1
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Nechyporenko K, Voliotis M, Li XF, Hollings O, Ivanova D, Walker JJ, O'Byrne KT, Tsaneva-Atanasova K. Neuronal network dynamics in the posterodorsal amygdala: shaping reproductive hormone pulsatility. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20240143. [PMID: 39193642 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0143] [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: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Normal reproductive function and fertility rely on the rhythmic secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which is driven by the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator. A key regulator of the GnRH pulse generator is the posterodorsal subnucleus of the medial amygdala (MePD), a brain region that is involved in processing external environmental cues, including the effect of stress. However, the neuronal pathways enabling the dynamic, stress-triggered modulation of GnRH secretion remain largely unknown. Here, we employ in silico modelling in order to explore the impact of dynamic inputs on GnRH pulse generator activity. We introduce and analyse a mathematical model representing MePD neuronal circuits composed of GABAergic and glutamatergic neuronal populations, integrating it with our GnRH pulse generator model. Our analysis dissects the influence of excitatory and inhibitory MePD projections' outputs on the GnRH pulse generator's activity and reveals a functionally relevant MePD glutamatergic projection to the GnRH pulse generator, which we probe with in vivo optogenetics. Our study sheds light on how MePD neuronal dynamics affect the GnRH pulse generator activity and offers insights into stress-related dysregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kateryna Nechyporenko
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
| | - Xiao Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Owen Hollings
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Deyana Ivanova
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jamie J Walker
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
| | - Kevin T O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, School of Life Course and Population Sciences, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY, UK
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2
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Li Y, Deng Y, Zhang Y, Xu D, Zhang X, Li Y, Li Y, Chen M, Wang Y, Zhang J, Wang L, Cang Y, Cao P, Bi L, Xu H. Distinct glutamatergic projections of the posteroventral medial amygdala play different roles in arousal and anxiety. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e176329. [PMID: 38842948 PMCID: PMC11383360 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.176329] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep disturbance usually accompanies anxiety disorders and exacerbates their incidence rates. The precise circuit mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we found that glutamatergic neurons in the posteroventral medial amygdala (MePVGlu neurons) are involved in arousal and anxiety-like behaviors. Excitation of MePVGlu neurons not only promoted wakefulness but also increased anxiety-like behaviors. Different projections of MePVGlu neurons played various roles in regulating anxiety-like behaviors and sleep-wakefulness. MePVGlu neurons promoted wakefulness through the MePVGlu/posteromedial cortical amygdaloid area (PMCo) pathway and the MePVGlu/bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BNST) pathway. In contrast, MePVGlu neurons increased anxiety-like behaviors through the MePVGlu/ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) pathway. Chronic sleep disturbance increased anxiety levels and reduced reparative sleep, accompanied by the enhanced excitability of MePVGlu/PMCo and MePVGlu/VMH circuits but suppressed responses of glutamatergic neurons in the BNST. Inhibition of the MePVGlu neurons could rescue chronic sleep deprivation-induced phenotypes. Our findings provide important circuit mechanisms for chronic sleep disturbance-induced hyperarousal response and obsessive anxiety-like behavior and are expected to provide a promising strategy for treating sleep-related psychiatric disorders and insomnia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuchen Deng
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yifei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics
| | - Dan Xu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, and
| | - Xuefen Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yidan Li
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Cardiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yuxin Wang
- Department of Pathology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics
| | - Jiyan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics
| | - Like Wang
- Department of Pathology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics
| | - Yufeng Cang
- Department of Pathology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics
| | - Peng Cao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua Institute of Multidisciplinary Biomedical Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Linlin Bi
- Department of Pathology, Taikang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haibo Xu
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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3
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Prakash N, Matos HY, Sebaoui S, Tsai L, Tran T, Aromolaran A, Atrachji I, Campbell N, Goodrich M, Hernandez-Pineda D, Jesus Herrero M, Hirata T, Lischinsky J, Martinez W, Torii S, Yamashita S, Hosseini H, Sokolowski K, Esumi S, Kawasawa YI, Hashimoto-Torii K, Jones KS, Corbin JG. Connectivity and molecular profiles of Foxp2- and Dbx1-lineage neurons in the accessory olfactory bulb and medial amygdala. J Comp Neurol 2024; 532:e25545. [PMID: 37849047 PMCID: PMC10922300 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
