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Leonard S, Benfante R. Unanswered questions in the regulation and function of the duplicated α7 nicotinic receptor gene CHRFAM7A. Pharmacol Res 2023; 192:106783. [PMID: 37164281 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The α7 nicotinic receptor (α7 nAChR) is an important entry point for Ca2+ into the cell, which has broad and important effects on gene expression and function. The gene (CHRNA7), mapping to chromosome (15q14), has been genetically linked to a large number of diseases, many of which involve defects in cognition. While numerous mutations in CHRNA7 are associated with mental illness and inflammation, an important control point may be the function of a recently discovered partial duplication CHRNA7, CHRFAM7A, that negatively regulates the function of the α7 receptor, through the formation of heteropentamers; other functions cannot be excluded. The deregulation of this human specific gene (CHRFAM7A) has been linked to neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory disorders and has important copy number variations. Much effort is being made to understand its function and regulation both in healthy and pathological conditions. However, many questions remain to be answered regarding its functional role, its regulation, and its role in the etiogenesis of neurological and inflammatory disorders. Missing knowledge on the pharmacology of the heteroreceptor has limited the discovery of new molecules capable of modulating its activity. Here we review the state of the art on the role of CHRFAM7A, highlighting unanswered questions to be addressed. A possible therapeutic approach based on genome editing protocols is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Leonard
- Department of Psychiatry - University of Colorado Anschutz, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Roberta Benfante
- CNR - Institute of Neuroscience, Vedano al Lambro (MB), Italy; Dept. Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; NeuroMI - Milan Center for Neuroscience, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
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Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, D'Alessandro A, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Freedman R, Law AJ. Male fetus susceptibility to maternal inflammation: C-reactive protein and brain development. Psychol Med 2021; 51:450-459. [PMID: 31787129 PMCID: PMC7263978 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719003313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Maternal inflammation in early pregnancy has been identified epidemiologically as a prenatal pathogenic factor for the offspring's later mental illness. Early newborn manifestations of the effects of maternal inflammation on human fetal brain development are largely unknown. METHODS Maternal infection, depression, obesity, and other factors associated with inflammation were assessed at 16 weeks gestation, along with maternal C-reactive protein (CRP), cytokines, and serum choline. Cerebral inhibition was assessed by inhibitory P50 sensory gating at 1 month of age, and infant behavior was assessed by maternal ratings at 3 months of age. RESULTS Maternal CRP diminished the development of cerebral inhibition in newborn males but paradoxically increased inhibition in females. Similar sex-dependent effects were seen in mothers' assessment of their infant's self-regulatory behaviors at 3 months of age. Higher maternal choline levels partly mitigated the effect of CRP in male offspring. CONCLUSIONS The male fetal-placental unit appears to be more sensitive to maternal inflammation than females. Effects are particularly marked on cerebral inhibition. Deficits in cerebral inhibition 1 month after birth, similar to those observed in several mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, indicate fetal developmental pathways that may lead to later mental illness. Deficits in early infant behavior follow. Early intervention before birth, including prenatal vitamins, folate, and choline supplements, may help prevent fetal development of pathophysiological deficits that can have life-long consequences for mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon K Hunter
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
| | - M Camille Hoffman
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
| | - Angelo D'Alessandro
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
| | - Kathleen Noonan
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
| | - Anna Wyrwa
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
| | - Robert Freedman
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
| | - Amanda J Law
- Departments of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado80045, USA
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Loss of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in GABAergic neurons causes sex-dependent decreases in radial glia-like cell quantity and impairments in cognitive and social behavior. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:365-379. [PMID: 33398432 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02179-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) is a unique brain structure in that neurons can be generated postnatally and integrated within existing circuitry throughout life. The maturation process of these newly generated neurons (granule cells) is modulated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) through a variety of mechanisms such as neural stem pool proliferation, cell survival, signal modulation, and dendritic integration. Disrupted nAChR signaling has been implicated in neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, potentially via alterations in DG neurogenesis. GABAergic interneurons are known to express nAChRs, predominantly the α7 subtype, and have been shown to shape development, integration, and circuit reorganization of DG granule cells. Therefore, we examined histological and behavioral effects of knocking out α7 nAChRs in GABAergic neurons. Deletion of α7 nAChRs resulted in a reduction of radial glia-like cells within the subgranular zone of the DG and a concomitant trend towards decreased immature neurons, specifically in male mice, as well as sex-dependent changes in several behaviors, including social recognition and spatial learning. Overall, these findings suggest α7 nAChRs expressed in GABAergic neurons play an important role in regulating the adult neural stem cell pool and behavior in a sex-dependent manner. This provides important insight into the mechanisms by which cholinergic dysfunction contributes to the cognitive and behavioral changes associated with neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Choueiry J, Blais CM, Shah D, Smith D, Fisher D, Illivitsky V, Knott V. CDP-choline and galantamine, a personalized α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor targeted treatment for the modulation of speech MMN indexed deviance detection in healthy volunteers: a pilot study. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3665-3687. [PMID: 32851421 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05646-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The combination of CDP-choline, an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) agonist, with galantamine, a positive allosteric modulator of nAChRs, is believed to counter the fast desensitization rate of the α7 nAChRs and may be of interest for schizophrenia (SCZ) patients. Beyond the positive and negative clinical symptoms, deficits in early auditory prediction-error processes are also observed in SCZ. Regularity violations activate these mechanisms that are indexed by electroencephalography-derived mismatch negativity (MMN) event-related potentials (ERPs) in response to auditory deviance. OBJECTIVES/METHODS This pilot study in thirty-three healthy humans assessed the effects of an optimized α7 nAChR strategy combining CDP-choline (500 mg) with galantamine (16 mg) on speech-elicited MMN amplitude and latency measures. The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, and counterbalanced design with a baseline stratification method allowed for assessment of individual response differences. RESULTS Increases in MMN generation mediated by the acute CDP-choline/galantamine treatment in individuals with low baseline MMN amplitude for frequency, intensity, duration, and vowel deviants were revealed. CONCLUSIONS These results, observed primarily at temporal recording sites overlying the auditory cortex, implicate α7 nAChRs in the enhancement of speech deviance detection and warrant further examination with respect to dysfunctional auditory deviance processing in individuals with SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joelle Choueiry
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada.
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Crystal M Blais
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dhrasti Shah
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Derek Fisher
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Vadim Illivitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Verner Knott
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Hoffman MC, Hunter SK, D’Alessandro A, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Freedman R. Interaction of maternal choline levels and prenatal Marijuana's effects on the offspring. Psychol Med 2020; 50:1716-1726. [PMID: 31364525 PMCID: PMC7055467 DOI: 10.1017/s003329171900179x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study investigated whether higher maternal choline levels mitigate effects of marijuana on fetal brain development. Choline transported into the amniotic fluid from the mother activates α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on fetal cerebro-cortical inhibitory neurons, whose development is impeded by cannabis blockade of their cannabinoid-1(CB1) receptors. METHODS Marijuana use was assessed during pregnancy from women who later brought their newborns for study. Mothers were informed about choline and other nutrients, but not specifically for marijuana use. Maternal serum choline was measured at 16 weeks gestation. RESULTS Marijuana use for the first 10 weeks gestation or more by 15% of mothers decreased newborns' inhibition of evoked potentials to repeated sounds (d' = 0.55, p < 0.05). This effect was ameliorated if women had higher gestational choline (rs = -0.50, p = 0.011). At 3 months of age, children whose mothers continued marijuana use through their 10th gestational week or more had poorer self-regulation (d' = -0.79, p < 0.05). This effect was also ameliorated if mothers had higher gestational choline (rs = 0.54, p = 0.013). Maternal choline levels correlated with the children's improved duration of attention, cuddliness, and bonding with parents. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal marijuana use adversely affects fetal brain development and subsequent behavioral self-regulation, a precursor to later, more serious problems in childhood. Stopping marijuana use before 10 weeks gestational age prevented these effects. Many mothers refuse to cease use because of familiarity with marijuana and belief in its safety. Higher maternal choline mitigates some of marijuana's adverse effects on the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Camille Hoffman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal and Fetal Medicine, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Sharon K. Hunter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Angelo D’Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Kathleen Noonan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Anna Wyrwa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Robert Freedman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045, USA
