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Sitnikova E. Behavioral and Cognitive Comorbidities in Genetic Rat Models of Absence Epilepsy (Focusing on GAERS and WAG/Rij Rats). Biomedicines 2024; 12:122. [PMID: 38255227 PMCID: PMC10812980 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12010122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Absence epilepsy is a non-convulsive type of epilepsy characterized by the sudden loss of awareness. It is associated with thalamo-cortical impairment, which may cause neuropsychiatric and neurocognitive problems. Rats with spontaneous absence-like seizures are widely used as in vivo genetic models for absence epilepsy; they display behavioral and cognitive problems similar to epilepsy in humans, such as genetic absence epilepsy rats from Strasbourg (GAERS) and Wistar Albino rats from Rijswijk (WAG/Rij). Depression- and anxiety-like behaviors were apparent in GAERS, but no anxiety and depression-like symptoms were found in WAG/Rij rats. Deficits in executive functions and memory impairment in WAG/Rij rats, i.e., cognitive comorbidities, were linked to the severity of epilepsy. Wistar rats can develop spontaneous seizures in adulthood, so caution is advised when using them as a control epileptic strain. This review discusses challenges in the field, such as putative high emotionality in genetically prone rats, sex differences in the expression of cognitive comorbidities, and predictors of cognitive problems or biomarkers of cognitive comorbidities in absence epilepsy, as well as the concept of "the cognitive thalamus". The current knowledge of behavioral and cognitive comorbidities in drug-naive rats with spontaneous absence epilepsy is beneficial for understanding the pathophysiology of absence epilepsy, and for finding new treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Sitnikova
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 5A Butlerova St., Moscow 117485, Russia
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2
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Carneiro CFD, Drude N, Hülsemann M, Collazo A, Toelch U. Mapping strategies towards improved external validity in preclinical translational research. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023; 18:1273-1285. [PMID: 37691294 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2251886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Translation is about successfully bringing findings from preclinical contexts into the clinic. This transfer is challenging as clinical trials frequently fail despite positive preclinical results. Limited robustness of preclinical research has been marked as one of the drivers of such failures. One suggested solution is to improve the external validity of in vitro and in vivo experiments via a suite of complementary strategies. AREAS COVERED In this review, the authors summarize the literature available on different strategies to improve external validity in in vivo, in vitro, or ex vivo experiments; systematic heterogenization; generalizability tests; and multi-batch and multicenter experiments. Articles that tested or discussed sources of variability in systematically heterogenized experiments were identified, and the most prevalent sources of variability are reviewed further. Special considerations in sample size planning, analysis options, and practical feasibility associated with each strategy are also reviewed. EXPERT OPINION The strategies reviewed differentially influence variation in experiments. Different research projects, with their unique goals, can leverage the strengths and limitations of each strategy. Applying a combination of these approaches in confirmatory stages of preclinical research putatively increases the chances of success in clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa F D Carneiro
- QUEST Center for Responsible Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Natascha Drude
- QUEST Center for Responsible Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maren Hülsemann
- QUEST Center for Responsible Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Collazo
- QUEST Center for Responsible Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulf Toelch
- QUEST Center for Responsible Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité, Berlin, Germany
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Farahbakhsh ZZ, Song K, Branthwaite HE, Erickson KR, Mukerjee S, Nolan SO, Siciliano CA. Systemic kappa opioid receptor antagonism accelerates reinforcement learning via augmentation of novelty processing in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:857-868. [PMID: 36804487 PMCID: PMC10156709 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Selective inhibition of kappa opioid receptors (KORs) is highly anticipated as a pharmacotherapeutic intervention for substance use disorders and depression. The accepted explanation for KOR antagonist-induced amelioration of aberrant behaviors posits that KORs globally function as a negative valence system; antagonism thereby blunts the behavioral influence of negative internal states such as anhedonia and negative affect. While effects of systemic KOR manipulations have been widely reproduced, explicit evaluation of negative valence as an explanatory construct is lacking. Here, we tested a series of falsifiable hypotheses generated a priori based on the negative valence model by pairing reinforcement learning tasks with systemic pharmacological KOR blockade in male C57BL/6J mice. The negative valence model failed to predict multiple experimental outcomes: KOR blockade accelerated contingency learning during both positive and negative reinforcement without altering innate responses to appetitive or aversive stimuli. We next proposed novelty processing, which influences learning independent of valence, as an alternative explanatory construct. Hypotheses based on novelty processing predicted subsequent observations: KOR blockade increased exploration of a novel, but not habituated, environment and augmented the reinforcing efficacy of novel visual stimuli in a sensory reinforcement task. Together, these results revise and extend long-standing theories of KOR system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Z Farahbakhsh
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Keaton Song
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Hannah E Branthwaite
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Kirsty R Erickson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Snigdha Mukerjee
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Suzanne O Nolan
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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MacVittie TJ. Where are the medical countermeasures against the ARS and DEARE? A current topic relative to an animal model research platform, radiation exposure context, the acute and delayed effects of acute exposure, and the FDA animal rule. Int J Radiat Biol 2023:1-15. [PMID: 36811500 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2023.2181999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE A question echoed by the National Biodefense Science Board (NBSB) in 2010, remains a reasonable question in 2023; 'Where are the Countermeasures?'. A critical path for development of medical countermeasures (MCM) against acute, radiation-induced organ-specific injury within the acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) requires the recognition of problems and solutions inherent in the path to FDA approval under the Animal Rule. Keep Rule number one in mind, It's not easy. CONSIDERATIONS The current topic herein is focused on defining the nonhuman primate model(s) for efficient MCM development relative to consideration of prompt and delayed exposure in the context of the nuclear scenario. The rhesus macaque is a predictive model for human exposure of partial-body irradiation with marginal bone marrow sparing that allows definition of the multiple organ injury in the acute radiation syndrome (ARS) and the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE). The continued definition of natural history is required to delineate an associative or causal interaction within the concurrent multi-organ injury characteristic of the ARS and DEARE. A more efficient development of organ specific MCM for both pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis to include acute radiation-induced combined injury requires closing critical gaps in knowledge and urgent support to rectify the national shortage of nonhuman primates. The rhesus macaque is a validated, predictive model of the human response to prompt and delayed radiation exposure, medical management and MCM treatment. A rational approach to further development of the cynomolgus macaque as a comparable model is urgently required for continued development of MCM for FDA approval. CONCLUSION It is imperative to examine the key variables relative to animal model development and validation, The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and exposure profiles, of candidate MCM relative to route, administration schedule and optimal efficacy define the fully effective dose. The conduct of adequate and well-controlled pivotal efficacy studies as well as safety and toxicity studies support approval under the FDA Animal Rule and label definition for human use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J MacVittie
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Schiavo A, Martins LA, Wearick-Silva LE, Orso R, Xavier LL, Mestriner RG. Can anxiety-like behavior and spatial memory predict the extremes of skilled walking performance in mice? An exploratory, preliminary study. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1059029. [PMID: 36926582 PMCID: PMC10011164 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1059029] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Skilled walking is influenced by memory, stress, and anxiety. While this is evident in cases of neurological disorders, memory, and anxiety traits may predict skilled walking performance even in normal functioning. Here, we address whether spatial memory and anxiety-like behavior can predict skilled walking performance in mice. Methods A cohort of 60 adult mice underwent a behavioral assessment including general exploration (open field), anxiety-like behavior (elevated plus maze), working and spatial memory (Y-maze and Barnes maze), and skilled walking performance (ladder walking test). Three groups were established based on their skilled walking performance: superior (SP, percentiles ≥75), regular (RP, percentiles 74-26), and inferior (IP, percentiles ≤25) performers. Results Animals from the SP and IP groups spent more time in the elevated plus maze closed arms compared to the RP group. With every second spent in the elevated plus maze closed arms, the probability of the animal exhibiting extreme percentiles in the ladder walking test increased by 1.4%. Moreover, animals that spent 219 s (73% of the total time of the test) or more in those arms were 4.67 times more likely to exhibit either higher or lower percentiles of skilled walking performance. Discussion We discuss and conclude anxiety traits may influence skilled walking performance in facility-reared mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniuska Schiavo
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation Research Group (NEUROPLAR), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Lucas Athaydes Martins
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation Research Group (NEUROPLAR), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luís Eduardo Wearick-Silva
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Orso
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (DCNL), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Léder Leal Xavier
- Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation Research Group (NEUROPLAR), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Régis Gemerasca Mestriner
- Graduate Program in Biomedical Gerontology, School of Medicine, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Neuroplasticity and Rehabilitation Research Group (NEUROPLAR), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Richardson A, Morris G. Cross Talk opposing view: Animal models of epilepsy are more useful than human tissue-based approaches. J Physiol 2022; 600:4575-4578. [PMID: 36148995 DOI: 10.1113/jp282186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Richardson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Gareth Morris
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dublin, Ireland.,FutureNeuro, the SFI Research Centre for Chronic and Rare Neurological Diseases, RCSI University of Medicine & Health Sciences
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Dopamine and Beyond: Implications of Psychophysical Studies of Intracranial Self-Stimulation for the Treatment of Depression. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081052. [PMID: 36009115 PMCID: PMC9406029 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081052] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability and suicide worldwide. Consecutive rounds of conventional interventions are ineffective in a significant sub-group of patients whose disorder is classified as treatment-resistant depression. Significant progress in managing this severe form of depression has been achieved through the use of deep brain stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). The beneficial effect of such stimulation appears strong, safe, and enduring. The proposed neural substrate for this promising clinical finding includes midbrain dopamine neurons and a subset of their cortical afferents. Here, we aim to broaden the discussion of the candidate circuitry by exploring potential implications of a new “convergence” model of brain reward circuitry in rodents. We chart the evolution of the new model from its predecessors, which held that midbrain dopamine neurons constituted an obligatory stage of the final common path for reward seeking. In contrast, the new model includes a directly activated, non-dopaminergic pathway whose output ultimately converges with that of the dopaminergic neurons. On the basis of the new model and the relative ineffectiveness of dopamine agonists in the treatment of depression, we ask whether non-dopaminergic circuitry may contribute to the clinical efficacy of deep brain stimulation of the MFB.
