1
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Zhang YD, Shi DD, Wang Z. Neurobiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder from Genes to Circuits: Insights from Animal Models. Neurosci Bull 2024:10.1007/s12264-024-01252-9. [PMID: 38982026 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01252-9] [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: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic, severe psychiatric disorder that has been ranked by the World Health Organization as one of the leading causes of illness-related disability, and first-line interventions are limited in efficacy and have side-effect issues. However, the exact pathophysiology underlying this complex, heterogeneous disorder remains unknown. This scenario is now rapidly changing due to the advancement of powerful technologies that can be used to verify the function of the specific gene and dissect the neural circuits underlying the neurobiology of OCD in rodents. Genetic and circuit-specific manipulation in rodents has provided important insights into the neurobiology of OCD by identifying the molecular, cellular, and circuit events that induce OCD-like behaviors. This review will highlight recent progress specifically toward classic genetic animal models and advanced neural circuit findings, which provide theoretical evidence for targeted intervention on specific molecular, cellular, and neural circuit events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Dan Zhang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China
| | - Dong-Dong Shi
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201108, China.
| | - Zhen Wang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201108, China.
- Shanghai Intelligent Psychological Evaluation and Intervention Engineering Technology Research Center, Shanghai, 200030, China.
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2
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Diamond ME, Toso A. Tactile cognition in rodents. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 149:105161. [PMID: 37028580 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery 50 years ago of the precisely ordered representation of the whiskers in somatosensory cortex, the rodent tactile sensory system has been a fertile ground for the study of sensory processing. With the growing sophistication of touch-based behavioral paradigms, together with advances in neurophysiological methodology, a new approach is emerging. By posing increasingly complex perceptual and memory problems, in many cases analogous to human psychophysical tasks, investigators now explore the operations underlying rodent problem solving. We define the neural basis of tactile cognition as the transformation from a stage in which neuronal activity encodes elemental features, local in space and in time, to a stage in which neuronal activity is an explicit representation of the behavioral operations underlying the current task. Selecting a set of whisker-based behavioral tasks, we show that rodents achieve high level performance through the workings of neuronal circuits that are accessible, decodable, and manipulatable. As a means towards exploring tactile cognition, this review presents leading psychophysical paradigms and, where known, their neural correlates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew E Diamond
- Cognitive Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Toso
- Cognitive Neuroscience, International School for Advanced Studies, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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3
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Megagiannis P, Suresh R, Rouleau GA, Zhou Y. Reversibility and therapeutic development for neurodevelopmental disorders, insights from genetic animal models. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 191:114562. [PMID: 36183904 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114562] [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: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) encompass a broad spectrum of conditions resulting from atypical brain development. Over the past decades, we have had the fortune to witness enormous progress in diagnosis, etiology discovery, modeling, and mechanistic understanding of NDDs from both fundamental and clinical research. Here, we review recent neurobiological advances from experimental models of NDDs. We introduce several examples and highlight breakthroughs in reversal studies of phenotypes using genetically engineered models of NDDs. The in-depth understanding of brain pathophysiology underlying NDDs and evaluations of reversibility in animal models paves the foundation for discovering novel treatment options. We discuss how the expanding property of cutting-edge technologies, such as gene editing and AAV-mediated gene delivery, are leveraged in animal models for the therapeutic development of NDDs. We envision opportunities and challenges toward faithful modeling and fruitful clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Platon Megagiannis
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Rahul Suresh
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Guy A Rouleau
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Yang Zhou
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada.
