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Becegato M, Silva RH. Female rodents in behavioral neuroscience: Narrative review on the methodological pitfalls. Physiol Behav 2024; 284:114645. [PMID: 39047942 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114645] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Since the NIH 'Sex as biological variable' policy, the percentage of studies including female subjects have increased largely. Nonetheless, many researchers fail to adequate their protocols to include females. In this narrative review, we aim to discuss the methodological pitfalls of the inclusion of female rodents in behavioral neuroscience. We address three points to consider in studies: the manipulations conducted only in female animals (such as estrous cycle monitoring, ovariectomy, and hormone replacement), the consideration of males as the standard, and biases related to interpretation and publication of the results. In addition, we suggest guidelines and perspectives for the inclusion of females in preclinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Becegato
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Regina H Silva
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; MaternaCiência, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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2
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Liu J, Ye J, Ji C, Ren W, He Y, Xu F, Wang F. Mapping the Behavioral Signatures of Shank3b Mice in Both Sexes. Neurosci Bull 2024; 40:1299-1314. [PMID: 38900384 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-024-01237-8] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by social and repetitive abnormalities. Although the ASD mouse model with Shank3b mutations is widely used in ASD research, the behavioral phenotype of this model has not been fully elucidated. Here, a 3D-motion capture system and linear discriminant analysis were used to comprehensively record and analyze the behavioral patterns of male and female Shank3b mutant mice. It was found that both sexes replicated the core and accompanied symptoms of ASD, with significant sex differences. Further, Shank3b heterozygous knockout mice exhibited distinct autistic behaviors, that were significantly different from those those observed in the wild type and homozygous knockout groups. Our findings provide evidence for the inclusion of both sexes and experimental approaches to efficiently characterize heterozygous transgenic models, which are more clinically relevant in autistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Liu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jialin Ye
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Chunyuan Ji
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Wenting Ren
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Youwei He
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
- Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Fuqiang Xu
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Viral Vectors for Biomedicine, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Key Laboratory of Quality Control Technology for Virus-Based Therapeutics, Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Feng Wang
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Viral Vector Technology in Cell and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Shenzhen Key Lab of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Translational Research Center for the Nervous System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Beaver JN, Nicodemus MM, Spalding IR, Dutta S, Jasnow AM, Gilman TL. Male and female mice respectively form stronger social aversive memories with same and different sex conspecifics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.12.607663. [PMID: 39185229 PMCID: PMC11343151 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.12.607663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Mice offer a wealth of opportunities for investigating brain circuits regulating multiple behaviors, largely due to their genetic tractability. Social behaviors are of translational relevance, considering both mice and humans are highly social mammals, and disruptions in human social behavior are key symptoms of myriad neuropsychiatric disorders. Stresses related to social experiences are particularly influential in the severity and maintenance of neuropsychiatric disorders like anxiety disorders, and trauma and stressor-related disorders. Yet, induction and study of social stress in mice is disproportionately focused on males, influenced heavily by their natural territorial nature. Conspecific-elicited stress (i.e., defeat), while ethologically relevant, is quite variable and predominantly specific to males, making rigorous and sex-inclusive studies challenging. In pursuit of a controllable, consistent, high throughput, and sex-inclusive paradigm for eliciting social stress, we have discovered intriguing sex-specific social aversions that are dependent upon the sex of both experimental and conspecific mice. Specifically, we trained male and female F1 129S1/SvlmJ × C57BL/6J to associate (via classical conditioning) same or different sex C57BL/6J conspecifics with a mild, aversive stimulus. Upon subsequent testing for social interaction 24 h later, we found that males socially conditioned better to male conspecifics by exhibiting reduced social interaction, whereas females socially conditioned better to male conspecifics. Serum corticosterone levels inversely corresponded to social avoidance after different sex, but not same sex, conditioning, suggesting corticosterone-mediated arousal could influence cross sex interactions. While our paradigm has further optimization ahead, these current findings reveal why past pursuits to develop same sex female social stress paradigms may have met with limited success. Future research should expand investigation of utilizing male mouse conspecifics to instigate social stress across sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin N. Beaver
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
- Healthy Communities Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
| | - Marissa M. Nicodemus
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
| | - Isabella R. Spalding
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
| | - Sohini Dutta
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
| | - Aaron M. Jasnow
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA 29209
| | - T. Lee Gilman
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
- Brain Health Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
- Healthy Communities Research Institute, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA 44242
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Ferré-González L, Balaguer Á, Roca M, Ftara A, Lloret A, Cháfer-Pericás C. Plasma lipidomics in early APP/PS1 female mouse model and its relationship with brain: Is it affected by the estrous cycle? Alzheimers Res Ther 2024; 16:183. [PMID: 39143583 PMCID: PMC11323474 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-024-01549-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent dementia, showing higher incidence in women. Besides, lipids play an essential role in brain, and they could be dysregulated in neurodegeneration. Specifically, impaired plasma lipid levels could predict early AD diagnosis. This work aims to identify the main plasma lipids altered in early AD female mouse model and evaluate their relationship with brain lipidome. Also, the possible involvement of the estrous cycle in lipid metabolism has been evaluated. METHODS Plasma samples of wild-type (n = 10) and APP/PS1 (n = 10) female mice of 5 months of age were collected, processed, and analysed using a lipidomic mass spectrometry-based method. A statistical analysis involving univariate and multivariate approaches was performed to identify significant lipid differences related to AD between groups. Also, cytology tests were conducted to confirm estrous cycle phases. RESULTS Three hundred thirty lipids were detected in plasma, 18 of them showed significant differences between groups; specifically, some triacylglycerols, cholesteryl esters, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylcholines, and ether-linked phosphatidylcholines, increased in early AD; while other phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, ceramides, and ether-linked phosphatidylethanolamines decreased in early AD. A multivariate approach was developed from some lipid variables, showing high diagnostic indexes (70% sensitivity, 90% specificity, 80% accuracy). From brain and plasma lipidome, some significant correlations were observed, mainly in the glycerophospholipid family. Also, some differences were found in both plasma and brain lipids, according to the estrous cycle phase. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, lipid alterations can be identified in plasma at early AD stages in mice females, with a relationship with brain lipid metabolism for most of the lipid subfamilies, suggesting some lipids as potential AD biomarkers. In addition, the estrous cycle monitoring could be relevant in female studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Ferré-González
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, 106; 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ángel Balaguer
- Faculty of Mathematics, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Roca
- Analytical Unit, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Artemis Ftara
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Health Research Institute INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Lloret
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Health Research Institute INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Consuelo Cháfer-Pericás
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Group, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Avda de Fernando Abril Martorell, 106; 46026, Valencia, Spain.