In terrestrial vertebrates, the olfactory system is divided into main (MOS) and accessory (AOS) components that process both volatile and nonvolatile cues to generate appropriate behavioral responses. While much is known regarding the molecular diversity of neurons that comprise the MOS, less is known about the AOS. Here, focusing on the vomeronasal organ (VNO), the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB), and the medial amygdala (MeA), we reveal that populations of neurons in the AOS can be molecularly subdivided based on their ongoing or prior expression of the transcription factors Foxp2 or Dbx1, which delineate separate populations of GABAergic output neurons in the MeA. We show that a majority of AOB neurons that project directly to the MeA are of the Foxp2 lineage. Using single-neuron patch-clamp electrophysiology, we further reveal that in addition to sex-specific differences across lineage, the frequency of excitatory input to MeA Dbx1- and Foxp2-lineage neurons differs between sexes. Together, this work uncovers a novel molecular diversity of AOS neurons, and lineage and sex differences in patterns of connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandkishore Prakash
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Heidi Y Matos
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Sonia Sebaoui
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Luke Tsai
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Tuyen Tran
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Adejimi Aromolaran
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Isabella Atrachji
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Nya Campbell
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Meredith Goodrich
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - David Hernandez-Pineda
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Maria Jesus Herrero
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Tsutomu Hirata
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Julieta Lischinsky
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Wendolin Martinez
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Shisui Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Satoshi Yamashita
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Hassan Hosseini
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical
School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan
Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Katie Sokolowski
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Shigeyuki Esumi
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Yuka Imamura Kawasawa
- Department of Pharmacology, Pennsylvania State University
College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
| | - Kevin S Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical
School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Michigan
Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children’s
Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington DC, USA
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4
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Cooper MA, Hooker MK, Whitten CJ, Kelly JR, Jenkins MS, Mahometano SC, Scarbrough MC. Dominance status modulates activity in medial amygdala cells with projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Behav Brain Res 2023; 453:114628. [PMID: 37579818 PMCID: PMC10496856 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114628] [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: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MeA) controls several types of social behavior via its projections to other limbic regions. Cells in the posterior dorsal and posterior ventral medial amygdala (MePD and MePV, respectively) project to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and these pathways respond to chemosensory cues and regulate aggressive and defensive behavior. Because the BNST is also essential for the display of stress-induced anxiety, a MePD/MePV-BNST pathway may modulate both aggression and responses to stress. In this study we tested the hypothesis that dominant animals would show greater neural activity than subordinates in BNST-projecting MePD and MePV cells after winning a dominance encounter as well as after losing a social defeat encounter. We created dominance relationships in male and female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), used cholera toxin b (CTB) as a retrograde tracer to label BNST-projecting cells, and collected brains for c-Fos staining in the MePD and MePV. We found that c-Fos immunoreactivity in the MePD and MePV was positively associated with aggression in males, but not in females. Also, dominant males showed a greater proportion of c-Fos+ /CTB+ double-labeled cells compared to their same-sex subordinate counterparts. Another set of animals received social defeat stress after acquiring a dominant or subordinate social status and we stained for stress-induced c-Fos expression in the MePD and MePV. We found that dominant males showed a greater proportion of c-Fos+ /CTB+ double-labeled cells in the MePD after social defeat stress compared to subordinates. Also, dominants showed a longer latency to submit during social defeat than subordinates. Further, in males, latency to submit was positively associated with the proportion of c-Fos+ /CTB+ double-labeled cells in the MePD and MePV. These findings indicate that social dominance increases neural activity in BNST-projecting MePD and MePV cells and activity in this pathway is also associated with proactive responses during social defeat stress. In sum, activity in a MePD/MePV-BNST pathway contributes to status-dependent differences in stress coping responses and may underlie experience-dependent changes in stress resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Cooper
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, USA.
