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Stavroulaki V, Ioakeimidis V, Konstantoudaki X, Sidiropoulou K. Enhanced synaptic properties of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus after learning a spatial working memory task in adult male mice. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1802-1814. [PMID: 33740288 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Working memory (WM) is the ability to hold on-line and manipulate information. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key brain region involved in WM, while the hippocampus is also involved, particularly, in spatial WM. Although several studies have investigated the neuronal substrates of WM in trained animals, the effects and the mechanisms underlying learning WM tasks have not been explored. In our study, we investigated the effects of learning WM tasks in mice on the function of PFC and hippocampus, by training mice in the delayed alternation task for 9 days (adaptive group). This group was compared to naïve mice (which stayed in their homecage) and mice trained in the alternation procedure only (non-adaptive). Following training, a cohort of mice (Experiment A) was tested in the left-right discrimination task and the reversal learning task, while another cohort (Experiment B) was tested in the attention set-shifting task (AST). The adaptive group performed significantly better in the reversal learning task (Experiment A) and AST (Experiment B), compared to non-adaptive and naïve groups. At the end of the behavioral experiments in Experiment A, field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP) recordings were performed in PFC and hippocampal brain slices. The adaptive group had enhanced the long-term potentiation (LTP) in the PFC, compared to the other groups. In the hippocampus, both the adaptive and the non-adaptive groups exhibited increased fEPSP compared to the naïve group, but no differences in LTP. In Experiment B, the dendritic spine density was measured, which, in the PFC, was found increased in the adaptive group, compared to the non-adaptive and naïve groups. In the hippocampus, there was an increase in mature dendritic spine density in the adaptive group, compared to the other two groups. Our results indicate a role for LTP and dendritic spine density in learning WM tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kyriaki Sidiropoulou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
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Mitchell AC, Javidfar B, Pothula V, Ibi D, Shen EY, Peter CJ, Bicks L, Fehr T, Jiang Y, Brennand KJ, Neve RL, Gonzalez-Maeso J, Akbarian S. MEF2C transcription factor is associated with the genetic and epigenetic risk architecture of schizophrenia and improves cognition in mice. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:123-132. [PMID: 28115742 PMCID: PMC5966823 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Revised: 10/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale consortia mapping the genomic risk architectures of schizophrenia provide vast amounts of molecular information, with largely unexplored therapeutic potential. We harnessed publically available information from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, and report myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) motif enrichment in sequences surrounding the top scoring single-nucleotide polymorphisms within risk loci contributing by individual small effect to disease heritability. Chromatin profiling at base-pair resolution in neuronal nucleosomes extracted from prefrontal cortex of 34 subjects, including 17 cases diagnosed with schizophrenia, revealed MEF2C motif enrichment within cis-regulatory sequences, including neuron-specific promoters and superenhancers, affected by histone H3K4 hypermethylation in disease cases. Vector-induced short- and long-term Mef2c upregulation in mouse prefrontal projection neurons consistently resulted in enhanced cognitive performance in working memory and object recognition paradigms at baseline and after psychotogenic drug challenge, in conjunction with remodeling of local connectivity. Neuronal genome tagging in vivo by Mef2c-Dam adenine methyltransferase fusion protein confirmed the link between cognitive enhancement and MEF2C occupancy at promoters harboring canonical and variant MEF2C motifs. The multilayered integrative approaches presented here provide a roadmap to uncover the therapeutic potential of transcriptional regulators for schizophrenia and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C. Mitchell
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Behnam Javidfar
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Venu Pothula
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Daisuke Ibi
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Erica Y. Shen
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Cyril J. Peter
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Lucy Bicks
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Tristan Fehr
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Yan Jiang
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Kristen J. Brennand
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
| | - Rachael L. Neve
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA02139, USA
| | - Javier Gonzalez-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
- Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029