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Miller CN, Li Y, Beier KT, Aoto J. Acute stress causes sex-dependent changes to ventral subiculum synapses, circuitry, and anxiety-like behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.02.606264. [PMID: 39131353 PMCID: PMC11312572 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.02.606264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Experiencing a single severe stressor is sufficient to drive sexually dimorphic psychiatric disease development. The ventral subiculum (vSUB) emerges as a site where stress may induce sexually dimorphic adaptations due to its sex-specific organization and pivotal role in stress integration. Using a 1-hr acute restraint stress model, we uncover that stress causes a net decrease in vSUB activity in females that is potent, long-lasting, and driven by adrenergic receptor signaling. By contrast, males exhibit a net increase in vSUB activity that is transient and driven by corticosterone signaling. We further identified sex-dependent changes in vSUB output to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and in anxiety-like behavior in response to stress. These findings reveal striking changes in psychiatric disease-relevant brain regions and behavior following stress with sex-, cell-type, and synapse-specificity that contribute to our understanding of sex-dependent adaptations that may shape stress-related psychiatric disease risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley N Miller
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA 92697
| | - Kevin T Beier
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA 92697
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA 92697
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA 92697
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA 92697
| | - Jason Aoto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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Wolcott NS, Redman WT, Karpinska M, Jacobs EG, Goard MJ. The estrous cycle modulates hippocampal spine dynamics, dendritic processing, and spatial coding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.02.606418. [PMID: 39131375 PMCID: PMC11312567 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.02.606418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Histological evidence suggests that the estrous cycle exerts a powerful effect on CA1 neurons in mammalian hippocampus. Decades have passed since this landmark observation, yet how the estrous cycle shapes dendritic spine dynamics and hippocampal spatial coding in vivo remains a mystery. Here, we used a custom hippocampal microperiscope and two-photon calcium imaging to track CA1 pyramidal neurons in female mice over multiple cycles. Estrous cycle stage had a potent effect on spine dynamics, with heightened density during periods of greater estradiol (proestrus). These morphological changes were accompanied by greater somatodendritic coupling and increased infiltration of back-propagating action potentials into the apical dendrite. Finally, tracking CA1 response properties during navigation revealed enhanced place field stability during proestrus, evident at the single-cell and population level. These results establish the estrous cycle as a driver of large-scale structural and functional plasticity in hippocampal circuits essential for learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora S Wolcott
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - William T Redman
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Intelligent Systems Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, Laurel, MD 20723, USA
| | - Marie Karpinska
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Emily G Jacobs
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Ann S. Bowers Women's Brain Health Initiative, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Michael J Goard
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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7
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Maddox SA, Ponomareva OY, Zaleski CE, Chen MX, Vella KR, Hollenberg AN, Klengel C, Ressler KJ. Evidence for thyroid hormone regulation of amygdala-dependent fear-relevant memory and plasticity. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02679-2. [PMID: 39039155 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02679-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
The amygdala is an established site for fear memory formation, and clinical studies suggest involvement of hormone signaling cascades in development of trauma-related disorders. While an association of thyroid hormone (TH) status and mood disorders is established, the related brain-based mechanisms and the role of TH in anxiety disorders are unknown. Here we examine the role that TH receptor (TR, a nuclear transcriptional repressor when unbound and a transcriptional activator when bound to TH) may have in mediating the initial formation of fear memories in the amygdala. We identified mRNA levels of TR and other TH pathway regulatory genes, including thyrotropin-releasing hormone (Trh), transthyretin (Ttr), thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor (Trhr), type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (Dio2), mediator complex subunit 12 (Med12/Trap230) and retinoid X receptor gamma (Rxrg) to be altered in the amygdala following Pavlovian fear conditioning. Using TH agonist and antagonist infusion into the amygdala, we demonstrated that this pathway is both necessary and sufficient for fear memory consolidation. Inhibition of TH signaling with the TR antagonist 1-850 decreased fear memory consolidation; while activation of TR with T3 (triiodothyronine) resulted in increased memory formation. Using a systemic hypothyroid mouse model, we found that intra-amygdala infusions of T3 were sufficient to rescue deficits in fear memory. Finally, we demonstrated that T3 was sufficient to activate TR-specific gene pathways in the amygdala. These findings on the role of activity-dependent TR modulation support a model in which local TH is a critical regulator of fear memory-related plasticity in the amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Maddox
- Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory, Basic Neuroscience Division, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olga Y Ponomareva
- Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory, Basic Neuroscience Division, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cole E Zaleski
- Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory, Basic Neuroscience Division, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michelle X Chen
- Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory, Basic Neuroscience Division, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Kristen R Vella
- Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Center for Metabolic Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anthony N Hollenberg
- Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Center for Metabolic Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claudia Klengel
- Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory, Basic Neuroscience Division, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Neurobiology of Fear Laboratory, Basic Neuroscience Division, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Shansky RM. Behavioral neuroscience's inevitable SABV growing pains. Trends Neurosci 2024:S0166-2236(24)00121-8. [PMID: 39034262 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2024.06.007] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
The field of rodent behavioral neuroscience is undergoing two major sea changes: an ever-growing technological revolution, and worldwide calls to consider sex as a biological variable (SABV) in experimental design. Both have enormous potential to improve the precision and rigor with which the brain can be studied, but the convergence of these shifts in scientific practice has exposed critical limitations in classic and widely used behavioral paradigms. While our tools have advanced, our behavioral metrics - mostly developed in males and often allowing for only binary outcomes - have not. This opinion article explores how this disconnect has presented challenges for the accurate depiction and interpretation of sex differences in brain function, arguing for the expansion of current behavioral constructs to better account for behavioral diversity.
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Broggini T, Duckworth J, Ji X, Liu R, Xia X, Mächler P, Shaked I, Munting LP, Iyengar S, Kotlikoff M, van Veluw SJ, Vergassola M, Mishne G, Kleinfeld D. Long-wavelength traveling waves of vasomotion modulate the perfusion of cortex. Neuron 2024; 112:2349-2367.e8. [PMID: 38781972 PMCID: PMC11257831 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.034] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Brain arterioles are active, multicellular complexes whose diameters oscillate at ∼ 0.1 Hz. We assess the physiological impact and spatiotemporal dynamics of vaso-oscillations in the awake mouse. First, vaso-oscillations in penetrating arterioles, which source blood from pial arterioles to the capillary bed, profoundly impact perfusion throughout neocortex. The modulation in flux during resting-state activity exceeds that of stimulus-induced activity. Second, the change in perfusion through arterioles relative to the change in their diameter is weak. This implies that the capillary bed dominates the hydrodynamic resistance of brain vasculature. Lastly, the phase of vaso-oscillations evolves slowly along arterioles, with a wavelength that exceeds the span of the cortical mantle and sufficient variability to establish functional cortical areas as parcels of uniform phase. The phase-gradient supports traveling waves in either direction along both pial and penetrating arterioles. This implies that waves along penetrating arterioles can mix, but not directionally transport, interstitial fluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Broggini
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Neurosurgery, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jacob Duckworth
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Xiang Ji
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Xinyue Xia
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Philipp Mächler
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Iftach Shaked
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Leon Paul Munting
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Satish Iyengar
- Department of Statistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Michael Kotlikoff
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Susanne J van Veluw
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | | | - Gal Mishne
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - David Kleinfeld
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Department of Neurobiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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10
