1
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Desai RI, Limoli CL, Stark CEL, Stark SM. Impact of spaceflight stressors on behavior and cognition: A molecular, neurochemical, and neurobiological perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104676. [PMID: 35461987 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The response of the human body to multiple spaceflight stressors is complex, but mounting evidence implicate risks to CNS functionality as significant, able to threaten metrics of mission success and longer-term behavioral and neurocognitive health. Prolonged exposure to microgravity, sleep disruption, social isolation, fluid shifts, and ionizing radiation have been shown to disrupt mechanisms of homeostasis and neurobiological well-being. The overarching goal of this review is to document the existing evidence of how the major spaceflight stressors, including radiation, microgravity, isolation/confinement, and sleep deprivation, alone or in combination alter molecular, neurochemical, neurobiological, and plasma metabolite/lipid signatures that may be linked to operationally-relevant behavioral and cognitive performance. While certain brain region-specific and/or systemic alterations titrated in part with neurobiological outcome, variations across model systems, study design, and the conspicuous absence of targeted studies implementing combinations of spaceflight stressors, confounded the identification of specific signatures having direct relevance to human activities in space. Summaries are provided for formulating new research directives and more predictive readouts of portending change in neurobiological function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev I Desai
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Behavioral Biology Program, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
| | - Charles L Limoli
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine, Medical Sciences I, B146B, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Craig E L Stark
- Department of Neurobiology of Behavior, University of California Irvine, 1400 Biological Sciences III, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Shauna M Stark
- Department of Neurobiology of Behavior, University of California Irvine, 1400 Biological Sciences III, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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2
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Mhatre SD, Iyer J, Puukila S, Paul AM, Tahimic CGT, Rubinstein L, Lowe M, Alwood JS, Sowa MB, Bhattacharya S, Globus RK, Ronca AE. Neuro-consequences of the spaceflight environment. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:908-935. [PMID: 34767877 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
As human space exploration advances to establish a permanent presence beyond the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with NASA's Artemis mission, researchers are striving to understand and address the health challenges of living and working in the spaceflight environment. Exposure to ionizing radiation, microgravity, isolation and other spaceflight hazards pose significant risks to astronauts. Determining neurobiological and neurobehavioral responses, understanding physiological responses under Central Nervous System (CNS) control, and identifying putative mechanisms to inform countermeasure development are critically important to ensuring brain and behavioral health of crew on long duration missions. Here we provide a detailed and comprehensive review of the effects of spaceflight and of ground-based spaceflight analogs, including simulated weightlessness, social isolation, and ionizing radiation on humans and animals. Further, we discuss dietary and non-dietary countermeasures including artificial gravity and antioxidants, among others. Significant future work is needed to ensure that neural, sensorimotor, cognitive and other physiological functions are maintained during extended deep space missions to avoid potentially catastrophic health and safety outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siddhita D Mhatre
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA; COSMIAC Research Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Janani Iyer
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Stephanie Puukila
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA; Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Amber M Paul
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Candice G T Tahimic
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; KBR, Houston, TX, 77002, USA; Department of Biology, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, 32224, USA
| | - Linda Rubinstein
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Universities Space Research Association, Columbia, MD, 21046, USA
| | - Moniece Lowe
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, Seattle, WA, 98154, USA
| | - Joshua S Alwood
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Marianne B Sowa
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Sharmila Bhattacharya
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - Ruth K Globus
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA
| | - April E Ronca
- Space Biosciences Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, 94035, USA; Wake Forest Medical School, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA.
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3
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Lee J, Jang D, Jeong H, Kim KS, Yang S. Impairment of synaptic plasticity and novel object recognition in the hypergravity-exposed rats. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15813. [PMID: 32978417 PMCID: PMC7519067 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72639-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The gravity is necessary for living organisms to operate various biological events including hippocampus-related functions of learning and memory. Until now, it remains inconclusive how altered gravity is associated with hippocampal functions. It is mainly due to the difficulties in generating an animal model experiencing altered gravity. Here, we demonstrate the effects of hypergravity on hippocampus-related functions using an animal behavior and electrophysiology with our hypergravity animal model. The hypergravity (4G, 4 weeks) group showed impaired synaptic efficacy and long-term potentiation in CA1 neurons of the hippocampus along with the poor performance of a novel object recognition task. Our studies suggest that altered gravity affects hippocampus-related cognitive functions, presumably through structural and functional adaptation to various conditions of gravity shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinho Lee
- Department of Nano-Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Doohyeong Jang
- Department of Nano-Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hyerin Jeong
- Department of Nano-Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Kyu-Sung Kim
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inha University, College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea. .,Inha Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Incheon, South Korea.
| | - Sunggu Yang
- Department of Nano-Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon, South Korea.
