Mental Health (PIPSM) ASL Rome 1, Italy
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Yao Y, Robinson AM, Zucchi FCR, Robbins JC, Babenko O, Kovalchuk O, Kovalchuk I, Olson DM, Metz GAS. Ancestral exposure to stress epigenetically programs preterm birth risk and adverse maternal and newborn outcomes. BMC Med 2014; 12:121. [PMID: 25286408 PMCID: PMC4244860 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-014-0121-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic stress is considered to be one of many causes of human preterm birth (PTB), but no direct evidence has yet been provided. Here we show in rats that stress across generations has downstream effects on endocrine, metabolic and behavioural manifestations of PTB possibly via microRNA (miRNA) regulation. METHODS Pregnant dams of the parental generation were exposed to stress from gestational days 12 to 18. Their pregnant daughters (F1) and grand-daughters (F2) either were stressed or remained as non-stressed controls. Gestational length, maternal gestational weight gain, blood glucose and plasma corticosterone levels, litter size and offspring weight gain from postnatal days 1 to 30 were recorded in each generation, including F3. Maternal behaviours were analysed for the first hour after completed parturition, and offspring sensorimotor development was recorded on postnatal day (P) 7. F0 through F2 maternal brain frontal cortex, uterus and placenta miRNA and gene expression patterns were used to identify stress-induced epigenetic regulatory pathways of maternal behaviour and pregnancy maintenance. RESULTS Progressively up to the F2 generation, stress gradually reduced gestational length, maternal weight gain and behavioural activity, and increased blood glucose levels. Reduced offspring growth and delayed behavioural development in the stress cohort was recognizable as early as P7, with the greatest effect in the F3 offspring of transgenerationally stressed mothers. Furthermore, stress altered miRNA expression patterns in the brain and uterus of F2 mothers, including the miR-200 family, which regulates pathways related to brain plasticity and parturition, respectively. Main miR-200 family target genes in the uterus, Stat5b, Zeb1 and Zeb2, were downregulated by multigenerational stress in the F1 generation. Zeb2 was also reduced in the stressed F2 generation, suggesting a causal mechanism for disturbed pregnancy maintenance. Additionally, stress increased placental miR-181a, a marker of human PTB. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that a family history of stress may program central and peripheral pathways regulating gestational length and maternal and newborn health outcomes in the maternal lineage. This new paradigm may model the origin of many human PTB causes.
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Burokas A, Martín-García E, Gutiérrez-Cuesta J, Rojas S, Herance JR, Gispert JD, Serra MÁ, Maldonado R. Relationships between serotonergic and cannabinoid system in depressive-like behavior: a PET study with [11
C]-DASB. J Neurochem 2014; 130:126-35. [DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aurelijus Burokas
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut; Universitat Pompeu Fabra; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
| | - Elena Martín-García
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut; Universitat Pompeu Fabra; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
| | - Javier Gutiérrez-Cuesta
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut; Universitat Pompeu Fabra; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
| | - Santiago Rojas
- Institut d'Alta Tecnologia (IAT) Fundació Privada; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
| | - José Raúl Herance
- Institut d'Alta Tecnologia (IAT) Fundació Privada; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
| | | | - Miquel-Ángel Serra
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut; Universitat Pompeu Fabra; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Departament de Ciències Experimentals i de la Salut; Universitat Pompeu Fabra; PRBB; Barcelona Spain
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Sickmann HM, Li Y, Mørk A, Sanchez C, Gulinello M. Does stress elicit depression? Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 18:123-159. [PMID: 24633891 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stressful situations may induce or deteriorate an already existing depression. Stress-related depression can be elicited at an adolescent/adult age but evidence also shows that early adverse experiences even at the fetal stage may predispose the offspring for later development of depression. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) plays a key role in regulating the stress response and dysregulation in the system has been linked to depression both in humans and in animal models. This chapter critically reviews clinical and preclinical findings that may explain how stress can cause depression, including HPA-axis changes and alterations beyond the HPA-axis. As stress does not elicit depression in the majority of the population, this motivated research to focus on understanding the biology underlying resilient versus sensitive subjects. Animal models of depression have contributed to a deeper understanding of these mechanisms. Findings from these models will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helle M Sickmann
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Donner NC, Lowry CA. Sex differences in anxiety and emotional behavior. Pflugers Arch 2013; 465:601-26. [PMID: 23588380 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-013-1271-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Revised: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 03/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Research has elucidated causal links between stress exposure and the development of anxiety disorders, but due to the limited use of female or sex-comparative animal models, little is known about the mechanisms underlying sex differences in those disorders. This is despite an overwhelming wealth of evidence from the clinical literature that the prevalence of anxiety disorders is about twice as high in women compared to men, in addition to gender differences in severity and treatment efficacy. We here review human gender differences in generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety-relevant biological functions, discuss the limitations of classic conflict anxiety tests to measure naturally occurring sex differences in anxiety-like behaviors, describe sex-dependent manifestation of anxiety states after gestational, neonatal, or adolescent stressors, and present animal models of chronic anxiety states induced by acute or chronic stressors during adulthood. Potential mechanisms underlying sex differences in stress-related anxiety states include emerging evidence supporting the existence of two anatomically and functionally distinct serotonergic circuits that are related to the modulation of conflict anxiety and panic-like anxiety, respectively. We discuss how these serotonergic circuits may be controlled by reproductive steroid hormone-dependent modulation of crfr1 and crfr2 expression in the midbrain dorsal raphe nucleus and by estrous stage-dependent alterations of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) neurotransmission in the periaqueductal gray, ultimately leading to sex differences in emotional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina C Donner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, 1725 Pleasant Street, 114 Clare Small, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA.