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4
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Choudhary A, Peles D, Nayak R, Mizrahi L, Stern S. Current progress in understanding schizophrenia using genomics and pluripotent stem cells: A meta-analytical overview. Schizophr Res 2022:S0920-9964(22)00406-6. [PMID: 36443183 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex, heritable and polygenic neuropsychiatric disease, which disables the patients as well as decreases their life expectancy and quality of life. Common and rare variants studies on SCZ subjects have provided >100 genomic loci that hold importance in the context of SCZ pathophysiology. Transcriptomic studies from clinical samples have informed about the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and non-coding RNAs in SCZ patients. Despite these advancements, no causative genes for SCZ were found and hence SCZ is difficult to recapitulate in animal models. In the last decade, induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)-based models have helped in understanding the neural phenotypes of SCZ by studying patient iPSC-derived 2D neuronal cultures and 3D brain organoids. Here, we have aimed to provide a simplistic overview of the current progress and advancements after synthesizing the enormous literature on SCZ genetics and SCZ iPSC-based models. Although further understanding of SCZ genetics and pathophysiological mechanisms using these technological advancements is required, the recent approaches have allowed to delineate important cellular mechanisms and biological pathways affected in SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwani Choudhary
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - David Peles
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Ritu Nayak
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Liron Mizrahi
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | - Shani Stern
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
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5
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Qian Y, Li J, Zhao S, Matthews EA, Adoff M, Zhong W, An X, Yeo M, Park C, Yang X, Wang BS, Southwell DG, Huang ZJ. Programmable RNA sensing for cell monitoring and manipulation. Nature 2022; 610:713-721. [PMID: 36198803 PMCID: PMC10348343 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05280-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RNA is a central and universal mediator of genetic information underlying the diversity of cell types and cell states, which together shape tissue organization and organismal function across species and lifespans. Despite numerous advances in RNA sequencing technologies and the massive accumulation of transcriptome datasets across the life sciences1,2, the dearth of technologies that use RNAs to observe and manipulate cell types remains a bottleneck in biology and medicine. Here we describe CellREADR (Cell access through RNA sensing by Endogenous ADAR), a programmable RNA-sensing technology that leverages RNA editing mediated by ADAR to couple the detection of cell-defining RNAs with the translation of effector proteins. Viral delivery of CellREADR conferred specific cell-type access in mouse and rat brains and in ex vivo human brain tissues. Furthermore, CellREADR enabled the recording and control of specific types of neurons in behaving mice. CellREADR thus highlights the potential for RNA-based monitoring and editing of animal cells in ways that are specific, versatile, simple and generalizable across organ systems and species, with wide applications in biology, biotechnology and programmable RNA medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Qian
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jiayun Li
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, USA
| | - Shengli Zhao
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Matthews
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michael Adoff
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Weixin Zhong
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xu An
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Michele Yeo
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christine Park
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xiaolu Yang
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Bor-Shuen Wang
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, USA
| | - Derek G Southwell
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Z Josh Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Durham, NC, USA.
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6
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How Do We Connect Brain Areas with Cognitive Functions? The Past, the Present and the Future. NEUROSCI 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/neurosci3030037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the central goals of cognitive neuroscience is to understand how structure relates to function. Over the past century, clinical studies on patients with lesions have provided key insights into the relationship between brain areas and behavior. Since the early efforts for characterization of cognitive functions focused on localization, we provide an account of cognitive function in terms of localization. Next, using body perception as an example, we summarize the contemporary techniques. Finally, we outline the trajectory of current progress into the future and discuss the implications for clinical and basic neuroscience.