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Barroca NCB, Della Santa G, Suchecki D, García-Cairasco N, Umeoka EHDL. Challenges in the use of animal models and perspectives for a translational view of stress and psychopathologies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 140:104771. [PMID: 35817171 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The neurobiology and development of treatments for stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders rely heavily on animal models. However, the complexity of these disorders makes it difficult to model them entirely, so only specific features of human psychopathology are emulated and these models should be used with great caution. Importantly, the effects of stress depend on multiple factors, like duration, context of exposure, and individual variability. Here we present a review on pre-clinical studies of stress-related disorders, especially those developed to model posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression, and anxiety. Animal models provide relevant evidence of the underpinnings of these disorders, as long as face, construct, and predictive validities are fulfilled. The translational challenges faced by scholars include reductionism and anthropomorphic/anthropocentric interpretation of the results instead of a more naturalistic and evolutionary understanding of animal behavior that must be overcome to offer a meaningful model. Other limitations are low statistical power of analysis, poor evaluation of individual variability, sex differences, and possible conflicting effects of stressors depending on specific windows in the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayara Cobra Barreiro Barroca
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Della Santa
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Deborah Suchecki
- Department of Psychobiology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Norberto García-Cairasco
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Physiology, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Henrique de Lima Umeoka
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; School of Medicine, University Center UniCerrado, Goiatuba, GO, Brazil
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Spontaneous alternation and stereotypical behaviour in deer mice: response to escitalopram and levetiracetam. Behav Pharmacol 2022; 33:282-290. [PMID: 35621170 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is varyingly associated with cognitive impairment, that is, deficits in spatial working memory, although it seems unlikely that this is generalised across all domains of functioning. Further, it is unclear whether symptoms will respond to potentially novel, non-serotonergic drugs that have shown promise as so-called cognitive enhancers. Here, we studied low (Norm-N; n = 31) and compulsive-like high (Comp-H; n = 34) stereotypical deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) to establish (1) whether there is a relationship between stereotypical intensity and working memory ability as measured by spontaneous T-maze arm alternation and (2) if and how stereotypy and its association with changes in working memory, would respond to the known anti-compulsive agent, escitalopram, and the proposed cognitive enhancer, levetiracetam. After assessing the stereotypical and alternation behaviour of all animals at baseline, they were divided into three socially housed drug exposure groups, that is, water control (n = 11 per phenotype), escitalopram 50 mg/kg/d (n = 11 per phenotype) and levetiracetam 75 mg/kg/d (Norm-N: n = 9; Comp-H: n = 12). Drugs were administered for 28 days before stereotypy and alternation assessment were repeated. The present data indicate a weak negative relationship between stereotypical intensity and spontaneous alternation. While levetiracetam increased the time spent engaging in normal rodent activity by Comp-H, but not Norm-N animals, neither of the interventions affected the expression of Comp-H behaviour or the alternation behaviour of deer mice. In conclusion, this work points to some degree of cognitive involvement in Comp-H expression, which should be explored to further our understanding of compulsive-like stereotypy.
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Mehra S, Ul Ahsan A, Seth E, Chopra M. Critical Evaluation of Valproic Acid-Induced Rodent Models of Autism: Current and Future Perspectives. J Mol Neurosci 2022; 72:1259-1273. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-022-02033-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Curnow E, Wang Y. New Animal Models for Understanding FMRP Functions and FXS Pathology. Cells 2022; 11:1628. [PMID: 35626665 PMCID: PMC9140010 DOI: 10.3390/cells11101628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X encompasses a range of genetic conditions, all of which result as a function of changes within the FMR1 gene and abnormal production and/or expression of the FMR1 gene products. Individuals with Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common heritable form of intellectual disability, have a full-mutation sequence (>200 CGG repeats) which brings about transcriptional silencing of FMR1 and loss of FMR protein (FMRP). Despite considerable progress in our understanding of FXS, safe, effective, and reliable treatments that either prevent or reduce the severity of the FXS phenotype have not been approved. While current FXS animal models contribute their own unique understanding to the molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral deficits associated with FXS, no single animal model is able to fully recreate the FXS phenotype. This review will describe the status and rationale in the development, validation, and utility of three emerging animal model systems for FXS, namely the nonhuman primate (NHP), Mongolian gerbil, and chicken. These developing animal models will provide a sophisticated resource in which the deficits in complex functions of perception, action, and cognition in the human disorder are accurately reflected and aid in the successful translation of novel therapeutics and interventions to the clinic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza Curnow
- REI Division, Department of ObGyn, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Yuan Wang
- Program in Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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Cueto-Escobedo J, German-Ponciano LJ, Guillén-Ruiz G, Soria-Fregozo C, Herrera-Huerta EV. Zebrafish as a Useful Tool in the Research of Natural Products With Potential Anxiolytic Effects. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:795285. [PMID: 35095438 PMCID: PMC8789748 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.795285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a popular and valuable species used in many different biomedical research areas. The complex behavior that fish exhibit in response to different stimuli allows researchers to explore the biological and pharmacological basis of affective and mood disorders. In this sense, anxiety is commonly studied in preclinical research with animal models in rodents. During the last decade, those models have been successfully adapted to zebrafish. Stressful stimuli, such as novel environments, chemical substances, light conditions, and predator images, can trigger defensive behaviors considered indicators of an anxiety-like state. In the first stage, models were adapted and validated with different stressors and anxiolytic drugs with promising results and are now successfully used to generate scientific knowledge. In that sense, zebrafish allows several routes of administration and other methodological advantages to explore the anxiolytic effects of natural products in behavioral tests as novel tank, light-dark chamber, and black/white maze, among others. The present work will review the main findings on preclinical research using adult zebrafish to explore anxiolytics effects of natural products as plant secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenes or standardized extracts of plants, among others. Scientific literature confirms the utility of zebrafish tests to explore anxiety-like states and anxiolytic-like effects of plant secondary metabolites, which represent a useful and ethical tool in the first stages of behavioral.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Cueto-Escobedo
- Departamento de Investigación Clínica y Traslacional, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | | | - Gabriel Guillén-Ruiz
- Investigador por México, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) – Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Cesar Soria-Fregozo
- Laboratorio Ciencias Biomédicas/Área Histología y Psicobiología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra y de la Vida, Centro Universitario de Los Lagos, Universidad de Guadalajara, Lagos de Moreno, Mexico
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Loss CM, Melleu FF, Domingues K, Lino-de-Oliveira C, Viola GG. Combining Animal Welfare With Experimental Rigor to Improve Reproducibility in Behavioral Neuroscience. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:763428. [PMID: 34916915 PMCID: PMC8671008 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.763428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Cássio Morais Loss
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT-TM), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq/CAPES/FAPESP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | | | - Karolina Domingues
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cilene Lino-de-Oliveira
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas do Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
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Pisa E, Martire A, Chiodi V, Traversa A, Caputo V, Hauser J, Macrì S. Exposure to 3'Sialyllactose-Poor Milk during Lactation Impairs Cognitive Capabilities in Adulthood. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13124191. [PMID: 34959743 PMCID: PMC8707534 DOI: 10.3390/nu13124191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast milk exerts pivotal regulatory functions early in development whereby it contributes to the maturation of brain and associated cognitive functions. However, the specific components of maternal milk mediating this process have remained elusive. Sialylated human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) represent likely candidates since they constitute the principal neonatal dietary source of sialic acid, which is crucial for brain development and neuronal patterning. We hypothesize that the selective neonatal lactational deprivation of a specific sialylated HMOs, sialyl(alpha2,3)lactose (3′SL), may impair cognitive capabilities (attention, cognitive flexibility, and memory) in adulthood in a preclinical model. To operationalize this hypothesis, we cross-fostered wild-type (WT) mouse pups to B6.129-St3gal4tm1.1Jxm/J dams, knock-out (KO) for the gene synthesizing 3′SL, thereby providing milk with approximately 80% 3′SL content reduction. We thus exposed lactating WT pups to a selective reduction of 3′SL and investigated multiple cognitive domains (including memory and attention) in adulthood. Furthermore, to account for the underlying electrophysiological correlates, we investigated hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). Neonatal access to 3′SL-poor milk resulted in decreased attention, spatial and working memory, and altered LTP compared to the control group. These results support the hypothesis that early-life dietary sialylated HMOs exert a long-lasting role in the development of cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Pisa
- Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy;
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Alberto Martire
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Valentina Chiodi
- National Centre for Drug Research and Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy; (A.M.); (V.C.)