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4
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Clément GR, Boyle RD, George KA, Nelson GA, Reschke MF, Williams TJ, Paloski WH. Challenges to the central nervous system during human spaceflight missions to Mars. J Neurophysiol 2020; 123:2037-2063. [DOI: 10.1152/jn.00476.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Space travel presents a number of environmental challenges to the central nervous system, including changes in gravitational acceleration that alter the terrestrial synergies between perception and action, galactic cosmic radiation that can damage sensitive neurons and structures, and multiple factors (isolation, confinement, altered atmosphere, and mission parameters, including distance from Earth) that can affect cognition and behavior. Travelers to Mars will be exposed to these environmental challenges for up to 3 years, and space-faring nations continue to direct vigorous research investments to help elucidate and mitigate the consequences of these long-duration exposures. This article reviews the findings of more than 50 years of space-related neuroscience research on humans and animals exposed to spaceflight or analogs of spaceflight environments, and projects the implications and the forward work necessary to ensure successful Mars missions. It also reviews fundamental neurophysiology responses that will help us understand and maintain human health and performance on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard D. Boyle
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
| | | | - Gregory A. Nelson
- Division of Biomedical Engineering Sciences, School of Medicine Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California
| | - Millard F. Reschke
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Thomas J. Williams
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
| | - William H. Paloski
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
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Horii A, Mitani K, Masumura C, Uno A, Imai T, Morita Y, Takahashi K, Kitahara T, Inohara H. Hippocampal gene expression, serum cortisol level, and spatial memory in rats exposed to hypergravity. J Vestib Res 2017; 27:209-215. [DOI: 10.3233/ves-170521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arata Horii
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kenji Mitani
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Chisako Masumura
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Atsuhiko Uno
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Takao Imai
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Yuka Morita
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Kuniyuki Takahashi
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan
| | - Tadashi Kitahara
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Nara Medical University, Japan
| | - Hidenori Inohara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
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6
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Zheng Y, Gliddon CM, Aitken P, Stiles L, Machado ML, Philoxene B, Denise P, Smith PF, Besnard S. Effects of acute altered gravity during parabolic flight and/or vestibular loss on cell proliferation in the rat dentate gyrus. Neurosci Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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7
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Ishikawa C, Li H, Ogura R, Yoshimura Y, Kudo T, Shirakawa M, Shiba D, Takahashi S, Morita H, Shiga T. Effects of gravity changes on gene expression of BDNF and serotonin receptors in the mouse brain. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177833. [PMID: 28591153 PMCID: PMC5462371 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Spaceflight entails various stressful environmental factors including microgravity. The effects of gravity changes have been studied extensively on skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular, immune and vestibular systems, but those on the nervous system are not well studied. The alteration of gravity in ground-based animal experiments is one of the approaches taken to address this issue. Here we investigated the effects of centrifugation-induced gravity changes on gene expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serotonin receptors (5-HTRs) in the mouse brain. Exposure to 2g hypergravity for 14 days showed differential modulation of gene expression depending on regions of the brain. BDNF expression was decreased in the ventral hippocampus and hypothalamus, whereas increased in the cerebellum. 5-HT1BR expression was decreased in the cerebellum, whereas increased in the ventral hippocampus and caudate putamen. In contrast, hypergravity did not affect gene expression of 5-HT1AR, 5-HT2AR, 5-HT2CR, 5-HT4R and 5-HT7R. In addition to hypergravity, decelerating gravity change from 2g hypergravity to 1g normal gravity affected gene expression of BDNF, 5-HT1AR, 5-HT1BR, and 5-HT2AR in various regions of the brain. We also examined involvement of the vestibular organ in the effects of hypergravity. Surgical lesions of the inner ear's vestibular organ removed the effects induced by hypergravity on gene expression, which suggests that the effects of hypergravity are mediated through the vestibular organ. In summary, we showed that gravity changes induced differential modulation of gene expression of BDNF and 5-HTRs (5-HT1AR, 5-HT1BR and 5-HT2AR) in some brain regions. The modulation of gene expression may constitute molecular bases that underlie behavioral alteration induced by gravity changes.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Brain/metabolism
- Brain/physiology
- Brain Mapping
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/biosynthesis
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/metabolism
- Gene Expression Regulation
- Gravitation
- Hippocampus/metabolism
- Humans
- Mice
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A/biosynthesis
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A/metabolism
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B/biosynthesis
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B/metabolism
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/biosynthesis
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/metabolism
- Space Flight
- Vestibule, Labyrinth/metabolism
- Vestibule, Labyrinth/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Ishikawa
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Haiyan Li
