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Higa GSV, Viana FJC, Francis-Oliveira J, Cruvinel E, Franchin TS, Marcourakis T, Ulrich H, De Pasquale R. Serotonergic neuromodulation of synaptic plasticity. Neuropharmacology 2024; 257:110036. [PMID: 38876308 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Synaptic plasticity constitutes a fundamental process in the reorganization of neural networks that underlie memory, cognition, emotional responses, and behavioral planning. At the core of this phenomenon lie Hebbian mechanisms, wherein frequent synaptic stimulation induces long-term potentiation (LTP), while less activation leads to long-term depression (LTD). The synaptic reorganization of neuronal networks is regulated by serotonin (5-HT), a neuromodulator capable of modify synaptic plasticity to appropriately respond to mental and behavioral states, such as alertness, attention, concentration, motivation, and mood. Lately, understanding the serotonergic Neuromodulation of synaptic plasticity has become imperative for unraveling its impact on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions. Through a comparative analysis across three main forebrain structures-the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, this review discusses the actions of 5-HT on synaptic plasticity, offering insights into its role as a neuromodulator involved in emotional and cognitive functions. By distinguishing between plastic and metaplastic effects, we provide a comprehensive overview about the mechanisms of 5-HT neuromodulation of synaptic plasticity and associated functions across different brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Shigueto Vilar Higa
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química (USP), Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Felipe José Costa Viana
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - José Francis-Oliveira
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Emily Cruvinel
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Thainá Soares Franchin
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Tania Marcourakis
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química (USP), Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Roberto De Pasquale
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Universidade de São Paulo, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-000, Brazil.
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2
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Masella G, Silva F, Corti E, Azkona G, Madeira MF, Tomé ÂR, Ferreira SG, Cunha RA, Duarte CB, Santos M. The amygdala NT3-TrkC pathway underlies inter-individual differences in fear extinction and related synaptic plasticity. Mol Psychiatry 2024; 29:1322-1337. [PMID: 38233468 PMCID: PMC11189811 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02412-z] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Fear-related pathologies are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions, having inappropriate learned fear and resistance to extinction as cardinal features. Exposure therapy represents a promising therapeutic approach, the efficiency of which depends on inter-individual variation in fear extinction learning, which neurobiological basis is unknown. We characterized a model of extinction learning, whereby fear-conditioned mice were categorized as extinction (EXT)-success or EXT-failure, according to their inherent ability to extinguish fear. In the lateral amygdala, GluN2A-containing NMDAR are required for LTP and stabilization of fear memories, while GluN2B-containing NMDAR are required for LTD and fear extinction. EXT-success mice showed attenuated LTP, strong LTD and higher levels of synaptic GluN2B, while EXT-failure mice showed strong LTP, no LTD and higher levels of synaptic GluN2A. Neurotrophin 3 (NT3) infusion in the lateral amygdala was sufficient to rescue extinction deficits in EXT-failure mice. Mechanistically, activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase C (TrkC) with NT3 in EXT-failure slices attenuated lateral amygdala LTP, in a GluN2B-dependent manner. Conversely, blocking endogenous NT3-TrkC signaling with TrkC-Fc chimera in EXT-success slices strengthened lateral amygdala LTP. Our data support a key role for the NT3-TrkC system in inter-individual differences in fear extinction in rodents, through modulation of amygdalar NMDAR composition and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Masella
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (iiiUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Francisca Silva
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (iiiUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Elisa Corti
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (iiiUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Garikoitz Azkona
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes and Their Development, School of Psychology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Maria Francisca Madeira
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (iiiUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ângelo R Tomé
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Samira G Ferreira
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (iiiUC), Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo A Cunha
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos B Duarte
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mónica Santos
- CNC - Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra (iiiUC), Coimbra, Portugal.
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
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3
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Shen XY, Zhang J, Huang HZ, Li SD, Zhou L, Wu SP, Tang C, Huang X, Liu ZQ, Guo ZY, Li X, Man HY, Lu YM, Zhu LQ, Liu D. The interaction of Synapsin 2a and Synaptogyrin-3 regulates fear extinction in mice. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e172802. [PMID: 38175724 PMCID: PMC10866652 DOI: 10.1172/jci172802] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms behind a lack of efficient fear extinction in some individuals are unclear. Here, by employing a principal components analysis-based approach, we differentiated the mice into extinction-resistant and susceptible groups. We determined that elevated synapsin 2a (Syn2a) in the infralimbic cortex (IL) to basolateral amygdala (BLA) circuit disrupted presynaptic orchestration, leading to an excitatory/inhibitory imbalance in the BLA region and causing extinction resistance. Overexpression or silencing of Syn2a levels in IL neurons replicated or alleviated behavioral, electrophysiological, and biochemical phenotypes in resistant mice. We further identified that the proline-rich domain H in the C-terminus of Syn2a was indispensable for the interaction with synaptogyrin-3 (Syngr3) and demonstrated that disrupting this interaction restored extinction impairments. Molecular docking revealed that ritonavir, an FDA-approved HIV drug, could disrupt Syn2a-Syngr3 binding and rescue fear extinction behavior in Syn2a-elevated mice. In summary, the aberrant elevation of Syn2a expression and its interaction with Syngr3 at the presynaptic site were crucial in fear extinction resistance, suggesting a potential therapeutic avenue for related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Ya Shen
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - He-Zhou Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shao-Dan Li
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ling Zhou
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shi-Ping Wu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cheng Tang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xian Huang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zi-Yuan Guo
- Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine (CuSTOM), Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Neurosurgery and
- Brain Research Center, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Heng-Ye Man
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - You-Ming Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ling-Qiang Zhu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Dan Liu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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4
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Anderson KR, Rogu PJ, Palumbo TB, Miwa JM. Abnormal response to chronic social defeat stress and fear extinction in a mouse model of cholinergic dysregulation. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2492514. [PMID: 36778356 PMCID: PMC9915767 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2492514/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Cholinergic signaling is critical for an individual to react appropriately and adaptably to salient stimuli while navigating a complex environment. The cholinergic neurotransmitter system drives attention to salient stimuli, such as stressors, and aids in orchestrating the proper neural and behavioral response. Fine-tuned regulation of the cholinergic system has been linked to appropriate stress responses and subsequent mood regulation while dysregulation has been implicated in mood disorders. Among the multiple layers of regulation are cholinergic protein modulators. Here, we use validated models of experiential-based affective disorders to investigate differences in responses to stress in a genetic mouse model of cholinergic dysregulation based on the loss of protein modulator. The lynx2 nicotinic receptor modulatory protein provides negative cholinergic regulation within the amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, and other brain regions. We discovered here that lynx2 knockout (KO) mice demonstrate an inability to update behavior with an inability to extinguish learned fear during a fear extinction test. We also observed, under an increased stress load following exposure to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) paradigm, there was a unified resilience phenotype in lynx2KO mice, as opposed to the wild-type cohort which was split between resilience and susceptible phenotypes. Furthermore, we provide evidence for the functional role of α7 nicotinic receptor subtypes by phenotypic rescue with MLA or crossing with an α7 null mutant mouse (e.g. lynx2/α7 double KO mice). We demonstrate a direct physical interaction between lynx2 and α7 nAChR by co-immunoprecipitation of complexes from mouse BLA extracts. The genetic predisposition to heightened basal anxiety-like behavior and altered cholinergic signaling impairs individual behavior responses stressors. Together, these data indicate that the effects of social stress can be influenced by baseline genetic factors involved in anxiety regulation.