| | - Alice Traversa
- Laboratory of Clinical Genomics, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Viviana Caputo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Jonas Hauser
- Brain Health, Nestlé Institute of Health Science, Nestlé Research, Société des Produits Nestlé SA, 1000 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (J.H.); (S.M.); Tel.: +41-21-785-8933 (J.H.); +39-06-4990-6829 (S.M.); Fax: +39-06-4957-821 (S.M.)
| | - Simone Macrì
- Centre for Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy;
- Correspondence: (J.H.); (S.M.); Tel.: +41-21-785-8933 (J.H.); +39-06-4990-6829 (S.M.); Fax: +39-06-4957-821 (S.M.)
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15
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MacLellan A, Fureix C, Polanco A, Mason G. Can animals develop depression? An overview and assessment of ‘depression-like’ states. BEHAVIOUR 2021. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Describing certain animal behaviours as ‘depression-like’ or ‘depressive’ has become common across several fields of research. These typically involve unusually low activity or unresponsiveness and/or reduced interest in pleasure (anhedonia). While the term ‘depression-like’ carefully avoids directly claiming that animals are depressed, this narrative review asks whether stronger conclusions can be legitimate, with animals developing the clinical disorder as seen in humans (cf., DSM-V/ICD-10). Here, we examine evidence from animal models of depression (especially chronically stressed rats) and animals experiencing poor welfare in conventional captive conditions (e.g., laboratory mice and production pigs in barren environments). We find troubling evidence that animals are indeed capable of experiencing clinical depression, but demonstrate that a true diagnosis has yet to be confirmed in any case. We thus highlight the importance of investigating the co-occurrence of depressive criteria and discuss the potential welfare and ethical implications of animal depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aileen MacLellan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Carole Fureix
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, UK
| | - Andrea Polanco
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Georgia Mason
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
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16
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Maekawa T, Higashide D, Hara T, Matsumura K, Ide K, Miyatake T, Kimura KD, Takahashi S. Cross-species behavior analysis with attention-based domain-adversarial deep neural networks. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5519. [PMID: 34535659 PMCID: PMC8448872 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25636-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the variables inherent to various diseases cannot be controlled directly in humans, behavioral dysfunctions have been examined in model organisms, leading to better understanding their underlying mechanisms. However, because the spatial and temporal scales of animal locomotion vary widely among species, conventional statistical analyses cannot be used to discover knowledge from the locomotion data. We propose a procedure to automatically discover locomotion features shared among animal species by means of domain-adversarial deep neural networks. Our neural network is equipped with a function which explains the meaning of segments of locomotion where the cross-species features are hidden by incorporating an attention mechanism into the neural network, regarded as a black box. It enables us to formulate a human-interpretable rule about the cross-species locomotion feature and validate it using statistical tests. We demonstrate the versatility of this procedure by identifying locomotion features shared across different species with dopamine deficiency, namely humans, mice, and worms, despite their evolutionary differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Maekawa
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Daiki Higashide
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takahiro Hara
- Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Kaoru Ide
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takahisa Miyatake
- Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | | | - Susumu Takahashi
- Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
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17
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Souza TP, Franscescon F, Stefanello FV, Müller TE, Santos LW, Rosemberg DB. Acute effects of ethanol on behavioral responses of male and female zebrafish in the open field test with the influence of a non-familiar object. Behav Processes 2021; 191:104474. [PMID: 34371127 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2021.104474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In this report, we investigate whether the acute effects of different ethanol (EtOH) concentrations are sex-dependent in zebrafish subjected to the open field test (OFT) with the influence of a non-familiar object. Male and female zebrafish were separated into four groups and exposed to EtOH (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, or 1.0% v/v) for 1 h. Fish were tested individually in the OFT, in which tank was divided into three areas: periphery, intermediate, and center area. An object (black sphere; diameter: 1 cm) was placed in the center of the tank and behaviors were recorded for 5 min. At the baseline, females had a distinct exploratory activity and interaction pattern with the object, reflecting a more anxious and shyer behavior in relation to males. Females exposed to 0.5% EtOH performed more rapid investigation to the object than males, while 1.0% EtOH reduced locomotion in both sexes and increased immobility only in males. Principal component analyses revealed that anxiety-like behaviors, exploratory activity, and locomotion were the components that most accounted for total variances. Collectively, our novel findings show the existence of a sex-dependent effect in the zebrafish models acutely exposed to EtOH tested in the OFT with a non-familiar object.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiele P Souza
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Francini Franscescon
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Flavia V Stefanello
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Talise E Müller
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Laura W Santos
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA, 70458, USA.