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Pérez-Rando M, Castillo-Gómez E, Bellés M, Carceller H, Nácher J. The activation of NMDA receptors alters the structural dynamics of the spines of hippocampal interneurons. Neurosci Lett 2017; 658:79-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.08.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Perez-Rando M, Castillo-Gómez E, Guirado R, Blasco-Ibañez JM, Crespo C, Varea E, Nacher J. NMDA Receptors Regulate the Structural Plasticity of Spines and Axonal Boutons in Hippocampal Interneurons. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:166. [PMID: 28659763 PMCID: PMC5466979 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are present in both pyramidal neurons and interneurons of the hippocampus. These receptors play an important role in the adult structural plasticity of excitatory neurons, but their impact on the remodeling of interneurons is unknown. Among hippocampal interneurons, somatostatin-expressing cells located in the stratum oriens are of special interest because of their functional importance and structural characteristics: they display dendritic spines, which change density in response to different stimuli. In order to understand the role of NMDARs on the structural plasticity of these interneurons, we have injected acutely MK-801, an NMDAR antagonist, to adult mice which constitutively express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in these cells. We have behaviorally tested the animals, confirming effects of the drug on locomotion and anxiety-related behaviors. NMDARs were expressed in the somata and dendritic spines of somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Twenty-four hours after the injection, the density of spines did not vary, but we found a significant increase in the density of their en passant boutons (EPB). We have also used entorhino-hippocampal organotypic cultures to study these interneurons in real-time. There was a rapid decrease in the apparition rate of spines after MK-801 administration, which persisted for 24 h and returned to basal levels afterwards. A similar reversible decrease was detected in spine density. Our results show that both spines and axons of interneurons can undergo remodeling and highlight NMDARs as regulators of this plasticity. These results are specially relevant given the importance of all these players on hippocampal physiology and the etiopathology of certain psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Perez-Rando
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain
| | - Esther Castillo-Gómez
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain
| | - Ramon Guirado
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain
| | - José Miguel Blasco-Ibañez
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain
| | - Carlos Crespo
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain
| | - Emilio Varea
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de ValènciaValència, Spain.,CIBERSAM: Spanish National Network for Research in Mental HealthMadrid, Spain.,Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (INCLIVA)València, Spain
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5
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Bertolino B, Crupi R, Impellizzeri D, Bruschetta G, Cordaro M, Siracusa R, Esposito E, Cuzzocrea S. Beneficial Effects of Co-Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide/Luteolin in a Mouse Model of Autism and in a Case Report of Autism. CNS Neurosci Ther 2016; 23:87-98. [PMID: 27701827 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a condition defined by social communication deficits and repetitive restrictive behaviors. Association of the fatty acid amide palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) with the flavonoid luteolin displays neuroprotective and antiinflammatory actions in different models of central nervous system pathologies. We hypothesized that association of PEA with luteolin might have therapeutic utility in ASD, and we employed a well-recognized autism animal model, namely sodium valproate administration, to evaluate cognitive and motor deficits. METHODS Two sets of experiments were conducted. In the first, we investigated the effect of association of ultramicronized PEA with luteolin, co-ultramicronized PEA-LUT® (co-ultraPEA-LUT®) in a murine model of autistic behaviors, while in the second, the effect of co-ultraPEA-LUT® in a patient affected by ASD was examined. RESULTS Co-ultraPEA-LUT® treatment ameliorated social and nonsocial behaviors in valproic acid-induced autistic mice and improved clinical picture with reduction in stereotypes in a 10-year-old male child. CONCLUSION These data suggest that ASD symptomatology may be improved by agents documented to control activation of mast cells and microglia. Co-ultraPEA-LUT® might be a valid and safe therapy for the symptoms of ASD alone or in combination with other used drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rosalia Crupi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Daniela Impellizzeri
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bruschetta
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Marika Cordaro
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Emanuela Esposito
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmacological and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO, USA
