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van Velthoven CTJ, Gao Y, Kunst M, Lee C, McMillen D, Chakka AB, Casper T, Clark M, Chakrabarty R, Daniel S, Dolbeare T, Ferrer R, Gloe J, Goldy J, Guzman J, Halterman C, Ho W, Huang M, James K, Nguy B, Pham T, Ronellenfitch K, Thomas ED, Torkelson A, Pagan CM, Kruse L, Dee N, Ng L, Waters J, Smith KA, Tasic B, Yao Z, Zeng H. The transcriptomic and spatial organization of telencephalic GABAergic neuronal types. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.18.599583. [PMID: 38948843 PMCID: PMC11212977 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.18.599583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The telencephalon of the mammalian brain comprises multiple regions and circuit pathways that play adaptive and integrative roles in a variety of brain functions. There is a wide array of GABAergic neurons in the telencephalon; they play a multitude of circuit functions, and dysfunction of these neurons has been implicated in diverse brain disorders. In this study, we conducted a systematic and in-depth analysis of the transcriptomic and spatial organization of GABAergic neuronal types in all regions of the mouse telencephalon and their developmental origins. This was accomplished by utilizing 611,423 single-cell transcriptomes from the comprehensive and high-resolution transcriptomic and spatial cell type atlas for the adult whole mouse brain we have generated, supplemented with an additional single-cell RNA-sequencing dataset containing 99,438 high-quality single-cell transcriptomes collected from the pre- and postnatal developing mouse brain. We present a hierarchically organized adult telencephalic GABAergic neuronal cell type taxonomy of 7 classes, 52 subclasses, 284 supertypes, and 1,051 clusters, as well as a corresponding developmental taxonomy of 450 clusters across different ages. Detailed charting efforts reveal extraordinary complexity where relationships among cell types reflect both spatial locations and developmental origins. Transcriptomically and developmentally related cell types can often be found in distant and diverse brain regions indicating that long-distance migration and dispersion is a common characteristic of nearly all classes of telencephalic GABAergic neurons. Additionally, we find various spatial dimensions of both discrete and continuous variations among related cell types that are correlated with gene expression gradients. Lastly, we find that cortical, striatal and some pallidal GABAergic neurons undergo extensive postnatal diversification, whereas septal and most pallidal GABAergic neuronal types emerge simultaneously during the embryonic stage with limited postnatal diversification. Overall, the telencephalic GABAergic cell type taxonomy can serve as a foundational reference for molecular, structural and functional studies of cell types and circuits by the entire community.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yuan Gao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Changkyu Lee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Scott Daniel
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tim Dolbeare
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Jessica Gloe
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeff Goldy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Windy Ho
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Mike Huang
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Beagan Nguy
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Lauren Kruse
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nick Dee
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lydia Ng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jack Waters
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | | | - Zizhen Yao
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Hongkui Zeng
- Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, WA, USA
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Xu H, Zhang T, Li L, Qu Y, Li L, Yan Y, Wu L, Yan C. Paeoniflorin exerts anti-PTSD effects in adult rats by modulating hippocampus and amygdala histone acetylation modifications in response to early life stress. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 396:111035. [PMID: 38703807 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.111035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) can cause long-term changes by epigenetic factors, especially histone acetylation modification, playing a crucial role, affect normal cognition, mood, and behavior, and increase susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood. It has been found that paeoniflorin (PF) can cross the blood-brain barrier to exert anti-PTSD effects on adult PTSD rats. However, whether PF can alleviate the harmful effects caused by ELS in adulthood has not yet been reported. Therefore, to explore the relationship between ELS and PTSD susceptibility in adulthood and its mechanism, in this study, SPS was used as a stressor of ELS, and the mathematical tool Z-normalization was employed as an evaluation criterion of behavioral resilience susceptibility. To investigate the regulatory mechanism of PF on histone acetylation in the hippocampus and amygdala of ELS rats in adulthood, using changes in HATs/HDACs as the entry point, meanwhile, the epigenetic marks (H3K9 and H4K12) in the key brain regions of ELS (hippocampus and amygdala) were evaluated, and the effects of PF on behavioral representation and PTSD susceptibility were observed. This study found that ELS lead to a series of PTSD-like behaviors in adulthood and caused imbalance of HATs/HDACs ratio in the hippocampus and amygdala, which confirms that ELS is an important risk factor for the development of PTSD in adulthood. In addition, paeoniflorin may improve ELS-induced PTSD-like behaviors and reduce the susceptibility of ELS rats to develop PTSD in adulthood by modulating the HATs/HDACs ratio in the hippocampus and amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanfang Xu
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
| | - Tiange Zhang
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
| | - Ling Li
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Yue Qu
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Lanxin Li
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Yuqi Yan
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China
| | - Lili Wu
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
| | - Can Yan
- Research Center of Basic Integrative Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, 510006, PR China.
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Wen Z, Pace-Schott EF, Lazar SW, Rosén J, Åhs F, Phelps EA, LeDoux JE, Milad MR. Distributed neural representations of conditioned threat in the human brain. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2231. [PMID: 38472184 PMCID: PMC10933283 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46508-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Detecting and responding to threat engages several neural nodes including the amygdala, hippocampus, insular cortex, and medial prefrontal cortices. Recent propositions call for the integration of more distributed neural nodes that process sensory and cognitive facets related to threat. Integrative, sensitive, and reproducible distributed neural decoders for the detection and response to threat and safety have yet to be established. We combine functional MRI data across varying threat conditioning and negative affect paradigms from 1465 participants with multivariate pattern analysis to investigate distributed neural representations of threat and safety. The trained decoders sensitively and specifically distinguish between threat and safety cues across multiple datasets. We further show that many neural nodes dynamically shift representations between threat and safety. Our results establish reproducible decoders that integrate neural circuits, merging the well-characterized 'threat circuit' with sensory and cognitive nodes, discriminating threat from safety regardless of experimental designs or data acquisition parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfu Wen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Edward F Pace-Schott
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Sara W Lazar
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Jörgen Rosén
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Åhs
- Department of Psychology and Social Work, Mid Sweden University, Östersund, Sweden
| | | | - Joseph E LeDoux
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science and Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Faillace Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.
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Lonnberg A, Logrip ML, Kuznetsov A. Mechanisms of alcohol influence on fear conditioning: a computational model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.30.573310. [PMID: 38260700 PMCID: PMC10802259 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.30.573310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
A connection between stress-related illnesses and alcohol use disorders is extensively documented. Fear conditioning is a standard procedure used to study stress learning and links it to the activation of amygdala circuitry. However, the connection between the changes in amygdala circuit and function induced by alcohol and fear conditioning is not well established. We introduce a computational model to test the mechanistic relationship between amygdala functional and circuit adaptations during fear conditioning and the impact of acute vs. repeated alcohol exposure. In accordance with experiments, both acute and prior repeated alcohol decreases speed and robustness of fear extinction in our simulations. The model predicts that, first, the delay in fear extinction in alcohol is mostly induced by greater activation of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) after fear acquisition due to alcohol-induced modulation of synaptic weights. Second, both acute and prior repeated alcohol shifts the amygdala network away from the robust extinction regime by inhibiting the activity in the central amygdala (CeA). Third, our model predicts that fear memories formed in acute or after chronic alcohol are more connected to the context. Thus, the model suggests how circuit changes induced by alcohol may affect fear behaviors and provides a framework for investigating the involvement of multiple neuromodulators in this neuroadaptive process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Lonnberg
- University of Evansville, Department of Mathematics, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Marian L. Logrip
- Indiana University-Purdue University, Department of Psychology, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Alexey Kuznetsov
- Indiana University-Purdue University, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Yao D, Chen Y, Chen G. The role of pain modulation pathway and related brain regions in pain. Rev Neurosci 2023; 34:899-914. [PMID: 37288945 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0037] [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: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a multifaceted process that encompasses unpleasant sensory and emotional experiences. The essence of the pain process is aversion, or perceived negative emotion. Central sensitization plays a significant role in initiating and perpetuating of chronic pain. Melzack proposed the concept of the "pain matrix", in which brain regions associated with pain form an interconnected network, rather than being controlled by a singular brain region. This review aims to investigate distinct brain regions involved in pain and their interconnections. In addition, it also sheds light on the reciprocal connectivity between the ascending and descending pathways that participate in pain modulation. We review the involvement of various brain areas during pain and focus on understanding the connections among them, which can contribute to a better understanding of pain mechanisms and provide opportunities for further research on therapies for improved pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Yeru Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
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Kaplan GB, Thompson BL. Neuroplasticity of the extended amygdala in opioid withdrawal and prolonged opioid abstinence. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1253736. [PMID: 38044942 PMCID: PMC10690374 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1253736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder is characterized by excessive use of opioids, inability to control its use, a withdrawal syndrome upon discontinuation of opioids, and long-term likelihood of relapse. The behavioral stages of opioid addiction correspond with affective experiences that characterize the opponent process view of motivation. In this framework, active involvement is accompanied by positive affective experiences which gives rise to "reward craving," whereas the opponent process, abstinence, is associated with the negative affective experiences that produce "relief craving." Relief craving develops along with a hypersensitization to the negatively reinforcing aspects of withdrawal during abstinence from opioids. These negative affective experiences are hypothesized to stem from neuroadaptations to a network of affective processing called the "extended amygdala." This negative valence network includes the three core structures of the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), and the nucleus accumbens shell (NAc shell), in addition to major inputs from the basolateral amygdala (BLA). To better understand the major components of this system, we have reviewed their functions, inputs and outputs, along with the associated neural plasticity in animal models of opioid withdrawal. These models demonstrate the somatic, motivational, affective, and learning related models of opioid withdrawal and abstinence. Neuroadaptations in these stress and motivational systems are accompanied by negative affective and aversive experiences that commonly give rise to relapse. CeA neuroplasticity accounts for many of the aversive and fear-related effects of opioid withdrawal via glutamatergic plasticity and changes to corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF)-containing neurons. Neuroadaptations in BNST pre-and post-synaptic GABA-containing neurons, as well as their noradrenergic modulation, may be responsible for a variety of aversive affective experiences and maladaptive behaviors. Opioid withdrawal yields a hypodopaminergic and amotivational state and results in neuroadaptive increases in excitability of the NAc shell, both of which are associated with increased vulnerability to relapse. Finally, BLA transmission to hippocampal and cortical regions impacts the perception of conditioned aversive effects of opioid withdrawal by higher executive systems. The prevention or reversal of these varied neuroadaptations in the extended amygdala during opioid withdrawal could lead to promising new interventions for this life-threatening condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary B Kaplan