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Kucukdereli H, Amsalem O, Pottala T, Lim M, Potgieter L, Hasbrouck A, Lutas A, Andermann ML. Repeated stress triggers seeking of a starvation-like state in anxiety-prone female mice. Neuron 2024; 112:2130-2141.e7. [PMID: 38642553 PMCID: PMC11287784 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.03.027] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Elevated anxiety often precedes anorexia nervosa and persists after weight restoration. Patients with anorexia nervosa often describe self-starvation as pleasant, potentially because food restriction can be anxiolytic. Here, we tested whether repeated stress can cause animals to prefer a starvation-like state. We developed a virtual reality place preference paradigm in which head-fixed mice can voluntarily seek a starvation-like state induced by optogenetic stimulation of hypothalamic agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons. Prior to stress exposure, males but not females showed a mild aversion to AgRP stimulation. Strikingly, following multiple days of stress, a subset of females developed a strong preference for AgRP stimulation that was predicted by high baseline anxiety. Such stress-induced changes in preference were reflected in changes in facial expressions during AgRP stimulation. Our study suggests that stress may cause females predisposed to anxiety to seek a starvation state and provides a powerful experimental framework for investigating the underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hakan Kucukdereli
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Oren Amsalem
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Trent Pottala
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michelle Lim
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Leilani Potgieter
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Amanda Hasbrouck
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andrew Lutas
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mark L Andermann
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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11
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Martin TG, Leinwand LA. Hearts apart: sex differences in cardiac remodeling in health and disease. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e180074. [PMID: 38949027 PMCID: PMC11213513 DOI: 10.1172/jci180074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological sex is an important modifier of physiology and influences pathobiology in many diseases. While heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide in both men and women, sex differences exist at the organ and cellular scales, affecting clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. In this Review, we highlight baseline sex differences in cardiac structure, function, and cellular signaling and discuss the contribution of sex hormones and chromosomes to these characteristics. The heart is a remarkably plastic organ and rapidly responds to physiological and pathological cues by modifying form and function. The nature and extent of cardiac remodeling in response to these stimuli are often dependent on biological sex. We discuss organ- and molecular-level sex differences in adaptive physiological remodeling and pathological cardiac remodeling from pressure and volume overload, ischemia, and genetic heart disease. Finally, we offer a perspective on key future directions for research into cardiac sex differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. Martin
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Leslie A. Leinwand
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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12
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Lin S, Gillis WF, Weinreb C, Zeine A, Jones SC, Robinson EM, Markowitz J, Datta SR. Characterizing the structure of mouse behavior using Motion Sequencing. Nat Protoc 2024:10.1038/s41596-024-01015-w. [PMID: 38926589 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-024-01015-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Spontaneous mouse behavior is composed from repeatedly used modules of movement (e.g., rearing, running or grooming) that are flexibly placed into sequences whose content evolves over time. By identifying behavioral modules and the order in which they are expressed, researchers can gain insight into the effect of drugs, genes, context, sensory stimuli and neural activity on natural behavior. Here we present a protocol for performing Motion Sequencing (MoSeq), an ethologically inspired method that uses three-dimensional machine vision and unsupervised machine learning to decompose spontaneous mouse behavior into a series of elemental modules called 'syllables'. This protocol is based upon a MoSeq pipeline that includes modules for depth video acquisition, data preprocessing and modeling, as well as a standardized set of visualization tools. Users are provided with instructions and code for building a MoSeq imaging rig and acquiring three-dimensional video of spontaneous mouse behavior for submission to the modeling framework; the outputs of this protocol include syllable labels for each frame of the video data as well as summary plots describing how often each syllable was used and how syllables transitioned from one to the other. In addition, we provide instructions for analyzing and visualizing the outputs of keypoint-MoSeq, a recently developed variant of MoSeq that can identify behavioral motifs from keypoints identified from standard (rather than depth) video. This protocol and the accompanying pipeline significantly lower the bar for users without extensive computational ethology experience to adopt this unsupervised, data-driven approach to characterize mouse behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherry Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Caleb Weinreb
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ayman Zeine
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel C Jones
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emma M Robinson
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jeffrey Markowitz
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Lauby SC, Lapp HE, Salazar M, Semyrenko S, Chauhan D, Margolis AE, Champagne FA. Postnatal maternal care moderates the effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure on offspring neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and transcriptomic outcomes. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305256. [PMID: 38861567 PMCID: PMC11166292 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bisphenols (BP), including BPA and "BPA-free" structural analogs, are commonly used plasticizers that are present in many plastics and are known endocrine disrupting chemicals. Prenatal exposure to BPA has been associated with negative neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes in children and in rodent models. Prenatal BPA exposure has also been shown to impair postnatal maternal care provisioning, which can also affect offspring neurodevelopment and behavior. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the biological effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenols other than BPA and the interplay between prenatal bisphenol exposure and postnatal maternal care on adult behavior. The purpose of the current study was to determine the interactive impact of prenatal bisphenol exposure and postnatal maternal care on neurodevelopment and behavior in rats. Our findings suggest that the effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure on eye-opening, adult attentional set shifting and anxiety-like behavior in the open field are dependent on maternal care in the first five days of life. Interestingly, maternal care might also attenuate the effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure on eye opening and adult attentional set shifting. Finally, transcriptomic profiles in male and female medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala suggest that the interactive effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure and postnatal maternal care converge on estrogen receptor signaling and are involved in biological processes related to gene expression and protein translation and synthesis. Overall, these findings indicate that postnatal maternal care plays a critical role in the expression of the effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure on neurodevelopment and adult behavior. Understanding the underlying biological mechanisms involved might allow us to identify potential avenues to mitigate the adverse effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure and improve health and well-being in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha C. Lauby
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Molecular Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Hannah E. Lapp
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Melissa Salazar
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sofiia Semyrenko
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Danyal Chauhan
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Amy E. Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York City, New York, United States of America
| | - Frances A. Champagne
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Molecular Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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14
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Guevara CA, Alloo K, Gupta S, Thomas R, Del Valle P, Magee AR, Benson DL, Huntley GW. Parkinson's LRRK2-G2019S risk gene mutation drives sex-specific behavioral and cellular adaptations to chronic variable stress. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.05.597647. [PMID: 38895277 PMCID: PMC11185622 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.05.597647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Anxiety is a psychiatric non-motor symptom of Parkinson's that can appear in the prodromal period, prior to significant loss of brainstem dopamine neurons and motor symptoms. Parkinson's-related anxiety affects females more than males, despite the greater prevalence of Parkinson's in males. How stress, anxiety and Parkinson's are related and the basis for a sex-specific impact of stress in Parkinson's are not clear. We addressed this using young adult male and female mice carrying a G2019S knockin mutation of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 ( Lrrk2 G2019S ) and Lrrk2 WT control mice. In humans, LRRK2 G2019S significantly elevates the risk of late-onset Parkinson's. To assess within-sex differences between Lrrk2 G2019S and control mice in stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors in young adulthood, we used a within-subject design whereby Lrrk2 G2019S and Lrrk2 WT control mice underwent tests of anxiety-like behaviors before (baseline) and following a 28 day (d) variable stress paradigm. There were no differences in behavioral measures between genotypes in males or females at baseline, indicating that the mutation alone does not produce anxiety-like responses. Following chronic stress, male Lrrk2 G2019S mice were affected similarly to male wildtypes except for novelty-suppressed feeding, where stress had no impact on Lrrk2 G2019S mice while significantly increasing latency to feed in Lrrk2 WT control mice. Female Lrrk2 G2019S mice were impacted by chronic stress similarly to wildtype females across all behavioral measures. Subsequent post-stress analyses compared cFos immunolabeling-based cellular activity patterns across several stress-relevant brain regions. The density of cFos-activated neurons across brain regions in both male and female Lrrk2 G2019S mice was generally lower compared to stressed Lrrk2 WT mice, except for the nucleus accumbens of male Lrrk2 G2019S mice, where cFos-labeled cell density was significantly higher than all other groups. Together, these data suggest that the Lrrk2 G2019S mutation differentially impacts anxiety-like behavioral responses to chronic stress in males and females that may reflect sex-specific adaptations observed in circuit activation patterns in stress-related brain regions.