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MacQueen DA, Dalrymple SR, Drobes DJ, Diamond DM. Influence of pharmacological manipulations of NMDA and cholinergic receptors on working versus reference memory in a dual component odor span task. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:270-7. [PMID: 27194794 PMCID: PMC4880146 DOI: 10.1101/lm.041251.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Developed as a tool to assess working memory capacity in rodents, the odor span task (OST) has significant potential to advance drug discovery in animal models of psychiatric disorders. Prior investigations indicate OST performance is impaired by systemic administration of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA-r) antagonists and is sensitive to cholinergic manipulations. The present study sought to determine whether an impairment in OST performance can be produced by systemic administration of the competitive NMDA-r antagonist 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP; 3, 10, 17 mg/kg i.p.) in a unique dual-component variant of the OST, and whether this impairment is ameliorated by nicotine (0.75 mg/kg i.p.). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to asymptotic level of performance on a 24-trial two-comparison incrementing nonmatching to sample OST. In addition, rats were administered a two-comparison olfactory reference memory (RM) task, which was integrated into the OST. The RM task provided an assessment of the effects of drug administration on global behavioral measures, long-term memory and motivation. Several measures of working memory (span, longest run, and accuracy) were dose dependently impaired by CPP without adversely affecting RM. Analysis of drug effects across trial blocks demonstrated a significant impairment of performance even at low memory loads, suggesting a CPP-induced deficit of olfactory short-term memory that is not load-dependent. Although nicotine did not ameliorate CPP-induced impairments in span or accuracy, it did block the impairment in longest run produced by the 10 mg/kg dose of CPP. Overall, our results indicate that performance in our 24 odor two-comparison OST is capacity dependent and that CPP impaired OST working, but not reference, memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A MacQueen
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - Savannah R Dalrymple
- Medical Research Service, VA Hospital, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - David J Drobes
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
| | - David M Diamond
- Medical Research Service, VA Hospital, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA Center for Preclinical and Clinical Research on PTSD, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, USA
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Effects of Chronic Dopamine D2R Agonist Treatment and Polysialic Acid Depletion on Dendritic Spine Density and Excitatory Neurotransmission in the mPFC of Adult Rats. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:1615363. [PMID: 27110404 PMCID: PMC4821975 DOI: 10.1155/2016/1615363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) are key players in the etiology and therapeutics of schizophrenia. The overactivation of these receptors contributes to mPFC dysfunction. Chronic treatment with D2R agonists modifies the expression of molecules implicated in neuronal structural plasticity, synaptic function, and inhibitory neurotransmission, which are also altered in schizophrenia. These changes are dependent on the expression of the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), a plasticity-related molecule, but nothing is known about the effects of D2R and PSA-NCAM on excitatory neurotransmission and the structure of mPFC pyramidal neurons, two additional features affected in schizophrenia. To evaluate these parameters, we have chronically treated adult rats with PPHT (a D2R agonist) after enzymatic removal of PSA with Endo-N. Both treatments decreased spine density in apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons without affecting their inhibitory innervation. Endo-N also reduced the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter-1. These results indicate that D2R and PSA-NCAM are important players in the regulation of the structural plasticity of mPFC excitatory neurons. This is relevant to our understanding of the neurobiological basis of schizophrenia, in which structural alterations of pyramidal neurons and altered expression of D2R and PSA-NCAM have been found.
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6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Dopamine Reductions in the Nucleus Accumbens, but not the Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Impair Cincinnati Water Maze Egocentric and Morris Water Maze Allocentric Navigation in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats. Neurotox Res 2016; 30:199-212. [PMID: 27003940 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-016-9616-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 02/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (Nacc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) receive dopaminergic innervation from the ventral tegmental area and are involved in learning. Male rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced dopaminergic and noradrenergic reductions in the Nacc or mPFC were tested for allocentric and egocentric learning to determine their role in these forms of neuroplasticity. mPFC dopaminergic and noradrenergic reductions did not result in changes to either type of learning or memory. Nacc dopaminergic and noradrenergic reductions resulted in allocentric learning and memory deficits in the Morris water maze (MWM) on acquisition, reversal, and probe trials. MWM cued performance was also affected, but straight-channel swim times and swim speed during hidden platform trials in the MWM were not affected. Nacc dopaminergic and noradrenergic reductions also impaired egocentric learning in the Cincinnati water maze (CWM). Nacc-lesioned animals tested in the CWM in an alternate path through the maze were not significantly affected. 6-OHDA injections in the Nacc resulted in 63 % dopamine and 62 % norepinephrine reductions in the Nacc and 23 % reductions in adjacent dorsal striatum. 6-OHDA injections in the mPFC resulted in 88 % reductions in dopamine and 59 % reductions in norepinephrine. Hence, Nacc dopamine and/or norepinephrine play a role in egocentric and allocentric learning and memory, while mPFC dopamine and norepinephrine do not.