- Mental Health Service, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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Raeder R, Clayton NS, Boeckle M. Narrative-based autobiographical memory interventions for PTSD: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1215225. [PMID: 37829075 PMCID: PMC10565228 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1215225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy of narrative-based interventions (NBIs) for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Investigating the efficacy of NBIs should yield insight on autobiographical memory (AM) phenomena implicated in PTSD onset and recovery, leading to improved intervention protocols. Furthermore, by analyzing how NBIs influence maladaptive AM distortions, we hope to shed light on the theorized narrative architecture of AM more generally. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted according to PRISMA and Cochrane guidelines in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and PubMed. Additional studies were then also identified from the reference lists of other relevant literature and considered for inclusion. Studies were then evaluated for adherence to the inclusion/exclusion criteria and assessed for risk of bias. Various meta-analyses were performed on included studies to understand how NBIs may or may not influence the overall effect size of treatment. Results The results of the meta-analysis of 35 studies, involving 2,596 participants, suggest that NBIs are a viable and effective treatment option for PTSD, yielding a statistically significant within-group effect size and decrease in PTSD symptomatology at both post-treatment [g = 1.73, 95% CI (1.23-2.22)] and 3-9 month follow-up assessments [g = 2.33, 95% CI (1.41-3.26)]. Furthermore, the difference in effect sizes between NBIs compared to active and waitlist controls was statistically significant, suggesting that NBIs are superior. Sub-analyses showed that NET provided a stronger effect size than FORNET, which may be due to the nature of the traumatic event itself and not the treatment protocol. While evidence of small study and publication bias was present, a weight-function model and trim-and-fill method suggested it was not influencing the overall results. Discussion This meta-analysis presents strong evidence supporting the use of NBIs in the treatment of PTSD. Clear similarities can be identified between NBIs included in this analysis that make them distinct from non-NBI interventions, which are reviewed in the discussion. Controlled comparisons between NBIs and non-NBIs would help to further understand AM mechanisms of action implicated in recovery and how various interventions facilitate them. Future research should also aim to elucidate the full range of AM impairment in individuals with PTSD to gain insight on how other memory capabilities, such as the ability to mentally simulate the future, are implicated in the pathogenesis of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Raeder
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola S. Clayton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Markus Boeckle
- Scientific Working Group, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, Krems, Austria
- Department of Transitory Psychiatry, University Hospital Tulln, Tulln, Austria
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Sepahvand T, Power KD, Qin T, Yuan Q. The Basolateral Amygdala: The Core of a Network for Threat Conditioning, Extinction, and Second-Order Threat Conditioning. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1274. [PMID: 37886984 PMCID: PMC10604397 DOI: 10.3390/biology12101274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Threat conditioning, extinction, and second-order threat conditioning studied in animal models provide insight into the brain-based mechanisms of fear- and anxiety-related disorders and their treatment. Much attention has been paid to the role of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) in such processes, an overview of which is presented in this review. More recent evidence suggests that the BLA serves as the core of a greater network of structures in these forms of learning, including associative and sensory cortices. The BLA is importantly regulated by hippocampal and prefrontal inputs, as well as by the catecholaminergic neuromodulators, norepinephrine and dopamine, that may provide important prediction-error or learning signals for these forms of learning. The sensory cortices may be required for the long-term storage of threat memories. As such, future research may further investigate the potential of the sensory cortices for the long-term storage of extinction and second-order conditioning memories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Qi Yuan
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, St John’s, NL A1B 3V6, Canada; (T.S.); (K.D.P.); (T.Q.)
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Haris EM, Bryant RA, Williamson T, Korgaonkar MS. Functional connectivity of amygdala subnuclei in PTSD: a narrative review. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3581-3594. [PMID: 37845498 PMCID: PMC10730419 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02291-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
While the amygdala is often implicated in the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the pattern of results remains mixed. One reason for this may be the heterogeneity of amygdala subnuclei and their functional connections. This review used PRISMA guidelines to synthesize research exploring the functional connectivity of three primary amygdala subnuclei, basolateral (BLA), centromedial (CMA), and superficial nuclei (SFA), in PTSD (N = 331) relative to trauma-exposed (N = 155) and non-trauma-exposed controls (N = 210). Although studies were limited (N = 11), preliminary evidence suggests that in PTSD compared to trauma-exposed controls, the BLA shows greater connectivity with the dorsal anterior cingulate, an area involved in salience detection. In PTSD compared to non-trauma-exposed controls, the BLA shows greater connectivity with the middle frontal gyrus, an area involved in attention. No other connections were replicated across studies. A secondary aim of this review was to outline the limitations of this field to better shape future research. Importantly, the results from this review indicate the need to consider potential mediators of amygdala subnuclei connectivity, such as trauma type and sex, when conducting such studies. They also highlight the need to be aware of the limited inferences we can make with such small samples that investigate small subcortical structures on low field strength magnetic resonance imaging scanners. Collectively, this review demonstrates the importance of exploring the differential connectivity of amygdala subnuclei to understand the pathophysiology of PTSD and stresses the need for future research to harness the strength of ultra-high field imaging to gain a more sensitive picture of the neural connectivity underlying PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M Haris
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
| | - Richard A Bryant
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas Williamson
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Mayuresh S Korgaonkar
- Brain Dynamics Centre, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
- Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
- Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, Australia.
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Peay DN, Acuna A, Reynolds CM, Willis C, Takalkar R, Bryce Ortiz J, Conrad CD. Chronic stress leads to persistent and contrasting stellate neuron dendritic hypertrophy in the amygdala of male and female rats, an effect not found in the hippocampus. Neurosci Lett 2023; 812:137403. [PMID: 37473795 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137403] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
In males, chronic stress enhances dendritic complexity in the amygdala, a region important in emotion regulation. An amygdalar subregion, the basolateral amygdala (BLA), is influenced by the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex to coordinate emotional learning and memory. This study quantified changes in dendritic complexity of BLA stellate neurons ten days after an unpredictable chronic stressor ended in both male and female rats. In addition, dendritic complexity of hippocampal neurons in male rats was assessed at a similar timepoint. Following Golgi processing, stressed male and female rats showed enhanced BLA dendritic complexity; increased arborization occurred near the soma in males and distally in females. As the brain was sampled ten days after chronic stress ended, BLA dendritic hypertrophy persisted in both sexes after the stressor had ended. For the hippocampus, CA3 dendritic complexity was similar for control and stressed males when assessed eight days after stress ended, suggesting that any stress-induced changes had resolved. These results show persistent enhancement of BLA dendritic arborization in both sexes following chronic stress, reveal sex differences in how BLA hypertrophy manifests, and suggest a putative neurobiological substrate by which chronic stress may create a vulnerable phenotype for emotional dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan N Peay
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States
| | - Amanda Acuna
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States
| | - Cindy M Reynolds
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States
| | - Chris Willis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States
| | - Rujuta Takalkar
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States
| | - J Bryce Ortiz
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States
| | - Cheryl D Conrad
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-1104, United States.
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Stopyra MA, Simon JJ, Rheude C, Nikendei C. Pathophysiological aspects of complex PTSD - a neurobiological account in comparison to classic posttraumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. Rev Neurosci 2023; 34:103-128. [PMID: 35938987 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2022-0014] [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: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite a great diagnostic overlap, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) has been recognised by the ICD-11 as a new, discrete entity and recent empirical evidence points towards a distinction from simple posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD). The development and maintenance of these disorders is sustained by neurobiological alterations and studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may further contribute to a clear differentiation of CPTSD, PTSD and BPD. However, there are no existing fMRI studies directly comparing CPTSD, PTSD and BPD. In addition to a summarization of diagnostic differences and similarities, the current review aims to provide a qualitative comparison of neuroimaging findings on affective, attentional and memory processing in CPTSD, PTSD and BPD. Our narrative review alludes to an imbalance in limbic-frontal brain networks, which may be partially trans-diagnostically linked to the degree of trauma symptoms and their expression. Thus, CPTSD, PTSD and BPD may underlie a continuum where similar brain regions are involved but the direction of activation may constitute its distinct symptom expression. The neuronal alterations across these disorders may conceivably be better understood along a symptom-based continuum underlying CPTSD, PTSD and BPD. Further research is needed to amend for the heterogeneity in experimental paradigms and sample criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion A Stopyra
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Joe J Simon
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christiane Rheude
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christoph Nikendei
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, Centre for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Asede D, Doddapaneni D, Bolton MM. Amygdala Intercalated Cells: Gate Keepers and Conveyors of Internal State to the Circuits of Emotion. J Neurosci 2022; 42:9098-9109. [PMID: 36639901 PMCID: PMC9761677 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1176-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Generating adaptive behavioral responses to emotionally salient stimuli requires evaluation of complex associations between multiple sensations, the surrounding context, and current internal state. Neural circuits within the amygdala parse this emotional information, undergo synaptic plasticity to reflect learned associations, and evoke appropriate responses through their projections to the brain regions orchestrating these behaviors. Information flow within the amygdala is regulated by the intercalated cells (ITCs), which are densely packed clusters of GABAergic neurons that encircle the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and provide contextually relevant feedforward inhibition of amygdala nuclei, including the central and BLA. Emerging studies have begun to delineate the unique contribution of each ITC cluster and establish ITCs as key loci of plasticity in emotional learning. In this review, we summarize the known connectivity and function of individual ITC clusters and explore how different neuromodulators conveying internal state act via ITC gates to shape emotionally motivated behavior. We propose that the behavioral state-dependent function of ITCs, their unique genetic profile, and rich expression of neuromodulator receptors make them potential therapeutic targets for disorders, such as anxiety, schizophrenia spectrum, and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Asede
- Disorders of Neural Circuit Function, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, Florida 33458
| | - Divyesh Doddapaneni
- Disorders of Neural Circuit Function, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, Florida 33458
| | - M McLean Bolton
- Disorders of Neural Circuit Function, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, Florida 33458
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13
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Hippocampal and amygdalar increased BDNF expression in the extinction of opioid-induced place preference. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 13:402-409. [PMID: 36275846 PMCID: PMC9580243 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The opioid crisis was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States with alarming statistics about overdose-related deaths. Current treatment options, such as medication assisted treatments, have been unable to prevent relapse in many patients, whereas cue-based exposure therapy have had mixed results in human trials. To improve patient outcomes, it is imperative to develop animal models of addiction to understand molecular mechanisms and identify potential therapeutic targets. We previously found increased brain derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) transcript in the ventral striatum/nucleus accumbens (VS/NAc) of rats that extinguished morphine-induced place preference. Here, we expand our study to determine whether BDNF protein expression was modulated in mesolimbic brain regions of the reward system in animals exposed to extinction training. Drug conditioning and extinction sessions were followed by Western blots for BDNF in the hippocampus (HPC), amygdala (AMY) and VS/NAc. Rears, as a measure of withdrawal-induced anxiety were also measured to determine their impact on extinction. Results showed that animals who received extinction training and successfully extinguished morphine CPP significantly increased BDNF in the HPC when compared to animals deprived of extinction training (sham-extinction). This increase was not significant in animals who failed to extinguish (extinction-resistant). In AMY, all extinction-trained animals showed increased BDNF, regardless of behavior phenotype. No BDNF modulation was observed in the VS/NAc. Finally, extinction-trained animals showed no difference in rears regardless of extinction outcome, suggesting that anxiety elicited by drug withdrawal did not significantly impact extinction of morphine CPP. Our results suggest that BDNF expression in brain regions of the mesolimbic reward system could play a key role in extinction of opioid-induced maladaptive behaviors and represents a potential therapeutic target for future combined pharmacological and extinction-based therapies.