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5
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Ponomareva OY, Fenster RJ, Ressler KJ. Enhancing Fear Extinction: Pharmacological Approaches. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023; 64:289-305. [PMID: 37584834 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_443] [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] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Extinction is the process by which the memory of a learned conditioned association decreases over time and with introduction of new associations. It is a vital part of fear learning, and it is critical to recovery in multiple fear-related disorders, including Specific and Social Phobias, Panic Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The process of extinction is also the underlying mechanism for recovery in gold-standard therapies for PTSD, including prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization and procession, as well as other empirically-based paradigms. Pharmacological modulators of extinction are thus promising targets for treatment of fear-related disorders. We focus here on emerging psychopharmacological treatments to facilitate extinction: D-cycloserine, scopolamine, losartan, ketamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. We also provide an overview of recent advances in molecular pathways that show promise as targets for extincion and inhibitory learning, including pathways related to cannabinoid, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal signaling, and promising work in neurosteroid compounds.
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Zaki Y, Mau W, Cincotta C, Monasterio A, Odom E, Doucette E, Grella SL, Merfeld E, Shpokayte M, Ramirez S. Hippocampus and amygdala fear memory engrams re-emerge after contextual fear relapse. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1992-2001. [PMID: 35941286 PMCID: PMC9485238 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01407-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [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] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The formation and extinction of fear memories represent two forms of learning that each engage the hippocampus and amygdala. How cell populations in these areas contribute to fear relapse, however, remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that, in male mice, cells active during fear conditioning in the dentate gyrus of hippocampus exhibit decreased activity during extinction and are re-engaged after contextual fear relapse. In vivo calcium imaging reveals that relapse drives population dynamics in the basolateral amygdala to revert to a network state similar to the state present during fear conditioning. Finally, we find that optogenetic inactivation of neuronal ensembles active during fear conditioning in either the hippocampus or amygdala is sufficient to disrupt fear expression after relapse, while optogenetic stimulation of these same ensembles after extinction is insufficient to artificially mimic fear relapse. These results suggest that fear relapse triggers a partial re-emergence of the original fear memory representation, providing new insight into the neural substrates of fear relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosif Zaki
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - William Mau
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Christine Cincotta
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Amy Monasterio
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Emma Odom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Emily Doucette
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Stephanie L Grella
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Emily Merfeld
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Monika Shpokayte
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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7
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Sadeghi MA, Hemmati S, Nassireslami E, Yousefi Zoshk M, Hosseini Y, Abbasian K, Chamanara M. Targeting neuronal nitric oxide synthase and the nitrergic system in post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:3057-3082. [PMID: 36029333 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06212-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Current pharmacological approaches to treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) lack adequate effectiveness. As a result, identifying new molecular targets for drug development is necessary. Furthermore, fear learning and memory in PTSD can undergo different phases, such as fear acquisition, consolidation, and extinction. Each phase may involve different cellular pathways and brain regions. As a result, effective management of PTSD requires mindfulness of the timing of drug administration. One of the molecular targets currently under intense investigation is the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptor (NMDAR). However, despite the therapeutic efficacy of drugs targeting NMDAR, their translation into clinical use has been challenging due to their various side effects. One possible solution to this problem is to target signaling proteins downstream to NMDAR to improve targeting specificity. One of these proteins is the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), which is activated following calcium influx through the NMDAR. OBJECTIVE In this paper, we review the literature on the pharmacological modulation of nNOS in animal models of PTSD to evaluate its therapeutic potential. Furthermore, we attempt to decipher the inconsistencies observed between the findings of these studies based on the specific phase of fear learning which they had targeted. RESULTS Inhibition of nNOS may inhibit fear acquisition and recall, while not having a significant effect on fear consolidation and extinction. However, it may improve extinction consolidation or reconsolidation blockade. CONCLUSIONS Modulation of nNOS has therapeutic potential against PTSD and warrants further development for use in the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amin Sadeghi
- Toxicology Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Hemmati
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ehsan Nassireslami
- Toxicology Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Yasaman Hosseini
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kourosh Abbasian
- Management and Health Economics Department, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Chamanara
- Toxicology Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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8
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Ostroff LE, Cain CK. Persistent up-regulation of polyribosomes at synapses during long-term memory, reconsolidation, and extinction of associative memory. LEARNING & MEMORY (COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y.) 2022; 29:192-202. [PMID: 35882501 PMCID: PMC9374273 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053577.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Local protein synthesis at synapses can provide a rapid supply of proteins to support synaptic changes during consolidation of new memories, but its role in the maintenance or updating of established memories is unknown. Consolidation requires new protein synthesis in the period immediately following learning, whereas established memories are resistant to protein synthesis inhibitors. We have previously reported that polyribosomes are up-regulated in the lateral amygdala (LA) during consolidation of aversive-cued Pavlovian conditioning. In this study, we used serial section electron microscopy reconstructions to determine whether the distribution of dendritic polyribosomes returns to baseline during the long-term memory phase. Relative to control groups, long-term memory was associated with up-regulation of polyribosomes throughout dendrites, including in dendritic spines of all sizes. Retrieval of a consolidated memory by presentation of a small number of cues induces a new, transient requirement for protein synthesis to maintain the memory, while presentation of a large number of cues results in extinction learning, forming a new memory. One hour after retrieval or extinction training, the distribution of dendritic polyribosomes was similar except in the smallest spines, which had more polyribosomes in the extinction group. Our results demonstrate that the effects of learning on dendritic polyribosomes are not restricted to the transient translation-dependent phase of memory formation. Cued Pavlovian conditioning induces persistent synapse strengthening in the LA that is not reversed by retrieval or extinction, and dendritic polyribosomes may therefore correlate generally with synapse strength as opposed to recent activity or transient translational processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linnaea E Ostroff
- Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA.,Connecticut Institute for the Brain and Cognitive Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA.,Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Christopher K Cain
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Langone Health, New York, New York 10016, USA
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9
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Rasmusson AM, Novikov O, Brown KD, Pinna G, Pineles SL. Pleiotropic endophenotypic and phenotype effects of GABAergic neurosteroid synthesis deficiency in posttraumatic stress disorder. CURRENT OPINION IN ENDOCRINE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH 2022; 25:100359. [PMID: 36909842 PMCID: PMC10004350 DOI: 10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PTSD is associated with deficits in synthesis of progesterone metabolites such as allopregnanolone and pregnanolone that potently facilitate gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) effects at GABAA receptors. These neurosteroids modulate neuronal firing rate, regional brain connectivity, and activation of amygdala-mediated autonomic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and behavioral reactions to unconditioned and conditioned threat. They also play critical roles in learning and memory processes such as extinction and extinction retention and inhibit toll-like receptor activation of intracellular pro-inflammatory pathways. Deficient synthesis of these neurosteroids thus may contribute to individually variable PTSD clinical phenotypes encompassing symptom severity, capacity for PTSD recovery, and vulnerability to common PTSD-comorbidities such as major depression, chronic pain, alcohol and nicotine dependence, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, reproductive disorders, and autoimmune conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M Rasmusson
- VA National Center for PTSD, Women's Health Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Olga Novikov
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.,Boston University School of Medicine, Psychiatry Residency Program, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Kayla D Brown
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.,Behavioral Neurosciences Ph.D. Program, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Suzanne L Pineles
- VA National Center for PTSD, Women's Health Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA 02130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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10
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Pharmacological sequestration of mitochondrial calcium uptake protects against dementia and β-amyloid neurotoxicity. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12766. [PMID: 35896565 PMCID: PMC9329451 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16817-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
All forms of dementia including Alzheimer's disease are currently incurable. Mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium alterations are shown to be involved in the mechanism of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. Previously we have described the ability of compound Tg-2112x to protect neurons via sequestration of mitochondrial calcium uptake and we suggest that it can also be protective against neurodegeneration and development of dementia. Using primary co-culture neurons and astrocytes we studied the effect of Tg-2112x and its derivative Tg-2113x on β-amyloid-induced changes in calcium signal, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial calcium, and cell death. We have found that both compounds had no effect on β-amyloid or acetylcholine-induced calcium changes in the cytosol although Tg2113x, but not Tg2112x reduced glutamate-induced calcium signal. Both compounds were able to reduce mitochondrial calcium uptake and protected cells against β-amyloid-induced mitochondrial depolarization and cell death. Behavioral effects of Tg-2113x on learning and memory in fear conditioning were also studied in 3 mouse models of neurodegeneration: aged (16-month-old) C57Bl/6j mice, scopolamine-induced amnesia (3-month-old mice), and 9-month-old 5xFAD mice. It was found that Tg-2113x prevented age-, scopolamine- and cerebral amyloidosis-induced decrease in fear conditioning. In addition, Tg-2113x restored fear extinction of aged mice. Thus, reduction of the mitochondrial calcium uptake protects neurons and astrocytes against β-amyloid-induced cell death and contributes to protection against dementia of different ethology. These compounds could be used as background for the developing of a novel generation of disease-modifying neuroprotective agents.
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11
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Han F, Xu F, Zhu Q, Sun P, Zhou Y, Yu M. Virus-mediated GHS-R1a expression in the basolateral amygdala blocks extinction of conditioned taste aversion memory in rats. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 602:57-62. [PMID: 35255434 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.02.105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ghrelin is an orexigenic gastric hormone that promotes feeding behaviors and regulating energy homeostasis in both humans and rodents. Our previous studies have shown that ghrelin, when locally infused into the basolateral amygdala (BLA), blocks both acquisition and extinction of conditioned taste aversion (CTA) memory in rats. In this study, we further investigated the effect of virus-mediated overexpression of ghrelin receptor growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHS-R1a) in BLA pyramidal neurons on CTA memory processes. We found that upregulation of GHS-R1a expression in BLA pyramidal neurons repressed CTA extinction while it had no effect on CTA acquisition. In addition, we reported that local infusion of the endogenous GHS-R1a antagonist, liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2), in the BLA abolished the inhibitory effect of increased GHS-R1a on CTA memory extinction. Those findings provide new supportive evidence that ghrelin/GHS-R1a signaling in the BLA circuit shapes emotional memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fubing Han
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China; Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong, 266000, China
| | - Fenghua Xu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Qianqian Zhu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong, 266000, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China; Institute of Brain Sciences and Related Disorders, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shangdong, 266000, China.
| | - Ming Yu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, 266071, China.