| | | | - Conner J Whitten
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, USA
| | - Jeff R Kelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, USA
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5
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McIntyre C, Li XF, de Burgh R, Ivanova D, Lass G, O’Byrne KT. GABA Signaling in the Posterodorsal Medial Amygdala Mediates Stress-induced Suppression of LH Pulsatility in Female Mice. Endocrinology 2022; 164:6855642. [PMID: 36453253 PMCID: PMC9757692 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqac197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Psychological stress is linked to infertility by suppressing the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator. The posterodorsal subnucleus of the medial amygdala (MePD) is an upstream regulator of GnRH pulse generator activity and displays increased neuronal activation during psychological stress. The MePD is primarily a GABAergic nucleus with a strong GABAergic projection to hypothalamic reproductive centers; however, their functional significance has not been determined. We hypothesize that MePD GABAergic signalling mediates psychological stress-induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion. We selectively inhibited MePD GABA neurons during psychological stress in ovariectomized (OVX) Vgat-cre-tdTomato mice to determine the effect on stress-induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion. MePD GABA neurons were virally infected with inhibitory hM4DGi-designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) to selectively inhibit MePD GABA neurons. Furthermore, we optogenetically stimulated potential MePD GABAergic projection terminals in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and determined the effect on pulsatile LH secretion. MePD GABA neurons in OVX female Vgat-cre-tdTomato mice were virally infected to express channelrhodopsin-2 and MePD GABAergic terminals in the ARC were selectively stimulated by blue light via an optic fiber implanted in the ARC. DREADD-mediated inhibition of MePD GABA neurons blocked predator odor and restraint stress-induced suppression of LH pulse frequency. Furthermore, sustained optogenetic stimulation at 10 and 20 Hz of MePD GABAergic terminals in the ARC suppressed pulsatile LH secretion. These results show for the first time that GABAergic signalling in the MePD mediates psychological stress-induced suppression of pulsatile LH secretion and suggest a functionally significant MePD GABAergic projection to the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Deyana Ivanova
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Geffen Lass
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Kevin T O’Byrne
- Correspondence: Kevin T. O’Byrne, PhD, Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, Guy's Campus, King's College London, 2.92W Hodgkin Building, London, SE1 1UL, UK. kevin.o'
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6
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Lass G, Li XF, Voliotis M, Wall E, de Burgh RA, Ivanova D, McIntyre C, Lin X, Colledge WH, Lightman SL, Tsaneva‐Atanasova K, O'Byrne KT. GnRH pulse generator frequency is modulated by kisspeptin and GABA-glutamate interactions in the posterodorsal medial amygdala in female mice. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13207. [PMID: 36305576 PMCID: PMC10078155 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Kisspeptin neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus generate gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulses, and act as critical initiators of functional gonadotrophin secretion and reproductive competency. However, kisspeptin in other brain regions, most notably the posterodorsal subnucleus of the medial amygdala (MePD), plays a significant modulatory role over the hypothalamic kisspeptin population; our recent studies using optogenetics have shown that low-frequency light stimulation of MePD kisspeptin results in increased luteinsing hormone pulse frequency. Nonetheless, the neurochemical pathways that underpin this regulatory function remain unknown. To study this, we have utilised an optofluid technology, precisely combining optogenetic stimulation with intra-nuclear pharmacological receptor antagonism, to investigate the neurotransmission involved in this circuitry. We have shown experimentally and verified using a mathematical model that functional neurotransmission of both GABA and glutamate is a requirement for effective modulation of the GnRH pulse generator by amygdala kisspeptin neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geffen Lass
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Xiao Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Ellen Wall
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Ross A. de Burgh
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Deyana Ivanova
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Caitlin McIntyre
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Xian‐Hua Lin
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
- The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - William H. Colledge
- Reproductive Physiology Group, Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Stafford L. Lightman
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, The Dorothy Hodgkin BuildingUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva‐Atanasova
- Department of Mathematics and Living Systems Institute, College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Kevin T. O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
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7
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Baleisyte A, Schneggenburger R, Kochubey O. Stimulation of medial amygdala GABA neurons with kinetically different channelrhodopsins yields opposite behavioral outcomes. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110850. [PMID: 35613578 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MeA) receives pheromone information about conspecifics and has crucial functions in social behaviors. A previous study showed that activation of GABA neurons in the postero-dorsal MeA (MeApd) with channelrhodopsin-2H134R (ChR2) stimulates inter-male aggression. When performing these experiments using the faster channelrhodopsinH134R,E123T (ChETA), we find the opposite behavioral outcome. A systematic comparison between the two channelrhodopsin variants reveals that optogenetic activation of MeApd GABA neurons with ChETA suppresses aggression, whereas activation under ChR2 increases aggression. Although the mechanism for this paradoxical difference is not understood, we observe that activation of MeApd GABA neurons with ChR2 causes larger plateau depolarizations, smaller action potentials, and larger local inhibition than with ChETA. Thus, the channelrhodopsin variant used for in vivo optogenetic experiments can radically influence the behavioral outcome. Future work should continue to study the role of specific sub-populations of MeApd GABA neurons in aggression control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiste Baleisyte