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14
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Environmental enrichment mitigates PTSD-like behaviors in adult male rats exposed to early life stress by regulating histone acetylation in the hippocampus and amygdala. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 155:120-136. [PMID: 36029624 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.07.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) can cause long-term changes in gene expression, affect cognition, mood, and behavior, and increase susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood, in which the histone acetylation plays a crucial role. Studies have found that environmental enrichment (EE) mitigated the unfavorable outcomes of ELS. However, the underlying mechanism of the histone acetylation is not yet completely clear. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of EE on the histone acetylation after ELS. In this study, using single prolonged stress (SPS) paradigm in early adolescent rats explored the long-term effects of ELS on behavior, the activity of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs), as well as the acetylation levels of the lysine 9 site of histone H3 (H3K9) and lysine 12 site of histone H4 (H4K12) in the hippocampus and amygdala. Meanwhile, the protective effects of EE intervention were examined. We found that adult male rats exposed to ELS showed behavioral changes, including reduced locomotor activity, increased anxiety-like behaviors, impaired spatial learning and memory, enhanced contextual and cued fear memory, and the HATs/HDACs ratio and acetyl H3K9 (Ac-H3K9) and acetyl H4K12 (Ac-H4K12) were increased in the hippocampus and decreased in the amygdala. Furthermore, EE attenuated the behavioral abnormalities from ELS, possibly through down-regulating the activity of HATs in the hippocampus and up-regulating HDACs activities in the amygdala. These finding suggested that EE could ameliorate ELS-induced PTSD-like behaviors by regulating histone acetylation in the hippocampus and amygdala, reducing the susceptibility to PTSD in adulthood.
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15
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Wen Z, Fried J, Pace-Schott EF, Lazar SW, Milad MR. Revisiting sex differences in the acquisition and extinction of threat conditioning in humans. Learn Mem 2022; 29:274-282. [PMID: 36206388 PMCID: PMC9488021 DOI: 10.1101/lm.053521.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Findings pertaining to sex differences in the acquisition and extinction of threat conditioning, a paradigm widely used to study emotional homeostasis, remain inconsistent, particularly in humans. This inconsistency is likely due to multiple factors, one of which is sample size. Here, we pooled functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and skin conductance response (SCR) data from multiple studies in healthy humans to examine sex differences during threat conditioning, extinction learning, and extinction memory recall. We observed increased functional activation in males, relative to females, in multiple parietal and frontal (medial and lateral) cortical regions during acquisition of threat conditioning and extinction learning. Females mainly exhibited higher amygdala activation during extinction memory recall to the extinguished conditioned stimulus and also while responding to the unconditioned stimulus (presentation of the shock) during threat conditioning. Whole-brain functional connectivity analyses revealed that females showed increased connectivity across multiple networks including visual, ventral attention, and somatomotor networks during late extinction learning. At the psychophysiological level, a sex difference was only observed during shock delivery, with males exhibiting higher unconditioned responses relative to females. Our findings point to minimal to no sex differences in the expression of conditioned responses during acquisition and extinction of such responses. Functional MRI findings, however, show some distinct functional activations and connectivities between the sexes. These data suggest that males and females might use different neural mechanisms, mainly related to cognitive processing, to achieve comparable levels of acquired conditioned responses to threating cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfu Wen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Jamie Fried
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
| | - Edward F Pace-Schott
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA
| | - Sara W Lazar
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02114, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA
| | - Mohammed R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
- The Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA
- Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, New York 10962, USA
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16
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McEvoy PM, Hyett MP, Johnson AR, Erceg-Hurn DM, Clarke PJF, Kyron MJ, Bank SR, Haseler L, Saulsman LM, Moulds ML, Grisham JR, Holmes EA, Moscovitch DA, Lipp OV, Rapee RM. Impacts of imagery-enhanced versus verbally-based cognitive behavioral group therapy on psychophysiological parameters in social anxiety disorder: Results from a randomized-controlled trial. Behav Res Ther 2022; 155:104131. [PMID: 35696837 DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104131] [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: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is associated with marked physiological reactivity in social-evaluative situations. However, objective measurement of biomarkers is rarely evaluated in treatment trials, despite potential utility in clarifying disorder-specific physiological correlates. This randomized controlled trial sought to examine the differential impact of imagery-enhanced vs. verbal-based cognitive behavioral group therapy (IE-CBGT, n = 53; VB-CBGT, n = 54) on biomarkers of emotion regulation and arousal during social stress in people with SAD (pre- and post-treatment differences in heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance). We acquired psychophysiological data from randomized participants across four social stress test phases (baseline, speech preparation, speech, interaction) at pre-treatment, and 1- and 6-months post-treatment. Analyses revealed that IE-CBGT selectively attenuated heart rate as indexed by increases in median heart rate interval (median-RR) compared to VB-CBGT at post-treatment, whereas one HRV index showed a larger increase in the VB-CBGT condition before but not after controlling for median-RR. Other psychophysiological indices did not differ between conditions. Lower sympathetic arousal in the IE-CBGT condition may have obviated the need for parasympathetic downregulation, whereas the opposite was true for VB-CBGT. These findings provide preliminary insights into the impact of imagery-enhanced and verbally-based psychotherapy for SAD on emotion regulation biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M McEvoy
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Centre for Clinical Interventions, Perth, WA, Australia.
| | - Matthew P Hyett
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Andrew R Johnson
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - David M Erceg-Hurn
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Centre for Clinical Interventions, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Patrick J F Clarke
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Michael J Kyron
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Samantha R Bank
- Discipline of Psychology, School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia; Centre for Clinical Interventions, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Luke Haseler
- School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Lisa M Saulsman
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Michelle L Moulds
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica R Grisham
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emily A Holmes
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David A Moscovitch
- Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Ottmar V Lipp
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ronald M Rapee
- Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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17
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Anxiety-like Behavior and GABAAR/BDZ Binding Site Response to Progesterone Withdrawal in a Stress-Vulnerable Strain, the Wistar Kyoto Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137259. [PMID: 35806264 PMCID: PMC9266311 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137259] [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: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress susceptibility could play a role in developing premenstrual anxiety due to abnormalities in the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and impairments in the GABAA receptors’ benzodiazepine (BDZ) site. Hence, we studied the stress-vulnerable Wistar Kyoto rat strain (WKY) to evaluate progesterone withdrawal (PW) effects on anxiety, HPA axis response, and to explore indicators of GABAA functionality in the BDZ site. For five days, ovariectomized WKY rats were administered 2.0 mg/kg of progesterone. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, rats were tested in the anxiety-like burying behavior test (BBT) or elevated plus maze test (EPM), and corticosterone was determined. [3H]Flunitrazepam binding autoradiography served as the BDZ binding site index of the GABAA receptor in amygdala nuclei and hippocampus’s dentate gyrus (DG). Finally, different doses of diazepam in PW-WKY rats were tested in the BBT. PW induced anxiety-like behaviors in both BBT and EPM compared with No-PW rats. PW increased corticosterone, but was blunted when combined with PW and BBT. PW increased [3H]Flunitrazepam binding in the DG and central amygdala compared with No-PW rats. Diazepam at a low dose induced an anxiogenic-like response in PW rats, suggesting a paradoxical response to benzodiazepines. Overall, PW induced anxiety-like behavior, a blunted HPA axis response, and higher GABAAR/BZD binding site sensitivity in a stress-vulnerable rat strain. These findings demonstrate the role of stress-susceptibility in GABAAR functionality in a preclinical approximation of PMDD.