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18
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van der Goot MH, Kooij M, Stolte S, Baars A, Arndt SS, van Lith HA. Incorporating inter-individual variability in experimental design improves the quality of results of animal experiments. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255521. [PMID: 34351958 PMCID: PMC8341614 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Inter-individual variability in quantitative traits is believed to potentially inflate the quality of results in animal experimentation. Yet, to our knowledge this effect has not been empirically tested. Here we test whether inter-individual variability in emotional response within mouse inbred strains affects the outcome of a pharmacological experiment. Three mouse inbred strains (BALB/c, C57BL/6 and 129S2) were behaviorally characterized through repeated exposure to a mild aversive stimulus (modified Hole Board, five consecutive trials). A multivariate clustering procedure yielded two multidimensional response types which were displayed by individuals of all three strains. We show that systematic incorporation of these individual response types in the design of a pharmacological experiment produces different results from an experimental pool in which this variation was not accounted for. To our knowledge, this is the first study that empirically confirms that inter-individual variability affects the interpretation of behavioral phenotypes and may obscure experimental results in a pharmacological experiment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marloes H. van der Goot
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marieke Kooij
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Stolte
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Baars
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Saskia S. Arndt
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Hein A. van Lith
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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19
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Iotchev IB, Kubinyi E. Shared and unique features of mammalian sleep spindles - insights from new and old animal models. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1021-1034. [PMID: 33533183 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sleep spindles are phasic events observed in mammalian non-rapid eye movement sleep. They are relevant today in the study of memory consolidation, sleep quality, mental health and ageing. We argue that our advanced understanding of their mechanisms has not exhausted the utility and need for animal model work. This is both because some topics, like cognitive ageing, have not yet been addressed sufficiently in comparative efforts and because the evolutionary history of this oscillation is still poorly understood. Comparisons across species often are either limited to referencing the classical cat and rodent models, or are over-inclusive, uncritically including reports of sleep spindles in rarely studied animals. In this review, we discuss the emergence of new (dog and sheep) models for sleep spindles and compare the strengths and shortcomings of new and old models based on the three validation criteria for animal models - face, predictive, and construct validity. We conclude that an emphasis on cognitive ageing might dictate the future of comparative sleep spindle studies, a development that is already becoming visible in studies on dogs. Moreover, reconstructing the evolutionary history of sleep spindles will require more stringent criteria for their identification, across more species. In particular, a stronger emphasis on construct and predictive validity can help verify if spindle-like events in other species are actual sleep spindles. Work in accordance with such stricter validation suggests that sleep spindles display more universally shared features, like defining frequency, than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivaylo Borislavov Iotchev
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
| | - Eniko Kubinyi
- Department of Ethology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, 1117, Hungary
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20
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Earlier preterm birth is associated with a worse neurocognitive outcome in a rabbit model. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246008. [PMID: 33503047 PMCID: PMC7840009 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Preterm birth (PTB) and particularly late preterm PTB has become a research focus for obstetricians, perinatologists, neonatologists, pediatricians and policy makers alike. Translational models are useful tools to expedite and guide clinical but presently no model exists that contextualizes the late PTB scenario. Herein we aimed to develop a rabbit model that echo’s the clinical neurocognitive phenotypes of early and late PTB. Methods Time mated rabbit does underwent caesarean delivery at a postconceptional age (PCA) of either 28 (n = 6), 29 (n = 5), 30 (n = 4) or 31 (n = 4) days, term = 31 d. Newborn rabbits were mixed and randomly allocated to be raised by cross fostering and underwent short term neurobehavioral testing on corrected post-natal day 1. Open field (OFT), spontaneous alteration (TMT) and novel object recognition (NORT) tests were subsequently performed at 4 and 8 weeks of age. Results PTB was associated with a significant gradient of short-term mortality and morbidity inversely related to the PCA. On postnatal day 1 PTB was associated with a significant sensory deficit in all groups but a clear motor insult was only noted in the PCA 29d and PCA 28d groups. Furthermore, PCA 29d and PCA 28d rabbits had a persistent neurobehavioral deficit with less exploration and hyperanxious state in the OFT, less alternation in TMT and lower discriminatory index in the NORT. While PCA 30d rabbits had some anxiety behavior and lower spontaneous alteration at 4 weeks, however at 8 weeks only mild anxiety driven behavior was observed in some of these rabbits. Conclusions In this rabbit model, delivery at PCA 29d and PCA 28d mimics the clinical phenotype of early PTB while delivery at PCA 30d resembles that of late PTB. This could serve as a model to investigate perinatal insults during the early and late preterm period.
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21
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Lieggi C, Kalueff AV, Lawrence C, Collymore C. The Influence of Behavioral, Social, and Environmental Factors on Reproducibility and Replicability in Aquatic Animal Models. ILAR J 2020; 60:270-288. [PMID: 32400880 PMCID: PMC7743897 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilz019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The publication of reproducible, replicable, and translatable data in studies utilizing animal models is a scientific, practical, and ethical necessity. This requires careful planning and execution of experiments and accurate reporting of results. Recognition that numerous developmental, environmental, and test-related factors can affect experimental outcomes is essential for a quality study design. Factors commonly considered when designing studies utilizing aquatic animal species include strain, sex, or age of the animal; water quality; temperature; and acoustic and light conditions. However, in the aquatic environment, it is equally important to consider normal species behavior, group dynamics, stocking density, and environmental complexity, including tank design and structural enrichment. Here, we will outline normal species and social behavior of 2 commonly used aquatic species: zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Xenopus (X. laevis and X. tropicalis). We also provide examples as to how these behaviors and the complexity of the tank environment can influence research results and provide general recommendations to assist with improvement of reproducibility and replicability, particularly as it pertains to behavior and environmental complexity, when utilizing these popular aquatic models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Lieggi
- Center of Comparative Medicine and Pathology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, and Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York
| | - Allan V Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy, Southwest University, Chongqing, China, and Ural Federal University, Ekaterinburg, Russia
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22
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Carvalho FR, Nóbrega CDR, Martins AT. Mapping gene expression in social anxiety reveals the main brain structures involved in this disorder. Behav Brain Res 2020; 394:112808. [PMID: 32707139 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is characterized by emotional and attentional biases as well as distorted negative self-beliefs. According this, we proposed to identify the brain structures and hub genes involved in SAD. An analysis in Pubmed and TRANSFAC was conducted and 72 genes were identified. Using Microarray data, from Allen Human Brain Atlas, it was possible to identify three modules of co-expressed genes from our gene set (R package WGCNA). Higher mean gene expression was found in cortico-medial group, basomedial nucleus, ATZ in amygdala and in head and tail of the caudate nucleus, nucleus accumbens and putamen in striatum. Our enrichment analysis identified the followed hub genes: DRD2, HTR1A, JUN, SP1 and HDAC4. We suggest that SAD is explained by delayed extinction of circuitry for conditioned fear. Caused by reduced activation of the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems,due diminished expectation of reward during social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Ricardo Carvalho
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Portugal; University of Algarve Campus De Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal.
| | - Clévio David Rodrigues Nóbrega
- Center for Biomedicine Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Portugal; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Portugal; Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC); University of Algarve Campus De Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Ana Teresa Martins
- Center for Biomedicine Research (CBMR), University of Algarve, Portugal; Department of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Algarve, Portugal; University of Algarve Campus De Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
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23
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A critical inquiry into marble-burying as a preclinical screening paradigm of relevance for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Mapping the way forward. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 19:1-39. [PMID: 30361863 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-00653-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Rodent marble-burying behavior in the marble-burying test (MBT) is employed as a model or measure to study anxiety- and compulsive-like behaviors or anxiolytic and anticompulsive drug action. However, the test responds variably to a range of pharmacological interventions, and little consensus exists regarding specific methodologies for its execution. Regardless, the test is widely applied to investigate the effects of pharmacological, genetic, and behavioral manipulations on purported behaviors related to the said neuropsychiatric constructs. Therefore, in the present review we attempt to expound the collective translational significance of the MBT. We do this by (1) reviewing burying behavior as a natural behavioral phenotype, (2) highlighting key aspects of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder from a translational perspective, (3) reviewing the history and proof of concept of the MBT, (4) critically appraising potential methodological confounds in execution of the MBT, and (5) dissecting responses of the MBT to various pharmacological interventions. We conclude by underlining that the collective translational value of the MBT will be strengthened by contextually valid experimental designs and objective reporting of data.
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24
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Sartim AG, Sartim MA, Cummings RD, Dias-Baruffi M, Joca SR. Impaired emotional response to stress in mice lacking galectin-1 or galectin-3. Physiol Behav 2020; 220:112862. [PMID: 32156558 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Galectin-1 (Gal-1) and galectin-3 (Gal-3) are multifunctional glycan-binding proteins, expressed in the brain and in its limbic structures that are involved in behavioral control. Gal-1 induces the expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and promotes adult neural stem cells proliferation, biological events impaired in stress-related psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Despite that, there is no evidence regarding galectin involvement in emotional control during stressful situations. Thus, we analyzed the behavioral phenotype of Gal-1 or Gal-3 knock-out mice (Gal-1 KO or Gal-3 KO) in different experimental models predictive of depressive and compulsive-like behaviors. METHODS C57BL-6 Gal-1 KO, Gal-3 KO, and wild-type mice (WT) were analyzed under the open field test (OFT) and, 6 h later, under the forced swim test (FST). Additionally, independent groups of male mice, lacking galectins or not, were exposed to the tail suspension test (TST) or to the marble burying test (MBT). The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of the mice submitted to MBT were dissected to access BDNF levels. RESULTS Both Gal-1 and Gal-3 KO mice showed increased time of immobility in the FST and in the TST compared to WT animals, thus reflecting an impaired stress-coping behavior. Additionally, Gal-1 and Gal-3 KO female mice presented increased compulsive-like behavior in the MBT, without significant changes in the locomotor activity. BDNF levels were found to be decreased in the PFC of Gal-1 KO mice. DISCUSSION Our results demonstrate that the absence of either endogenous Gal-1 and Gal-3 impairs stress-coping and increases compulsive-like behavior, suggesting that Gal-1 and Gal-3 are involved in the neurobiology of depression and obsessive-compulsive-like disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- A G Sartim
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Science of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - M A Sartim
- Basic and Applied Immunology Graduate Program, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - R D Cummings
- Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Circle, Room 11087, Boston, MA, 02115, United States
| | - M Dias-Baruffi
- Department of Clinical Analyses, Toxicology and Food Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo. Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - S R Joca
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Science of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS), Aarhus University, Aarhus Denmark.