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15
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Brown RE. Measuring the replicability of our own research. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 406:110111. [PMID: 38521128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110111] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
In the study of transgenic mouse models of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, we use batteries of tests to measure deficits in behaviour and from the results of these tests, we make inferences about the mental states of the mice that we interpret as deficits in "learning", "memory", "anxiety", "depression", etc. This paper discusses the problems of determining whether a particular transgenic mouse is a valid mouse model of disease X, the problem of background strains, and the question of whether our behavioural tests are measuring what we say they are. The problem of the reliability of results is then discussed: are they replicable between labs and can we replicate our results in our own lab? This involves the study of intra- and inter- experimenter reliability. The variables that influence replicability and the importance of conducting a complete behavioural phenotype: sensory, motor, cognitive and social emotional behaviour are discussed. Then the thorny question of failure to replicate is examined: Is it a curse or a blessing? Finally, the role of failure in research and what it tells us about our research paradigms is examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard E Brown
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
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16
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Grissom NM, Glewwe N, Chen C, Giglio E. Sex mechanisms as nonbinary influences on cognitive diversity. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105544. [PMID: 38643533 PMCID: PMC11338071 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105544] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Essentially all neuropsychiatric diagnoses show some degree of sex and/or gender differences in their etiology, diagnosis, or prognosis. As a result, the roles of sex-related variables in behavior and cognition are of strong interest to many, with several lines of research showing effects on executive functions and value-based decision making in particular. These findings are often framed within a sex binary, with behavior of females described as less optimal than male "defaults"-- a framing that pits males and females against each other and deemphasizes the enormous overlap in fundamental neural mechanisms across sexes. Here, we propose an alternative framework in which sex-related factors encompass just one subset of many sources of valuable diversity in cognition. First, we review literature establishing multidimensional, nonbinary impacts of factors related to sex chromosomes and endocrine mechanisms on cognition, focusing on value- based decision-making tasks. Next, we present two suggestions for nonbinary interpretations and analyses of sex-related data that can be implemented by behavioral neuroscientists without devoting laboratory resources to delving into mechanisms underlying sex differences. We recommend (1) shifting interpretations of behavior away from performance metrics and towards strategy assessments to avoid the fallacy that the performance of one sex is worse than another; and (2) asking how much variance sex explains in measures and whether any differences are mosaic rather than binary, to avoid assuming that sex differences in separate measures are inextricably correlated. Nonbinary frameworks in research on cognition will allow neuroscience to represent the full spectrum of brains and behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola M Grissom
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, United States of America.
| | - Nic Glewwe
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Cathy Chen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Erin Giglio
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, United States of America
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17
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Souza AC, Souza BC, França A, Moradi M, Souza NC, Leão KE, Tort ABL, Leão RN, Lopes-Dos-Santos V, Ribeiro S. 5-MeO-DMT induces sleep-like LFP spectral signatures in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of awake rats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11281. [PMID: 38760450 PMCID: PMC11101617 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61474-9] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) is a potent classical psychedelic known to induce changes in locomotion, behaviour, and sleep in rodents. However, there is limited knowledge regarding its acute neurophysiological effects. Local field potentials (LFPs) are commonly used as a proxy for neural activity, but previous studies investigating psychedelics have been hindered by confounding effects of behavioural changes and anaesthesia, which alter these signals. To address this gap, we investigated acute LFP changes in the hippocampus (HP) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of freely behaving rats, following 5-MeO-DMT administration. 5-MeO-DMT led to an increase of delta power and a decrease of theta power in the HP LFPs, which could not be accounted for by changes in locomotion. Furthermore, we observed a dose-dependent reduction in slow (20-50 Hz) and mid (50-100 Hz) gamma power, as well as in theta phase modulation, even after controlling for the effects of speed and theta power. State map analysis of the spectral profile of waking behaviour induced by 5-MeO-DMT revealed similarities to electrophysiological states observed during slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Our findings suggest that the psychoactive effects of classical psychedelics are associated with the integration of waking behaviours with sleep-like spectral patterns in LFPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie C Souza
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, USA
| | - Bryan C Souza
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Arthur França
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marzieh Moradi
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioural Sciences, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Nicholy C Souza
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Katarina E Leão
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Adriano B L Tort
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Richardson N Leão
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Vítor Lopes-Dos-Santos
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
- Medical Research Council Brain Network Dynamics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Sidarta Ribeiro
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
- Center for Strategic Studies, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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18
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Montgomery SE, Li L, Russo SJ, Calipari ES, Nestler EJ, Morel C, Han MH. Mesolimbic Neural Response Dynamics Predict Future Individual Alcohol Drinking in Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:951-962. [PMID: 38061466 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 11/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual variability in response to rewarding stimuli is a striking but understudied phenomenon. The mesolimbic dopamine system is critical in encoding the reinforcing properties of both natural reward and alcohol; however, how innate or baseline differences in the response dynamics of this circuit define individual behavior and shape future vulnerability to alcohol remain unknown. METHODS Using naturalistic behavioral assays, a voluntary alcohol drinking paradigm, in vivo fiber photometry, in vivo electrophysiology, and chemogenetics, we investigated how differences in mesolimbic neural circuit activity contribute to the individual variability seen in reward processing and, by proxy, alcohol drinking. RESULTS We first characterized heterogeneous behavioral and neural responses to natural reward and defined how these baseline responses predicted future individual alcohol-drinking phenotypes in male mice. We then determined spontaneous ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron firing profiles associated with responses to natural reward that predicted alcohol drinking. Using a dual chemogenetic approach, we mimicked specific mesolimbic dopamine neuron firing activity before or during voluntary alcohol drinking to link unique neurophysiological profiles to individual phenotype. We show that hyperdopaminergic individuals exhibit a lower neuronal response to both natural reward and alcohol that predicts lower levels of alcohol consumption in the future. CONCLUSIONS These findings reveal unique, circuit-specific neural signatures that predict future individual vulnerability or resistance to alcohol and expand the current knowledge base on how some individuals are able to titrate their alcohol consumption whereas others go on to engage in unhealthy alcohol-drinking behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Montgomery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Long Li
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Departments of Pharmacology, Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Carole Morel
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.
| | - Ming-Hu Han
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Friedman Brain Institute and the Center for Affective Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Mental Health and Public Health, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China.