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schneggenburger
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Olexiy Kochubey
- Laboratory of Synaptic Mechanisms, Brain Mind Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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8
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Fan P, Song Y, Lu B, Wang Y, Dai Y, Xie J, He E, Xu Z, Yang G, Mo F, Liu J, Wang M, Cai X. PtNPs/PEDOT:PSS-Modified Microelectrode Arrays Reveal Electrophysiological Activities of Different Neurons in Medial Amygdala of Mice Under Innate Fear. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:868235. [PMID: 35620664 PMCID: PMC9127061 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.868235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MA) plays an important role in the innate fear circuit. However, the electrophysiological mechanism of MA for processing innate fear needs to be further explored. In this study, we fabricated microelectrode arrays (MEAs) with detecting sites arranged to match the location and shape of MA in mice and detected the electrophysiology in freely behaving mice under 2-methyl-2-thiazoline (2MT)-induced fear. The detection performance of MEA is improved by modifying metal nanoparticles and conductive polymers (PtNPs/PEDOT:PSS). After modification, the impedance magnitude and phase of electrodes were decreased to 27.0 ± 2.3 kΩ and −12.30 ± 0.52°, respectively, leading to a signal-to-noise ratio of 10. Its electrochemical stability and mechanical stability were also verified by cyclic voltammetry (CV) sweeping and ultrasonic vibration. MEAs were then implanted into the MA of mice, and the electrophysiology and behavioral characteristics were synchronously recorded and analyzed. The results showed that 2MT induced strong defensive behaviors in mice, accompanied by increases in the average spike firing rate and local field potential (LFP) power of MA neurons. According to principles commonly applied to cortical extracellular recordings, the recorded neurons are divided into two classes based on waveforms. Statistics showed that about 37% of type 1 neurons (putative GABAergic neurons) and 87% of type 2 neurons (putative glutamatergic neurons) were significantly activated under innate fear. At the same time, the firing rate of some activated neurons had a good linear correlation with the freezing rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penghui Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yilin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yilin Song
| | - Botao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yiding Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuchuan Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingyu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Enhui He
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaojie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Gucheng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juntao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mixia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xinxia Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Transducer Technology, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Electronic, Electrical and Communication Engineering, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Xinxia Cai
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9
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Noto T, Zhou G, Yang Q, Lane G, Zelano C. Human Primary Olfactory Amygdala Subregions Form Distinct Functional Networks, Suggesting Distinct Olfactory Functions. Front Syst Neurosci 2021; 15:752320. [PMID: 34955769 PMCID: PMC8695617 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.752320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Three subregions of the amygdala receive monosynaptic projections from the olfactory bulb, making them part of the primary olfactory cortex. These primary olfactory areas are located at the anterior-medial aspect of the amygdala and include the medial amygdala (MeA), cortical amygdala (CoA), and the periamygdaloid complex (PAC). The vast majority of research on the amygdala has focused on the larger basolateral and basomedial subregions, which are known to be involved in implicit learning, threat responses, and emotion. Fewer studies have focused on the MeA, CoA, and PAC, with most conducted in rodents. Therefore, our understanding of the functions of these amygdala subregions is limited, particularly in humans. Here, we first conducted a review of existing literature on the MeA, CoA, and PAC. We then used resting-state fMRI and unbiased k-means clustering techniques to show that the anatomical boundaries of human MeA, CoA, and PAC accurately parcellate based on their whole-brain resting connectivity patterns alone, suggesting that their functional networks are distinct, relative both to each other and to the amygdala subregions that do not receive input from the olfactory bulb. Finally, considering that distinct functional networks are suggestive of distinct functions, we examined the whole-brain resting network of each subregion and speculated on potential roles that each region may play in olfactory processing. Based on these analyses, we speculate that the MeA could potentially be involved in the generation of rapid motor responses to olfactory stimuli (including fight/flight), particularly in approach/avoid contexts. The CoA could potentially be involved in olfactory-related reward processing, including learning and memory of approach/avoid responses. The PAC could potentially be involved in the multisensory integration of olfactory information with other sensory systems. These speculations can be used to form the basis of future studies aimed at clarifying the olfactory functions of these under-studied primary olfactory areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torben Noto