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Choueiry J, Blais CM, Shah D, Smith D, Fisher D, Illivitsky V, Knott V. Combining CDP-choline and galantamine: Effects of a selective α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist strategy on P50 sensory gating of speech sounds in healthy volunteers. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:688-699. [PMID: 30920339 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119836217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and relatives have deficits in early cortical sensory gating (SG) typically measured by suppression of electroencephalography-derived P50 event-related potentials (ERPs) in a conditioning-testing (S1-S2) paradigm. Associated with alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) dysfunction and shown to be improved with nicotine and α7 nAChR agonists, SG has recently been shown to be improved in low P50 suppressing SCZ patients following acute CDP-choline treatment. AIMS This pilot study in healthy humans assessed the SG effects of an α7 nAChR strategy combining CDP-choline with galantamine, a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of nAChRs, aimed at increasing and prolonging nicotinic receptor activity. METHODS The combined effect of CDP-choline (500 mg) and galantamine (16 mg) on speech P50 gating indices rP50 (S2/S1) and dP50 (S1-S2) was examined in 30 healthy participants stratified into low and high baseline P50 suppressors in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and counterbalanced design. RESULTS In low suppressors, CDP-choline/galantamine (vs. placebo) improved rP50 and dP50 gating, and reduced S2P50 amplitudes. No P50 gating effects were observed in high suppressors; however, CDP-choline/galantamine (vs. placebo) increased their S2P50 amplitudes. CONCLUSION Findings from this pilot study with CDP-choline/galantamine in a healthy, SCZ-like surrogate deficient gating sample are consistent with the association of α7 nAChR mechanisms in SG impairment in SCZ and support further research trials with CDP-choline and galantamine targeting sensory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joelle Choueiry
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Crystal M Blais
- 2 Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dhrasti Shah
- 3 School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Smith
- 3 School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Derek Fisher
- 4 Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | | | - Verner Knott
- 1 Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,2 Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,3 School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,5 The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,6 University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Freedman R, Hunter SK, Law AJ, Wagner BD, D’Alessandro A, Christians U, Noonan K, Wyrwa A, Hoffman MC. Higher Gestational Choline Levels in Maternal Infection Are Protective for Infant Brain Development. J Pediatr 2019; 208:198-206.e2. [PMID: 30879727 PMCID: PMC6707520 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2018.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether maternal choline decreases effects of mothers' infections on fetal brain circuit development and on expression of infant behavior at 1 year of age. STUDY DESIGN A cross-sectional study was conducted in a public hospital obstetrics and midwifery service, with prenatal assessments of maternal infection, C-reactive protein, and choline level and postnatal assessments of cerebral neuronal inhibition in 162 newborns. At 1 year, 136 parents completed reports of their child's behavior. RESULTS Maternal infection at 16 weeks of gestation, experienced by 41% of mothers, raised mean maternal C-reactive protein (d' = 0.47, P = .002) and decreased the development of cerebral inhibition of auditory response at 1 month of age (d' = 0.39, P < .001). Decreased newborn cerebral inhibition manifested as decreased behavioral self-regulation at 1 year. Greater choline levels in mothers with infections were associated with improved newborn inhibition of auditory cerebral response, mitigating the effect of infection (β = -0.34 [95% CI, -5.35 to -0.14], P = .002). At 1 year of age, children of mothers with infection and greater gestational choline levels had improved development of self-regulation, approaching the level of children of mothers without infection (β = 0.29 [95% CI 0.05-0.54], P = .03). CONCLUSIONS Greater maternal choline, recommended by the American Medical Association as a prenatal supplement, is associated with greater self-regulation among infants who experienced common maternal infections during gestation. Behavioral problems with diminished self-regulation often lead to referrals to pediatricians and might lead to later mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Freedman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
| | - Sharon K. Hunter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
| | - Amanda J Law
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine,,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
| | - Brandie D. Wagner
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health (BDW)
| | - Angelo D’Alessandro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
| | - Uwe Christians
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
| | - Kathleen Noonan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
| | - Anna Wyrwa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
| | - M. Camille Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine,,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine
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Choueiry J, Blais CM, Shah D, Smith D, Fisher D, Labelle A, Knott V. Combining CDP-choline and galantamine, an optimized α7 nicotinic strategy, to ameliorate sensory gating to speech stimuli in schizophrenia. Int J Psychophysiol 2019; 145:70-82. [PMID: 30790597 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Neural α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) expression and functioning deficits have been extensively associated with cognitive and early sensory gating (SG) impairments in schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and their relatives. SG, the suppression of irrelevant and redundant stimuli, is measured in a conditioning-testing (S1-S2) paradigm eliciting electroencephalography-derived P50 event-related potentials (ERPs), the S2 amplitudes of which are typically suppressed relative to S1. Despite extensive reports of nicotine-related improvements and several decades of research, an efficient nicotinic treatment has yet to be approved for SCZ. Following reports of SG improvements in low P50 suppressing SCZ patients and healthy participants with the α7 agonist, CDP-choline, this pilot study examined the combined modulatory effect of CDP-choline (500 mg) and galantamine (16 mg), a nAChR positive allosteric modulator and acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, on SG to speech stimuli in twenty-four SCZ patients in a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled design. As expected, in low P50 suppressors CDP-choline/galantamine (vs. Placebo) improved rP50 and dP50 scores by increasing inhibitory mechanisms as reflected by S2P50 amplitude reductions. Results also suggest a moderating role for auditory verbal hallucinations in treatment response. These preliminary findings provide supportive evidence for the involvement of α7 nAChR activity in speech gating in SCZ and support additional trials, examining different dose combinations and repeated doses of this optimized and personalized targeted α7 cholinergic treatment for SG dysfunction in subgroups of SCZ patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joelle Choueiry