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19
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Janowski AJ, Berardi G, Hayashi K, Plumb AN, Lesnak JB, Khataei T, Martin B, Benson CJ, Sluka KA. The influence of sex on activity in voluntary wheel running, forced treadmill running, and open field testing. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4365992. [PMID: 38798501 PMCID: PMC11118703 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4365992/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Physical activity is commonly used for both measuring and treating dysfunction. While preclinical work has been historically biased towards males, the use of both male and female animals is gaining popularity after multiple NIH initiatives. With increasing inclusion of both sexes, it has become imperative to determine sex differences in common behavioral assays. The purpose of this study was to determine baseline sex differences in 3 activity assays: voluntary wheel running, forced treadmill running, and open field testing. Methods This was a secondary analysis of sex differences in healthy mice in 3 different assays: Separate mice were used for each assay. Specifically, 16 mice underwent 28 days of voluntary wheel running, 178 mice underwent forced treadmill running, and 88 mice underwent open field testing. Differences between sex across several activity parameters were examined for each assay. Results In voluntary wheel running, sex differences with larger effect sizes were observed in distance run, running time, and bout duration, with smaller effect size differences in speed, and no difference in total bouts. In forced treadmill running, differences were shown in time to exhaustion, but no difference in max speed attained. In open field, there were sex differences in active time but not in distance and speed in data aggregated over 30 minutes; however, distance and speed in male mice showed a downward trajectory over the final 20 minutes of testing, whereas females maintained the same trajectory. Conclusion These data suggest that male mice demonstrate comparable activity intensity as female mice but do not match female's duration of activity, especially for volitional tasks. Researchers utilizing these assays should account for sex differences as they could potentially mask true findings in an experiment. Plain English Summary Physical activity is a common measure to examine function in human subjects with and without disease. Animal models often use measures of physical activity to assess function, yet most of these measures have been done in males only, making interpretation and translation to females and humans difficult. Several measures have been used to measure activity in animals, including those examining voluntary running behavior, maximum capacity, and general activity levels; sex differences between these measures are unclear. We discovered sex differences throughout each of three activity tests. In voluntary running behavior there were large differences between sexes with females running a greater distance and spending more time running. There were small differences in the maximum capacity with females running for a longer period at high intensity. General activity levels showed small differences with females being less active than males. Thus, the greatest differences were found for voluntary running and small differences were found for maximum capacity and general activity levels; differences observed were dependent on the task. Researchers utilizing these assays should account for sex differences as they could potentially mask true findings in an experiment.
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Chapp AD, Nwakama CA, Jagtap PP, Phan CMH, Thomas MJ, Mermelstein PG. Fundamental Sex Differences in Cocaine-Induced Plasticity of Dopamine D1 Receptor- and D2 Receptor-Expressing Medium Spiny Neurons in the Mouse Nucleus Accumbens Shell. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY GLOBAL OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 4:100295. [PMID: 38533248 PMCID: PMC10963205 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsgos.2024.100295] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cocaine-induced plasticity in the nucleus accumbens shell of males occurs primarily in dopamine D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1R-MSNs), with little if any impact on dopamine D2 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D2R-MSNs). In females, the effect of cocaine on accumbens shell D1R- and D2R-MSN neurophysiology has yet to be reported, nor have estrous cycle effects been accounted for. Methods We used a 5-day locomotor sensitization paradigm followed by a 10- to 14-day drug-free abstinence period. We then obtained ex vivo whole-cell recordings from fluorescently labeled D1R-MSNs and D2R-MSNs in the nucleus accumbens shell of male and female mice during estrus and diestrus. We examined accumbens shell neuronal excitability as well as miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). Results In females, we observed alterations in D1R-MSN excitability across the estrous cycle similar in magnitude to the effects of cocaine in males. Furthermore, cocaine shifted estrous cycle-dependent plasticity from intrinsic excitability changes in D1R-MSNs to D2R-MSNs. In males, cocaine treatment produced the anticipated drop in D1R-MSN excitability with no effect on D2R-MSN excitability. Cocaine increased mEPSC frequencies and amplitudes in D2R-MSNs from females in estrus and mEPSC amplitudes of D2R-MSNs from females in diestrus. In males, cocaine increased both D1R- and D2R-MSN mEPSC amplitudes with no effect on mEPSC frequencies. Conclusions Overall, while there are similar cocaine-induced disparities regarding the relative excitability of D1R-MSNs versus D2R-MSNs between the sexes, this is mediated through reduced D1R-MSN excitability in males, whereas it is due to heightened D2R-MSN excitability in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D. Chapp
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Chinonso A. Nwakama
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Pramit P. Jagtap
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Chau-Mi H. Phan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Mark J. Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Center for Neural Circuits in Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Paul G. Mermelstein
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Center for Neural Circuits in Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Ahlbrand R, Wilson A, Woller P, Sachdeva Y, Lai J, Davis N, Wiggins J, Sah R. Sex-specific threat responding and neuronal engagement in carbon dioxide associated fear and extinction: Noradrenergic involvement in female mice. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 30:100617. [PMID: 38433995 PMCID: PMC10907837 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Difficulty in appropriately responding to threats is a key feature of psychiatric disorders, especially fear-related conditions such as panic disorder (PD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most prior work on threat and fear regulation involves exposure to external threatful cues. However, fear can also be triggered by aversive, within-the-body, sensations. This interoceptive signaling of fear is highly relevant to PD and PTSD but is not well understood, especially in the context of sex. Using female and male mice, the current study investigated fear-associated spontaneous and conditioned behaviors to carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation, a potent interoceptive threat that induces fear and panic. We also investigated whether behavioral sensitivity to CO2 is associated with delayed PTSD-relevant behaviors. CO2 evoked heterogenous freezing behaviors in both male and female animals. However, active, rearing behavior was significantly reduced in CO2-exposed male but not female mice. Interestingly, behavioral sensitivity to CO2 was associated with compromised fear extinction, independent of sex. However, in comparison to CO2-exposed males, females elicited less freezing and higher rearing during extinction suggesting an engagement of active versus passive defensive coping. Persistent neuronal activation marker ΔFosB immuno-mapping revealed attenuated engagement of infralimbic-prefrontal areas in both sexes but higher activation of brain stem locus coeruleus (LC) area in females. Inter-regional co-activation mapping revealed sex-independent disruptions in the infralimbic-amygdala associations but altered LC associations only in CO2-exposed female mice. Lastly, dopamine β hydroxylase positive (DβH + ve) noradrenergic neuronal cell counts in the LC correlated with freezing and rearing behaviors during CO2 inhalation and extinction only in female but not male mice. Collectively, these data provide evidence for higher active defensive responding to interoceptive threat CO2-associated fear in females that may stem from increased recruitment of the brainstem noradrenergic system. Our findings reveal distinct contributory mechanisms that may promote sex differences in fear and panic associated pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Ahlbrand
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Allison Wilson
- Neuroscience Undergraduate Program, University of Cincinnati, USA
| | - Patrick Woller
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, USA
| | - Yuv Sachdeva
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, USA
| | - Jayden Lai
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, USA
| | - Nikki Davis
- Neuroscience Undergraduate Program, University of Cincinnati, USA
| | - James Wiggins
- Neuroscience Undergraduate Program, University of Cincinnati, USA
| | - Renu Sah
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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22