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Rin Ogura
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yuko Yoshimura
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Takashi Kudo
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Mouse Epigenetics Project, ISS/Kibo experiment, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Masaki Shirakawa
- Mouse Epigenetics Project, ISS/Kibo experiment, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Dai Shiba
- Mouse Epigenetics Project, ISS/Kibo experiment, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan
- JEM Utilization Center, Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate, JAXA, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Satoru Takahashi
- Laboratory Animal Resource Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Mouse Epigenetics Project, ISS/Kibo experiment, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Hironobu Morita
- Mouse Epigenetics Project, ISS/Kibo experiment, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Physiology, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan
| | - Takashi Shiga
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Mouse Epigenetics Project, ISS/Kibo experiment, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Tsukuba, Japan
- Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
- * E-mail:
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8
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Pulga A, Porte Y, Morel JL. Changes in C57BL6 Mouse Hippocampal Transcriptome Induced by Hypergravity Mimic Acute Corticosterone-Induced Stress. Front Mol Neurosci 2016; 9:153. [PMID: 28082866 PMCID: PMC5183579 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Centrifugation is a widely used procedure to study the impact of altered gravity on Earth, as observed during spaceflights, allowing us to understand how a long-term physical constraint can condition the mammalian physiology. It is known that mice, placed in classical cages and maintained during 21 days in a centrifuge at 3G gravity level, undergo physiological adaptations due to hypergravity, and/or stress. Indeed, an increase of corticosterone levels has been previously measured in the plasma of 3G-exposed mice. Corticosterone is known to modify neuronal activity during memory processes. Although learning and memory performances cannot be assessed during the centrifugation, literature largely described a large panel of proteins (channels, second messengers, transcription factors, structural proteins) which expressions are modified during memory processing. Thus, we used the Illumina technology to compare the whole hippocampal transcriptome of three groups of C57Bl6/J mice, in order to gain insights into the effects of hypergravity on cerebral functions. Namely, a group of 21 days 3G-centrifuged mice was compared to (1) a group subjected to an acute corticosterone injection, (2) a group receiving a transdermal chronic administration of corticosterone during 21 days, and (3) aged mice because aging could be characterized by a decrease of hippocampus functions and memory impairment. Our results suggest that hypergravity stress induced by corticosterone administration and aging modulate the expression of genes in the hippocampus. However, the modulations of the transcriptome observed in these conditions are not identical. Hypergravity affects per-se the hippocampus transcriptome and probably modifies its activity. Hypergravity induced changes in hippocampal transcriptome were more similar to acute injection than chronic diffusion of corticosterone or aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Pulga
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293Bordeaux, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293Bordeaux, France
| | - Yves Porte
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293Bordeaux, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293Bordeaux, France
| | - Jean-Luc Morel
- Université de Bordeaux, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293Bordeaux, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, UMR 5293Bordeaux, France
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9
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Risk of defeats in the central nervous system during deep space missions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:621-632. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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10
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The long-term consequences of the exposure to increasing gravity levels on the muscular, vestibular and cognitive functions in adult mice. Behav Brain Res 2014; 264:64-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2013] [Revised: 01/14/2014] [Accepted: 01/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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11
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Jamon M. The development of vestibular system and related functions in mammals: impact of gravity. Front Integr Neurosci 2014; 8:11. [PMID: 24570658 PMCID: PMC3916785 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2014.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This chapter reviews the knowledge about the adaptation to Earth gravity during the development of mammals. The impact of early exposure to altered gravity is evaluated at the level of the functions related to the vestibular system, including postural control, homeostatic regulation, and spatial memory. The hypothesis of critical periods in the adaptation to gravity is discussed. Demonstrating a critical period requires removing the gravity stimulus during delimited time windows, what is impossible to do on Earth surface. The surgical destruction of the vestibular apparatus, and the use of mice strains with defective graviceptors have provided useful information on the consequences of missing gravity perception, and the possible compensatory mechanisms, but transitory suppression of the stimulus can only be operated during spatial flight. The rare studies on rat pups housed on board of space shuttle significantly contributed to this problem, but the use of hypergravity environment, produced by means of chronic centrifugation, is the only available tool when repeated experiments must be carried out on Earth. Even though hypergravity is sometimes considered as a mirror situation to microgravity, the two situations cannot be confused because a gravitational force is still present. The theoretical considerations that validate the paradigm of hypergravity to evaluate critical periods are discussed. The question of adaption of graviceptor is questioned from an evolutionary point of view. It is possible that graviception is hardwired, because life on Earth has evolved under the constant pressure of gravity. The rapid acquisition of motor programming by precocial mammals in minutes after birth is consistent with this hypothesis, but the slow development of motor skills in altricial species and the plasticity of vestibular perception in adults suggest that gravity experience is required for the tuning of graviceptors. The possible reasons for this dichotomy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Jamon