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Crystal M Blais
- Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dhrasti Shah
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Smith
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Derek Fisher
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Alain Labelle
- The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Verner Knott
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Institute of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada; The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Ottawa, ON, Canada; University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Brown AS, Meyer U. Maternal Immune Activation and Neuropsychiatric Illness: A Translational Research Perspective. Am J Psychiatry 2018; 175:1073-1083. [PMID: 30220221 PMCID: PMC6408273 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17121311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies, including prospective birth cohort investigations, have implicated maternal immune activation in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Maternal infectious pathogens and inflammation are plausible risk factors for these outcomes and have been associated with schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and bipolar disorder. Concurrent with epidemiologic research are animal models of prenatal immune activation, which have documented behavioral, neurochemical, neuroanatomic, and neurophysiologic disruptions that mirror phenotypes observed in these neuropsychiatric disorders. Epidemiologic studies of maternal immune activation offer the advantage of directly evaluating human populations but are limited in their ability to uncover pathogenic mechanisms. Animal models, on the other hand, are limited in their generalizability to psychiatric disorders but have made significant strides toward discovering causal relationships and biological pathways between maternal immune activation and neuropsychiatric phenotypes. Incorporating these risk factors in reverse translational animal models of maternal immune activation has yielded a wealth of data supporting the predictive potential of epidemiologic studies. To further enhance the translatability between epidemiology and basic science, the authors propose a complementary approach that includes deconstructing neuropsychiatric outcomes of maternal immune activation into key pathophysiologically defined phenotypes that are identifiable in humans and animals and that evaluate the interspecies concordance regarding interactions between maternal immune activation and genetic and epigenetic factors, including processes involving intergenerational disease transmission. [AJP AT 175: Remembering Our Past As We Envision Our Future October 1857: The Pathology of Insanity J.C. Bucknill: "In the brain the state of inflammation itself either very quickly ceases or very soon causes death; but when it does cease it leaves behind it consequences which are frequently the causes of insanity, and the conditions of cerebral atrophy." (Am J Psychiatry 1857; 14:172-193 )].
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan S. Brown
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Urs Meyer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland,Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Freedman R, Hunter SK, Hoffman MC. Prenatal Primary Prevention of Mental Illness by Micronutrient Supplements in Pregnancy. Am J Psychiatry 2018; 175:607-619. [PMID: 29558816 PMCID: PMC6984656 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17070836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Genes, infection, malnutrition, and other factors affecting fetal brain development are a major component of risk for a child's emotional development and later mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. Prenatal interventions to ameliorate that risk have yet to be established for clinical use. A systematic review of prenatal nutrients and childhood emotional development and later mental illness was performed. Randomized trials of folic acid, phosphatidylcholine, and omega-3 fatty acid supplements assess effects of doses beyond those adequate to remedy deficiencies to promote normal fetal development despite genetic and environmental risks. Folic acid to prevent neural tube defects is an example. Vitamins A and D are currently recommended at maximum levels, but women's incomplete compliance permits observational studies of their effects. Folic acid and phosphatidylcholine supplements have shown evidence for improving childhood emotional development associated with later mental illnesses. Vitamins A and D decreased the risk for schizophrenia and autism in retrospective observations. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during early pregnancy increased the risk for schizophrenia and increased symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but in later pregnancy it decreased childhood wheezing and premature birth. Studies are complicated by the length of time between birth and the emergence of mental illnesses like schizophrenia, compared with anomalies like facial clefts identified at birth. As part of comprehensive maternal and fetal care, prenatal nutrient interventions should be further considered as uniquely effective first steps in decreasing risk for future psychiatric and other illnesses in newborn children. [AJP at 175: Remembering Our Past As We Envision Our Future July 1959: Longitudinal Observations of Biological Deviations in a Schizophrenic Infant Barbara Fish described the course of an infant born with fluctuating motor problems who developed schizophrenia. (Am J Psychiatry 1959; 116:25-31 )].