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12
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Rasmusson AM, Pineles SL, Brown KD, Pinna G. A role for deficits in GABAergic neurosteroids and their metabolites with NMDA receptor antagonist activity in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13062. [PMID: 34962690 PMCID: PMC9233411 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Trauma-focused psychotherapies show general efficacy in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), although outcomes vary substantially among individuals with PTSD and many patients do not achieve clinically meaningful symptom improvement. Several factors may contribute to poor treatment response, including genetic or environmental (e.g., stress) effects on neurobiological factors involved in learning and memory processes critical to PTSD recovery. In this review, we discuss the relationship between deficient GABAergic neurosteroid metabolites of progesterone, allopregnanolone (Allo) and pregnanolone (PA), and PTSD symptoms in men and women or PTSD-like behavioral abnormalities observed in male rodent models of PTSD. We also review the role and molecular underpinnings of learning and memory processes relevant to PTSD recovery, including extinction, extinction retention, reconsolidation of reactivated aversive memories and episodic non-aversive memory. We then discuss preclinical and clinical research that supports a role in these learning and memory processes for GABAergic neurosteroids and sulfated metabolites of Allo and PA that allosterically antagonize NMDA receptor function. Studies supporting the possible therapeutic impact of appropriately timed, acutely administered Allo or Allo analogs to facilitate extinction retention and/or block reconsolidation of aversive memories are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss important future directions for research in this area. Examining the varied and composite effects in PTSD of these metabolites of progesterone, as well as neuroactive derivatives of other parent steroids produced in the brain and the periphery, will likely enable a broadening of targets for treatment development. Defining contributions of these neuroactive steroids to common PTSD-comorbid psychiatric and medical conditions, as well as subpopulation-specific underlying dysfunctional physiological processes such as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and immune system dysregulation, may also enable development of more effective multisystem precision medicines to prevent and treat the broader, polymorbid sequelae of extreme and chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann M. Rasmusson
- VA National Center for PTSD, Women’s Health Science Division, Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, MA 02130, U.S.A
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Suzanne L. Pineles
- VA National Center for PTSD, Women’s Health Science Division, Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston, MA 02130, U.S.A
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118
| | - Kayla D. Brown
- Behavioral Neurosciences PhD Program, Boston University Medical Campus, Boston, MA, 02118, U.S.A
| | - Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60612, U.S.A
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13
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Niu W, Duan Y, Kang Y, Cao X, Xue Q. Propofol improves learning and memory in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) mice via recovering hippocampus synaptic plasticity. Life Sci 2022; 293:120349. [PMID: 35065162 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Propofol, the most commonly used intravenous anesthetic, is known for its protective effect in various human and animal disease models such as post-traumatic stress disease (PTSD). However, it still needs efforts to clarify the effect of propofol on fear memory extinction and the relevant mechanisms. METHODS Fear memory extinction was examined in PTSD mice model. Thirty-six mice were randomly divided into three groups: a shock + propofol group (sh + Pro), shock + normal saline group (sh + NS), and sham group. The mice were treated with propofol (150 mg/kg) or normal saline (of the same volume) intraperitoneally 30 min after the conditioning. These mice's behavior was analysed with contextual test, sucrose preference test (SPT) and Morris water maze (MWM). Additionally, the synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus was examined by long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). KEY FINDINGS Compared with the sham group, the sh + NS group showed increased freezing time and depressive behavior, meanwhile the sh + Pro group showed minor behavioral changes. What's more, we found that propofol rescued the impaired long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in hippocampus of PTSD mice. All these suggest that propofol can accelerate fear memory extinction and change synaptic plasticity of PTSD mice. SIGNIFICANCE The study proved that propofol can protect the mice from PTSD by reserving synaptic plasticity and brought a new insight into PTSD treatment indicating that propofol maybe a potential cure for PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanqiu Niu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanhong Duan
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Kang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaohua Cao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingsheng Xue
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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14
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Sottile RJ, Vida T. A proposed mechanism for the MDMA-mediated extinction of traumatic memories in PTSD patients treated with MDMA-assisted therapy. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:991753. [PMID: 36311515 PMCID: PMC9596814 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.991753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disorder afflicting millions of people around the world. Characterized by severe anxiety, intrusive thoughts, pervasive nightmares, an assortment of somatic symptoms, associations with severe long-term health problems, and an elevated risk of suicide, as much as 40-70% of patients suffer from refractory disease. 3,4-Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), like classic psychedelics such as psilocybin, have been used to enhance the efficacy of psychotherapy almost since their discovery, but due to their perceived potential for abuse and inclusion on USFDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) schedule 1, research into the mechanism by which they produce improvements in PTSD symptomology has been limited. Nevertheless, several compelling rationales have been explored, with the pro-social effects of MDMA thought to enhance therapeutic alliance and thus facilitate therapist-assisted trauma processing. This may be insufficient to fully explain the efficacy of MDMA in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Molecular mechanisms such as the MDMA mediated increase of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) availability in the fear memory learning pathways combined with MDMA's pro-social effects may provide a more nuanced explanation for the therapeutic actions of MDMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Sottile
- Department of Medical Education, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Thomas Vida
- Department of Medical Education, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
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15