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7
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Kopachev N, Netser S, Wagner S. Sex-dependent features of social behavior differ between distinct laboratory mouse strains and their mixed offspring. iScience 2022; 25:103735. [PMID: 35098101 PMCID: PMC8783130 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of individuals of gregarious species depends on their social interactions. In humans, atypical social behavior is a hallmark of several psychopathological conditions, many of which have sex-specific manifestations. Various laboratory mouse strains are used to reveal the mechanisms mediating typical and atypical social behavior in mammals. Here, we used three social discrimination tests to characterize social behavior in males and females of three widely used laboratory mouse strains (C57BL/6J, BALB/c, and ICR). We found marked sex- and strain-specific differences in the behavior exhibited by subjects, in a test-dependent manner. Interestingly, some characteristics were strain-dependent, while others were sex-dependent. We then crossbred C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice and found that offspring of such crossbreeding exhibit social behavior which differs from both parental strains and depends on the specific combination of parental strains. Thus, social behavior of laboratory mice is sex- and strain-specific and depends on both genetic and environmental factors. Social investigation behavior of laboratory mice is highly strain- and sex-specific Some behavioral aspects are either strain- or sex-specific, but not both Mixed offspring of distinct strains behave differently from both parental strains The behavior of mixed offspring depends on the specific combination of parents
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8
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Hu C, Feng P, Yang Q, Xiao L. Clinical and Neurobiological Aspects of TAO Kinase Family in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Mol Neurosci 2021; 14:655037. [PMID: 33867937 PMCID: PMC8044823 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.655037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the complexity of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), from their genotype to phenotype, in the last few decades substantial progress has been made in understanding their pathophysiology. Recent accumulating evidence shows the relevance of genetic variants in thousand and one (TAO) kinases as major contributors to several NDDs. Although it is well-known that TAO kinases are a highly conserved family of STE20 kinase and play important roles in multiple biological processes, the emerging roles of TAO kinases in neurodevelopment and NDDs have yet to be intensively discussed. In this review article, we summarize the potential roles of the TAO kinases based on structural and biochemical analyses, present the genetic data from clinical investigations, and assess the mechanistic link between the mutations of TAO kinases, neuropathology, and behavioral impairment in NDDs. We then offer potential perspectives from basic research to clinical therapies, which may contribute to fully understanding how TAO kinases are involved in NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Pan Feng
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.,Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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9
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Pintacuda G, Martín JM, Eggan KC. Mind the translational gap: using iPS cell models to bridge from genetic discoveries to perturbed pathways and therapeutic targets. Mol Autism 2021; 12:10. [PMID: 33557935 PMCID: PMC7869517 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00417-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by impaired social interactions as well as the presentation of restrictive and repetitive behaviors. ASD is highly heritable but genetically heterogenous with both common and rare genetic variants collaborating to predispose individuals to the disorder. In this review, we synthesize recent efforts to develop human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived models of ASD-related phenotypes. We firstly address concerns regarding the relevance and validity of available neuronal iPSC-derived models. We then critically evaluate the robustness of various differentiation and cell culture protocols used for producing cell types of relevance to ASD. By exploring iPSC models of ASD reported thus far, we examine to what extent cellular and neuronal phenotypes with potential relevance to ASD can be linked to genetic variants found to underlie it. Lastly, we outline promising strategies by which iPSC technology can both enhance the power of genetic studies to identify ASD risk factors and nominate pathways that are disrupted across groups of ASD patients that might serve as common points for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Pintacuda
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
| | - Jacqueline M Martín
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Kevin C Eggan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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10
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Feng G, Jensen FE, Greely HT, Okano H, Treue S, Roberts AC, Fox JG, Caddick S, Poo MM, Newsome WT, Morrison JH. Opportunities and limitations of genetically modified nonhuman primate models for neuroscience research. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:24022-24031. [PMID: 32817435 PMCID: PMC7533691 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2006515117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The recently developed new genome-editing technologies, such as the CRISPR/Cas system, have opened the door for generating genetically modified nonhuman primate (NHP) models for basic neuroscience and brain disorders research. The complex circuit formation and experience-dependent refinement of the human brain are very difficult to model in vitro, and thus require use of in vivo whole-animal models. For many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, abnormal circuit formation and refinement might be at the center of their pathophysiology. Importantly, many of the critical circuits and regional cell populations implicated in higher human cognitive function and in many psychiatric disorders are not present in lower mammalian brains, while these analogous areas are replicated in NHP brains. Indeed, neuropsychiatric disorders represent a tremendous health and economic burden globally. The emerging field of genetically modified NHP models has the potential to transform our study of higher brain function and dramatically facilitate the development of effective treatment for human brain disorders. In this paper, we discuss the importance of developing such models, the infrastructure and training needed to maximize the impact of such models, and ethical standards required for using these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoping Feng
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139;
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142
| | - Frances E Jensen
- Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104;
| | - Henry T Greely
- Center for Law and the Biosciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjukuku, 160-8592 Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 351-0106 Saitama, Wakoshi, Japan
| | - Stefan Treue
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center-Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Goettingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, Germany
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, CB2 3DY Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - James G Fox
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Sarah Caddick
- The Gatsby Charitable Foundation, SW1V 1AP London, United Kingdom
| | - Mu-Ming Poo
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 200031 Shanghai, China
| | - William T Newsome
- Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305;
- Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - John H Morrison
- California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
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11
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Stephan M, Volkmann P, Rossner MJ. Assessing behavior and cognition in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans: where are the limits of translation?
. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 21:249-259. [PMID: 31749649 PMCID: PMC6829167 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2019.21.3/mrossner] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
New psychopharmacological treatments are needed for affective and nonaffective
psychoses, especially for the associated negative and cognitive symptoms. Earlier
developments mostly failed, probably partly because of limitations in behavioral models
used for validation. Now, deeper understanding of the genetics underlying disease
pathogenesis and progress in genetic engineering will generate many rodent models with
increased construct validity. To improve these models’ translational value, we need
complementary data from nonhuman primates. We also have to improve and streamline
behavioral test systems to cope with increased demand. Here, we propose a comprehensive
neurocognitive test battery that should overcome the disadvantages of single tests and
yield cognitive/behavioral profiles for modeling subsets of patient symptoms. Further,
we delineate a concept for classifying disease-relevant cognitive endophenotypes to
balance between face and construct validity and clinical diagnostics. In summary, this
review discusses new concepts and the limitations and future potential of translational
research on cognition in psychiatry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marius Stephan
- Molecular and Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany; International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry (IMPRS-TP), Munich, Germany
| | - Paul Volkmann
- Molecular and Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz J Rossner
- Molecular and Behavioural Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
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12
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Huang D, Liu H, Zhu A, Zhou Y, Li Y. Forebrain excitatory neuron-specific SENP2 knockout mouse displays hyperactivity, impaired learning and memory, and anxiolytic-like behavior. Mol Brain 2020; 13:59. [PMID: 32290845 PMCID: PMC7155287 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-020-00591-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 2 (SENP2) is a member of SENPs family involved in maturation of SUMO precursors and deSUMOylation of specific target, and is highly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). Although SENP2 has been shown to modulate embryonic development, fatty acid metabolism, atherosclerosis and epilepsy, the function of SENP2 in the CNS remains poorly understood. To address the role of SENP2 in the CNS and its potential involvement in neuropathology, we generated SENP2 conditional knockout mice by crossing floxed SENP2 mice with CaMKIIα-Cre transgenic mice. Behavioral tests revealed that SENP2 ablation induced hyper-locomotor activity, anxiolytic-like behaviors, spatial working memory impairment and fear-associated learning defect. In line with these observations, our RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data identified a variety of differential expression genes that are particularly enriched in locomotion, learning and memory related biologic process. Taken together, our results indicated that SENP2 plays a critical role in emotional and cognitive regulation. This SENP2 conditional knockout mice model may help reveal novel mechanisms that underlie a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders associated with anxiety and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Huiqing Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Aoxue Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 280 South Chongqing Road, Shanghai, 200025, China.
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13
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Nakajima M, Schmitt LI. Understanding the circuit basis of cognitive functions using mouse models. Neurosci Res 2019; 152:44-58. [PMID: 31857115 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2019.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how cognitive functions arise from computations occurring in the brain requires the ability to measure and perturb neural activity while the relevant circuits are engaged for specific cognitive processes. Rapid technical advances have led to the development of new approaches to transiently activate and suppress neuronal activity as well as to record simultaneously from hundreds to thousands of neurons across multiple brain regions during behavior. To realize the full potential of these approaches for understanding cognition, however, it is critical that behavioral conditions and stimuli are effectively designed to engage the relevant brain networks. Here, we highlight recent innovations that enable this combined approach. In particular, we focus on how to design behavioral experiments that leverage the ever-growing arsenal of technologies for controlling and measuring neural activity in order to understand cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miho Nakajima
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - L Ian Schmitt
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States; Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama, Japan.