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Freedman
- From the Institute for Children’s Mental Disorders and the Departments of Psychiatry and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - Sharon K. Hunter
- From the Institute for Children’s Mental Disorders and the Departments of Psychiatry and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
| | - M. Camille Hoffman
- From the Institute for Children’s Mental Disorders and the Departments of Psychiatry and of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora
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Nickerson CA, Brown AL, Yu W, Chun Y, Glenn MJ. Prenatal choline supplementation attenuates MK-801-induced deficits in memory, motor function, and hippocampal plasticity in adult male rats. Neuroscience 2017; 361:116-128. [PMID: 28790020 PMCID: PMC5605469 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.07.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Revised: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Choline is essential to the development and function of the central nervous system and supplemental choline during development is neuroprotective against a variety of insults, including neurotoxins like dizocilpine (MK-801). MK-801 is an NMDA receptor antagonist that is frequently used in rodent models of psychological disorders, particularly schizophrenia. At low doses, it causes cognitive impairments, and at higher doses it induces motor deficits, anhedonia, and neuronal degeneration. The primary goals of the present study were to investigate whether prenatal choline supplementation protects against the cognitive impairments, motor deficits, and neuropathologies that are precipitated by MK-801 administration in adulthood. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a standard or supplemented choline diet prenatally. Using the novelty preference test of object recognition, we found that only prenatal standard-fed rats displayed memory consolidation deficits induced by low-dose MK-801 administered immediately following study of sample objects; all other groups, including prenatal choline supplemented rats given MK-801, showed intact memory. Following high-dose MK-801, prenatal choline supplementation significantly alleviated rats' motor response to MK-801, particularly ataxia. Using doublecortin and Ki67 to mark neurogenesis and cell division, respectively, in the hippocampus, we found that prenatal choline supplementation, in the face of MK-801 toxicity, protected against reduced hippocampal plasticity. Taken together, the current findings suggest that prenatal choline supplementation protects against a variety of behavioral and neural pathologies induced by the neurotoxin, MK-801. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the robust neuroprotective capacity of choline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea A Nickerson
- Department of Biology, Colby College, 5550 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville, ME 04901, USA.
| | - Alexandra L Brown
- Department of Psychology, Colby College, 5550 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville, ME 04901, USA.
| | - Waylin Yu
- Department of Psychology, Colby College, 5550 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville, ME 04901, USA.
| | - Yoona Chun
- Department of Biology, Colby College, 5550 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville, ME 04901, USA.
| | - Melissa J Glenn
- Department of Psychology, Colby College, 5550 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville, ME 04901, USA.
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12
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Neuroprotective Actions of Dietary Choline. Nutrients 2017; 9:nu9080815. [PMID: 28788094 PMCID: PMC5579609 DOI: 10.3390/nu9080815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Choline is an essential nutrient for humans. It is a precursor of membrane phospholipids (e.g., phosphatidylcholine (PC)), the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and via betaine, the methyl group donor S-adenosylmethionine. High choline intake during gestation and early postnatal development in rat and mouse models improves cognitive function in adulthood, prevents age-related memory decline, and protects the brain from the neuropathological changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and neurological damage associated with epilepsy, fetal alcohol syndrome, and inherited conditions such as Down and Rett syndromes. These effects of choline are correlated with modifications in histone and DNA methylation in brain, and with alterations in the expression of genes that encode proteins important for learning and memory processing, suggesting a possible epigenomic mechanism of action. Dietary choline intake in the adult may also influence cognitive function via an effect on PC containing eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids; polyunsaturated species of PC whose levels are reduced in brains from AD patients, and is associated with higher memory performance, and resistance to cognitive decline.