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A Golgi study of the plasticity of dendritic spines in the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus during the estrous cycle of female rats. Neuroscience 2015; 298:74-80. [PMID: 25892700 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Estradiol-induced plasticity involves changes in dendritic spine density and in the relative proportions of the different dendritic spine types that influence neurons and neural circuits. Such events affect brain structures that control the timing of neuroendocrine and behavioral processes, influencing both reproductive and cognitive functions during the estrous cycle. Accordingly, to investigate the dendritic spine-related plastic changes that may affect the neural processes involved in mating, estradiol-mediated dendritic spine plasticity was studied in type II cells situated in the ventrolateral portion of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN) of female, adult rats. The rats were assigned to four different groups (n=6) in function of their stage in the estrous cycle: proestrus, estrus, metaestrus, and diestrus. Dendritic spine density and the proportions of the different spine types on type II neurons were analyzed in the ventrolateral region of the VMN of these animals. Dendritic spine density on primary dendrites of VMN type II neurons was significantly lower in metaestrus than in diestrus, proestrus and estrus (with no differences between these latter stages). However, a significant variation in the proportional density of the different spine types was found, with a higher proportion of thin spines in diestrus, proestrus and estrus than in metaestrus. Likewise, a higher proportion of mushroom spines was seen in diestrus and proestrus than in metaestrus, and a higher proportion of stubby spines in estrus than in diestrus and metaestrus. Very few branched spines were found during proestrus and they were not detected during estrus or metaestrus. The different types of dendritic spines in non-projection neurons of the VMN could serve to maintain greater synaptic excitatory activity when receptivity and estradiol levels are maximal. However, they may also fulfill an additional functional role when receptivity and estradiol decline. To date specific roles of the different types of spines in neural hypothalamic activity during the estrous cycle remain unknown and they clearly deserve further study.
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Ruddy RM, Chen Y, Milenkovic M, Ramsey AJ. Differential effects of NMDA receptor antagonism on spine density. Synapse 2014; 69:52-6. [PMID: 25220437 DOI: 10.1002/syn.21784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Revised: 08/27/2014] [Accepted: 08/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The authors demonstrate that different NMDAR antagonists (ketamine and MK-801) have varying effects on spine density depending on dose, drug regimen, and brain region. While acute ketamine treatment increases cortical spine density in mice, subchronic exposure to either drug reduces spine density in both the cortex and striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Ruddy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 1A8
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11
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Canu N, Ciotti MT, Pollegioni L. Serine racemase: a key player in apoptosis and necrosis. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2014; 6:9. [PMID: 24795622 PMCID: PMC4000995 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2014.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A fine balance between cell survival and cell death is required to sculpt the nervous system during development. However, an excess of cell death can occur following trauma, exposure to neurotoxins or alcohol, and some developmental and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) support synaptic plasticity and survival of many neuronal populations whereas inappropriate activation may promote various forms of cell death, apoptosis, and necrosis representing the two extremes of a continuum of cell death processes both “in vitro” and “in vivo.” Hence, by identifying the switches controlling pro-survival vs. apoptosis and apoptosis vs. pro-excitotoxic outcome of NMDAR stimulation, NMDAR modulators could be developed that selectively block the cell death enhancing pro-survival signaling or synaptic plasticity mediated by NMDAR. Among these modulators, a role is emerging for the enzyme serine racemase (SR) that synthesizes D-serine, a key co-agonist with glutamate at NMDAR. This review summarizes the experimental evidence from “in vitro” neuronal cultures—with special emphasis on cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs)—and “in vivo” models of neurodegeneration, where the dual role of the SR/D-serine pathway as a master regulator of apoptosis and the apoptosis-necrosis shift will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Canu
- Dipartimento di Medicina dei Sistemi, Università degli Studi di Roma Roma, Italy ; Istituto di Biologia Cellulare e Neurobiologia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Ciotti
- Istituto di Biologia Cellulare e Neurobiologia, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Roma, Italy
| | - Loredano Pollegioni
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria Varese, Italy ; Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca in Biotecnologie Proteiche "The Protein Factory," Politecnico di Milano, ICRM-CNR Milano and Università degli studi dell'Insubria Milano, Italy
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de Jager CA, Dye L, de Bruin EA, Butler L, Fletcher J, Lamport DJ, Latulippe ME, Spencer JPE, Wesnes K. Criteria for validation and selection of cognitive tests for investigating the effects of foods and nutrients. Nutr Rev 2014; 72:162-79. [DOI: 10.1111/nure.12094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Celeste A de Jager
- School of Public Health and Family Medicine; University of Cape Town; Cape Town South Africa
| | - Louise Dye
- Institute of Psychological Sciences; Human Appetite Research Unit; University of Leeds; Leeds UK
| | | | - Laurie Butler