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14
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Wang S, Tan N, Zhu X, Yao M, Wang Y, Zhang X, Xu Z. Sh3rf2 Haploinsufficiency Leads to Unilateral Neuronal Development Deficits and Autistic-Like Behaviors in Mice. Cell Rep 2019; 25:2963-2971.e6. [PMID: 30540932 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) include a variety of developmental brain disorders with clinical findings implicating the dysfunction of the left hemisphere. Here, we generate mice lacking one copy of Sh3rf2, which was detected in ASD patients, to determine whether Sh3rf2 is involved in brain development and whether mutation of SH3RF2 is causative for ASD and the mechanisms linking it to ASD traits. We find that mice with Sh3rf2 haploinsufficiency display significant deficits in social interaction and communication, as well as stereotyped or repetitive behaviors and hyperactivity and seizures. Disturbances in hippocampal dendritic spine development, aberrant composition of glutamatergic receptor subunits, and abnormal excitatory synaptic transmission were detected in heterozygous mutants. Remarkably, these defects are selectively unilateral. Our results support a notion that Sh3rf2 haploinsufficiency is a highly penetrant risk factor for ASD, with disease pathogenesis most likely resulting from deficits in synaptic function in the left hemisphere of the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ningdong Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xingliang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Minghui Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yaqing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Zhiheng Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Parkinson's Disease Center, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing 100101, China.
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15
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Oberlander VC, Xu X, Chini M, Hanganu-Opatz IL. Developmental dysfunction of prefrontal-hippocampal networks in mouse models of mental illness. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 50:3072-3084. [PMID: 31087437 PMCID: PMC6851774 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Despite inherent difficulties to translate human cognitive phenotype into animals, a large number of animal models for psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, have been developed over the last decades. To which extent they reproduce common patterns of dysfunction related to mental illness and abnormal processes of maturation is still largely unknown. While the devastating symptoms of disease are firstly detectable in adulthood, they are considered to reflect profound miswiring of brain circuitry as result of abnormal development. To reveal whether different disease models share common dysfunction early in life, we investigate the prefrontal-hippocampal communication at neonatal age in (a) mice mimicking the abnormal genetic background (22q11.2 microdeletion, DISC1 knockdown), (b) mice mimicking the challenge by environmental stressors (maternal immune activation during pregnancy), (c) mice mimicking the combination of both aetiologies (dual-hit models) and pharmacological mouse models. Simultaneous extracellular recordings in vivo from all layers of prelimbic subdivision (PL) of prefrontal cortex (PFC) and CA1 area of intermediate/ventral hippocampus (i/vHP) show that network oscillations have a more fragmented structure and decreased power mainly in neonatal mice that mimic both genetic and environmental aetiology of disease. These mice also show layer-specific firing deficits in PL. Similar early network dysfunction was present in mice with 22q11.2 microdeletion. The abnormal activity patterns are accompanied by weaker synchrony and directed interactions within prefrontal-hippocampal networks. Thus, only severe genetic defects or combined genetic environmental stressors are disruptive enough for reproducing the early network miswiring in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C Oberlander
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Xiaxia Xu
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mattia Chini
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ileana L Hanganu-Opatz
- Developmental Neurophysiology, Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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16
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Iaconelli J, Xuan L, Karmacharya R. HDAC6 Modulates Signaling Pathways Relevant to Synaptic Biology and Neuronal Differentiation in Human Stem-Cell-Derived Neurons. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20071605. [PMID: 30935091 PMCID: PMC6480207 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies show that histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) has important roles in the human brain, especially in the context of a number of nervous system disorders. Animal models of neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and neuropsychiatric disorders show that HDAC6 modulates important biological processes relevant to disease biology. Pan-selective histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors had been studied in animal behavioral assays and shown to induce synaptogenesis in rodent neuronal cultures. While most studies of HDACs in the nervous system have focused on class I HDACs located in the nucleus (e.g., HDACs 1,2,3), recent findings in rodent models suggest that the cytoplasmic class IIb HDAC, HDAC6, plays an important role in regulating mood-related behaviors. Human studies suggest a significant role for synaptic dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus in depression. Studies of HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) in human neuronal cells show that HDAC6 inhibitors (HDAC6i) increase the acetylation of specific lysine residues in proteins involved in synaptogenesis. This has led to the hypothesis that HDAC6i may modulate synaptic biology not through effects on the acetylation of histones, but by regulating acetylation of non-histone proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Iaconelli
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Chemical Biology Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Lucius Xuan
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Chemical Biology Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Rakesh Karmacharya
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, 185 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
- Chemical Biology Program, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
- Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
- Chemical Biology PhD Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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