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18
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Du J, Diao H, Zhou X, Zhang C, Chen Y, Gao Y, Wang Y. Post-traumatic stress disorder: a psychiatric disorder requiring urgent attention. MEDICAL REVIEW (BERLIN, GERMANY) 2022; 2:219-243. [PMID: 37724188 PMCID: PMC10388753 DOI: 10.1515/mr-2022-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe and heterogenous psychiatric disorder that was first defined as a mental disorder in 1980. Currently, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases 11th Edition (ICD-11) offer the most widely accepted diagnostic guidelines for PTSD. In both diagnostic categories, experiencing a traumatic event (TE) is the necessary criterion for diagnosing PTSD. The TEs described in the DSM-5 include actual or threatened death, serious injury, sexual violence, and other extreme stressors, either directly or indirectly. More than 70% of adults worldwide are exposed to a TE at least once in their lifetime, and approximately 10% of individuals develop PTSD after experiencing a TE. The important features of PTSD are intrusion or re-experiencing fear memories, pervasive sense of threat, active avoidance, hyperarousal symptoms, and negative alterations of cognition and mood. Individuals with PTSD have high comorbidities with other psychiatric diseases, including major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and substance use disorder. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the pathophysiology of PTSD is complex, involving abnormal neural circuits, molecular mechanisms, and genetic mechanisms. A combination of both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy is used to treat PTSD, but has limited efficacy in patients with refractory PTSD. Because of the high prevalence, heavy burden, and limited treatments, PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that requires urgent attention. In this review, we summarize and discuss the diagnosis, prevalence, TEs, pathophysiology, and treatments of PTSD and draw attention to its prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Du
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huapeng Diao
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Zhou
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunkui Zhang
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yifei Chen
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Gao
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yizheng Wang
- The Brain Science Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
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19
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Hernandez CM, Jackson NL, Hernandez AR, McMahon LL. Impairments in Fear Extinction Memory and Basolateral Amygdala Plasticity in the TgF344-AD Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease Are Distinct from Nonpathological Aging. eNeuro 2022; 9:ENEURO.0181-22.2022. [PMID: 35998297 PMCID: PMC9239848 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0181-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear-based disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) steepen age-related cognitive decline and double the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). Because of the seemingly hyperactive properties of fear memories, PTSD symptoms can worsen with age. Perturbations in the synaptic circuitry supporting fear memory extinction are key neural substrates of PTSD. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a medial temporal lobe structure that is critical in the encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of fear memories. As little is known about fear extinction memory and BLA synaptic dysfunction within the context of aging and AD, the goal of this study was to investigate how fear extinction memory deficits and basal amygdaloid nucleus (BA) synaptic dysfunction differentially associate in nonpathologic aging and AD in the TgF344AD (TgAD) rat model of AD. Young, middle-aged, and older-aged WT and TgAD rats were trained on a delay fear conditioning and extinction procedure before ex vivo extracellular field potential recording experiments in the BA. Relative to young WT rats, long-term extinction memory was impaired, and in general, was associated with a hyperexcitable BA and impaired LTP in TgAD rats at all ages. In contrast, long-term extinction memory was impaired in aged WT rats and was associated with impaired LTP but not BA hyperexcitability. Interestingly, the middle-aged TgAD rats showed intact short-term extinction and BA LTP, which is suggestive of a compensatory mechanism, whereas differential neural recruitment in older-aged WT rats may have facilitated short-term extinction. As such, associations between fear extinction memory and amygdala deficits in nonpathologic aging and AD are dissociable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caesar M Hernandez
- Department of Cellular, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0006
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
| | - Nateka L Jackson
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
| | - Abbi R Hernandez
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
| | - Lori L McMahon
- Department of Cellular, Developmental, and Integrative Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0006
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2182
- Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
- Integrative Center for Aging Research, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294
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20
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Urrutia-Piñones J, Morales-Moraga C, Sanguinetti-González N, Escobar AP, Chiu CQ. Long-Range GABAergic Projections of Cortical Origin in Brain Function. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:841869. [PMID: 35392440 PMCID: PMC8981584 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.841869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of long-range GABAergic projections has traditionally been focused on those with subcortical origin. In the last few years, cortical GABAergic neurons have been shown to not only mediate local inhibition, but also extend long-range axons to remote cortical and subcortical areas. In this review, we delineate the different types of long-range GABAergic neurons (LRGNs) that have been reported to arise from the hippocampus and neocortex, paying attention to the anatomical and functional circuits they form to understand their role in behavior. Although cortical LRGNs are similar to their interneuron and subcortical counterparts, they comprise distinct populations that show specific patterns of cortico-cortical and cortico-fugal connectivity. Functionally, cortical LRGNs likely induce timed disinhibition in target regions to synchronize network activity. Thus, LRGNs are emerging as a new element of cortical output, acting in concert with long-range excitatory projections to shape brain function in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Urrutia-Piñones
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Camila Morales-Moraga
- Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Nicole Sanguinetti-González
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Angelica P. Escobar
- Instituto de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Neurobiología y Fisiopatología Integrativa, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Chiayu Q. Chiu
- Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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21
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Gastrin-releasing peptide regulates fear learning under stressed conditions via activation of the amygdalostriatal transition area. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:1694-1703. [PMID: 34997193 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01408-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala, a critical brain region responsible for emotional behavior, is crucially involved in the regulation of the effects of stress on emotional behavior. In the mammalian forebrain, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), a 27-amino-acid mammalian neuropeptide, which is a homolog of the 14-amino-acid amidated amphibian peptide bombesin, is highly expressed in the amygdala. The levels of GRP are markedly increased in the amygdala after acute stress; therefore, it is known as a stress-activated modulator. To determine the role of GRP in emotional behavior under stress, we conducted some behavioral and biochemical experiments with GRP-knockout (KO) mice. GRP-KO mice exhibited a longer freezing response than wild-type (WT) littermates in both contextual and auditory fear (also known as threat) conditioning tests only when they were subjected to acute restraint stress 20 min before the conditioning. To identify the critical neural circuits associated with the regulation of emotional memory by GRP, we conducted Arc/Arg3.1-reporter mapping in the amygdala with an Arc-Venus reporter transgenic mouse line. In the amygdalostriatal transition area (AST) and the lateral side of the basal nuclei, fear conditioning after restraint stress increased neuronal activity significantly in WT mice, and GRP KO was found to negate this potentiation only in the AST. These results indicate that the GRP-activated neurons in the AST are likely to suppress excessive fear expression through the regulation of downstream circuits related to fear learning following acute stress.
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22
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Massaly N, Markovic T, Creed M, Al-Hasani R, Cahill CM, Moron JA. Pain, negative affective states and opioid-based analgesics: Safer pain therapies to dampen addiction. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2022; 157:31-68. [PMID: 33648672 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Across centuries and civilizations opioids have been used to relieve pain. In our modern societies, opioid-based analgesics remain one of the most efficient treatments for acute pain. However, the long-term use of opioids can lead to the development of analgesic tolerance, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, opioid use disorders, and overdose, which can ultimately produce respiratory depressant effects with fatal consequences. In addition to the nociceptive sensory component of pain, negative affective states arising from persistent pain represent a risk factor for developing an opioid use disorder. Several studies have indicated that the increase in prescribed opioid analgesics since the 1990s represents the root of our current opioid epidemic. In this review, we will present our current knowledge on the endogenous opioid system within the pain neuroaxis and the plastic changes occurring in this system that may underlie the occurrence of pain-induced negative affect leading to misuse and abuse of opioid medications. Dissecting the allostatic neuronal changes occurring during pain is the most promising avenue to uncover novel targets for the development of safer pain medications. We will discuss this along with current and potential approaches to treat pain-induced negative affective states that lead to drug misuse. Moreover, this chapter will provide a discussion on potential avenues to reduce the abuse potential of new analgesic drugs and highlight a basis for future research and drug development based on recent advances in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Massaly
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
| | - Tamara Markovic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Meaghan Creed
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Ream Al-Hasani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, United States; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Catherine M Cahill
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioural Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Shirley and Stefan Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Jose A Moron
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, Pain Center, St. Louis, MO, United States; Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
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Murkar A, De Koninck J, Merali Z. Cannabinoids: Revealing their complexity and role in central networks of fear and anxiety. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:30-46. [PMID: 34487746 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The first aim of the present review is to provide an in-depth description of the cannabinoids and their known effects at various neuronal receptors. It reveals that cannabinoids are highly diverse, and recent work has highlighted that their effects on the central nervous system (CNS) are surprisingly more complex than previously recognized. Cannabinoid-sensitive receptors are widely distributed throughout the CNS where they act as primary modulators of neurotransmission. Secondly, we examine the role of cannabinoid receptors at key brain sites in the control of fear and anxiety. While our understanding of how cannabinoids specifically modulate these networks is mired by their complex interactions and diversity, a plausible framework(s) for their effects is proposed. Finally, we highlight some important knowledge gaps in our understanding of the mechanism(s) responsible for their effects on fear and anxiety in animal models and their use as therapeutic targets in humans. This is particularly important for our understanding of the phytocannabinoids used as novel clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Murkar
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR), Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
| | - Joseph De Koninck
- University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR), Ottawa, ON, Canada; School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Zul Merali
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya; Carleton University, Neuroscience Department, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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CPEB3-dowregulated Nr3c1 mRNA translation confers resilience to developing posttraumatic stress disorder-like behavior in fear-conditioned mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1669-1679. [PMID: 33941859 PMCID: PMC8280193 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01017-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Susceptibility or resilience to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) depends on one's ability to appropriately adjust synaptic plasticity for coping with the traumatic experience. Activity-regulated mRNA translation synthesizes plasticity-related proteins to support long-term synaptic changes and memory. Hence, cytoplasmic polyadenylation element-binding protein 3-knockout (CPEB3-KO) mice, showing dysregulated translation-associated synaptic rigidity, may be susceptible to PTSD-like behavior. Here, using a context-dependent auditory fear conditioning and extinction paradigm, we found that CPEB3-KO mice exhibited traumatic intensity-dependent PTSD-like fear memory. A genome-wide screen of CPEB3-bound transcripts revealed that Nr3c1, encoding glucocorticoid receptor (GR), was translationally suppressed by CPEB3. Thus, CPEB3-KO neurons with elevated GR expression exhibited increased corticosterone-induced calcium influx and decreased mRNA and protein levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf). Moreover, the reduced expression of BDNF was associated with increased GR level during fear extinction in CPEB3-KO hippocampi. Intracerebroventricular delivery of BDNF before extinction training mitigated spontaneous fear intrusion in CPEB3-KO mice during extinction recall. Analysis of two GEO datasets revealed decreased transcriptomic expression of CPEB3 but not NR3C1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of humans with PTSD. Collectively, this study reveals that CPEB3, as a potential PTSD-risk gene, downregulates Nr3c1 translation to maintain proper GR-BDNF signaling for fear extinction.
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K v1.1 channels mediate network excitability and feed-forward inhibition in local amygdala circuits. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15180. [PMID: 34312446 PMCID: PMC8313690 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94633-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Kv1.1 containing potassium channels play crucial roles towards dampening neuronal excitability. Mice lacking Kv1.1 subunits (Kcna1−/−) display recurrent spontaneous seizures and often exhibit sudden unexpected death. Seizures in Kcna1−/− mice resemble those in well-characterized models of temporal lobe epilepsy known to involve limbic brain regions and spontaneous seizures result in enhanced cFos expression and neuronal death in the amygdala. Yet, the functional alterations leading to amygdala hyperexcitability have not been identified. In this study, we used Kcna1−/− mice to examine the contributions of Kv1.1 subunits to excitability in neuronal subtypes from basolateral (BLA) and central lateral (CeL) amygdala known to exhibit distinct firing patterns. We also analyzed synaptic transmission properties in an amygdala local circuit predicted to be involved in epilepsy-related comorbidities. Our data implicate Kv1.1 subunits in controlling spontaneous excitatory synaptic activity in BLA pyramidal neurons. In the CeL, Kv1.1 loss enhances intrinsic excitability and impairs inhibitory synaptic transmission, notably resulting in dysfunction of feed-forward inhibition, a critical mechanism for controlling spike timing. Overall, we find inhibitory control of CeL interneurons is reduced in Kcna1−/− mice suggesting that basal inhibitory network functioning is less able to prevent recurrent hyperexcitation related to seizures.