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Zhang M, Han X, Bao J, Yang J, Shi SQ, Garfield RE, Liu H. Choline Supplementation During Pregnancy Protects Against Gestational Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Responses. Reprod Sci 2017; 25:74-85. [PMID: 28436303 DOI: 10.1177/1933719117702247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To estimate the effects and mechanisms of choline, an essential nutrient and a selective α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) agonist, on the prevention of symptoms and the effects on the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways (CAP) in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in a rat model. METHODS Inflammation was induced by LPS treatment (1.0 μg LPS/kg body weight) on gestational day (GD) 14. Nonpregnant and pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were placed on a normal choline diet (1.1 g/kg) or supplemented choline diet (5.0 g/kg) from GDs 1 to 20. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), urinary albumin, and pregnancy outcomes were recorded. On GD 20, serum and placentas were assayed for cytokines. Western blots were used to determine the expression of placenta α7nAChR and components of the α7nAChR-CAP, including nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and protein kinase B (AKT). Immunohistochemistry was used to localize placental sites for the p65 subunit of NF-κB. RESULTS Lipopolysaccharide significantly increased SBP and urinary albumin and decreased pregnancy outcomes, and these effects were partially reversed by higher choline treatment. Choline supplementation also significantly attenuated the LPS-induced increase in serum and placental inflammatory cytokines, decreased the expression of placental α7nAChR, lowered the activation of NF-κB signaling in placenta mononuclear cells, and inhibited placental AKT phosphorylation. CONCLUSION This study confirms that LPS induces inflammatory conditions in pregnant rats and shows that choline supplementation protects against the inflammatory symptoms through its action on α7nAChR and CAP. These observations have important implications for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory responses associated with pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinjia Han
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juejie Bao
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinying Yang
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shao-Qing Shi
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Robert E Garfield
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Huishu Liu
- 1 Department of Obstetrics, Preterm Birth Prevention and Treatment Research Unit, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
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Zhao Y, Hao J, Wang J, Wang J. Effect of Choline on the Composition and Degradation Enzyme of Extracellular Matrix of Mice Chondrocytes Exposed to Fluoride. Biol Trace Elem Res 2017; 175:414-420. [PMID: 27368532 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-016-0787-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Choline has been shown to mediate damage of the chondrocyte matrix and degradation enzymes of mice exposed to fluoride (F). To test the action of choline, pregnant mice were treated with differing amounts of F and choline. Newborn mice were weaned at 21 days after birth and treated with the same doses of F and choline as they mothers for 12 weeks. Using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, real-time PCR (RT-PCR), and western blotting, changes in the structure of the cartilage, the expression of mRNA and protein related to proteoglycans (PG), and degradation enzymes were detected. The RT-PCR results show that the expression of the Aggrecan (Acan), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β1), and Aggrecanases-1 gene were abnormal in the high fluoride (HiF) group, and treatments with choline reversed this phenomenon. The western blotting results show that the protein expression of Aggrecanases-1 was significantly increased in the HiF group (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that F can change the morphology of cartilage tissue, the gene expression of the Acan, TGF-β1, Aggrecanases-1, and the protein expression of the Acan, and that choline can attenuate the effect of F. This may provide the basis for the treatment and prevention of fluorosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangfei Zhao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Jinzhong, Shanxi, 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Hao
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Jinzhong, Shanxi, 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinming Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Jinzhong, Shanxi, 030801, People's Republic of China
| | - Jundong Wang
- Shanxi Key Laboratory of Environmental Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Jinzhong, Shanxi, 030801, People's Republic of China.
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Mellott TJ, Huleatt OM, Shade BN, Pender SM, Liu YB, Slack BE, Blusztajn JK. Perinatal Choline Supplementation Reduces Amyloidosis and Increases Choline Acetyltransferase Expression in the Hippocampus of the APPswePS1dE9 Alzheimer's Disease Model Mice. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170450. [PMID: 28103298 PMCID: PMC5245895 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevention of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major goal of biomedical sciences. In previous studies we showed that high intake of the essential nutrient, choline, during gestation prevented age-related memory decline in a rat model. In this study we investigated the effects of a similar treatment on AD-related phenotypes in a mouse model of AD. We crossed wild type (WT) female mice with hemizygous APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP.PS1) AD model male mice and maintained the pregnant and lactating dams on a control AIN76A diet containing 1.1 g/kg of choline or a choline-supplemented (5 g/kg) diet. After weaning all offspring consumed the control diet. As compared to APP.PS1 mice reared on the control diet, the hippocampus of the perinatally choline-supplemented APP.PS1 mice exhibited: 1) altered levels of amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolites-specifically elevated amounts of β-C-terminal fragment (β-CTF) and reduced levels of solubilized amyloid Aβ40 and Aβ42 peptides; 2) reduced number and total area of amyloid plaques; 3) preserved levels of choline acetyltransferase protein (CHAT) and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF2) and 4) absence of astrogliosis. The data suggest that dietary supplementation of choline during fetal development and early postnatal life may constitute a preventive strategy for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany J. Mellott