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences; University of Reading; Reading UK
| | - John Fletcher
- Research and Development, Nutrition; PepsiCo Europe; Berkshire UK
| | - Daniel J Lamport
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences; University of Reading; Reading UK
| | - Marie E Latulippe
- International Life Sciences Institute European Branch; Brussels Belgium
| | - Jeremy PE Spencer
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences; University of Reading; Reading UK
| | - Keith Wesnes
- Bracket Global; Goring-on-Thames UK
- Centre for Human Psychopharmacology; Swinburne University; Melbourne Australia
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Binder S, Rawohl J, Born J, Marshall L. Transcranial slow oscillation stimulation during NREM sleep enhances acquisition of the radial maze task and modulates cortical network activity in rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 7:220. [PMID: 24409131 PMCID: PMC3884143 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Slow wave sleep, hallmarked by the occurrence of slow oscillations (SO), plays an important role for the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memories. Transcranial stimulation by weak electric currents oscillating at the endogenous SO frequency (SO-tDCS) during post-learning sleep was previously shown by us to boost SO activity and improve the consolidation of hippocampus-dependent memory in human subjects. Here, we aimed at replicating and extending these results to a rodent model. Rats were trained for 12 days at the beginning of their inactive phase in the reference memory version of the radial arm maze. In a between subjects design, animals received SO-tDCS over prefrontal cortex (PFC) or sham stimulation within a time frame of 1 h during subsequent non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Applied over multiple daily sessions SO-tDCS impacted cortical network activity as measured by EEG and behavior: at the EEG level, SO-tDCS enhanced post-stimulation upper delta (2–4 Hz) activity whereby the first stimulations of each day were preferentially affected. Furthermore, commencing on day 8, SO-tDCS acutely decreased theta activity indicating long-term effects on cortical networks. Behaviorally, working memory for baited maze arms was enhanced up to day 4, indicating enhanced consolidation of task-inherent rules, while reference memory errors did not differ between groups. Taken together, we could show here for the first time an effect of SO-tDCS during NREM sleep on cognitive functions and on cortical activity in a rodent model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Binder
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, University of Lübeck Lübeck, Germany
| | - Julia Rawohl
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, University of Lübeck Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jan Born
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, University of Lübeck Lübeck, Germany ; Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Tübingen Tübingen, Germany
| | - Lisa Marshall
- Department of Neuroendocrinology, University of Lübeck Lübeck, Germany ; Graduate School for Computing in Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Lübeck Lübeck, Germany
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From synaptic transmission to cognition: An intermediary role for dendritic spines. Brain Cogn 2012; 80:177-83. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2012.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2012] [Revised: 03/08/2012] [Accepted: 03/09/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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15
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González-Burgos I, Fletes-Vargas G, González-Tapia D, González-Ramírez MM, Rivera-Cervantes MC, Martínez-Degollado M. Prefrontal serotonin depletion impairs egocentric, but not allocentric working memory in rats. Neurosci Res 2012; 73:321-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2012.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2012] [Revised: 05/04/2012] [Accepted: 05/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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16
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Velázquez-Zamora DA, González-Tapia D, González-Ramírez MM, Flores-Soto ME, Vázquez-Valls E, Cervantes M, González-Burgos I. Plastic changes in dendritic spines of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons from ovariectomized rats after estradiol treatment. Brain Res 2012; 1470:1-10. [PMID: 22750586 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2011] [Revised: 05/02/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2012] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment or its recovery has been associated with the absence or reestablishment of estrogenic actions in the central nervous system of female experimental animals or women. It has been proposed that these cognitive phenomena are related to estrogen-mediated modulatory activity of synaptic transmission in brain structures involved in cognitive functions. In the present work a morphological study was conducted in adult female ovariectomized rats to evaluate estradiol-dependent dendritic spine sprouting in hippocampal pyramidal neurons, and changes in the presynaptic marker synaptophysin. Three or ten days after estradiol treatment (10 μg/day, twice) in the ovariectomized rats, a significant increase of synaptophysin was observed, which was coincident with a significant higher numerical density of thin (22%), stubby (36%), mushroom (47%) and double spines (125%), at day 3, without significant changes of spine density at day 10, after treatment. These results may be interpreted as evidence of pre- and postsynaptic plastic events that may be involved in the modulation of cognitive-related behavioral performance after estrogen replacement therapy.
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17
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Bibliography Current World Literature. CURRENT ORTHOPAEDIC PRACTICE 2012. [DOI: 10.1097/bco.0b013e318256e7f2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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