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Pineles SL, Nillni YI, Pinna G, Webb A, Arditte Hall KA, Fonda JR, Irvine J, King MW, Hauger RL, Resick PA, Orr SP, Rasmusson AM. Associations between PTSD-Related extinction retention deficits in women and plasma steroids that modulate brain GABA A and NMDA receptor activity. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100225. [PMID: 32490055 PMCID: PMC7256058 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated poor retention of extinction learning among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Gonadal hormone signaling in brain appears to influence the retention of extinction learning differently in women with and without PTSD. Women with PTSD, compared to trauma-exposed women without PTSD, show relative deficits in extinction retention during the mid-luteal phase (mLP) of the menstrual cycle, compared to the early follicular phase (eFP). A PTSD-related reduction in conversion of progesterone to its GABAergic metabolites allopregnanolone (Allo) and pregnanolone (PA) may contribute to these findings. The current study in trauma-exposed women with (n = 9) and without (n = 9) PTSD investigated associations between extinction retention and plasma Allo + PA levels, as well as the ratio of Allo + PA to 5α-dihydroprogesterone (5α-DHP), the immediate steroid precursor for Allo. The study also investigated the relationship between extinction retention and the ratio of Allo + PA to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), an adrenally-derived GABAA receptor antagonist. Study participants completed differential fear-conditioning during both the eFP and mLP of the menstrual cycle. Analyses revealed a strong positive relationship between resting plasma Allo + PA levels and extinction retention during the mLP in the women with, but not without, PTSD (e.g., diagnosis X Allo + PA interaction controlling for early extinction: β = −.0008, p = .003). A similar pattern emerged for the Allo + PA to 5α-DHP ratio (β = -.165, p = .071), consistent with a PTSD-related block in production of Allo and PA at the enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. The ratio of Allo + PA to DHEA appeared to influence extinction retention only during the eFP when Allo + PA and DHEA levels are comparable and thus may compete for effects on GABAA receptor function. This study aligns with male rodent PTSD models linking experimental reductions in brain Allo levels to deficits in extinction retention and suggests that targeting PTSD-related deficits in GABAergic neurosteroid synthesis may be therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne L Pineles
- National Center for PTSD Women's Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Yael I Nillni
- National Center for PTSD Women's Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA
| | - Andrea Webb
- The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Jennifer R Fonda
- Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) and Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), VA Boston Healthcare System Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - John Irvine
- The MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA, 01730, USA
| | - Matthew W King
- National Center for PTSD Women's Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Richard L Hauger
- Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego VA Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, 9216, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Patricia A Resick
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27701, USA
| | - Scott P Orr
- Psychiatry Department, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - Ann M Rasmusson
- National Center for PTSD Women's Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
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16
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Kasugai Y, Vogel E, Hörtnagl H, Schönherr S, Paradiso E, Hauschild M, Göbel G, Milenkovic I, Peterschmitt Y, Tasan R, Sperk G, Shigemoto R, Sieghart W, Singewald N, Lüthi A, Ferraguti F. Structural and Functional Remodeling of Amygdala GABAergic Synapses in Associative Fear Learning. Neuron 2019; 104:781-794.e4. [PMID: 31543297 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Associative learning is thought to involve different forms of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity. Although previous studies have mostly focused on learning-related changes occurring at excitatory glutamatergic synapses, we found that associative learning, such as fear conditioning, also entails long-lasting functional and structural plasticity of GABAergic synapses onto pyramidal neurons of the murine basal amygdala. Fear conditioning-mediated structural remodeling of GABAergic synapses was associated with a change in mIPSC kinetics and an increase in the fraction of synaptic benzodiazepine-sensitive (BZD) GABAA receptors containing the α2 subunit without altering the intrasynaptic distribution and overall amount of BZD-GABAA receptors. These structural and functional synaptic changes were partly reversed by extinction training. These findings provide evidence that associative learning, such as Pavlovian fear conditioning and extinction, sculpts inhibitory synapses to regulate inhibition of active neuronal networks, a process that may tune amygdala circuit responses to threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Kasugai
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Elisabeth Vogel
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Heide Hörtnagl
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Sabine Schönherr
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Enrica Paradiso
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Markus Hauschild
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Georg Göbel
- Department of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Ivan Milenkovic
- Center for Brain Research, Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Yvan Peterschmitt
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria; Center for Brain Research, Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Ramon Tasan
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Günther Sperk
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Ryuichi Shigemoto
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg 3400, Austria
| | - Werner Sieghart
- Center for Brain Research, Department of Molecular Neurosciences, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Nicolas Singewald
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Pharmacy and CMBI, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Andreas Lüthi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel 4058, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Francesco Ferraguti
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
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17
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Holahan MR, Tzakis N, Oliveira FA. Developmental Aspects of Glucose and Calcium Availability on the Persistence of Memory Function Over the Lifespan. Front Aging Neurosci 2019; 11:253. [PMID: 31572169 PMCID: PMC6749050 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2019.00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
An important aspect concerning the underlying nature of memory function is an understanding of how memories are acquired and lost. The stability, and ultimate demise, of memory over the lifespan of an organism remains a critical topic in determining the neurobiological mechanisms that mediate memory representations. This has important implications for the elucidation and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). One important question in the context of preserving functional plasticity over the lifespan is the determination of the neurobiological structural and functional changes that contribute to the formation of memory during the juvenile time frame that might provide protection against later memory dysfunction by promoting the establishment of redundant neural pathways. The main question being, if memory formation during the juvenile period does strengthen and preserve memory stability over the lifespan, what are the neurobiological structural or functional substrates that mediate this effect? One neural attribute whose function may be altered with early life experience and provide a mechanism to preserve memory through the lifespan is glucose transport-linked calcium (Ca2+) buffering. Because peak increases in glucose utilization overlap with a timeframe during which spatial training can enhance later memory processing, it might be the case that learning-associated changes in glucose utilization would provide an important neural functional change to preserve memory function throughout the lifespan. The glucose transporters are proteins that are reduced in AD pathology and there is evidence that glucose reductions can impair Ca2+ buffering. In the absence of an appropriate supply of ATP, provided via glucose transport and glycolysis, Ca2+ levels can rise leading to neural vulnerability with ensuing pathological outcomes. In this review, we explore the hypothesis that enhancing glucose utilization with spatial training during the preadolescent period will provide a functional enhancement that regulates glucose-dependent Ca2+ signaling during aging or neurodegeneration and provide essential neural resources to preserve functional plasticity and memory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Holahan
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (LaNeC), Center for Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Niko Tzakis
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Fernando A. Oliveira
- Department of Neuroscience, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (LaNeC), Center for Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC (UFABC), São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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18
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Marks WN, Zabder NK, Greba Q, Cain SM, Snutch TP, Howland JG. The T‐type calcium channel blocker Z944 reduces conditioned fear in Genetic Absence Epilepsy Rats from Strasbourg and the non‐epileptic control strain. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:3046-3059. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wendie N. Marks