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25
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Meijboom FLB, Kostrzewa E, Leenaars CHC. Joining forces: the need to combine science and ethics to address problems of validity and translation in neuropsychiatry research using animal models. Philos Ethics Humanit Med 2020; 15:1. [PMID: 31969164 PMCID: PMC6977256 DOI: 10.1186/s13010-019-0085-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current policies regulating the use of animals for scientific purposes are based on balancing between potential gain of knowledge and suffering of animals used in experimentation. The balancing process is complicated, on the one hand by plurality of views on our duties towards animals, and on the other hand by more recent discussions on uncertainty in the probability of reaching the final aim of the research and problems of translational failure. METHODS The study combines ethical analysis based on a literature review with neuropsychiatry-related preclinical research as a case study. RESULTS Based on the analysis and the case study we show that neuropsychiatry-related preclinical research is an especially interesting case from an ethical perspective. The 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) are used to minimize the negative consequences for the animals used in research. However, neuropsychiatric research is characterized by specific challenges in assessing the probability of success of reaching the final aim, due to our limited mechanistic knowledge of human neuropsychiatric illness. Consequently, the translational value of the currently used animal models may be difficult to prove, which undermines the validity of these models and complicated the ethical assessment. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that a combined approach that deals with both science and the ethical dimensions is necessary to address the problems of validity and translation in neuropsychiatry-related preclinical research. We suggest this approach to comprise first, improved experimental methods, e.g. by using systematic reviews, second, a more patients-based approach that leads to models that reflect interindividual variation better, and third, more interdisciplinary cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck L B Meijboom
- Ethiek Instituut, Universiteit Utrecht, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiteit Utrecht, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Elzbieta Kostrzewa
- Ethiek Instituut, Universiteit Utrecht, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cathalijn H C Leenaars
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiteit Utrecht, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- SYRCLE, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Institute for Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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26
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Miccoli B, Braeken D, Li YCE. Brain-on-a-chip Devices for Drug Screening and Disease Modeling Applications. Curr Pharm Des 2019; 24:5419-5436. [PMID: 30806304 DOI: 10.2174/1381612825666190220161254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative disorders are related to the progressive functional loss of the brain, often connected to emotional and physical disability and, ultimately, to death. These disorders, strongly connected to the aging process, are becoming increasingly more relevant due to the increase of life expectancy. Current pharmaceutical treatments poorly tackle these diseases, mainly acting only on their symptomology. One of the main reasons of this is the current drug development process, which is not only expensive and time-consuming but, also, still strongly relies on animal models at the preclinical stage. Organ-on-a-chip platforms have the potential to strongly impact and improve the drug screening process by recreating in vitro the functionality of human organs. Patient-derived neurons from different regions of the brain can be directly grown and differentiated on a brain-on-a-chip device where the disease development, progression and pharmacological treatments can be studied and monitored in real time. The model reliability is strongly improved by using human-derived cells, more relevant than animal models for pharmacological screening and disease monitoring. The selected cells will be then capable of proliferating and organizing themselves in the in vivo environment thanks to the device architecture, materials selection and bio-chemical functionalization. In this review, we start by presenting the fundamental strategies adopted for brain-on-a-chip devices fabrication including e.g., photolithography, micromachining and 3D printing technology. Then, we discuss the state-of-theart of brain-on-a-chip platforms including their role in the study of the functional architecture of the brain e.g., blood-brain barrier, or of the most diffuse neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. At last, the current limitations and future perspectives of this approach for the development of new drugs and neurodegenerative diseases modeling will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Miccoli
- Imec, Department of Life Sciences and Imaging, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.,Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dries Braeken
- Imec, Department of Life Sciences and Imaging, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
| | - Yi-Chen Ethan Li
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung City, Taiwan
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27
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Abreu MS, Maximino C, Banha F, Anastácio PM, Demin KA, Kalueff AV, Soares MC. Emotional behavior in aquatic organisms? Lessons from crayfish and zebrafish. J Neurosci Res 2019; 98:764-779. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Murilo S. Abreu
- Bioscience Institute University of Passo Fundo (UPF) Passo Fundo Brazil
- The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC) Slidell LA USA
| | - Caio Maximino
- The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC) Slidell LA USA
- Institute of Health and Biological Studies Federal University of Southern and Southeastern Pará, Unidade III Marabá Brazil
| | - Filipe Banha
- Department of Landscape, Environment and Planning MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre University of Évora Évora Portugal
| | - Pedro M. Anastácio
- Department of Landscape, Environment and Planning MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre University of Évora Évora Portugal
| | - Konstantin A. Demin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine Almazov National Medical Research Center Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation St. Petersburg Russia
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine St. Petersburg State University St. Petersburg Russia
| | - Allan V. Kalueff
- School of Pharmacy Southwest University Chongqing China
- Ural Federal University Ekaterinburg Russia
| | - Marta C. Soares
- CIBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources University of Porto Porto Portugal
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Effects of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, MK-801, on spatial memory and influence of the route of administration. Behav Brain Res 2019; 372:112067. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Wolmarans DW, Stein DJ, Harvey BH. A Psycho-Behavioral Perspective on Modelling Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Animals: The Role of Context. Curr Med Chem 2019; 25:5662-5689. [PMID: 28545371 DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170523125256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a heterogeneous and debilitating condition, characterized by intrusive thoughts and compulsive repetition. Animal models of OCD are important tools that have the potential to contribute significantly to our understanding of the condition. Although there is consensus that pre-clinical models are valuable in elucidating the underlying neurobiology in psychiatric disorders, the current paper attempts to prompt ideas on how interpretation of animal behavior can be expanded upon to more effectively converge with the human disorder. Successful outcomes in psychopharmacology involve rational design and synthesis of novel compounds and their testing in well-designed animal models. As part of a special journal issue on OCD, this paper will 1) review the psychobehavioral aspects of OCD that are of importance on how the above ideas can be articulated, 2) briefly elaborate on general issues that are important for the development of animal models of OCD, with a particular focus on the role and importance of context, 3) propose why translational progress may often be less than ideal, 4) highlight some of the significant contributions afforded by animal models to advance understanding, and 5) conclude by identifying novel behavioral constructs for future investigations that may contribute to the face, predictive and construct validity of OCD animal models. We base these targets on an integrative approach to face and construct validity, and note that the issue of treatment-resistance in the clinical context should receive attention in current animal models of OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- De Wet Wolmarans
- Division of Pharmacology, Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Dan J Stein
- MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Brian H Harvey
- Division of Pharmacology, Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.,MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Lewis M, Fineberg N, Cañamero L. A Robot Model of OC-Spectrum Disorders: Design Framework, Implementation,
and First Experiments. COMPUTATIONAL PSYCHIATRY 2019. [DOI: 10.1162/cpsy_a_00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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31
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Maximino C, do Carmo Silva RX, Dos Santos Campos K, de Oliveira JS, Rocha SP, Pyterson MP, Dos Santos Souza DP, Feitosa LM, Ikeda SR, Pimentel AFN, Ramos PNF, Costa BPD, Herculano AM, Rosemberg DB, Siqueira-Silva DH, Lima-Maximino M. Sensory ecology of ostariophysan alarm substances. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2019; 95:274-286. [PMID: 30345536 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Chemical communication of predation risk has evolved multiple times in fish species, with conspecific alarm substance (CAS) being the most well understood mechanism. CAS is released after epithelial damage, usually when prey fish are captured by a predator and elicits neurobehavioural adjustments in conspecifics which increase the probability of avoiding predation. As such, CAS is a partial predator stimulus, eliciting risk assessment-like and avoidance behaviours and disrupting the predation sequence. The present paper reviews the distribution and putative composition of CAS in fish and presents a model for the neural processing of these structures by the olfactory and the brain aversive systems. Applications of CAS in the behavioural neurosciences and neuropharmacology are also presented, exploiting the potential of model fish [e.g., zebrafish Danio rerio, guppies Poecilia reticulata, minnows Phoxinus phoxinus) in neurobehavioural research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caio Maximino
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
| | - Rhayra X do Carmo Silva
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências e Biologia Celular, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Kimberly Dos Santos Campos
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Jeisiane S de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Sueslene P Rocha
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Maryana P Pyterson
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
| | - Dainara P Dos Santos Souza
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
| | - Leonardo M Feitosa
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Saulo R Ikeda
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Ana F N Pimentel
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
| | - Pâmila N F Ramos
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
- Rede de Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia da Amazônia Legal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão - Cidade Universitária Paulo VI - Predio da Veterinária, São Luis, Brazil
| | - Bruna P D Costa
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
- Rede de Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia da Amazônia Legal, Universidade Estadual do Maranhão - Cidade Universitária Paulo VI - Predio da Veterinária, São Luis, Brazil
| | - Anderson M Herculano
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia Experimental, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Laboratório de Neuropsicobiologia Experimental, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Diógenes H Siqueira-Silva