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26
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Tsushima H, Zhang Y, Muratsubaki T, Kanazawa M, Fukudo S. Oxytocin antagonist induced visceral pain and corticotropin-releasing hormone neuronal activation in the central nucleus of the amygdala during colorectal distention in mice. Neurosci Res 2021; 168:41-53. [PMID: 33932549 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Activation of neurons containing oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) during colorectal distention (CRD) is likely to play a crucial role in animal models of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Earlier studies in rodents showed that the microbiome is involved in social behavior via oxytocin expression in the brain. However, the detailed mechanism of visceral sensation and oxytocin is largely unknown. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) that oxytocin neurons in the PVN are activated by CRD, and (2) that the activation of oxytocin neurons by CRD is related to anxiety-like behavior, visceral perception, and an activation of CRH CeA neurons or ACC neurons. Oxytocin antagonist caused visceral hypersensitivity and anxiety-like behavior. In the PVN, oxytocin neurons were activated by CRD. Noxious CRD activated the CeA, basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA), and ACC. High-dose oxytocin antagonist suppressed ACC activity and activated CRH CeA neurons. These results support our hypotheses. Oxytocin likely regulates CRH CeA neurons in an inhibitory manner and the ACC in an excitatory manner. Further research into the interaction of oxytocin and CRH in visceral pain and anxiety is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiromichi Tsushima
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Yanli Zhang
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Gastroenterology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tomohiko Muratsubaki
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Motoyori Kanazawa
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan
| | - Shin Fukudo
- Department of Behavioral Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
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27
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Rajbhandari AK, Octeau CJ, Gonzalez S, Pennington ZT, Mohamed F, Trott J, Chavez J, Ngyuen E, Keces N, Hong WZ, Neve RL, Waschek J, Khakh BS, Fanselow MS. A Basomedial Amygdala to Intercalated Cells Microcircuit Expressing PACAP and Its Receptor PAC1 Regulates Contextual Fear. J Neurosci 2021; 41:3446-3461. [PMID: 33637560 PMCID: PMC8051692 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2564-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Trauma can cause dysfunctional fear regulation leading some people to develop disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The amygdala regulates fear, whereas PACAP (pituitary adenylate activating peptide) and PAC1 receptors are linked to PTSD symptom severity at genetic/epigenetic levels, with a strong link in females with PTSD. We discovered a PACAPergic projection from the basomedial amygdala (BMA) to the medial intercalated cells (mICCs) in adult mice. In vivo optogenetic stimulation of this pathway increased CFOS expression in mICCs, decreased fear recall, and increased fear extinction. Selective deletion of PAC1 receptors from the mICCs in females reduced fear acquisition, but enhanced fear generalization and reduced fear extinction in males. Optogenetic stimulation of the BMA-mICC PACAPergic pathway produced EPSCs in mICC neurons, which were enhanced by the PAC1 receptor antagonist, PACAP 6-38. Our findings show that mICCs modulate contextual fear in a dynamic and sex-dependent manner via a microcircuit containing the BMA and mICCs, and in a manner that was dependent on behavioral state.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Traumatic stress can affect different aspects of fear behaviors, including fear learning, generalization of learned fear to novel contexts, how the fear of the original context is recalled, and how fear is reduced over time. While the amygdala has been studied for its role in regulation of different aspects of fear, the molecular circuitry of this structure is quite complex. In addition, aspects of fear can be modulated differently in males and females. Our findings show that a specific circuitry containing the neuropeptide PACAP and its receptor, PAC1, regulates various aspects of fear, including acquisition, generalization, recall, and extinction in a sexually dimorphic manner, characterizing a novel pathway that modulates traumatic fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abha K Rajbhandari
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Christopher J Octeau
- Department of Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Sarah Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Zachary T Pennington
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Farzanna Mohamed
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029
| | - Jeremy Trott
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Jasmine Chavez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Erin Ngyuen
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Natasha Keces
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Weizhe Z Hong
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, California 02114
| | - James Waschek
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
- Staglin Center for Brain and Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095
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28
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Krasne FB, Zinn R, Vissel B, Fanselow MS. Extinction and discrimination in a Bayesian model of context fear conditioning (BaconX). Hippocampus 2021; 31:790-814. [PMID: 33452843 PMCID: PMC8359206 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The extinction of contextual fear is commonly an essential requirement for successful exposure therapy for fear disorders. However, experimental work on extinction of contextual fear is limited, and there little or no directly relevant theoretical work. Here, we extend BACON, a neurocomputational model of context fear conditioning that provides plausible explanations for a number of aspects of context fear conditioning, to deal with extinction (calling the model BaconX). In this model, contextual representations are formed in the hippocampus and association of fear to them occurs in the amygdala. Representation creation, conditionability, and development of between‐session extinction are controlled by degree of confidence (assessed by the Bayesian weight of evidence) that an active contextual representation is in fact that of the current context (i.e., is “valid”). The model predicts that: (1) extinction which persists between sessions will occur only if at a sessions end there is high confidence that the active representation is valid. It follows that the shorter the context placement‐to‐US (shock) interval (“PSI”) and the less is therefore learned about context, the longer extinction sessions must be for enduring extinction to occur, while too short PSIs will preclude successful extinction. (2) Short‐PSI deficits can be rescued by contextual exposure even after conditioning has occurred. (3) Learning to discriminate well between a conditioned and similar safe context requires representations of each to form, which may not occur if PSI was too short. (4) Extinction‐causing inhibition must be applied downstream of the conditioning locus for reasonable generalization properties to be generated. (5) Context change tends to cause return of extinguished contextual fear. (6). Extinction carried out in the conditioning context generalizes better than extinction executed in contexts to which fear has generalized (as done in exposure therapy). (7) BaconX suggests novel approaches to exposure therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franklin B Krasne
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Raphael Zinn
- Centre for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Bryce Vissel
- Centre for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia.,St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael S Fanselow
- Department of Psychology and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Staglin Center for Brain and Behavioral Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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29
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Mollick JA, Hazy TE, Krueger KA, Nair A, Mackie P, Herd SA, O'Reilly RC. A systems-neuroscience model of phasic dopamine. Psychol Rev 2020; 127:972-1021. [PMID: 32525345 PMCID: PMC8453660 DOI: 10.1037/rev0000199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
We describe a neurobiologically informed computational model of phasic dopamine signaling to account for a wide range of findings, including many considered inconsistent with the simple reward prediction error (RPE) formalism. The central feature of this PVLV framework is a distinction between a primary value (PV) system for anticipating primary rewards (Unconditioned Stimuli [USs]), and a learned value (LV) system for learning about stimuli associated with such rewards (CSs). The LV system represents the amygdala, which drives phasic bursting in midbrain dopamine areas, while the PV system represents the ventral striatum, which drives shunting inhibition of dopamine for expected USs (via direct inhibitory projections) and phasic pausing for expected USs (via the lateral habenula). Our model accounts for data supporting the separability of these systems, including individual differences in CS-based (sign-tracking) versus US-based learning (goal-tracking). Both systems use competing opponent-processing pathways representing evidence for and against specific USs, which can explain data dissociating the processes involved in acquisition versus extinction conditioning. Further, opponent processing proved critical in accounting for the full range of conditioned inhibition phenomena, and the closely related paradigm of second-order conditioning. Finally, we show how additional separable pathways representing aversive USs, largely mirroring those for appetitive USs, also have important differences from the positive valence case, allowing the model to account for several important phenomena in aversive conditioning. Overall, accounting for all of these phenomena strongly constrains the model, thus providing a well-validated framework for understanding phasic dopamine signaling. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Mollick
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Thomas E Hazy
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Kai A Krueger
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Ananta Nair
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Prescott Mackie
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Seth A Herd
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
| | - Randall C O'Reilly
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder
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30
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Lo MC, Younk R, Widge AS. Paired Electrical Pulse Trains for Controlling Connectivity in Emotion-Related Brain Circuitry. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng 2020; 28:2721-2730. [PMID: 33048668 DOI: 10.1109/tnsre.2020.3030714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Neurostimulation therapies for psychiatric disorders often have limited clinical efficacy. The limited efficacy might arise from a mismatch between therapy and disease mechanisms. Mental disorders are believed to arise from communication breakdown in distributed brain circuits, and thus altering connectivity between brain regions might be an effective way to restore normal brain communication. Synchronized neural oscillations (coherence) and synaptic strength are two common measures of brain connectivity. In this work, we developed an electrical stimulation method for altering narrow-frequency-band (theta, 5-8 Hz) coherence and synaptic strength. We tested this method in a circuit between infralimbic cortex (IL) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), which is broadly implicated in fear regulation. 6 Hz pulse trains were delivered into IL and BLA with various inter-train lags. These paired trains induced long-lasting synaptic strength change and a brief coherence enhancement in the IL-BLA circuit. This enhancement was specific to the "top-down" (IL-to-BLA) direction, and only occurred when the IL and BLA pulse trains had a relative lag of 180° (83 ms). Since the IL-BLA connection is known to be highly relevant to fear regulation, this method provides a tool to study the relationship between brain connectivity and fear behaviors. Further, it may be a new approach to study the relative roles of synaptic strength and oscillatory synchrony in brain network communication.