- Faculté de Médecine de la Timone, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U 1106, Aix-Marseille University Marseille, France
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12
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Porte Y, Morel JL. Learning on Jupiter, learning on the Moon: the dark side of the G-force. Effects of gravity changes on neurovascular unit and modulation of learning and memory. Front Behav Neurosci 2012; 6:64. [PMID: 23015785 PMCID: PMC3449275 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2012.00064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2012] [Accepted: 09/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
On earth, gravity vector conditions the development of all living beings by physically imposing an axis along which to build their organism. Thus, during their whole life, they have to fight against this force not only to maintain their architectural organization but also to coordinate the communication between organs and keep their physiology in a balanced steady-state. In space, astronauts show physiological, psychological, and cognitive deregulations, ranging from bone decalcification or decrease of musculature, to depressive-like disorders, and spatial disorientation. Nonetheless, they are confronted to a great amount of physical changes in their environment such as solar radiations, loss of light-dark cycle, lack of spatial landmarks, confinement, and obviously a dramatic decrease of gravity force. It is thus very hard to selectively discriminate the strict role of gravity level alterations on physiological, and particularly cerebral, dysfunction. To this purpose, it is important to design autonomous models and apparatuses for behavioral phenotyping utilizable under modified gravity environments. Our team actually aims at working on this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Porte
- Université de Bordeaux Bordeaux, France ; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche 5293, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives Talence, France
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13
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Machado ML, Kroichvili N, Freret T, Philoxène B, Lelong-Boulouard V, Denise P, Besnard S. Spatial and non-spatial performance in mutant mice devoid of otoliths. Neurosci Lett 2012; 522:57-61. [PMID: 22705908 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2012.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2012] [Revised: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Vestibular deafferentation induces strong spatial memory impairments in rodents and dorsal hippocampal atrophy in humans, suggesting that vestibular information plays an important role in spatial-memory processes. However, previous studies have not discriminated between the role of the semi-circular canals, gravisensors and cochlear sense organ in such impairments due to complete damage of the vestibular and cochlear organs in their models of lesions. This is the first time that mutant mice (het/het) devoid of otoconia (lack of vestibular gravisensors) have been evaluated in behavioral tests. Results show different levels of achievement in the tests. The rotarod and elevated plus-maze were not executable, the rotarod being a safer test for differentiating the het/het mouse phenotype compared to the more anxiogenic swimming pool. Y-maze and place recognition tests were achieved, but chance values were not reached in the het/het group. Additionally, het/het mice presented uncommon behavior when faced with objects during the object recognition test. Impairments in het/het mice in the Y-maze test suggest a crucial role of the vestibular gravisensors in spatial-memory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M L Machado
- Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, U 1075 COMETE, Caen 14032, France.
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14
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Chauhan VS, Kluttz JM, Bost KL, Marriott I. Prophylactic and therapeutic targeting of the neurokinin-1 receptor limits neuroinflammation in a murine model of pneumococcal meningitis. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2011; 186:7255-63. [PMID: 21562162 PMCID: PMC3110637 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1100721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that the tachykinin substance P (SP) can augment inflammatory immune responses within the CNS. We have recently demonstrated that resident CNS cells express high-affinity receptors for this neuropeptide (neurokinin-1 receptors [NK-1R]), and we have shown that SP can significantly augment glial inflammatory responses to clinically relevant Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, we provided evidence that endogenous SP/NK-1R interactions are an essential component in the initiation and/or progression of CNS inflammation following in vivo exposure to these pathogens. In this study, we demonstrate that SP similarly enhances inflammatory glial responses to the major Gram-positive causative agent of bacterial meningitis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and show that endogenous SP/NK-1R interactions play a critical role in the development of CNS inflammation in an in vivo model of pneumococcal meningitis. Importantly, we provide the first demonstration, to our knowledge, that pharmacological targeting of the NK-1R not only prevents the development of damaging inflammation when administered prophylactically, but can also limit or reverse neuroinflammation associated with an established streptococcal CNS infection when delivered therapeutically. We show that an NK-1R antagonist attenuates increases in CNS inflammatory cytokine levels and decreases in immunosuppressive cytokine production associated with an ongoing S. pneumoniae infection. Furthermore, we demonstrate that such a therapeutic intervention reverses infection-associated gliosis and demyelination in the absence of changes in CNS bacterial burden. Together, these results suggest that targeting SP/NK-1R interactions is a strategy worthy of further study for the treatment of microbially induced neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinita S. Chauhan