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Laine MA, Greiner EM, Shansky RM. Sex differences in the rodent medial prefrontal cortex - What Do and Don't we know? Neuropharmacology 2024; 248:109867. [PMID: 38387553 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109867] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex, particularly its medial subregions (mPFC), mediates critical functions such as executive control, behavioral inhibition, and memory formation, with relevance for everyday functioning and psychopathology. Despite broad characterization of the mPFC in multiple model organisms, the extent to which mPFC structure and function vary according to an individual's sex is unclear - a knowledge gap that can be attributed to a historical bias for male subjects in neuroscience research. Recent efforts to consider sex as a biological variable in basic science highlight the great need to close this gap. Here we review the knowns and unknowns about how rodents categorized as male or female compare in mPFC neuroanatomy, pharmacology, as well as in aversive, appetitive, and goal- or habit-directed behaviors that recruit the mPFC. We propose that long-standing dogmatic concepts of mPFC structure and function may not remain supported when we move beyond male-only studies, and that empirical challenges to these dogmas are warranted. Additionally, we note some common pitfalls in this work. Most preclinical studies operationalize sex as a binary categorization, and while this approach has furthered the inclusion of non-male rodents it is not as such generalizable to what we know of sex as a multidimensional, dynamic variable. Exploration of sex variability may uncover both sex differences and sex similarities, but care must be taken in their interpretation. Including females in preclinical research needs to go beyond the investigation of sex differences, improving our knowledge of how this brain region and its subregions mediate behavior and health. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Laine
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - E M Greiner
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - R M Shansky
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
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23
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Wang Y, Pattarayan D, Huang H, Zhao Y, Li S, Wang Y, Zhang M, Li S, Yang D. Systematic investigation of chemo-immunotherapy synergism to shift anti-PD-1 resistance in cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3178. [PMID: 38609378 PMCID: PMC11015024 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47433-y] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Chemo-immunotherapy combinations have been regarded as one of the most practical ways to improve immunotherapy response in cancer patients. In this study, we integrate the transcriptomics data from anti-PD-1-treated tumors and compound-treated cancer cell lines to systematically screen for chemo-immunotherapy synergisms in silico. Through analyzing anti-PD-1 induced expression changes in patient tumors, we develop a shift ability score to measure if a chemotherapy or a small molecule inhibitor treatment can shift anti-PD-1 resistance in tumor cells. By applying shift ability analysis to 41,321 compounds and 16,853 shRNA treated cancer cell lines transcriptomic data, we characterize the landscape of chemo-immunotherapy synergism and experimentally validated a mitochondrial RNA-dependent mechanism for drug-induced immune activation in tumor. Our study represents an effort to mechanistically characterize chemo-immunotherapy synergism and will facilitate future pre-clinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Wang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Dhamotharan Pattarayan
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Haozhe Huang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Yueshan Zhao
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Sihan Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Yifei Wang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Song Li
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Da Yang
- Center for Pharmacogenetics, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
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24
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Messina DN, Peralta ED, Acosta CG. Complex alterations in inflammatory pain and analgesic sensitivity in young and ageing female rats: involvement of ASIC3 and Nav1.8 in primary sensory neurons. Inflamm Res 2024; 73:669-691. [PMID: 38483556 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-024-01862-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Our aim was to determine an age-dependent role of Nav1.8 and ASIC3 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in a rat pre-clinical model of long-term inflammatory pain. METHODS We compared 6 and 24 months-old female Wistar rats after cutaneous inflammation. We used behavioral pain assessments over time, qPCR, quantitative immunohistochemistry, selective pharmacological manipulation, ELISA and in vitro treatment with cytokines. RESULTS Older rats exhibited delayed recovery from mechanical allodynia and earlier onset of spontaneous pain than younger rats after inflammation. Moreover, the expression patterns of Nav1.8 and ASIC3 were time and age-dependent and ASIC3 levels remained elevated only in aged rats. In vivo, selective blockade of Nav1.8 with A803467 or of ASIC3 with APETx2 alleviated mechanical and cold allodynia and also spontaneous pain in both age groups with slightly different potency. Furthermore, in vitro IL-1β up-regulated Nav1.8 expression in DRG neurons cultured from young but not old rats. We also found that while TNF-α up-regulated ASIC3 expression in both age groups, IL-6 and IL-1β had this effect only on young and aged neurons, respectively. CONCLUSION Inflammation-associated mechanical allodynia and spontaneous pain in the elderly can be more effectively treated by inhibiting ASIC3 than Nav1.8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego N Messina
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Pain, Faculty of Medical Sciences, IHEM (Instituto de Histologia y Embriologia Mendoza, Dr. Mario H Burgos), Cuyo National University, Av. Del Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Emanuel D Peralta
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Pain, Faculty of Medical Sciences, IHEM (Instituto de Histologia y Embriologia Mendoza, Dr. Mario H Burgos), Cuyo National University, Av. Del Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Cristian G Acosta
- Laboratory of Neurobiology of Pain, Faculty of Medical Sciences, IHEM (Instituto de Histologia y Embriologia Mendoza, Dr. Mario H Burgos), Cuyo National University, Av. Del Libertador 80, 5500, Mendoza, Argentina.
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25
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Mengelkoch S, Slavich GM. Sex Differences in Stress Susceptibility as a Key Mechanism Underlying Depression Risk. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2024; 26:157-165. [PMID: 38470558 PMCID: PMC10978685 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-024-01490-8] [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] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Although females are at relatively greater risk for a variety of disorders, including depression, the biological mechanisms underlying this striking health disparity remain unclear. To address this issue, we highlight sex differences in stress susceptibility as a key mechanism potentially driving this effect and describe the interacting inflammatory, hormonal, epigenomic, and social-environmental mechanisms involved. RECENT FINDINGS Using the Social Signal Transduction Theory of Depression as a theoretical framework, women's elevated risk for depression may stem from a tight link between life stress, inflammation, and depression in women. Further, research finds hormonal contraceptive use alters cortisol and inflammatory reactivity to acute stress in ways that may increase depression risk in females. Finally, beyond established epigenetic mechanisms, mothers may transfer risk for depression to their female offspring through stressful family environments, which influence stress generation and stress-related gene expression. Together, these findings provide initial, biologically plausible clues that may help explain the relatively greater risk for depression in females vs. males. Looking forward, much more research is needed to address the longstanding underrepresentation of females in biomedical research on the biology of stress and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Summer Mengelkoch
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - George M Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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26
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Uweru OJ, Okojie KA, Trivedi A, Benderoth J, Thomas LS, Davidson G, Cox K, Eyo U. A P2RY12 Deficiency Results in Sex-specific Cellular Perturbations and Sexually Dimorphic Behavioral Anomalies. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3997803. [PMID: 38496602 PMCID: PMC10942488 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3997803/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Microglia are sexually dimorphic, yet, this critical aspect is often overlooked in neuroscientific studies. Decades of research have revealed the dynamic nature of microglial-neuronal interactions, but seldom consider how this dynamism varies with microglial sex differences, leaving a significant gap in our knowledge. This study focuses on P2RY12, a highly expressed microglial signature gene that mediates microglial-neuronal interactions, we show that adult females have a significantly higher expression of the receptor than adult male microglia. We further demonstrate that a genetic deletion of P2RY12 induces sex-specific cellular perturbations with microglia and neurons in females more significantly affected. Correspondingly, female mice lacking P2RY12 exhibit unique behavioral anomalies not observed in male counterparts. These findings underscore the critical, sex-specific roles of P2RY12 in microglial-neuronal interactions, offering new insights into basal interactions and potential implications for CNS disease mechanisms.