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento "Frederico Guilherme Graeff", Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Nova Marabá, Brazil
| | - Monica Lima-Maximino
- Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia e Biofísica, Departamento de Morfologia e Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade do Estado do Pará - Campus VIII/Marabá, Marabá, Brazil
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A Monosodium Iodoacetate Osteoarthritis Lameness Model in Growing Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:ani9070405. [PMID: 31266184 PMCID: PMC6680622 DOI: 10.3390/ani9070405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lameness is a common problem in pigs, causing welfare issues in affected pigs and economic losses for farmers. It is often caused by osteoarthrosis (OA) in its acute or chronic form. We assessed face and construct validity of a potential model for naturally-occurring OA and its progression to chronic OA. Such a model would allow the assessment of possible interventions. Monosodium-iodoacetate (MIA) or isotonic saline was deposited in the intercarpal joint of 20 growing pigs. Functional effects were assessed using subjective (visual lameness scoring) and objective (kinetic gait analysis) techniques at several timepoints. Structural effects were assessed by histopathology at 68 days. Eight out of 10 MIA treated animals had histopathological OA lesions confirmed in the target joint, while for all saline treated animals the target joint was judged to be normal. Pressure mat analysis revealed increased asymmetric weight bearing in these animals compared to the control group on day 3, 14, 28 and 56. Visual scoring only showed a difference between groups on day 1. MIA did not cause prolonged visible lameness, thus face validity for OA under field conditions was not entirely met. Since objective gait parameters showed decreased weightbearing as a behavioral expression of pain, it may be used as a general model for movement-induced pain in pigs.
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Maximino C, van der Staay FJ. Behavioral models in psychopathology: epistemic and semantic considerations. Behav Brain Funct 2019; 15:1. [PMID: 30823933 PMCID: PMC6397463 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-019-0152-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of animals in neurosciences has a long history. It is considered indispensable in areas in which “translational” research is deemed invaluable, such as behavioral pharmacology and comparative psychology. Animal models are being used in pharmacology and genetics to screen for treatment targets, and in the field of experimental psychopathology to understand the neurobehavioral underpinnings of a disorder and of its putative treatment. The centrality of behavioral models betrays the complexity of the epistemic and semantic considerations which are needed to understand what a model is. In this review, such considerations are made, and the breadth of model building and evaluation approaches is extended to include theoretical considerations on the etiology of mental disorders. This expansion is expected to help improve the validity of behavioral models and to increase their translational value. Moreover, the role of theory in improving construct validity creates the need for behavioral scientists to fully engage this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caio Maximino
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento, Grupo de Pesquisas em Neurofarmacologia e Psicopatologia Experimental, Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Unidade III - Av. dos Ipês, S/N, Marabá, Brazil
| | - Franz Josef van der Staay
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty, University Utrecht, P.O.Box 80.151, 3508 TD, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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MacVittie TJ, Farese AM, Kane MA. ARS, DEARE, and Multiple-organ Injury: A Strategic and Tactical Approach to Link Radiation Effects, Animal Models, Medical Countermeasures, and Biomarker Development to Predict Clinical Outcome. HEALTH PHYSICS 2019; 116:297-304. [PMID: 30608246 PMCID: PMC8439279 DOI: 10.1097/hp.0000000000001045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann M Farese
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Maureen A Kane
- University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD
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Scheggi S, De Montis MG, Gambarana C. Making Sense of Rodent Models of Anhedonia. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:1049-1065. [PMID: 30239762 PMCID: PMC6209858 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
A markedly reduced interest or pleasure in activities previously considered pleasurable is a main symptom in mood disorder and psychosis and is often present in other psychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. This condition can be labeled as "anhedonia," although in its most rigorous connotation the term refers to the lost capacity to feel pleasure that is one aspect of the complex phenomenon of processing and responding to reward. The responses to rewarding stimuli are relatively easy to study in rodents, and the experimental conditions that consistently and persistently impair these responses are used to model anhedonia. To this end, long-term exposure to environmental aversive conditions is primarily used, and the resulting deficits in reward responses are often accompanied by other deficits that are mainly reminiscent of clinical depressive symptoms. The different components of impaired reward responses induced by environmental aversive events can be assessed by different tests or protocols that require different degrees of time allocation, technical resources, and equipment. Rodent models of anhedonia are valuable tools in the study of the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning impaired behavioral responses and in the screening and characterization of drugs that may reverse these behavioral deficits. In particular, the antianhedonic or promotivational effects are relevant features in the spectrum of activities of drugs used in mood disorders or psychosis. Thus, more than the model, it is the choice of tests that is crucial since it influences which facets of anhedonia will be detected and should be tuned to the purpose of the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Scheggi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena
| | | | - Carla Gambarana
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena,Correspondence: Carla Gambarana, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro, 2 – 53100 Siena, Italy ()
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Macrì S, Zoratto F, Chiarotti F, Laviola G. Can laboratory animals violate behavioural norms? Towards a preclinical model of conduct disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 91:102-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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de Brouwer G, Wolmarans DW. Back to basics: A methodological perspective on marble-burying behavior as a screening test for psychiatric illness. Behav Processes 2018; 157:590-600. [PMID: 29694852 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Animal models of human psychiatric illness are valuable frameworks to investigate the etiology and neurobiology underlying the human conditions. Accurate behavioral measures that can be used to characterize animal behavior, thereby contributing to a model's validity, are crucial. One such measure, i.e. the rodent marble-burying test (MBT), is often applied as a measure of anxiety- and compulsive-like behaviors. However, the test is characterized by noteworthy between-laboratory methodological differences and demonstrates positive treatment responses to an array of pharmacotherapies that are often of little translational value. Therefore, using a naturalistic animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder, i.e. the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii), the current investigation attempted to illuminate the discrepancies reported in literature by means of a methodological approach to the MBT. Five key aspects of the test that vary between laboratories, viz. observer/scoring, burying substrate, optional avoidance, the use of repeated testing, and determinations of locomotor activity, have been investigated. Following repeated MB tests in four different burying substrates and in two zone configurations, we have demonstrated that 1) observer bias may contribute to the significant differences in findings reported, 2) MB seems to be a natural exploratory response to a novel environment, rather than being triggered by aberrant cognition, 3) burying substrates with a small particle size and higher density deliver the most accurate results with respect to the burying phenotype, and 4) to exclude the influence of normal exploratory behavior on the number of marbles being covered, assessments of marble-burying should be based on pre-occupation with the objects itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey de Brouwer
- Division of Pharmacology, Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - De Wet Wolmarans
- Division of Pharmacology, Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
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Kafkafi N, Agassi J, Chesler EJ, Crabbe JC, Crusio WE, Eilam D, Gerlai R, Golani I, Gomez-Marin A, Heller R, Iraqi F, Jaljuli I, Karp NA, Morgan H, Nicholson G, Pfaff DW, Richter SH, Stark PB, Stiedl O, Stodden V, Tarantino LM, Tucci V, Valdar W, Williams RW, Würbel H, Benjamini Y. Reproducibility and replicability of rodent phenotyping in preclinical studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 87:218-232. [PMID: 29357292 PMCID: PMC6071910 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The scientific community is increasingly concerned with the proportion of
published “discoveries” that are not replicated in subsequent
studies. The field of rodent behavioral phenotyping was one of the first to
raise this concern, and to relate it to other methodological issues: the complex
interaction between genotype and environment; the definitions of behavioral
constructs; and the use of laboratory mice and rats as model species for
investigating human health and disease mechanisms. In January 2015, researchers
from various disciplines gathered at Tel Aviv University to discuss these
issues. The general consensus was that the issue is prevalent and of concern,
and should be addressed at the statistical, methodological and policy levels,
but is not so severe as to call into question the validity and the usefulness of
model organisms as a whole. Well-organized community efforts, coupled with
improved data and metadata sharing, have a key role in identifying specific
problems and promoting effective solutions. Replicability is closely related to
validity, may affect generalizability and translation of findings, and has
important ethical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - John C Crabbe
- Oregon Health & Science University, and VA Portland Health Care System, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Natasha A Karp
- Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - William Valdar
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
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Systematic heterogenization for better reproducibility in animal experimentation. Lab Anim (NY) 2017; 46:343-349. [DOI: 10.1038/laban.1330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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40
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The ovine motor cortex: A review of functional mapping and cytoarchitecture. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 80:306-315. [PMID: 28595827 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 04/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, sheep (Ovis aries) have emerged as a useful animal model for neurological research due to their relatively large brain and blood vessel size, their cortical architecture, and their docile temperament. However, the functional anatomy of sheep brain is not as well studied as that of non-human primates, rodents, and felines. For example, while the location of the sheep motor cortex has been known for many years, there have been few studies of the somatotopy of the motor cortex and there were a range of discrepancies across them. The motivation for this review is to provide a definitive resource for studies of the sheep motor cortex. This work critically reviews the literature examining the organization of the motor cortex in sheep, utilizing studies that have applied direct electrical stimulation and histological methods A clearer understanding of the sheep brain will facilitate and progress the use of this species as a scientific animal model for neurological research.