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
| | - Nadine K. Zabder
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
| | - Quentin Greba
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
| | - Stuart M. Cain
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Terrance P. Snutch
- Michael Smith Laboratories and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - John G. Howland
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
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19
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Garcés M, Finkel L. Emotional Theory of Rationality. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:11. [PMID: 31024267 PMCID: PMC6463757 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, the existence of a close relationship between emotional phenomena and rational processes has certainly been established, yet there is still no unified definition or effective model to describe them. To advance our understanding of the mechanisms governing the behavior of living beings, we must integrate multiple theories, experiments, and models from both fields. In this article we propose a new theoretical framework that allows integrating and understanding the emotion-cognition duality, from a functional point of view. Based on evolutionary principles, our reasoning adds to the definition and understanding of emotion, justifying its origin, explaining its mission and dynamics, and linking it to higher cognitive processes, mainly with attention, cognition, decision-making, and consciousness. According to our theory, emotions are the mechanism for brain function optimization, aside from the contingency and stimuli prioritization system. As a result of this approach, we have developed a dynamic systems-level model capable of providing plausible explanations for certain psychological and behavioral phenomena and establishing a new framework for the scientific definition of some fundamental psychological terms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Garcés
- Department of Emotion, Cognition and Behavior Research, DAXNATUR S.L., Majadahonda, Spain
| | - Lucila Finkel
- Department of Sociology, Methodology and Theory, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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20
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Zimmermann KS, Richardson R, Baker KD. Maturational Changes in Prefrontal and Amygdala Circuits in Adolescence: Implications for Understanding Fear Inhibition during a Vulnerable Period of Development. Brain Sci 2019; 9:E65. [PMID: 30889864 PMCID: PMC6468701 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9030065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders that develop in adolescence represent a significant burden and are particularly challenging to treat, due in no small part to the high occurrence of relapse in this age group following exposure therapy. This pattern of persistent fear is preserved across species; relative to those younger and older, adolescents consistently show poorer extinction, a key process underpinning exposure therapy. This suggests that the neural processes underlying fear extinction are temporarily but profoundly compromised during adolescence. The formation, retrieval, and modification of fear- and extinction-associated memories are regulated by a forebrain network consisting of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the amygdala, and the hippocampus. These regions undergo robust maturational changes in early life, with unique alterations in structure and function occurring throughout adolescence. In this review, we focus primarily on two of these regions-the PFC and the amygdala-and discuss how changes in plasticity, synaptic transmission, inhibition/excitation, and connectivity (including modulation by hippocampal afferents to the PFC) may contribute to transient deficits in extinction retention. We end with a brief consideration of how exposure to stress during this adolescent window of vulnerability can permanently disrupt neurodevelopment, leading to lasting impairments in pathways of emotional regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey S Zimmermann
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Rick Richardson
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Kathryn D Baker
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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21
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Phosphoproteomic analysis of cocaine memory extinction and reconsolidation in the nucleus accumbens. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:531-543. [PMID: 30411139 PMCID: PMC6374162 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5071-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Environmental stimuli, or cues, associated with the use of drugs such as cocaine are one of the primary drivers of relapse. Thus, identifying mechanisms to reduce the motivational properties of drug cues is an important research goal. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to identify cellular signaling events in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) that are induced when a cocaine cue memory is either extinguished through repeated cue presentation in the absence of drug, or when the memory is reactivated and reconsolidated by a brief cue re-exposure. Signaling events specific to extinction or reconsolidation represent potential targets for pharmacotherapeutics that may enhance extinction or disrupt reconsolidation to reduce the likelihood of relapse. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer cocaine paired with an audiovisual cue. Following a period of self-administration, the memory for the cocaine-associated cue was either extinguished, reactivated, or not manipulated (control) 15 min before sacrifice. Tissue from the NAc was subsequently analyzed using mass spectrometry based phosphoproteomics to identify cellular signaling events induced by each condition. RESULTS Extinction and reconsolidation of the cocaine cue memory produced both common and distinct changes in protein phosphorylation. Notably, there were no significant changes in protein phosphorylation that were modulated in the opposite direction by the two behavioral conditions. Comparison of NAc phosphoproteomic changes to previously identified changes in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) revealed that cue extinction increases phosphorylation at serine (S) 883 of the GABAB receptor subunit 2 and on S14 of syntaxin 1a in both regions, while no common regional signaling events were identified in the reconsolidation group. CONCLUSIONS Phosphoproteomics is a useful tool for identifying signaling cascades involved in different memory processes and revealed novel potential targets for selectively targeting extinction versus reconsolidation of a cocaine cue memory. Furthermore, cross region analysis suggests that cue extinction may produce unique signaling events associated with increased inhibitory signaling.
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22
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Orederu T, Schiller D. Fast and slow extinction pathways in defensive survival circuits. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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23
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Doncheck EM, Hafenbreidel M, Ruder SA, Fitzgerald MK, Torres L, Mueller D. bFGF expression is differentially regulated by cocaine seeking versus extinction in learning-related brain regions. Learn Mem 2018; 25:361-368. [PMID: 30012881 PMCID: PMC6049391 DOI: 10.1101/lm.047530.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
In cocaine use disorder, relapse can be elicited by drug-associated cues despite long periods of abstinence. The persistence of drug-associated cues in eliciting drug seeking suggests enduring changes in structural and functional plasticity, which may be mediated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, FGF2). Stimulant drug use increases bFGF expression in reward- and learning-related brain regions, such as the infralimbic medial-prefrontal cortex (IL-mPFC), and we previously found that this increase was reversed by extinction. However, whether bFGF expression is similarly modified in other brain regions is unknown. Therefore, we used the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm to assess bFGF expression following cocaine-associated CPP or extinction of that CPP within the mPFC, nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus (Hipp), and basolateral amygdala (BLA). bFGF expression was increased in IL-mPFC and NAc-Core and -Shell following a cocaine-associated CPP, an effect reversed by extinction. Conversely, bFGF expression was increased in BLA following extinction, but no significant changes were observed in PL-mPFC or either dorsal or ventral Hipp. These results demonstrate differential regulation of bFGF following cocaine-associated CPP or extinction of that CPP in discrete brain regions. Changes in bFGF expression may regulate long-lasting drug-induced plasticity that underlies persistent drug-associated memories, and therefore present potential prophylactic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0413, USA