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Guangyu Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Qiaohan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Gregory Lane
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Christina Zelano
- Department of Neurology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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10
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Johnson CS, Hong W, Micevych PE. Posterodorsal Medial Amygdala Regulation of Female Social Behavior: GABA versus Glutamate Projections. J Neurosci 2021; 41:8790-8800. [PMID: 34470806 PMCID: PMC8528505 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1103-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behaviors, including reproductive behaviors, often display sexual dimorphism. Lordosis, the measure of female sexual receptivity, is one of the most apparent sexually dimorphic reproductive behaviors. Lordosis is regulated by estrogen and progesterone (P4) acting within a hypothalamic-limbic circuit, consisting of the arcuate, medial preoptic, and ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus. Social cues are integrated into the circuit through the amygdala. The posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala (MeApd) is involved in sexually dimorphic social and reproductive behaviors, and sends projections to hypothalamic neuroendocrine regions. GABA from the MeApd appears to facilitate social behaviors, while glutamate may play the opposite role. To test these hypotheses, adult female vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-Cre and vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2)-Cre mice were transfected with halorhodopsin (eNpHR)-expressing or channelrhodopsin-expressing adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), respectively, in the MeApd. The lordosis quotient (LQ) was measured following either photoinhibition of VGAT or photoexcitation of VGluT2 neurons, and brains were assessed for c-Fos immunohistochemistry (IHC). Photoinhibition of VGAT neurons in the MeApd decreased LQ, and decreased c-Fos expression within VGAT neurons, within the MeApd as a whole, and within the ventrolateral part of the ventromedial nucleus (VMHvl). Photoexcitation of VGluT2 neurons did not affect LQ, but did increase time spent self-grooming, and increased c-Fos expression within VGluT2 neurons in the MeApd. Neither condition altered c-Fos expression in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) or the arcuate nucleus (ARH). These data support a role for MeApd GABA in the facilitation of lordosis. Glutamate from the MeApd does not appear to be directly involved in the lordosis circuit, but appears to direct behavior away from social interactions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Lordosis, the measure of female sexual receptivity, is a sexually dimorphic behavior regulated within a hypothalamic-limbic circuit. Social cues are integrated through the amygdala, and the posterodorsal part of the medial amygdala (MeApd) is involved in sexually dimorphic social and reproductive behaviors. Photoinhibition of GABAergic neurons in the MeApd inhibited lordosis, while photoactivation of glutamate neurons had no effect on lordosis, but increased self-grooming. These data support a role for MeApd GABA in the facilitation of social behaviors and MeApd glutamate projections in anti-social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Johnson
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Weizhe Hong
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Paul E Micevych
- Department of Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
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11
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Sex Differences in Biophysical Signatures across Molecularly Defined Medial Amygdala Neuronal Subpopulations. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0035-20.2020. [PMID: 32493755 PMCID: PMC7333980 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0035-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial amygdala (MeA) is essential for processing innate social and non-social behaviors, such as territorial aggression and mating, which display in a sex-specific manner. While sex differences in cell numbers and neuronal morphology in the MeA are well established, if and how these differences extend to the biophysical level remain unknown. Our previous studies revealed that expression of the transcription factors, Dbx1 and Foxp2, during embryogenesis defines separate progenitor pools destined to generate different subclasses of MEA inhibitory output neurons. We have also previously shown that Dbx1-lineage and Foxp2-lineage neurons display different responses to innate olfactory cues and in a sex-specific manner. To examine whether these neurons also possess sex-specific biophysical signatures, we conducted a multidimensional analysis of the intrinsic electrophysiological profiles of these transcription factor defined neurons in the male and female MeA. We observed striking differences in the action potential (AP) spiking patterns across lineages, and across sex within each lineage, properties known to be modified by different voltage-gated ion channels. To identify the potential mechanism underlying the observed lineage-specific and sex-specific differences in spiking adaptation, we conducted a phase plot analysis to narrow down putative ion channel candidates. Of these candidates, we found a subset expressed in a lineage-biased and/or sex-biased manner. Thus, our results uncover neuronal subpopulation and sex differences in the biophysical signatures of developmentally defined MeA output neurons, providing a potential physiological substrate for how the male and female MeA may process social and non-social cues that trigger innate behavioral responses.
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12