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Abstract
Given that social influences are among the strongest predictors of adolescents' drug use, this study examines the effects of social interactions on morphine sensitization in both adolescent and adult rats. Rats treated with morphine (twice daily, 6 days, 2.5-10 mg/kg, subcutaneously, s.c.) or saline were group-housed in two different conditions. Thus, four experimental groups were examined for each age group: (1) morphine-treated rats housed physically and visually separate from saline-injected rats ('morphine only'); (2) morphine-treated rats housed together with saline-injected rats ('morphine cage-mates'); (3) saline-injected rats housed together with morphine-treated rats ('saline cage-mates'); and (4) saline-injected rats housed physically and visually separate from morphine-treated rats ('saline only'). Starting 9 days following the last morphine injection, rats were individually examined once daily for 5 consecutive days for their locomotor response to 2.5 mg/kg of morphine. For both age groups, there were no significant differences in morphine-induced hyper-locomotion between saline cage-mates and saline only rats. Morphine only rats exhibited morphine locomotor sensitization as compared to both the saline only and saline cage-mates rats. Notably, a significant difference was observed between the adolescent morphine cage-mates and morphine only rats. The adolescent morphine cage-mates did not exhibit the enhanced locomotor response as compared to the saline only and saline cage-mate rats. A trend of reduced morphine locomotor sensitization was observed in the adult morphine cage-mates as compared to morphine only but it did not reach statistical significance. Thus, this study demonstrates social influences on morphine sensitization which are more prevalent in adolescents as compared to adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Hofford
- Behavioral and Cellular Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843, USA.
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Early life stress enhances behavioral vulnerability to stress through the activation of REST4-mediated gene transcription in the medial prefrontal cortex of rodents. J Neurosci 2010; 30:15007-18. [PMID: 21068306 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1436-10.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 227] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence suggesting that early life events have long-term effects on the neuroendocrine and behavioral developments of rodents. However, little is known about the involvement of early life events in the susceptibility to subsequent stress exposure during adulthood. The present study characterized the effect of maternal separation, an animal model of early life adversity, on the behavioral response to repeated restraint stress in adult rats and investigated the molecular mechanism underlying behavioral vulnerability to chronic stress induced by the maternal separation. Rat pups were separated from the dams for 180 min per day from postnatal day 2 through 14 (HMS180 rats). We found that, as young adults, HMS180 rats showed a greater hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to acute restraint stress than nonseparated control rats. In addition, repeatedly restrained HMS180 rats showed increased depression-like behavior and an anhedonic response compared with nonrestrained HMS180 rats. Furthermore, HMS180 rats showed increased expression of REST4, a neuron-specific splicing variant of the transcriptional repressor REST (repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor), and a variety of REST target gene mRNAs and microRNAs in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Finally, REST4 overexpression in the mPFC of neonatal mice via polyethyleneimine-mediated gene transfer enhanced the expression of its target genes as well as behavioral vulnerability to repeated restraint stress. In contrast, REST4 overexpression in the mPFC of adult mice did not affect depression-like behaviors after repeated stress exposure. These results suggest that the activation of REST4-mediated gene regulation in the mPFC during postnatal development is involved in stress vulnerability.
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