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Olivia M. Huleatt
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Bethany N. Shade
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sarah M. Pender
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yi B. Liu
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Barbara E. Slack
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jan K. Blusztajn
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
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16
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Notarangelo FM, Pocivavsek A. Elevated kynurenine pathway metabolism during neurodevelopment: Implications for brain and behavior. Neuropharmacology 2017; 112:275-285. [PMID: 26944732 PMCID: PMC5010529 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation contains several neuroactive metabolites that may influence brain function in health and disease. Mounting focus has been dedicated to investigating the role of these metabolites during neurodevelopment and elucidating their involvement in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders with a developmental component, such as schizophrenia. In this review, we describe the changes in KP metabolism in the brain from gestation until adulthood and illustrate how environmental and genetic factors affect the KP during development. With a particular focus on kynurenic acid, the antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nACh) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, both implicated in modulating brain development, we review animal models designed to ascertain the role of perinatal KP elevation on long-lasting biochemical, neuropathological, and behavioral deficits later in life. We present new data demonstrating that combining perinatal choline-supplementation, to potentially increase activation of α7nACh receptors during development, with embryonic kynurenine manipulation is effective in attenuating cognitive impairments in adult rat offspring. With these findings in mind, we conclude the review by discussing the advancement of therapeutic interventions that would target not only symptoms, but potentially the root cause of central nervous system diseases that manifest from a perinatal KP insult. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Kynurenine Pathway in Health and Disease'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca M Notarangelo
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana Pocivavsek
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Sex differences in animal models of schizophrenia shed light on the underlying pathophysiology. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 67:41-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2015] [Revised: 09/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Ross RG, Hunter SK, Hoffman MC, McCarthy L, Chambers BM, Law AJ, Leonard S, Zerbe GO, Freedman R. Perinatal Phosphatidylcholine Supplementation and Early Childhood Behavior Problems: Evidence for CHRNA7 Moderation. Am J Psychiatry 2016; 173:509-16. [PMID: 26651393 PMCID: PMC5892450 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15091188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE α7-Nicotinic receptors are involved in the final maturation of GABA inhibitory synapses before birth. Choline at levels found in the amniotic fluid is an agonist at α7-nicotinic receptors. The authors conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial to assess whether high-dose oral phosphatidylcholine supplementation during pregnancy to increase maternal amniotic fluid choline levels would enhance fetal development of cerebral inhibition and, as a result, decrease childhood behavior problems associated with later mental illness. METHOD The authors previously reported that newborns in the phosphatidylcholine treatment group have increased suppression of the cerebral evoked response to repeated auditory stimuli. In this follow-up, they report parental assessments of the children's behavior at 40 months of age, using the Child Behavior Checklist. RESULTS At 40 months, parent ratings of children in the phosphatidylcholine group (N=23) indicated fewer attention problems and less social withdrawal compared with the placebo group (N=26). The improvement is comparable in magnitude to similar deficits at this age associated with later schizophrenia. The children's behavior is moderated by CHRNA7 variants associated with later mental illness and is related to their enhanced cerebral inhibition as newborns. CONCLUSIONS CHRNA7, the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene, has been associated with schizophrenia, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Maternal phosphatidylcholine treatment may, by increasing activation of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, alter the development of behavior problems in early childhood that can presage later mental illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal G Ross
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Sharon K Hunter
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - M Camille Hoffman
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Lizbeth McCarthy
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Betsey M Chambers
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Amanda J Law
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Sherry Leonard
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Gary O Zerbe
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
| | - Robert Freedman
- From the Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Cellular and Developmental Biology, and Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora; the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora; and the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pediatrics, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver
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Freedman R, Ross RG. Prenatal choline and the development of schizophrenia. SHANGHAI ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY 2015; 27:90-102. [PMID: 26120259 PMCID: PMC4466850 DOI: 10.11919/j.issn.1002-0829.215006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background The primary prevention of illness at the population level, the ultimate aim
of medicine, seems out of reach for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia has a
strong genetic component, and its pathogenesis begins long before the
emergence of psychosis, as early as fetal brain development. Cholinergic
neurotransmission at nicotinic receptors is a pathophysiological mechanism
related to one aspect of this genetic risk. Choline activates these
nicotinic receptors during fetal brain development. Dietary supplementation
of maternal choline thus emerges as a possible intervention in pregnancy to