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Biggs LM, Meredith M. ActivatIon of Calcium binding protein-ir neurons IN MEDIAL AMYGDALA during chemosignal processing. Chem Senses 2020; 45:bjaa030. [PMID: 32386197 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjaa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial amygdala receives sensory input from chemical signals important in mammalian social communication. As measured by immediate early gene expression, its responses to different chemosignals differ in the spatial patterns of neuronal activation and in the types of cells activated. Medial amygdala projections to basal forebrain contibute to generation of appropriate behavioral responses and GABA neurons are important for these functions, both as interneurons and projection neurons. Here we investigate reponses of male golden-hamster medial amygdala neurons expressing immunoreactivity (-ir) for calbindin (CB), calretinin (CR) and parvalbumin (PV), calcium binding proteins (CBPs) which can distinguish different GABA-ergic neuron types. CB-ir and CR-ir cells both had significant responses to female hamster chemosignals and showed different spatial patterns across medial amygdala. Responses to chemosignals (from unfamiliar females) were significantly reduced in males with sexual experience, compared to naïve males. Medial amygdala did not express PV-ir cells and the adjacent intercalated nucleus, which has been implicated in medial amygdala chemosensory responses did not express any of the CBPs investigated here. This additional evidence for chemosensory specificity in the response of medial amygdala to social chemical signals, in cells characterized by CBP expression, suggests multiple GABA circuit elements may be involved in information processing for behavioral response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey M Biggs
- Program in Neuroscience and Dept. Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee FL
| | - Michael Meredith
- Program in Neuroscience and Dept. Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee FL
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13
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Di Giorgio NP, Bizzozzero-Hiriart M, Libertun C, Lux-Lantos V. Unraveling the connection between GABA and kisspeptin in the control of reproduction. Reproduction 2020; 157:R225-R233. [PMID: 30844750 DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neuroendocrine control of reproduction involves the interplay of various factors that become active at some point along development. GnRH is the main neurohormone controlling reproduction and among the most important inputs modulating GnRH synthesis/secretion are GABA and kisspeptins. These interactions of GABA and kisspeptin in the control of GnRH secretion can take place by the presence of the receptors of both factors on the GnRH neuron or alternatively by the actions of GABA on kisspeptin neurons and/or the actions of kisspeptin on GABA neurons. Kisspeptin acts on the Kiss1R, a seven transmembrane domain, Gαq/11-coupled receptor that activates phospholipase C, although some Gαq/11-independent pathways in mediating part of the effects of Kiss1R activation have also been proposed. GABA acts through two kinds of receptors, ionotropic GABAA/C receptors involving a chloride channel and associated with fast inhibitory/stimulatory conductance and metabotropic GABAB receptors (GABABR) that are Gi/0 protein linked inducing late slow hyperpolarization. In this review, we aim to summarize the different ways in which these two actors, kisspeptin and GABA, interact to modulate GnRH secretion across the reproductive lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia P Di Giorgio
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Carlos Libertun
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Victoria Lux-Lantos
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Dalpian F, Rasia-Filho AA, Calcagnotto ME. Sexual dimorphism, estrous cycle and laterality determine the intrinsic and synaptic properties of medial amygdala neurons in rat. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.227793. [PMID: 30967401 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.227793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) is a sex steroid-sensitive area that modulates different social behavior by relaying chemosensorial information to hypothalamic nuclei. However, little is known about MePD cell type diversity and functional connectivity. Here, we have characterized neurons and synaptic inputs in the right and left MePD of adult male and cycling female (in diestrus, proestrus or estrus) rats. Based on their electrophysiological properties and morphology, we found two coexisting subpopulations of spiny neurons that are sexually dimorphic. They were classified as Class I (predominantly bitufted-shaped neurons showing irregular spikes with frequency adaptation) or Class II (predominantly stellate-shaped neurons showing full spike frequency adaptation). Furthermore, excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto MePD cells were modulated by sex, estrous cycle and hemispheric lateralization. In the left MePD, there was an overall increase in the excitatory input to neurons of males compared to cycling females. However, in proestrus, the MePD neurons received mainly inhibitory inputs. Our findings indicate the existence of hemispheric lateralization, estrous cycle and sexual dimorphism influences at cellular and synaptic levels in the adult rat MePD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine Dalpian
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil.,Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil .,Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil
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15
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Sexually Dimorphic Control of Parenting Behavior by the Medial Amygdala. Cell 2019; 176:1206-1221.e18. [PMID: 30773317 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Social behaviors, including behaviors directed toward young offspring, exhibit striking sex differences. Understanding how these sexually dimorphic behaviors are regulated at the level of circuits and transcriptomes will provide insights into neural mechanisms of sex-specific behaviors. Here, we uncover a sexually dimorphic role of the medial amygdala (MeA) in governing parental and infanticidal behaviors. Contrary to traditional views, activation of GABAergic neurons in the MeA promotes parental behavior in females, while activation of this population in males differentially promotes parental versus infanticidal behavior in an activity-level-dependent manner. Through single-cell transcriptomic analysis, we found that molecular sex differences in the MeA are specifically represented in GABAergic neurons. Collectively, these results establish crucial roles for the MeA as a key node in the neural circuitry underlying pup-directed behaviors and provide important insight into the connection between sex differences across transcriptomes, cells, and circuits in regulating sexually dimorphic behavior.