| | - Madalyn Hafenbreidel
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0413, USA
| | - Sarah A Ruder
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0413, USA
| | - Michael K Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0413, USA
| | - Lilith Torres
- Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University-School of Medicine/Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 00732, USA
| | - Devin Mueller
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0413, USA
- Department of Basic Sciences, Ponce Health Sciences University-School of Medicine/Ponce Research Institute, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 00732, USA
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Samuel N, Taub A, Paz R, Raz A. Implicit aversive memory under anaesthesia in animal models: a narrative review. Br J Anaesth 2018; 121:219-232. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2018.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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Krabbe S, Gründemann J, Lüthi A. Amygdala Inhibitory Circuits Regulate Associative Fear Conditioning. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:800-809. [PMID: 29174478 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Associative memory formation is essential for an animal's survival by ensuring adaptive behavioral responses in an ever-changing environment. This is particularly important under conditions of immediate threats such as in fear learning. One of the key brain regions involved in associative fear learning is the amygdala. The basolateral amygdala is the main entry site for sensory information to the amygdala complex, and local plasticity in excitatory basolateral amygdala principal neurons is considered to be crucial for learning of conditioned fear responses. However, activity and plasticity of excitatory circuits are tightly controlled by local inhibitory interneurons in a spatially and temporally defined manner. In this review, we provide an updated view on how distinct interneuron subtypes in the basolateral amygdala contribute to the acquisition and extinction of conditioned fear memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Krabbe
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jan Gründemann
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lüthi
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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26
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The role of the dorsal striatum in extinction: A memory systems perspective. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 150:48-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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27
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Merlo E, Milton AL, Everitt BJ. A Novel Retrieval-Dependent Memory Process Revealed by the Arrest of ERK1/2 Activation in the Basolateral Amygdala. J Neurosci 2018; 38:3199-3207. [PMID: 29476015 PMCID: PMC6596053 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3273-17.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Fully consolidated fear memories can be maintained or inhibited by retrieval-dependent mechanisms depending on the degree of re-exposure to fear cues. Short exposures promote memory maintenance through reconsolidation, and long exposures promote inhibition through extinction. Little is known about the neural mechanisms by which increasing cue exposure overrides reconsolidation and instead triggers extinction. Using auditory fear conditioning in male rats, we analyzed the role of a molecular mechanism common to reconsolidation and extinction of fear, ERK1/2 activation within the basolateral amygdala (BLA), after intermediate conditioned stimulus (CS) exposure events. We show that an intermediate re-exposure (four CS presentations) failed to activate ERK1/2 in the BLA, suggesting the absence of reconsolidation or extinction mechanisms. Supporting this hypothesis, pharmacologically inhibiting the BLA ERK1/2-dependent signaling pathway in conjunction with four CS presentations had no effect on fear expression, and the NMDA receptor partial agonist d-cycloserine, which enhanced extinction and ERK1/2 activation in partial extinction protocols (seven CSs), had no behavioral or molecular effect when given in association with four CS presentations. These molecular and behavioral data reveal a novel retrieval-dependent memory phase occurring along the transition between conditioned fear maintenance and inhibition. CS-dependent molecular events in the BLA may arrest reconsolidation intracellular signaling mechanism in an extinction-independent manner. These findings are critical for understanding the molecular underpinnings of fear memory persistence after retrieval both in health and disease.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Consolidated fear memories can be altered by retrieval-dependent mechanisms. Whereas a brief conditioned stimulus (CS) exposure promotes fear memory maintenance through reconsolidation, a prolonged exposure engages extinction and fear inhibition. The nature of this transition and whether an intermediate degree of CS exposure engages reconsolidation or extinction is unknown. We show that an intermediate cue exposure session (four CSs) produces the arrest of ERK1/2 activation in the basolateral amygdala, a common mechanism for reconsolidation and extinction. Amnestic or hypermnestic treatments given in association with four CSs had no behavioral or molecular effects, respectively. This evidence reveals a novel retrieval-dependent memory phase. Intermediate degrees of CS exposure fail to trigger reconsolidation or extinction, leaving the original memory in an insensitive state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiliano Merlo
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute and
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Amy L Milton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - Barry J Everitt
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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28
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Song G, Zhu Q, Han F, Liu S, Zhao C, Zhou Y. Local infusion of ghrelin into the lateral amygdala blocks extinction of conditioned taste aversion in rats. Neurosci Lett 2018; 662:71-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Revised: 10/08/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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29
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Abstract
Input specificity is a fundamental property of long-term potentiation (LTP), but it is not known if learning is mediated by synapse-specific plasticity. Kim and Cho (2017) now show that fear conditioning is mediated by synapse-specific LTP in the amygdala, allowing animals to discriminate stimuli that predict threat from those that do not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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30
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Davis RL, Zhong Y. The Biology of Forgetting-A Perspective. Neuron 2017; 95:490-503. [PMID: 28772119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.05.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Pioneering research studies, beginning with those using Drosophila, have identified several molecular and cellular mechanisms for active forgetting. The currently known mechanisms for active forgetting include neurogenesis-based forgetting, interference-based forgetting, and intrinsic forgetting, the latter term describing the brain's chronic signaling systems that function to slowly degrade molecular and cellular memory traces. The best-characterized pathway for intrinsic forgetting includes "forgetting cells" that release dopamine onto engram cells, mobilizing a signaling pathway that terminates in the activation of Rac1/Cofilin to effect changes in the actin cytoskeleton and neuron/synapse structure. Intrinsic forgetting may be the default state of the brain, constantly promoting memory erasure and competing with processes that promote memory stability like consolidation. A better understanding of active forgetting will provide insights into the brain's memory management system and human brain disorders that alter active forgetting mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald L Davis
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA.