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31
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Hallock HL, Quillian HM, Maynard KR, Mai Y, Chen HY, Hamersky GR, Shin JH, Maher BJ, Jaffe AE, Martinowich K. Molecularly Defined Hippocampal Inputs Regulate Population Dynamics in the Prelimbic Cortex to Suppress Context Fear Memory Retrieval. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:554-565. [PMID: 32560963 PMCID: PMC7487039 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Context fear memory dysregulation is a hallmark symptom of several neuropsychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. The hippocampus (HC) and prelimbic (PrL) subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex have been linked with context fear memory retrieval in rodents, but the mechanisms by which HC-PrL circuitry regulates this process remain poorly understood. METHODS Spatial and genetic targeting of HC-PrL circuitry was used for RNA sequencing (n = 31), chemogenetic stimulation (n = 44), in vivo calcium imaging (n = 20), ex vivo electrophysiology (n = 8), and molecular regulation of plasticity cascades during fear behavior (context fear retrieval) (n = 16). RESULTS We showed that ventral HC (vHC) neurons with projections to the PrL cortex (vHC-PrL projectors) are a transcriptomically distinct subpopulation compared with adjacent nonprojecting neurons, and we showed complementary enrichment for diverse neuronal processes and central nervous system-related clinical gene sets. We further showed that stimulation of this population of vHC-PrL projectors suppresses context fear memory retrieval and impairs the ability of PrL neurons to dynamically distinguish between distinct phases of fear learning. Using transgenic and circuit-specific molecular targeting approaches, we demonstrated that unique patterns of activity-dependent gene transcription associated with brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling within vHC-PrL projectors causally regulated activity in excitatory and inhibitory PrL neurons during context fear memory retrieval. CONCLUSIONS Together, our data show that activity-dependent brain-derived neurotrophic factor release from molecularly distinct vHC-PrL projection neurons modulates postsynaptic signaling in both inhibitory and excitatory PrL neurons, modifying activity in discrete populations of PrL neurons to suppress freezing during context fear memory retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yishan Mai
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | - Huei-Ying Chen
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Joo Heon Shin
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD
| | - Brady J. Maher
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Andrew E. Jaffe
- The Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD,Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD,Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD,Center for Computational Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD,McKusick-Nathans Institute for Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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32
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Abstract
The amygdala has emerged as an important brain area for the emotional-affective dimension of pain and pain modulation. The amygdala receives nociceptive information through direct and indirect routes. These excitatory inputs converge on the amygdala output region (central nucleus) and can be modulated by inhibitory elements that are the target of (prefrontal) cortical modulation. For example, inhibitory neurons in the intercalated cell mass in the amygdala project to the central nucleus to serve gating functions, and so do inhibitory (PKCdelta) interneurons within the central nucleus. In pain conditions, synaptic plasticity develops in output neurons because of an excitation-inhibition imbalance and drives pain-like behaviors and pain persistence. Mechanisms of pain related neuroplasticity in the amygdala include classical transmitters, neuropeptides, biogenic amines, and various signaling pathways. An emerging concept is that differences in amygdala activity are associated with phenotypic differences in pain vulnerability and resilience and may be predetermining factors of the complexity and persistence of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Neugebauer
- Professor and Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Giles McCrary Endowed Chair in Addiction Medicine, Director, Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
- School of Medicine, 3601 4th Street
- Mail Stop 6592, Lubbock, Texas 79430-6592
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33
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Amygdala Reward Neurons Form and Store Fear Extinction Memory. Neuron 2020; 105:1077-1093.e7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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34
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Bechara A, Berridge KC, Bickel WK, Morón JA, Williams SB, Stein JS. A Neurobehavioral Approach to Addiction: Implications for the Opioid Epidemic and the Psychology of Addiction. Psychol Sci Public Interest 2019; 20:96-127. [PMID: 31591935 PMCID: PMC7001788 DOI: 10.1177/1529100619860513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Two major questions about addictive behaviors need to be explained by any worthwhile neurobiological theory. First, why do people seek drugs in the first place? Second, why do some people who use drugs seem to eventually become unable to resist drug temptation and so become "addicted"? We will review the theories of addiction that address negative-reinforcement views of drug use (i.e., taking opioids to alleviate distress or withdrawal), positive-reinforcement views (i.e., taking drugs for euphoria), habit views (i.e., growth of automatic drug-use routines), incentive-sensitization views (i.e., growth of excessive "wanting" to take drugs as a result of dopamine-related sensitization), and cognitive-dysfunction views (i.e., impaired prefrontal top-down control), including those involving competing neurobehavioral decision systems (CNDS), and the role of the insula in modulating addictive drug craving. In the special case of opioids, particular attention is paid to whether their analgesic effects overlap with their reinforcing effects and whether the perceived low risk of taking legal medicinal opioids, which are often prescribed by a health professional, could play a role in the decision to use. Specifically, we will address the issue of predisposition or vulnerability to becoming addicted to drugs (i.e., the question of why some people who experiment with drugs develop an addiction, while others do not). Finally, we review attempts to develop novel therapeutic strategies and policy ideas that could help prevent opioid and other substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Bechara
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California
- Brain and Creativity Institute, University of Southern California
| | | | - Warren K. Bickel
- Addiction Recovery Research Center & Center for Transformational Research on Health Behaviors, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia
| | - Jose A. Morón
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Sidney B. Williams
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine
| | - Jeffrey S. Stein
- Addiction Recovery Research Center & Center for Transformational Research on Health Behaviors, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, Virginia
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35
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Chen BK, Murawski NJ, Cincotta C, McKissick O, Finkelstein A, Hamidi AB, Merfeld E, Doucette E, Grella SL, Shpokayte M, Zaki Y, Fortin A, Ramirez S. Artificially Enhancing and Suppressing Hippocampus-Mediated Memories. Curr Biol 2019; 29:1885-1894.e4. [PMID: 31130452 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that distinct hippocampal domains differentially drive cognition and emotion [1, 2]; dorsal regions encode spatial, temporal, and contextual information [3-5], whereas ventral regions regulate stress responses [6], anxiety-related behaviors [7, 8], and emotional states [8-10]. Although previous studies demonstrate that optically manipulating cells in the dorsal hippocampus can drive the behavioral expression of positive and negative memories, it is unknown whether changes in cellular activity in the ventral hippocampus can drive such behaviors [11-14]. Investigating the extent to which distinct hippocampal memories across the longitudinal axis modulate behavior could aid in the understanding of stress-related psychiatric disorders known to affect emotion, memory, and cognition [15]. Here, we asked whether tagging and stimulating cells along the dorsoventral axis of the hippocampus could acutely, chronically, and differentially promote context-specific behaviors. Acute reactivation of both dorsal and ventral hippocampus cells that were previously active during memory formation drove freezing behavior, place avoidance, and place preference. Moreover, chronic stimulation of dorsal or ventral hippocampal fear memories produced a context-specific reduction or enhancement of fear responses, respectively, thus demonstrating bi-directional and context-specific modulation of memories along the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus. Fear memory suppression was associated with a reduction in hippocampal cells active during retrieval, while fear memory enhancement was associated with an increase in basolateral amygdala activity. Together, our data demonstrate that discrete sets of cells throughout the hippocampus provide key nodes sufficient to bi-directionally reprogram both the neural and behavioral expression of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Briana K Chen
- Doctoral Program in Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nathen J Murawski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Christine Cincotta
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Olivia McKissick
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Abby Finkelstein
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anahita B Hamidi
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Emily Merfeld
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Emily Doucette
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Stephanie L Grella
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Monika Shpokayte
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yosif Zaki
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Amanda Fortin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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Siddiqui SA, Singh S, Ugale R, Ranjan V, Kanojia R, Saha S, Tripathy S, Kumar S, Mehrotra S, Modi DR, Prakash A. Regulation of HDAC1 and HDAC2 during consolidation and extinction of fear memory. Brain Res Bull 2019; 150:86-101. [PMID: 31108155 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Histone deacetylases (HDACs) regulate gene expression epigenetically through synchronized removal of acetyl groups from histones required towards memory consolidation. Moreover, dysregulated epigenetic machinery during fear or extinction learning may result in altered expression of some of these genes and result in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In the present study, region-specific expression of Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and Histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) was correlated to the acetylation of histones H3 and H4 and the resultant conditioned response, in rats undergone fear and extinction learning. The neuronal activation, histone acetylation at H3/H4 and expression of HDAC1/HDAC2 in centrolateral amygdala (CeL) and centromedial amygdala (CeM) of central Amygdala (CeA) and prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) of Prefrontal cortex (PFC) were found to be associated in a differential manner following fear and extinction learning. Moreover in CeM, the main output of the fear circuitry, the level of HDAC1 was down-regulated following conditioning and up-regulated following extinction as opposed to which HDAC2 was down-regulated in CeM following conditioning but not following extinction. Furthermore, in CeL the HDAC1 was upregulated and HDAC2 was downregulated following conditioning and extinction. This has important implications in speculating of the role of HDACs in fear memory consolidation and its extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sanjay Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Rajesh Ugale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, RTM Nagpur University, Nagpur, India
| | - Vandana Ranjan
- Department of Biochemistry, RML University, Faizabad, India
| | - Rohit Kanojia
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Sudipta Saha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Sukanya Tripathy
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Shiv Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Sudhir Mehrotra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Dinesh Raj Modi
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India
| | - Anand Prakash
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India; Department of Biotech, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, Bihar, India.