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16
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Lischinsky JE, Sokolowski K, Li P, Esumi S, Kamal Y, Goodrich M, Oboti L, Hammond TR, Krishnamoorthy M, Feldman D, Huntsman M, Liu J, Corbin JG. Embryonic transcription factor expression in mice predicts medial amygdala neuronal identity and sex-specific responses to innate behavioral cues. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28244870 PMCID: PMC5384829 DOI: 10.7554/elife.21012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial subnucleus of the amygdala (MeA) plays a central role in processing sensory cues required for innate behaviors. However, whether there is a link between developmental programs and the emergence of inborn behaviors remains unknown. Our previous studies revealed that the telencephalic preoptic area (POA) embryonic niche is a novel source of MeA destined progenitors. Here, we show that the POA is comprised of distinct progenitor pools complementarily marked by the transcription factors Dbx1 and Foxp2. As determined by molecular and electrophysiological criteria this embryonic parcellation predicts postnatal MeA inhibitory neuronal subtype identity. We further find that Dbx1-derived and Foxp2+ cells in the MeA are differentially activated in response to innate behavioral cues in a sex-specific manner. Thus, developmental transcription factor expression is predictive of MeA neuronal identity and sex-specific neuronal responses, providing a potential developmental logic for how innate behaviors could be processed by different MeA neuronal subtypes. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21012.001 Within the brain, a set of interconnected structures called the limbic system is involved in emotion, motivation and memory. This system – and in particular a structure called the medial amygdala – also contributes to behavioral drives that help an animal to survive and reproduce. These include the drive to avoid predators, to defend territory, and to find a mate. Such behaviors are thought to be inborn or innate. This means that animals display them instinctively whenever specific triggers are present, without the need to learn them beforehand. However, just as a computer must be programmed to perform specific tasks, these innate behavioral responses must also be programmed into the brain. Given that animals do not learn these behaviors, Lischinsky et al. reasoned that specific events during the development of the brain must provide the animal’s brain with the necessary instructions. To test this idea, they studied how the development of the medial amygdala in mouse embryos may give rise to differences in innate mating behavior seen between male and female mice. The medial amygdala contains many subtypes of neurons, which show different responses to sex hormones such as estrogen and androgen. Lischinsky et al. show that two sets of cells give rise to some of the different neurons of the adult medial amygdala. One set of these precursor cells makes a protein called Dbx1 and the other makes a protein called Foxp2. These two sets of precursors generate medial amygdala neurons with different arrays of sex hormone receptors in male and female mice. Moreover, while the two sets of medial amygdala neurons are activated during aggressive encounters, they show different patterns of activation in male and female animals during mating. These findings suggest that the development of Dbx1-derived and Foxp2+ neurons in the medial amygdala helps program innate reproductive and aggressive behaviors into the brain. The new findings also provide insights into why these behaviors differ in male and female mice. The next challenge is to identify the inputs and outputs of these two distinct subpopulations of medial amygdala neurons. This should make it possible to work out exactly how these populations of cells control innate behaviors in male and female animals. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21012.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta E Lischinsky
- Institute for Biomedical Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington DC, United States.,Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Katie Sokolowski
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Peijun Li
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Shigeyuki Esumi
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States.,Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto-University, Kumamoto City, Japan
| | - Yasmin Kamal
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Meredith Goodrich
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Livio Oboti
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Timothy R Hammond
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Meera Krishnamoorthy
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Daniel Feldman
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Molly Huntsman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Judy Liu
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Joshua G Corbin
- Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States
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17
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Cruz JND, Magro DDD, Lima DDD, Cruz JGPD. Simvastatin treatment reduces the cholesterol content of membrane/lipid rafts, implicating the N -methyl-D-aspartate receptor in anxiety: a literature review. BRAZ J PHARM SCI 2017. [DOI: 10.1590/s2175-97902017000116102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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18
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Padilla SL, Qiu J, Soden ME, Sanz E, Nestor CC, Barker FD, Quintana A, Zweifel LS, Rønnekleiv OK, Kelly MJ, Palmiter RD. Agouti-related peptide neural circuits mediate adaptive behaviors in the starved state. Nat Neurosci 2016; 19:734-741. [PMID: 27019015 PMCID: PMC4846501 DOI: 10.1038/nn.4274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 194] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the face of starvation, animals will engage in high-risk behaviors that would normally be considered maladaptive. Starving rodents, for example, will forage in areas that are more susceptible to predators and will also modulate aggressive behavior within a territory of limited or depleted nutrients. The neural basis of these adaptive behaviors likely involves circuits that link innate feeding, aggression and fear. Hypothalamic agouti-related peptide (AgRP)-expressing neurons are critically important for driving feeding and project axons to brain regions implicated in aggression and fear. Using circuit-mapping techniques in mice, we define a disynaptic network originating from a subset of AgRP neurons that project to the medial nucleus of the amygdala and then to the principal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, which suppresses territorial aggression and reduces contextual fear. We propose that AgRP neurons serve as a master switch capable of coordinating behavioral decisions relative to internal state and environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jian Qiu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Marta E. Soden
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Elisenda Sanz
- Institut de Neurociències and Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Casey C Nestor
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Forrest D. Barker
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Albert Quintana
- Institut de Neurociències and Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Fisiologia i Immunologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Larry S. Zweifel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Oline K. Rønnekleiv