| | - Yi Zhong
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, School for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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31
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Garcia R. Neurobiology of fear and specific phobias. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 24:462-471. [PMID: 28814472 PMCID: PMC5580526 DOI: 10.1101/lm.044115.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Fear, which can be expressed innately or after conditioning, is triggered when a danger or a stimulus predicting immediate danger is perceived. Its role is to prepare the body to face this danger. However, dysfunction in fear processing can lead to psychiatric disorders in which fear outweighs the danger or possibility of harm. Although recognized as highly debilitating, pathological fear remains insufficiently treated, indicating the importance of research on fear processing. The neurobiological basis of normal and pathological fear reactions is reviewed in this article. Innate and learned fear mechanisms, particularly those involving the amygdala, are considered. These fear mechanisms are also distinguished in specific phobias, which can indeed be nonexperiential (implicating innate, learning-independent mechanisms) or experiential (implicating learning-dependent mechanisms). Poor habituation and poor extinction are presented as dysfunctional mechanisms contributing to persistence of nonexperiential and experiential phobias, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Garcia
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, UMR7289, Aix Marseille Université & Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 13385 Marseille, France
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32
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An B, Kim J, Park K, Lee S, Song S, Choi S. Amount of fear extinction changes its underlying mechanisms. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28671550 PMCID: PMC5495569 DOI: 10.7554/elife.25224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There has been a longstanding debate on whether original fear memory is inhibited or erased after extinction. One possibility that reconciles this uncertainty is that the inhibition and erasure mechanisms are engaged in different phases (early or late) of extinction. In this study, using single-session extinction training and its repetition (multiple-session extinction training), we investigated the inhibition and erasure mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala of rats, where neural circuits underlying extinction reside. The inhibition mechanism was prevalent with single-session extinction training but faded when single-session extinction training was repeated. In contrast, the erasure mechanism became prevalent when single-session extinction training was repeated. Moreover, ablating the intercalated neurons of amygdala, which are responsible for maintaining extinction-induced inhibition, was no longer effective in multiple-session extinction training. We propose that the inhibition mechanism operates primarily in the early phase of extinction training, and the erasure mechanism takes over after that.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobae An
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Neurobiology, Duke University, Durham, United States
| | - Jihye Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyungjoon Park
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sukwon Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Neural Development and Disease, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Korea
| | - Sukwoon Song
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sukwoo Choi
- School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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Synaptic Plasticity, Engrams, and Network Oscillations in Amygdala Circuits for Storage and Retrieval of Emotional Memories. Neuron 2017; 94:731-743. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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34
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Zhu G, Briz V, Seinfeld J, Liu Y, Bi X, Baudry M. Calpain-1 deletion impairs mGluR-dependent LTD and fear memory extinction. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42788. [PMID: 28202907 PMCID: PMC5311935 DOI: 10.1038/srep42788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that calpain-1 is required for the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) elicited by theta-burst stimulation in field CA1 of hippocampus. Here we determined the contribution of calpain-1 in another type of synaptic plasticity, the long-term depression (LTD) elicited by activation of type-I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR-LTD). mGluR-LTD was associated with calpain-1 activation following T-type calcium channel opening, and resulted in the truncation of a regulatory subunit of PP2A, B56α. This signaling pathway was required for both the early and late phase of Arc translation during mGluR-LTD, through a mechanism involving mTOR and ribosomal protein S6 activation. In contrast, in hippocampal slices from calpain-1 knock-out (KO) mice, application of the mGluR agonist, DHPG, did not result in B56α truncation, increased Arc synthesis and reduced levels of membrane GluA1-containing AMPA receptors. Consistently, mGluR-LTD was impaired in calpain-1 KO mice, and the impairment could be rescued by phosphatase inhibitors, which also restored Arc translation in response to DHPG. Furthermore, calpain-1 KO mice exhibited impairment in fear memory extinction to tone presentation. These results indicate that calpain-1 plays a critical role in mGluR-LTD and is involved in many forms of synaptic plasticity and learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqi Zhu
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
- Key Laboratory of Xin’an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230038, China
| | - Victor Briz
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
- VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jeff Seinfeld
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, CA 91766, CA 91766, USA
| | - Xiaoning Bi
- College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Western University of Health Sciences Pomona, CA 91766, CA 91766, USA
| | - Michel Baudry
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
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Baker KD, Bisby MA, Richardson R. Impaired fear extinction in adolescent rodents: Behavioural and neural analyses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 70:59-73. [PMID: 27235077 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Despite adolescence being a developmental window of vulnerability, up until very recently there were surprisingly few studies on fear extinction during this period. Here we summarise the recent work in this area, focusing on the unique behavioural and neural characteristics of fear extinction in adolescent rodents, and humans where relevant. A prominent hypothesis posits that anxiety disorders peak during late childhood/adolescence due to the non-linear maturation of the fear inhibition neural circuitry. We discuss evidence that impaired extinction retention in adolescence is due to subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala mediating fear inhibition being underactive while other subregions that mediate fear expression are overactive. We also review work on various interventions and surprising circumstances which enhance fear extinction in adolescence. This latter work revealed that the neural correlates of extinction in adolescence are different to that in younger and older animals even when extinction retention is not impaired. This growing body of work highlights that adolescence is a unique period of development for fear inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn D Baker
- School of Psychology, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Madelyne A Bisby
- School of Psychology, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Rick Richardson
- School of Psychology, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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36
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Maren S, Holmes A. Stress and Fear Extinction. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:58-79. [PMID: 26105142 PMCID: PMC4677122 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Stress has a critical role in the development and expression of many psychiatric disorders, and is a defining feature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Stress also limits the efficacy of behavioral therapies aimed at limiting pathological fear, such as exposure therapy. Here we examine emerging evidence that stress impairs recovery from trauma by impairing fear extinction, a form of learning thought to underlie the suppression of trauma-related fear memories. We describe the major structural and functional abnormalities in brain regions that are particularly vulnerable to stress, including the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus, which may underlie stress-induced impairments in extinction. We also discuss some of the stress-induced neurochemical and molecular alterations in these brain regions that are associated with extinction deficits, and the potential for targeting these changes to prevent or reverse impaired extinction. A better understanding of the neurobiological basis of stress effects on extinction promises to yield novel approaches to improving therapeutic outcomes for PTSD and other anxiety and trauma-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Maren
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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ApoE2 Exaggerates PTSD-Related Behavioral, Cognitive, and Neuroendocrine Alterations. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:2443-53. [PMID: 25857685 PMCID: PMC4538360 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is an essential component of lipoprotein particles in both the brain and periphery, and exists in three isoforms in the human population: E2, E3, and E4. ApoE has numerous, well-established roles in neurobiology. Most notably, E4 is associated with earlier onset and increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although possession of E2 is protective in the context of AD, E2 appears to confer an increased incidence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the biological processes underlying this link remain unclear. In this study, we began to elucidate these associations by examining the effects of apoE on PTSD severity in combat veterans, and on PTSD-like behavior in mice with human apoE. In a group of 92 veterans with PTSD, we observed significantly higher Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale and PTSD Checklist scores in E2+ individuals, as well as alterations in salivary cortisol levels. Furthermore, we measured behavioral and biological outcomes in mice expressing human apoE after a single stressful event as well as following a period of chronic variable stress, a model of combat-related trauma. Mice with E2 showed impairments in fear extinction, and behavioral, cognitive, and neuroendocrine alterations following trauma. To the best of our knowledge, these data constitute the first translational demonstration of PTSD severity in men and PTSD-like symptoms in mice with E2, and point to apoE as a novel biomarker of susceptibility, and potential therapeutic target, for PTSD.
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