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Repeated “Day 1” FOB testing in ICH S7A safety assessment protocols: The influence of within- and between-session learning. J Pharmacol Toxicol Methods 2017; 85:61-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vascn.2017.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Harris HM, Carpenter JM, Black JR, Smitherman TA, Sufka KJ. The effects of repeated nitroglycerin administrations in rats; modeling migraine-related endpoints and chronification. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 284:63-70. [PMID: 28442295 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodent models typically use a single nitroglycerin injection to induce migraine, yet migraine in clinical populations presents as recurrent episodes. Further, these models quantify behavioral endpoints that do not align with the clinical features of episodic migraine or migraine chronification and therefore may limit translational relevance. NEW METHOD Rats received 5 nitroglycerin (10mg/kg/2ml), propylene glycol/ethanol vehicle, or saline injections every third day over 15days. Behavioral endpoints were assessed 110min post nitroglycerin administration and included time spent light/dark chambers for photophobia as well as activity, facial pain expressions, and tactile allodynia. RESULTS Animals administered nitroglycerin displayed photophobia, decreased activity, and increased facial pain expression. Similar alterations in photophobia and activity were seen in the vehicle treated animals, but these tended to diminish by the 4th or 5th injection. The presentation of spontaneous tactile allodynia was observed in the nitroglycerin group by the 5th episode. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Most NTG migraine models entail a single NTG administration and quantification of evoked allodynia. This paradigm employs recurring NTG episodes and clinically-relevant measures of photophobia, hypoactivity and facial grimace endpoints as well as introduces a novel arena apparatus to quantify spontaneous allodynia. CONCLUSIONS This repeated NTG procedure and endpoint measures aligns with the frequency and clinical presentation of episodic migraine and its chronification, respectively. Further, propylene glycol ethanol vehicle contributes to migraine endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Harris
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, 207 Peabody Building, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Jessica M Carpenter
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Jonathan R Black
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, 207 Peabody Building, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Todd A Smitherman
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, 207 Peabody Building, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Kenneth J Sufka
- Department of Psychology, University of Mississippi, 207 Peabody Building, University, MS 38677, USA; Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
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Sjoberg EA. Logical fallacies in animal model research. Behav Brain Funct 2017; 13:3. [PMID: 28202023 PMCID: PMC5312558 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-017-0121-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Animal models of human behavioural deficits involve conducting experiments on animals with the hope of gaining new knowledge that can be applied to humans. This paper aims to address risks, biases, and fallacies associated with drawing conclusions when conducting experiments on animals, with focus on animal models of mental illness. Conclusions Researchers using animal models are susceptible to a fallacy known as false analogy, where inferences based on assumptions of similarities between animals and humans can potentially lead to an incorrect conclusion. There is also a risk of false positive results when evaluating the validity of a putative animal model, particularly if the experiment is not conducted double-blind. It is further argued that animal model experiments are reconstructions of human experiments, and not replications per se, because the animals cannot follow instructions. This leads to an experimental setup that is altered to accommodate the animals, and typically involves a smaller sample size than a human experiment. Researchers on animal models of human behaviour should increase focus on mechanistic validity in order to ensure that the underlying causal mechanisms driving the behaviour are the same, as relying on face validity makes the model susceptible to logical fallacies and a higher risk of Type 1 errors. We discuss measures to reduce bias and risk of making logical fallacies in animal research, and provide a guideline that researchers can follow to increase the rigour of their experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Espen A Sjoberg
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, St. Olavs Plass, P.O. Box 4, 0130, Oslo, Norway.
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McCutcheon V, Park E, Liu E, Sobhebidari P, Tavakkoli J, Wen XY, Baker AJ. A Novel Model of Traumatic Brain Injury in Adult Zebrafish Demonstrates Response to Injury and Treatment Comparable with Mammalian Models. J Neurotrauma 2016; 34:1382-1393. [PMID: 27650063 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2016.4497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and morbidity in industrialized countries with considerable associated health care costs. The cost and time associated with pre-clinical development of TBI therapeutics is lengthy and expensive with a poor track record of successful translation to the clinic. The zebrafish is an emerging model organism in research with unique technical and genomic strengths in the study of disease and development. Its high degree of genetic homology and cell signaling pathways relative to mammalian species and amenability to high and medium throughput assays has potential to accelerate the rate of therapeutic drug identification. Accordingly, we developed a novel closed-head model of TBI in adult zebrafish using a targeted, pulsed, high-intensity focused ultrasound (pHIFU) to induce mechanical injury of the brain. Western blot results indicated altered microtubule and neurofilament expression as well as increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 and beta APP (β-APP; p < 0.05). We used automated behavioral tracking software to evaluate locomotor deficits 24 and 48 h post-injury. Significant behavioral impairment included decreased swim distance and velocity (p < 0.05), as well as heightened anxiety and altered group social dynamics. Responses to injury were pHIFU dose-dependent and modifiable with MK-801, MDL-28170, or temperature modulation. Together, results indicate that the zebrafish exhibits responses to injury and intervention similar to mammalian TBI pathophysiology and suggest the potential for use to rapidly evaluate therapeutic compounds with high efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eugene Park
- 2 Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elaine Liu
- 2 Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pooya Sobhebidari
- 3 Department of Physics, Ryerson University , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jahan Tavakkoli
- 2 Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada .,3 Department of Physics, Ryerson University , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Xiao-Yan Wen
- 2 Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada .,4 Departments of Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto , Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew J Baker
- 1 Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto , Ontario, Canada .,2 Keenan Research Centre, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto, Ontario, Canada .,5 Departments of Anesthesia and Surgery, University of Toronto , Ontario, Canada
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Ehrampoush E, Homayounfar R, Davoodi SH, Zand H, Askari A, Kouhpayeh SA. Ability of dairy fat in inducing metabolic syndrome in rats. SPRINGERPLUS 2016; 5:2020. [PMID: 27994997 PMCID: PMC5125350 DOI: 10.1186/s40064-016-3716-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background The risk of heart diseases, diabetes and stroke is increased with higher metabolic risk factors. Models of diseases resulting from high-calorie diets have a significant role in pathophysiologic analysis of metabolic syndrome in rodents; but, these diets are considerably different from each other in various studies and may not be very similar to the metabolic syndrome model in humans. This study sought to make a model close to the disease in humans. 20 five-week old male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two groups. For one of the groups, a high-calorie diet with 416 calories per 100 g with dairy-based fat was considered and, for another group, a control diet was given for 12 weeks. Weight changes, lipid profile, glucose values, Blood pressure, insulin and HOMA indices, were measured for both groups and weight changes were compared using repeated measures and independent t test; also, serum results were compared using independent t test. Results Values of weight, glucose, insulin, lipid profile and blood pressure, except HDL, had a tangible difference between two groups at the end of the study. HOMA-IR, HOMA-B and HOMA-S indicates a significant difference between the two groups after consumption high-energy diet. Conclusion The present study showed ability of dairy fat in gaining weight, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome and provided the necessity of paying serious attention to the amount of fat intake from dairy sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Ehrampoush
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.,Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Homayounfar
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.,Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Hossein Davoodi
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Zand
- National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Askari
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Seyed Amin Kouhpayeh