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Martin J. Kelly
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon
| | - Richard D. Palmiter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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19
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Dall'Oglio A, Dutra ACL, Moreira JE, Rasia-Filho AA. The human medial amygdala: structure, diversity, and complexity of dendritic spines. J Anat 2015. [PMID: 26218827 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial nucleus of the amygdala (Me) is a component of the neural circuit for the interpretation of multimodal sensory stimuli and the elaboration of emotions and social behaviors in primates. We studied the presence, distribution, diverse shape, and connectivity of dendritic spines in the human Me of adult postmortem men. Data were obtained from the five types of multipolar neurons found in the Me using an adapted Golgi method and light microscopy, the carbocyanine DiI fluorescent dye and confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Three-dimensional reconstruction of spines showed a continuum of shapes and sizes, with the spines either lying isolated or forming clusters. These dendritic spines were classified as stubby/wide, thin, mushroom-like, ramified or with an atypical morphology including intermediate shapes, double spines, and thorny excrescences. Pleomorphic spines were found from proximal to distal dendritic branches suggesting potential differences for synaptic processing, strength, and plasticity in the Me neurons. Furthermore, the human Me has large and thin spines with a gemmule appearance, spinules, and filopodium. The ultrastructural data showed dendritic spines forming monosynaptic or multisynaptic contacts at the spine head and neck, and with asymmetric or symmetric characteristics. Additional findings included en passant, reciprocal, and serial synapses in the Me. Complex long-necked thin spines were observed in this subcortical area. These new data reveal the diversity of the dendritic spines in the human Me likely involved with the integration and processing of local synaptic inputs and with functional implications in physiological and various neuropathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Dall'Oglio
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina L Dutra
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jorge E Moreira
- Laboratory of Synaptic Structure, Departments of Pathology and Forensic Medicine and Neuroscience and Behavior, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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20
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Zancan M, Dall'Oglio A, Sarzenski TM, Maher MI, Garcia-Segura LM, Rasia-Filho AA. Glial and axonal perikaryal coverage and somatic spines in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and cycling female rats. J Comp Neurol 2015; 523:2127-37. [DOI: 10.1002/cne.23782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2014] [Revised: 03/24/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Zancan
- DCBS-Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90050-110 Brazil
| | - Aline Dall'Oglio
- DCBS-Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90050-110 Brazil
| | - Taís Malysz Sarzenski
- ICBS-Anatomy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90050-110 Brazil
| | - Martin Ian Maher
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC); 28002 Madrid Spain
| | | | - Alberto A. Rasia-Filho
- DCBS-Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90050-110 Brazil
- Graduation Program in Neurosciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul; Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90050-110 Brazil
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21
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Brusco J, Merlo S, Ikeda ÉT, Petralia RS, Kachar B, Rasia-Filho AA, Moreira JE. Inhibitory and multisynaptic spines, and hemispherical synaptic specialization in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and female rats. J Comp Neurol 2015; 522:2075-88. [PMID: 24318545 DOI: 10.1002/cne.23518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2013] [Revised: 11/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The density of dendritic spines is sexually dimorphic and variable throughout the female estrous cycle in the rat posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD), a relevant area for the modulation of reproductive behavior in rats. The local synaptic activity differs between hemispheres in prepubertal animals. Here we used serial section transmission electron microscopy to produce 3D reconstructions of dendritic shafts and spines to characterize synaptic contacts on MePD neurons of both hemispheres in adult males and in females along the estrous cycle. Pleomorphic spines and nonsynaptic filopodia occur in the MePD. On average, 8.6% of dendritic spines received inputs from symmetric gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-immunoreactive terminals, whereas 3.6% received two synaptic contacts on the spine head, neck, or base. Presynaptic terminals in female right MePD had a higher density of synaptic vesicles and docked vesicles than the left MePD, suggesting a higher rate of synaptic vesicle release in the right MePD of female rats. In contrast, males did not show laterality in any of those parameters. The proportion of putative inhibitory synapses on dendritic shafts in the right MePD of females in proestrus was higher than in the left MePD, and higher than in the right MePD in males, or in females in diestrus or estrus. This work shows synaptic laterality depending on sex and estrous cycle phase in mature MePD neurons. Most likely, sexual hormone effects are lateralized in this brain region, leading to higher synaptic activity in the right than in the left hemisphere of females, mediating timely neuroendocrine and social/reproductive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina Brusco
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine at Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14049-900, Brazil; National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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Abstract
The medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA) plays a key role in innate emotional behaviors by relaying olfactory information to hypothalamic nuclei involved in reproduction and defense. However, little is known about the neuronal components of this region or their role in the olfactory-processing circuitry of the amygdala. Here, we have characterized neurons in the posteroventral division of the medial amygdala (MePV) using the GAD67-GFP mouse. Based on their electrophysiological properties and GABA expression, unsupervised cluster analysis divided MePV neurons into three types of GABAergic (Types 1-3) and two non-GABAergic cells (Types I and II). All cell types received olfactory synaptic input from the accessory olfactory bulb and, with the exception of Type 2 GABAergic neurons, sent projections to both reproductive and defensive hypothalamic nuclei. Type 2 GABAergic cells formed a chemically and electrically interconnected network of local circuit inhibitory interneurons that resembled neurogliaform cells of the piriform cortex and provided feedforward inhibition of the olfactory-processing circuitry of the MeA. These findings provide a description of the cellular organization and connectivity of the MePV and further our understanding of amygdala circuits involved in olfactory processing and innate emotions.
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