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Ueno F, Suzuki T, Nakajima S, Matsushita S, Mimura M, Miyazaki T, Takahashi T, Uchida H. Alteration in AMPA receptor subunit expression and receptor binding among patients with addictive disorders: A systematic review of human postmortem studies. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2019; 39:148-155. [PMID: 31070872 PMCID: PMC7292281 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Altered trafficking of α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors has been reported in postmortem studies and suggested the involvement of AMPA receptors in the pathophysiology underpinning addictive disorders. However, these findings seemed mixed. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted, using PubMed and Embase (last search, August 2018), to identify human postmortem studies that examined the expression of proteins and mRNA of AMPA receptor subunits in patients with addictive disorders in comparison with healthy controls. Results Twelve (18 studies) out of 954 articles were identified to be relevant. Eight studies included alcohol use disorders, and four studies included heroin/cocaine abusers. The most frequently investigated regions were the hippocampus (three studies), amygdala (three studies), and putamen (three studies). In summary, two out of the three studies showed an increase in the expression of AMPA receptors in the hippocampus, while the other study found no change. Two studies to examine the amygdala demonstrated either a decreased or no change in receptor expression or binding. Concerning putamen, two studies showed no significant change whereas an overexpression of receptors was observed in the other. Conclusions and Scientific Significance The hippocampus and amygdala may be pertinent to addictive disorders through their functions on learning and memory, whereas findings in other regions were inconsistent across the studies. Human postmortem studies are prone to degenerative changes after death. Moreover, only qualitative assessment was conducted because of the limited, heterogenous data. These limitations emphasize the need to investigate AMPA receptors in the living human brains. Postmortem studies on AMPA receptors in patients with addiction show that the hippocampus and amygdala may be pertinent to addictive disorders through their functions on learning and memory, whereas findings in other regions were inconsistent across the studies. Human postmortem studies are prone to degenerative changes after death, which emphasizes the need to investigate AMPA receptors in the living human brains.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiko Ueno
- National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan.,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takefumi Suzuki
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Ethics, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan
| | - Shinichiro Nakajima
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sachio Matsushita
- National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Masaru Mimura
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Miyazaki
- Department of Physiology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takuya Takahashi
- Department of Physiology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.,Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Hiroyuki Uchida
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Geriatric Mental Health Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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38
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A model of amygdala function following plastic changes at specific synapses during extinction. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100159. [PMID: 31193487 PMCID: PMC6535631 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The synaptic networks in the amygdala have been the subject of intense interest in recent times, primarily because of the role of this structure in emotion. Fear and its extinction depend on the workings of these networks, with particular interest in extinction because of its potential to ameliorate adverse symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Here we place emphasis on the extinction networks revealed by recent techniques, and on the probable plasticity properties of their synaptic connections. We use modules of neurons representing each of the principal components identified as involved in extinction. Each of these modules consists of neural networks, containing specific ratios of excitatory and specialized inhibitory neurons as well as synaptic plasticity mechanisms appropriate for the component of the amygdala they represent. While these models can produce dynamic output, here we concentrate on the equilibrium outputs and do not model the details of the plasticity mechanisms. Pavlovian fear conditioning generates a fear memory in the lateral amygdala module that leads to activation of neurons in the basal nucleus fear module but not in the basal nucleus extinction module. Extinction protocols excite infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex neurons (IL) which in turn excite so-called extinction neurons in the amygdala, leading to the release of endocannabinoids from them and an increase in efficacy of synapses formed by lateral amygdala neurons on them. The model simulations show how such a mechanism could explain experimental observations involving the role of IL as well as endocannabinoids in different temporal phases of extinction.
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39
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Transient inactivation of the visual-associative nidopallium frontolaterale (NFL) impairs extinction learning and context encoding in pigeons. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 158:50-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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40
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Zuj DV, Norrholm SD. The clinical applications and practical relevance of human conditioning paradigms for posttraumatic stress disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 88:339-351. [PMID: 30134147 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The classical conditioning paradigm of fear learning has spawned a number of experimental variations for the explanation of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) etiology. These paradigms include extinction learning and recall, fear inhibition, fear generalization, and conditioned avoidance. As such, each of these paradigms have significant applications for understanding the development, maintenance, treatment, and relapse of the fear-related features of PTSD. In the present review, we describe each of these conditioning-based paradigms with reference to the clinical applications, and supported by case examples from patients with severe PTSD symptoms. We also review the neurobiological models of conditioning and extinction in animals, psychiatrically healthy humans, and PTSD patients, and discuss the current balance of evidence suggesting a number of biological, behavioral, and cognitive mechanisms/moderators of the conditioning and extinction process in experimental and clinical contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel V Zuj
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, UK
| | - Seth Davin Norrholm
- Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Service Line, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, USA.
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41
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Oyarzún JP, Càmara E, Kouider S, Fuentemilla L, de Diego-Balaguer R. Implicit but not explicit extinction to threat-conditioned stimulus prevents spontaneous recovery of threat-potentiated startle responses in humans. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01157. [PMID: 30516021 PMCID: PMC6346649 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It has long been posited that threat learning operates and forms under an affective and a cognitive learning system that is supported by different brain circuits. A primary drawback in exposure-based therapies is the high rate of relapse that occurs when higher order areas fail to inhibit responses driven by the defensive circuit. It has been shown that implicit exposure of fearful stimuli leads to a long-lasting reduction in avoidance behavior in patients with phobia. Despite the potential benefits of this approach in the treatment of phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder, implicit extinction is still underinvestigated. METHODS Two groups of healthy participants were threat conditioned. The following day, extinction training was conducted using a stereoscope. One group of participants was explicitly exposed with the threat-conditioned image, while the other group was implicitly exposed using a continuous flash suppression (CFS) technique. On the third day, we tested the spontaneous recovery of defensive responses using explicit presentations of the images. RESULTS On the third day, we found that only the implicit extinction group showed reduced spontaneous recovery of defensive responses to the threat-conditioned stimulus, measured by threat-potentiated startle responses but not by the electrodermal activity. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that implicit extinction using CFS might facilitate the modulation of the affective component of fearful memories, attenuating its expression after 24 hr. The limitations of the CFS technique using threatful stimuli urge the development of new strategies to improve implicit presentations and circumvent such limitations. Our study encourages further investigations of implicit extinction as a potential therapeutic target to further advance exposure-based psychotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javiera P Oyarzún
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, IDIBELL, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estela Càmara
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, IDIBELL, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sid Kouider
- Brain and Consciousness Group, Département d'Études Cognitives, École Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Lluis Fuentemilla
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, IDIBELL, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ruth de Diego-Balaguer
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, IDIBELL, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.,Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
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42
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Lingawi NW, Laurent V, Westbrook RF, Holmes NM. The role of the basolateral amygdala and infralimbic cortex in (re)learning extinction. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:303-312. [PMID: 29959461 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4957-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala complex (BLA) and infralimbic region of the prefrontal cortex (IL) play distinct roles in the extinction of Pavlovian conditioned fear in laboratory rodents. In the past decade, research in our laboratory has examined the roles of these brain regions in the re-extinction of conditioned fear: i.e., extinction of fear that is restored through re-conditioning of the conditioned stimulus (CS) or changes in the physical and temporal context of extinction training (i.e., extinction of renewed or spontaneously recovered fear). This paper reviews this research. It has revealed two major findings. First, in contrast to the acquisition of fear extinction, which usually requires neuronal activity in the BLA but not IL, the acquisition of fear re-extinction requires neuronal activity in the IL but can occur independently of neuronal activity in the BLA. Second, the role of the IL in fear extinction is determined by the training history of the CS: i.e., if the CS was novel prior to its fear conditioning (i.e., it had not been trained), the acquisition of fear extinction does not require the IL; if, however, the prior training of the CS included a series of CS-alone exposures (e.g., if the CS had been pre-exposed), the acquisition of fear extinction was facilitated by pharmacological stimulation of the IL. Together, these results were taken to imply that a memory of CS-alone exposures is stored in the IL, survives fear conditioning of the CS, and can be retrieved and strengthened during extinction or re-extinction of that CS (regardless of whether the extinction is first- or second-learned). Hence, under these circumstances, the initial extinction of fear to the CS can be facilitated by pharmacological stimulation of the IL, and re-extinction of fear to the CS can occur in the absence of a functioning BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nura W Lingawi
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Vincent Laurent
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - R Fredrick Westbrook
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Nathan M Holmes
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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43
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Kamigaki T. Prefrontal circuit organization for executive control. Neurosci Res 2018; 140:23-36. [PMID: 30227166 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The essential role of executive control is to select the most appropriate behavior among other candidates depending on the sensory information (exogenous information) and on the subject's internal state (endogenous information). Here I review series of the evidence implicating that the rodent prefrontal cortex (PFC) evaluates and compares the expected outcome for candidate actions that are automatically primed by exogenous and endogenous information, and selects the most appropriate action while inhibiting the others, with different PFC subregions contributing to distinct aspects of the computation via differential recruitments of the distributed networks. The recurrent nature of the PFC networks further facilitates the computation by integrating bottom-up signals over a long timescale. I also overview the local circuit organization in the PFC, where vasoactive intestinal peptide-positive (VIP) GABAergic interneurons are tightly linked with the cholinergic system and play significant roles in regulating executive control signals. The empirical evidence inspires the disinhibitory module hypothesis of the PFC organization that a group of pyramidal neurons and interneurons forms a disinhibitory module with similar task-variable selectivity in the PFC, and long-range inputs and neuromodulations in these modules exert a distributed gain modulation of the ongoing executive control signals by adjusting VIP neuron activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsukasa Kamigaki
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States.