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
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Haar CV, Lam FC, Adams WA, Riparip LK, Kaur S, Muthukrishna M, Rosi S, Winstanley CA. Frontal Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats Causes Long-Lasting Impairments in Impulse Control That Are Differentially Sensitive to Pharmacotherapeutics and Associated with Chronic Neuroinflammation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2016; 7:1531-1542. [PMID: 27525447 PMCID: PMC9487719 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.6b00166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions yearly, and is increasingly associated with chronic neuropsychiatric symptoms. We assessed the long-term effects of different bilateral frontal controlled cortical impact injury severities (mild, moderate, and severe) on the five-choice serial reaction time task, a paradigm with relatively independent measurements of attention, motor impulsivity, and motivation. Moderately- and severely injured animals exhibited impairments across all cognitive domains that were still evident 14 weeks postinjury, while mild-injured animals only demonstrated persistent deficits in impulse control. However, recovery of function varied considerably between subjects such that some showed no impairment ("TBI-resilient"), some demonstrated initial deficits that recovered ("TBI-vulnerable"), and some never recovered ("chronically-impaired"). Three clinically relevant treatments for impulse-control or TBI, amphetamine, atomoxetine, and amantadine, were assessed for efficacy in treating injury-induced deficits. Susceptibility to TBI affected the response to pharmacological challenge with amphetamine. Whereas sham and TBI-resilient animals showed characteristic impairments in impulse control at higher doses, amphetamine had the opposite effect in chronically impaired rats, improving task performance. In contrast, atomoxetine and amantadine reduced premature responding but increased omissions, suggesting psychomotor slowing. Analysis of brain tissue revealed that generalized neuroinflammation was associated with impulsivity even when accounting for the degree of brain damage. This is one of the first studies to characterize psychiatric-like symptoms in experimental TBI. Our data highlight the importance of testing pharmacotherapies in TBI models in order to predict efficacy, and suggest that neuroinflammation may represent a treatment target for impulse control problems following injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cole Vonder Haar
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,Corresponding author: Cole Vonder Haar or Catharine A. Winstanley, CV: Department of Psychology, 53 Campus Dr, Morgantown, WV, 26506, Tel: 1-304-293-1787, , CAW: Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada, Tel: 1-604-822-2024,
| | - Frederick C.W. Lam
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Wendy A. Adams
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Lara-Kirstie Riparip
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Departments of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science and Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sukhbir Kaur
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Susanna Rosi
- Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Departments of Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science and Neurological Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Catharine A. Winstanley
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Spinello C, Laviola G, Macrì S. Pediatric Autoimmune Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections and Tourette's Syndrome in Preclinical Studies. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:310. [PMID: 27445678 PMCID: PMC4928151 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that Tourette's Syndrome (TS) - a multifactorial pediatric disorder characterized by the recurrent exhibition of motor tics and/or vocal utterances - can partly depend on immune dysregulation provoked by early repeated streptococcal infections. The natural and adaptive antibody-mediated reaction to streptococcus has been proposed to potentially turn into a pathological autoimmune response in vulnerable individuals. Specifically, in conditions of increased permeability of the blood brain barrier (BBB), streptococcus-induced antibodies have been proposed to: (i) reach neuronal targets located in brain areas responsible for motion control; and (ii) contribute to the exhibition of symptoms. This theoretical framework is supported by indirect evidence indicating that a subset of TS patients exhibit elevated streptococcal antibody titers upon tic relapses. A systematic evaluation of this hypothesis entails preclinical studies providing a proof of concept of the aforementioned pathological sequelae. These studies shall rest upon individuals characterized by a vulnerable immune system, repeatedly exposed to streptococcus, and carefully screened for phenotypes isomorphic to the pathological signs of TS observed in patients. Preclinical animal models may thus constitute an informative, useful tool upon which conducting targeted, hypothesis-driven experiments. In the present review we discuss the available evidence in preclinical models in support of the link between TS and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus infections (PANDAS), and the existing gaps that future research shall bridge. Specifically, we report recent preclinical evidence indicating that the immune responses to repeated streptococcal immunizations relate to the occurrence of behavioral and neurological phenotypes reminiscent of TS. By the same token, we discuss the limitations of these studies: limited evidence of behavioral phenotypes isomorphic to tics and scarce knowledge about the immunological phenomena favoring the transition from natural adaptive immunity to pathological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Spinello
- Section of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Roma, Italy
| | - Giovanni Laviola
- Section of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Roma, Italy
| | - Simone Macrì
- Section of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Istituto Superiore di Sanità Roma, Italy
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Concordance and incongruence in preclinical anxiety models: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 68:504-529. [PMID: 27328783 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Rodent defense behavior assays have been widely used as preclinical models of anxiety to study possibly therapeutic anxiety-reducing interventions. However, some proposed anxiety-modulating factors - genes, drugs and stressors - have had discordant effects across different studies. To reconcile the effect sizes of purported anxiety factors, we conducted systematic review and meta-analyses of the literature on ten anxiety-linked interventions, as examined in the elevated plus maze, open field and light-dark box assays. Diazepam, 5-HT1A receptor gene knockout and overexpression, SERT gene knockout and overexpression, pain, restraint, social isolation, corticotropin-releasing hormone and Crhr1 were selected for review. Eight interventions had statistically significant effects on rodent anxiety, while Htr1a overexpression and Crh knockout did not. Evidence for publication bias was found in the diazepam, Htt knockout, and social isolation literatures. The Htr1a and Crhr1 results indicate a disconnect between preclinical science and clinical research. Furthermore, the meta-analytic data confirmed that genetic SERT anxiety effects were paradoxical in the context of the clinical use of SERT inhibitors to reduce anxiety.
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Roelofs S, Boleij H, Nordquist RE, van der Staay FJ. Making Decisions under Ambiguity: Judgment Bias Tasks for Assessing Emotional State in Animals. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:119. [PMID: 27375454 PMCID: PMC4899464 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Judgment bias tasks (JBTs) are considered as a family of promising tools in the assessment of emotional states of animals. JBTs provide a cognitive measure of optimism and/or pessimism by recording behavioral responses to ambiguous stimuli. For instance, a negative emotional state is expected to produce a negative or pessimistic judgment of an ambiguous stimulus, whereas a positive emotional state produces a positive or optimistic judgment of the same ambiguous stimulus. Measuring an animal's emotional state or mood is relevant in both animal welfare research and biomedical research. This is reflected in the increasing use of JBTs in both research areas. We discuss the different implementations of JBTs with animals, with a focus on their potential as an accurate measure of emotional state. JBTs have been successfully applied to a very broad range of species, using many different types of testing equipment and experimental protocols. However, further validation of this test is deemed necessary. For example, the often extensive training period required for successful judgment bias testing remains a possible factor confounding results. Also, the issue of ambiguous stimuli losing their ambiguity with repeated testing requires additional attention. Possible improvements are suggested to further develop the JBTs in both animal welfare and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Roelofs
- Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Behavior and Welfare Group (Formerly Emotion and Cognition Group), Utrecht University Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Hetty Boleij
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Division of Laboratory Animal Science, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Behavior and Welfare Group (Formerly Emotion and Cognition Group), Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
| | - Franz Josef van der Staay
- Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Behavior and Welfare Group (Formerly Emotion and Cognition Group), Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht, Netherlands
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