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - John M. Kluttz
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - Kenneth L. Bost
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - Ian Marriott
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
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Smith PF, Darlington CL, Zheng Y. Move it or lose it--is stimulation of the vestibular system necessary for normal spatial memory? Hippocampus 2010; 20:36-43. [PMID: 19405142 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Studies in both experimental animals and human patients have demonstrated that peripheral vestibular lesions, especially bilateral lesions, are associated with spatial memory impairment that is long-lasting and may even be permanent. Electrophysiological evidence from animals indicates that bilateral vestibular loss causes place cells and theta activity to become dysfunctional; the most recent human evidence suggests that the hippocampus may cause atrophy in patients with bilateral vestibular lesions. Taken together, these studies suggest that self-motion information provided by the vestibular system is important for the development of spatial memory by areas of the brain such as the hippocampus, and when it is lost, spatial memory is impaired. This naturally suggests the converse possibility that activation of the vestibular system may enhance memory. Surprisingly, there is some human evidence that this may be the case. This review considers the relationship between the vestibular system and memory and suggests that the evolutionary age of this primitive sensory system as well as how it detects self-motion (i.e., detection of acceleration vs. velocity) may be the reasons for its unique contribution to spatial memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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Chauhan VS, Sterka DG, Furr SR, Young AB, Marriott I. NOD2 plays an important role in the inflammatory responses of microglia and astrocytes to bacterial CNS pathogens. Glia 2009; 57:414-23. [PMID: 18803303 PMCID: PMC2628967 DOI: 10.1002/glia.20770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
While glial cells are recognized for their roles in maintaining neuronal function, there is growing appreciation that resident central nervous system (CNS) cells initiate and/or augment inflammation following trauma or infection. We have recently demonstrated that microglia and astrocytes constitutively express nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-2 (NOD2), a member of the novel nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat region containing a family of proteins (NLR) that functions as an intracellular receptor for a minimal motif present in all bacterial peptidoglycans. In this study, we have confirmed the functional nature of NOD2 expression in astrocytes and microglia and begun to determine the relative contribution that this NLR makes in inflammatory CNS responses to clinically relevant bacterial pathogens. We demonstrate the increased association of NOD2 with its downstream effector molecule, Rip2 kinase, in primary cultures of murine microglia and astrocytes following exposure to bacterial antigens. We show that this cytosolic receptor underlies the ability of muramyl dipeptide to augment the production of inflammatory cytokines by glia following exposure to specific ligands for disparate Toll-like receptor homologues. In addition, we demonstrate that NOD2 is an important component in the in vitro inflammatory responses of resident glia to N. meningitidis and B. burgdorferi antigens. Finally, we have established that NOD2 is required, at least in part, for the astrogliosis, demyelination, behavioral changes, and elevated inflammatory cytokine levels observed following in vivo infection with these pathogens. As such, we have identified NOD2 as an important component in the generation of damaging CNS inflammation following bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinita S. Chauhan
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - David G. Sterka
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - Samantha R. Furr
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - Amy B. Young
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
| | - Ian Marriott
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223
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Le Bourg E. Hormetic effects of repeated exposures to cold at young age on longevity, aging and resistance to heat or cold shocks in Drosophila melanogaster. Biogerontology 2007; 8:431-44. [PMID: 17318365 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-007-9086-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2007] [Accepted: 02/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Exposing young flies to hypergravity has hormetic effects on aging, longevity and resistance to heat stress. The present experiments tested whether cold shocks at young age could also have hormetic effects. Flies were cold-shocked at 0 degrees C daily for 60 min during two periods of 5 days separated by 2 days, starting at 5 days of age. This cold stress increased longevity, resistance to a lethal heat stress or to cold up to 6 weeks of age, resistance to a non-lethal heat stress at middle age, and delayed behavioral aging. Cold and hypergravity exposure at young age have thus similar effects, excepting on resistance to cold stress, which is not increased after exposure to hypergravity. Mild heat stress has also been shown to slightly increase longevity and resistance to a lethal heat stress, but not to delay behavioral aging. Since there are thus at least two mild stresses with large hormetic effects at old age in flies, i.e. cold and hypergravity, hormetic effects in flies are not stress-specific. Therefore, it could be hypothetized that hormetic effects of mild stress on aging and longevity are a general phenomenon and that they could also be observed in other species such as rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Le Bourg
- Centre de Recherche sur la Cognition Animale, UMR CNRS 5169, Université Paul-Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
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