alter the earliest developmental course of the illness. Aim Review available literature on the relationship of choline supplementation or
choline levels during pregnancy and fetal brain development. Methods A Medline search was used to identify studies assessing effects of choline in
human fetal development. Studies of other prenatal risk factors for
schizophrenia and the role of cholinergic neurotransmission in its
pathophysiology were also identified. Results Dietary requirements for choline are high during pregnancy because of its
several uses, including membrane biosynthesis, one-carbon metabolism, and
cholinergic neurotransmission. Its ability to act directly at high
concentrations as a nicotinic agonist is critical for normal brain circuit
development. Dietary supplementation in the second and third trimesters with
phosphatidyl-choline supports these functions and is associated generally
with better fetal outcome. Improvement in inhibitory neuronal functions
whose deficit is associated with schizophrenia and attention deficit
disorder has been observed. Conclusion Prenatal dietary supplementation with phosphatidyl-choline and promotion of
diets rich in choline-containing foods (meats, soybeans, and eggs) are
possible interventions to promote fetal brain development and thereby
decrease the risk of subsequent mental illnesses. The low risk and short
(sixmonth) duration of the intervention makes it especially conducive to
population-wide adoption. Similar findings with folate for the prevention of
cleft palate led to recommendations for prenatal pharmacological
supplementation and dietary improvement. However, definitive proof of the
efficacy of prenatal choline supplementation will not be available for
decades (because of the 20-year lag until the onset of schizophrenia), so
public health officials need to decide whether or not promoting choline
supplementation is justified based on the limited information available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Freedman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Randal G Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
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Smucny J, Stevens KE, Olincy A, Tregellas JR. Translational utility of rodent hippocampal auditory gating in schizophrenia research: a review and evaluation. Transl Psychiatry 2015; 5:e587. [PMID: 26101850 PMCID: PMC4490287 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2015.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Impaired gating of the auditory evoked P50 potential is one of the most pharmacologically well-characterized features of schizophrenia. This deficit is most commonly modeled in rodents by implanted electrode recordings from the hippocampus of the rodent analog of the P50, the P20-N40. The validity and effectiveness of this tool, however, has not been systematically reviewed. Here, we summarize findings from studies that have examined the effects of pharmacologic modulation on gating of the rodent hippocampal P20-N40 and the human P50. We show that drug effects on the P20-N40 are highly predictive of human effects across similar dose ranges. Furthermore, mental status (for example, anesthetized vs alert) does not appear to diminish the predictive capacity of these recordings. We then discuss hypothesized neuropharmacologic mechanisms that may underlie gating effects for each drug studied. Overall, this review supports continued use of hippocampal P20-N40 gating as a translational tool for schizophrenia research.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Smucny
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - K E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - A Olincy
- Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - J R Tregellas
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Knott V, Impey D, Choueiry J, Smith D, de la Salle S, Saghir S, Smith M, Beaudry E, Ilivitsky V, Labelle A. An acute dose, randomized trial of the effects of CDP-Choline on Mismatch Negativity (MMN) in healthy volunteers stratified by deviance detection level. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1186/s40810-014-0002-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Wu WL, Adams CE, Stevens KE, Chow KH, Freedman R, Patterson PH. The interaction between maternal immune activation and alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in regulating behaviors in the offspring. Brain Behav Immun 2015; 46:192-202. [PMID: 25683697 PMCID: PMC4414803 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 01/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutation of human chromosome 15q13.3 increases the risk for autism and schizophrenia. One of the noteworthy genes in 15q13.3 is CHRNA7, which encodes the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 7 subunit (α7nAChR) associated with schizophrenia in clinical studies and rodent models. This study investigates the role of α7nAChR in maternal immune activation (MIA) mice model, a murine model of environmental risk factor for autism and schizophrenia. We provided choline, a selective α7nAChR agonist among its several developmental roles, in the diet of C57BL/6N wild-type dams throughout the gestation and lactation period and induced MIA at mid-gestation. The adult offspring behavior and gene expression profile in the maternal-placental-fetal axis at mid-gestation were investigated. We found that choline supplementation prevented several MIA-induced behavioral abnormalities in the wild-type offspring. Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (Il6) and Chrna7 gene expression in the wild-type fetal brain were elevated by poly(I:C) injection and were suppressed by gestational choline supplementation. We further investigated the gene expression level of Il6 in Chrna7 mutant mice. We found that the basal level of Il6 was higher in Chrna7 mutant fetal brain, which suggests that α7nAChR may serve an anti-inflammatory role in the fetal brain during development. Lastly, we induced MIA in Chrna7(+/-) offspring. The Chrna7(+/-) offspring were more vulnerable to MIA, with increased behavioral abnormalities. Our study shows that α7nAChR modulates inflammatory response affecting the fetal brain and demonstrates its effects on offspring behavior development after MIA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Li Wu
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
| | - Catherine E. Adams
- Denver VA Medical Center, 1055 Clermont St., Denver, CO 80220,Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Karen E. Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Ke-Huan Chow
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Robert Freedman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, 12800 E. 19th Ave., Aurora, CO 80045
| | - Paul H. Patterson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
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