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27
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Fürstenau E, Lindauer U, Koch H, Höllig A. Secondary Ischemia Assessment in Murine and Rat Preclinical Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Models: A Systematic Review. J Am Heart Assoc 2024; 13:e032694. [PMID: 38420758 PMCID: PMC10944078 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.123.032694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delayed cerebral ischemia represents a significant contributor to death and disability following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Although preclinical models have shown promising results, clinical trials have consistently failed to replicate the success of therapeutic strategies. The lack of standardized experimental setups and outcome assessments, particularly regarding secondary vasospastic/ischemic events, may be partly responsible for the translational failure. The study aims to delineate the procedural characteristics and assessment modalities of secondary vasospastic and ischemic events, serving as surrogates for clinically relevant delayed cerebral ischemia, in recent rat and murine subarachnoid hemorrhage models. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a systematic review of rat and murine in vivo subarachnoid hemorrhage studies (published: 2016-2020) using delayed cerebral ischemia/vasospasm as outcome parameters. Our analysis included 102 eligible studies. In murine studies (n=30), the endovascular perforation model was predominantly used, while rat studies primarily employed intracisternal blood injection to mimic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Particularly, the injection models exhibited considerable variation in injection volume, rate, and cerebrospinal fluid withdrawal. Peri-interventional monitoring was generally inadequately reported across all models, with body temperature and blood pressure being the most frequently documented parameters (62% and 34%, respectively). Vasospastic events were mainly assessed through microscopy of large cerebral arteries. In 90% of the rat and 86% of the murine studies, only male animals were used. CONCLUSIONS Our study underscores the substantial heterogeneity in procedural characteristics and outcome assessments of experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage research. To address these challenges, drafting guidelines for standardization and ensuring rigorous control of methodological and experimental quality by funders and journals are essential. REGISTRATION URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/; Unique identifier: CRD42022337279.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Fürstenau
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Ute Lindauer
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
- Translational Neurosurgery and Neurobiology, Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Henner Koch
- Department of Epileptology and NeurologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Anke Höllig
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
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28
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Nayana J, Shankaranarayana Rao BS, Srikumar BN. Repeated finasteride administration promotes synaptic plasticity and produces antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in female rats. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25306. [PMID: 38468573 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Finasteride is used in female-pattern hair loss, hirsutism, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. It inhibits 5α-reductase, which is an important enzyme in the biosynthesis of neurosteroids. The effects of finasteride treatment on mental health in female patients as well as the effects of repeated/chronic finasteride administration in female rodents are still unknown. Accordingly, in our study, we administered finasteride (10, 30, or 100 mg/Kg, s.c.) for 6 days in female rats and evaluated behavior, plasma steroid levels, and synaptic plasticity. Depression-like behavior was evaluated using forced swim test (FST) and splash test. Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using novelty-suppressed feeding task (NSFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), open field test (OFT), and light-dark test (LDT). Plasma steroid levels were assessed using ELISA and synaptic plasticity by field potential recordings. We observed that finasteride decreased total immobility duration in FST, indicating antidepressant-like effect and decreased the latency to first bite in NSFT, showing anxiolytic-like effect. We also found a significant increase in plasma estradiol and a significant decrease in plasma corticosterone level. Furthermore, field potential recordings showed that finasteride increased hippocampal long-term potentiation. These results indicate that repeated finasteride administration in female rats may have antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effect, which might be mediated by enhanced estradiol levels or decreased corticosterone levels. Further studies are required to validate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of finasteride in female rats. Understanding the mechanisms will help us in developing novel neurosteroid-based therapeutics in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Nayana
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Bettadapura N Srikumar
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, India
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29
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Keogh E, Boerner KE. Challenges with embedding an integrated sex and gender perspective into pain research: Recommendations and opportunities. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 117:112-121. [PMID: 38145854 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The focus of this article, within this BBI horizons special issue, is on sex, gender, and pain. We summarise what is currently known about sex- and gender-related variations in pain, exploring intersectional biological and psychosocial mechanisms, and highlight gaps in knowledge and understanding. Five key challenges with the exploration of sex and gender in pain research are presented, relating to: conceptual imprecision, research bias, limitations with binary descriptions, integrating sex and gender, and timely adoption/implementation of good research practice. Guidance on how to overcome such challenges is provided. Despite clear evidence for sex and gender differences in pain, there are conceptual and methodological barriers to overcome. Innovation in methods and approach can help develop more effective and tailored treatment approaches for men, women, boys, girls, and gender-diverse people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund Keogh
- Bath Centre for Pain Research & Department of Psychology, University of Bath, UK.
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30
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Harris BN, Yavari M, Ramalingam L, Mounce PL, Alers Maldonado K, Chavira AC, Thomas S, Scoggin S, Biltz C, Moustaid-Moussa N. Impact of Long-Term Dietary High Fat and Eicosapentaenoic Acid on Behavior and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity in Amyloidogenic APPswe/PSEN1dE9 Mice. Neuroendocrinology 2024; 114:553-576. [PMID: 38301617 PMCID: PMC11153005 DOI: 10.1159/000536586] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alzheimer's disease (AD) alters neurocognitive and emotional function and causes dysregulation of multiple homeostatic processes. The leading AD framework pins amyloid beta plaques and tau tangles as primary drivers of dysfunction. However, many additional variables, including diet, stress, sex, age, and pain tolerance, interact in ways that are not fully understood to impact the onset and progression of AD pathophysiology. We asked: (1) does high-fat diet, compared to low-fat diet, exacerbate AD pathophysiology and behavioral decline? And, (2) can supplementation with eicosapentaenoic (EPA)-enriched fish oil prevent high-fat-diet-induced changes? METHODS Male and female APPswePSdE9 mice, and their non-transgenic littermates, were randomly assigned to a diet condition (low-fat, high-fat, high-fat with EPA) and followed from 2 to 10 months of age. We assessed baseline corticosterone concentration during aging, pain tolerance, cognitive function, stress coping, and corticosterone response to a stressor. RESULTS Transgenic mice were consistently more active than non-transgenic mice but did not perform worse on either cognitive task, even though we recently reported that these same transgenic mice exhibited metabolic changes and had increased amyloid beta. Mice fed high-fat diet had higher baseline and post-stressor corticosterone, but diet did not impact cognition or pain tolerance. Sex had the biggest influence, as female mice were consistently more active and had higher corticosterone than males. CONCLUSION Overall, diet, genotype, and sex did not have consistent impacts on outcomes. We found little support for predicted interactions and correlations, suggesting diet impacts metabolic function and amyloid beta levels, but these outcomes do not translate to changes in behaviors measured here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna N. Harris
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
- Obesity Research Institute, Office of Research & Innovation, Texas Tech University
| | - Mahsa Yavari
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
- Obesity Research Institute, Office of Research & Innovation, Texas Tech University
- Current address: Department of Molecular Metabolism, School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA
| | - Latha Ramalingam
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
- Obesity Research Institute, Office of Research & Innovation, Texas Tech University
- Current address: Department of Nutritional and Food Studies Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
| | - P. Logan Mounce
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | | | - Angela C. Chavira
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Sarah Thomas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Shane Scoggin
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Caroline Biltz
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
| | - Naima Moustaid-Moussa
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
- Obesity Research Institute, Office of Research & Innovation, Texas Tech University
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31