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44
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Leaver AM, Yang H, Siddarth P, Vlasova RM, Krause B, Cyr NS, Narr KL, Lavretsky H. Resilience and amygdala function in older healthy and depressed adults. J Affect Disord 2018; 237:27-34. [PMID: 29754022 PMCID: PMC5995579 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies suggest that low emotional resilience may correspond with increased or over-active amygdala function. Complementary studies suggest that emotional resilience increases with age; older adults tend to have decreased attentional bias to negative stimuli compared to younger adults. Amygdala nuclei and related brain circuits have been linked to negative affect, and depressed patients have been demonstrated to have abnormal amygdala function. METHODS In the current study, we correlated psychological resilience measures with amygdala function measured with resting-state arterial spin-labelled (ASL) and blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in older adults with and without depression. Specifically, we targeted the basolateral, centromedial, and superficial nuclei groups of the amygdala, which have different functions and brain connections. RESULTS High levels of psychological resilience correlated with lower basal levels of amygdala activity measured with ASL fMRI. High resilience also correlated with decreased connectivity between amygdala nuclei and the ventral default-mode network independent of depression status. Instead, lower depression symptoms were associated with higher connectivity between the amygdalae and dorsal frontal networks. LIMITATIONS Future multi-site studies with larger sample size and improved neuroimaging technologies are needed. Longitudinal studies that target resilience to naturalistic stressors will also be a powerful contribution to the field. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that resilience in older adults is more closely related to function in ventral amygdala networks, while late-life depression is related to reduced connectivity between the amygdala and dorsal frontal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber M. Leaver
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Correspondence: Amber M. Leaver, Ph.D., Assistant Professional Researcher, Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Address: 635 Charles E Young Dr South, NRB Ste 225, Los Angeles, CA 90095, Phone 310 267 5075, Fax 310 206 4399,
| | - Hongyu Yang
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Prabha Siddarth
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roza M. Vlasova
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Beatrix Krause
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Natalie St. Cyr
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Katherine L. Narr
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Helen Lavretsky
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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45
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Zhang X, Ge TT, Yin G, Cui R, Zhao G, Yang W. Stress-Induced Functional Alterations in Amygdala: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Diseases. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:367. [PMID: 29896088 PMCID: PMC5987037 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala plays a major role in the processing of physiologic and behavioral responses to stress and is characterized by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated high inhibitory tone under resting state. Human and animal studies showed that stress lead to a hyperactivity of amygdala, which was accompanied by the removal of inhibitory control. However, the contribution of hyperactivity of amygdala to stress-induced neuropsychiatric diseases, such as anxiety and mood disorders, is still dubious. In this review, we will summarize stress-induced various structural and functional alterations in amygdala, including the GABA receptors expression, GABAergic transmission and synaptic plasticity. It may provide new insight on the neuropathologic and neurophysiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tong Tong Ge
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guanghao Yin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ranji Cui
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Guoqing Zhao
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetics, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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46
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Narváez M, Borroto-Escuela DO, Santín L, Millón C, Gago B, Flores-Burgess A, Barbancho MA, Pérez de la Mora M, Narváez J, Díaz-Cabiale Z, Fuxe K. A Novel Integrative Mechanism in Anxiolytic Behavior Induced by Galanin 2/Neuropeptide Y Y1 Receptor Interactions on Medial Paracapsular Intercalated Amygdala in Rats. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:119. [PMID: 29765307 PMCID: PMC5938606 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety is evoked by a threatening situation and display adaptive or defensive behaviors, found similarly in animals and humans. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y1 receptor (NPYY1R) and Galanin (GAL) receptor 2 (GALR2) interact in several regions of the limbic system, including the amygdala. In a previous study, GALR2 enhanced NPYY1R mediated anxiolytic actions on spatiotemporal parameters in the open field and elevated plus maze, involving the formation of GALR2/NPYY1R heteroreceptor complexes in the amygdala. Moreover, the inclusion of complementary ethological parameters provides a more comprehensive profile on the anxiolytic effects of a treatment. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the anxiolytic effects and circuit activity modifications caused by coactivation of GALR2 and NPYY1R. Ethological measurements were performed in the open field, the elevated plus-maze and the light-dark box, together with immediate early gene expression analysis within the amygdala-hypothalamus-periaqueductal gray (PAG) axis, as well as in situ proximity ligation assay (PLA) to demonstrate the formation of GALR2/NPYY1R heteroreceptor complexes. GALR2 and NPYY1R coactivation resulted in anxiolytic behaviors such as increased rearing and head-dipping, reduced stretch attend postures and freezing compared to single agonist or aCSF injection. Neuronal activity indicated by cFos expression was decreased in the dorsolateral paracapsular intercalated (ITCp-dl) subregion of the amygdala, ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) nucleus and ventrolateral part of the periaqueductal gray (vlPAG), while increased in the perifornical nucleus of the hypothalamus (PFX) following coactivation of GALR2 and NPYY1R. Moreover, an increased density of GALR2/NPYY1R heteroreceptor complexes was explicitly observed in ITCp-dl, following GALR2 and NPYY1R coactivation. Besides, knockdown of GALR2 was found to reduce the density of complexes in ITCp-dl. Taken together, these results open up the possibility that the increased anxiolytic activity demonstrated upon coactivation of NPYY1R and GALR2 receptor was related to actions on the ITCp-dl. GALR2-NPYY1R heteroreceptor complexes may inhibit neuronal activity, by also modifying the neuronal networks of the hypothalamus and the PAG. These results indicate that GALR2/NPYY1R interactions in medial paracapsular intercalated amygdala can provide a novel integrative mechanism in anxiolytic behavior and the basis for the development of heterobivalent agonist drugs targeting GALR2/NPYY1R heteromers, especially in the ITCp-dl of the amygdala for the treatment of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Narváez
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Dasiel O Borroto-Escuela
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Biomolecular Science, Section of Physiology, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy.,Grupo Bohío-Estudio, Observatorio Cubano de Neurociencias, Yaguajay, Cuba
| | - Luis Santín
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Carmelo Millón
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Belén Gago
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Antonio Flores-Burgess
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Miguel A Barbancho
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Miguel Pérez de la Mora
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Narváez
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Zaida Díaz-Cabiale
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Kjell Fuxe
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
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The microbiome regulates amygdala-dependent fear recall. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:1134-1144. [PMID: 28507320 PMCID: PMC5984090 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 02/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala is a key brain region that is critically involved in the processing and expression of anxiety and fear-related signals. In parallel, a growing number of preclinical and human studies have implicated the microbiome-gut-brain in regulating anxiety and stress-related responses. However, the role of the microbiome in fear-related behaviours is unclear. To this end we investigated the importance of the host microbiome on amygdala-dependent behavioural readouts using the cued fear conditioning paradigm. We also assessed changes in neuronal transcription and post-transcriptional regulation in the amygdala of naive and stimulated germ-free (GF) mice, using a genome-wide transcriptome profiling approach. Our results reveal that GF mice display reduced freezing during the cued memory retention test. Moreover, we demonstrate that under baseline conditions, GF mice display altered transcriptional profile with a marked increase in immediate-early genes (for example, Fos, Egr2, Fosb, Arc) as well as genes implicated in neural activity, synaptic transmission and nervous system development. We also found a predicted interaction between mRNA and specific microRNAs that are differentially regulated in GF mice. Interestingly, colonized GF mice (ex-GF) were behaviourally comparable to conventionally raised (CON) mice. Together, our data demonstrates a unique transcriptional response in GF animals, likely because of already elevated levels of immediate-early gene expression and the potentially underlying neuronal hyperactivity that in turn primes the amygdala for a different transcriptional response. Thus, we demonstrate for what is to our knowledge the first time that the presence of the host microbiome is crucial for the appropriate behavioural response during amygdala-dependent memory retention.
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Neural substrates of fear-induced hypophagia in male and female rats. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:2925-2947. [PMID: 29704225 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1668-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cessation of eating under fear is an adaptive response that aids survival by prioritizing the expression of defensive behaviors over feeding behavior. However, this response can become maladaptive when persistent. Thus, accurate mediation of the competition between fear and feeding is important in health and disease; yet, the underlying neural substrates are largely unknown. The current study identified brain regions that were recruited when a fear cue inhibited feeding in male and female rats. We used a previously established behavioral paradigm to elicit hypophagia with a conditioned cue for footshocks, and Fos imaging to map activation patterns during this behavior. We found that distinct patterns of recruitment were associated with feeding and fear expression, and that these patterns were similar in males and females except within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In both sexes, food consumption was associated with activation of cell groups in the central amygdalar nucleus, hypothalamus, and dorsal vagal complex, and exposure to food cues was associated with activation of the anterior basolateral amygdalar nucleus. In contrast, fear expression was associated with activation of the lateral and posterior basomedial amygdalar nuclei. Interestingly, selective recruitment of the mPFC in females, but not in males, was associated with both feeding and freezing behavior, suggesting sex differences in the neuronal processing underlying the competition between feeding and fear. This study provided the first evidence of the neural network mediating fear-induced hypophagia, and important functional activation maps for future interrogation of the underlying neural substrates.
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Tillman RM, Stockbridge MD, Nacewicz BM, Torrisi S, Fox AS, Smith JF, Shackman AJ. Intrinsic functional connectivity of the central extended amygdala. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:1291-1312. [PMID: 29235190 PMCID: PMC5807241 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The central extended amygdala (EAc)-including the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) and central nucleus of the amygdala (Ce)-plays a critical role in triggering fear and anxiety and is implicated in the development of a range of debilitating neuropsychiatric disorders. Although it is widely believed that these disorders reflect the coordinated activity of distributed neural circuits, the functional architecture of the EAc network and the degree to which the BST and the Ce show distinct patterns of functional connectivity is unclear. Here, we used a novel combination of imaging approaches to trace the connectivity of the BST and the Ce in 130 healthy, racially diverse, community-dwelling adults. Multiband imaging, high-precision registration techniques, and spatially unsmoothed data maximized anatomical specificity. Using newly developed seed regions, whole-brain regression analyses revealed robust functional connectivity between the BST and Ce via the sublenticular extended amygdala, the ribbon of subcortical gray matter encompassing the ventral amygdalofugal pathway. Both regions displayed coupling with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), midcingulate cortex (MCC), insula, and anterior hippocampus. The BST showed stronger connectivity with the thalamus, striatum, periaqueductal gray, and several prefrontal territories. The only regions showing stronger functional connectivity with the Ce were neighboring regions of the dorsal amygdala, amygdalohippocampal area, and anterior hippocampus. These observations provide a baseline against which to compare a range of special populations, inform our understanding of the role of the EAc in normal and pathological fear and anxiety, and showcase image registration techniques that are likely to be useful for researchers working with "deidentified" neuroimaging data.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa D. Stockbridge
- Department of Hearing and Speech SciencesUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
| | - Brendon M. Nacewicz
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of Wisconsin—Madison, 6001 Research Park BoulevardMadisonWisconsin53719
| | - Salvatore Torrisi
- Section on the Neurobiology of Fear and AnxietyNational Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaMaryland20892
| | - Andrew S. Fox
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia95616
- California National Primate Research CenterUniversity of CaliforniaDavisCalifornia95616
| | - Jason F. Smith
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
| | - Alexander J. Shackman
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science ProgramUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
- Maryland Neuroimaging CenterUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMaryland20742
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Quantified Coexpression Analysis of Central Amygdala Subpopulations. eNeuro 2018; 5:eN-NWR-0010-18. [PMID: 29445764 PMCID: PMC5810038 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0010-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular identification and characterization of fear controlling circuitries is a promising path towards developing targeted treatments of fear-related disorders. Three-color in situ hybridization analysis was used to determine whether somatostatin (SOM, Sst), neurotensin (NTS, Nts), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, Crf), tachykinin 2 (TAC2, Tac2), protein kinase c-δ (PKC-δ, Prkcd), and dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2, Drd2) mRNA colocalize in male mouse amygdala neurons. Expression and colocalization was examined across capsular (CeC), lateral (CeL), and medial (CeM) compartments of the central amygdala. The greatest expression of Prkcd and Drd2 were found in CeC and CeL. Crf was expressed primarily in CeL, while Sst-, Nts-, and Tac2-expressing neurons were distributed between CeL and CeM. High levels of colocalization were identified between Sst, Nts, Crf, and Tac2 within the CeL, while little colocalization was detected between any mRNAs within the CeM. These findings provide a more detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the development and maintenance of fear and anxiety behaviors.
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