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Ojeda J, Vergara M, Ávila A, Henríquez JP, Fehlings M, Vidal PM. Impaired communication at the neuromotor axis during Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy. Front Cell Neurosci 2024; 17:1316432. [PMID: 38269114 PMCID: PMC10806149 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1316432] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive neurological condition characterized by structural alterations in the cervical spine, resulting in compression of the spinal cord. While clinical manifestations of DCM are well-documented, numerous unanswered questions persist at the molecular and cellular levels. In this study, we sought to investigate the neuromotor axis during DCM. We use a clinically relevant mouse model, where after 3 months of DCM induction, the sensorimotor tests revealed a significant reduction in both locomotor activity and muscle strength compared to the control group. Immunohistochemical analyses showed alterations in the gross anatomy of the cervical spinal cord segment after DCM. These changes were concomitant with the loss of motoneurons and a decrease in the number of excitatory synaptic inputs within the spinal cord. Additionally, the DCM group exhibited a reduction in the endplate surface, which correlated with diminished presynaptic axon endings in the supraspinous muscles. Furthermore, the biceps brachii (BB) muscle exhibited signs of atrophy and impaired regenerative capacity, which inversely correlated with the transversal area of remnants of muscle fibers. Additionally, metabolic assessments in BB muscle indicated an increased proportion of oxidative skeletal muscle fibers. In line with the link between neuromotor disorders and gut alterations, DCM mice displayed smaller mucin granules in the mucosa layer without damage to the epithelial barrier in the colon. Notably, a shift in the abundance of microbiota phylum profiles reveals an elevated Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio-a consistent hallmark of dysbiosis that correlates with alterations in gut microbiota-derived metabolites. Additionally, treatment with short-chain fatty acids stimulated the differentiation of the motoneuron-like NSC34 cell line. These findings shed light on the multifaceted nature of DCM, resembling a synaptopathy that disrupts cellular communication within the neuromotor axis while concurrently exerting influence on other systems. Notably, the colon emerges as a focal point, experiencing substantial perturbations in both mucosal barrier integrity and the delicate balance of intestinal microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Ojeda
- Neuroimmunology and Regeneration of the Central Nervous System Unit, Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Mayra Vergara
- Neuroimmunology and Regeneration of the Central Nervous System Unit, Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Ariel Ávila
- Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Juan Pablo Henríquez
- Neuromuscular Studies Lab (NeSt Lab), Instituto de Anatomía, Histología y Patología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Michael Fehlings
- Department of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Spinal Program, University Health Network, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Pia M. Vidal
- Neuroimmunology and Regeneration of the Central Nervous System Unit, Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Basic Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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32
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Tripathi MK, Ojha SK, Kartawy M, Khaliulin I, Hamoudi W, Amal H. Mutations associated with autism lead to similar synaptic and behavioral alterations in both sexes of male and female mouse brain. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10. [PMID: 38177238 PMCID: PMC10766975 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50248-4] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder based on synaptic abnormalities. The estimated prevalence rate of male individuals diagnosed with ASD prevails over females is in a proportion of 4:1. Consequently, males remain the main focus in ASD studies in clinical and experimental settings. Meanwhile, some studies point to an underestimation of this disorder in females. In this work, we studied the sex differences of the synaptic and behavioral phenotypes of ASD mouse models. Juvenile male and female Shank3Δ4-22 and Cntnap2-/- mutant mice and their WT littermates were used in the experiments. The animals were subjected to a Three-Chamber Sociability Test, then euthanized, and the whole cortex was used for the evaluation of the synaptic phenotype. Protein levels of glutamatergic (NR1) and GABAergic (GAD1 and VGAT) neuronal markers were measured. Protein level of synaptophysin (Syp) was also measured. Dendritic spine density in somatosensory neurons was analyzed by Golgi staining methods. Spine Density and GAD1, NR1, VGAT, and Syp levels were significantly reduced in Shank3Δ4-22 and Cntnap2-/- mice compared to the control group irrespective of sex, indicating impaired synaptic development in the mutant mice. These results were consistent with the lack of differences in the three-chamber sociability test between male and female mice. In conclusion, female ASD mice of both mutations undergo similar synaptic aberrations as their male counterparts and need to be studied along with the male animals. Finally, this work urges the psychiatry scientific community to use both sexes in their investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kumar Tripathi
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shashank Kumar Ojha
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Maryam Kartawy
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Igor Khaliulin
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Wajeha Hamoudi
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Haitham Amal
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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33
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Holloway AL, Lerner TN. Hidden variables in stress neurobiology research. Trends Neurosci 2024; 47:9-17. [PMID: 37985263 PMCID: PMC10842876 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.10.006] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Among the central goals of stress neurobiology research is to understand the mechanisms by which stressors change neural circuit function to precipitate or exacerbate psychiatric symptoms. Yet despite decades of effort, psychiatric medications that target the biological substrates of the stress response are largely lacking. We propose that the clinical advancement of stress response-based therapeutics for psychiatric disorders may be hindered by 'hidden variables' in stress research, including considerations of behavioral study design (stressors and outcome measures), individual variability, sex differences, and the interaction of the body's stress hormone system with endogenous circadian and ultradian rhythms. We highlight key issues and suggest ways forward in stress neurobiology research that may improve the ability to assess stress mechanisms and translate preclinical findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Holloway
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN), Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Talia N Lerner
- Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN), Evanston, IL, USA.
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Soliman N, Denk F. Practical approaches to improving translatability and reproducibility in preclinical pain research. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:38-42. [PMID: 37793487 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain research continues to face the challenge of poor translatability of pre-clinical studies. In this short primer, we are summarizing the possible causes, with an emphasis on practical and constructive solutions. In particular, we stress the importance of increased heterogeneity in animal studies; formal or informal pre-registration to combat publication bias; and increased statistical training in order to help pre-clinical scientists appreciate the usefulness of available experimental design and reporting guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Soliman
- Pain Research, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Franziska Denk
- Wolfson Centre for Age-related Diseases, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
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Qiao X, Grieco SF, Yu Z, Holmes TC, Xu X. Intranasal Delivery of Ketamine Induces Cortical Disinhibition. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0107-23.2023. [PMID: 38164560 PMCID: PMC10849039 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0107-23.2023] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Our previous studies find that subcutaneously administered (s.c.) subanesthetic ketamine promotes sustained cortical disinhibition and plasticity in adult mouse binocular visual cortex (bV1). We hypothesized that intranasal delivery (i.n.) of subanesthetic ketamine may have similar actions. To test this, we delivered ketamine (10 mg/kg, i.n.) to adult mice and then recorded excitatory pyramidal neurons or PV+ interneurons in L2/3 of bV1 slices. In pyramidal neurons the baseline IPSC amplitudes from mice treated with ketamine are significantly weaker than those in control mice. Acute bath application of neuregulin-1 (NRG1) to cortical slices increases these IPSC amplitudes in mice treated with ketamine but not in controls. In PV+ interneurons, the baseline EPSC amplitudes from mice treated with ketamine are significantly weaker than those in control mice. Acute bath application of NRG1 to cortical slices increases these EPSC amplitudes in mice treated with ketamine but not in controls. We also found that mice treated with ketamine exhibit increased pCREB staining in L2/3 of bV1. Together, our results show that a single intranasal delivery of ketamine reduces PV+ interneuron excitation and reduces pyramidal neuron inhibition and that these effects are acutely reversed by NRG1. These results are significant as they show that intranasal delivery of ketamine induces cortical disinhibition, which has implications for the treatment of psychiatric, neurologic, and ophthalmic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Qiao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
| | - Steven F Grieco
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
- Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
| | - Zhaoxia Yu
- Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
- Department of Statistics, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences, Irvine 92697, California
| | - Todd C Holmes
- Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
| | - Xiangmin Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
- Center for Neural Circuit Mapping, University of California, Irvine 92697, California
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Dalla C, Jaric I, Pavlidi P, Hodes GE, Kokras N, Bespalov A, Kas MJ, Steckler T, Kabbaj M, Würbel H, Marrocco J, Tollkuhn J, Shansky R, Bangasser D, Becker JB, McCarthy M, Ferland-Beckham C. Practical solutions for including sex as a biological variable (SABV) in preclinical neuropsychopharmacological research. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 401:110003. [PMID: 37918446 PMCID: PMC10842858 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2023.110003] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Recently, many funding agencies have released guidelines on the importance of considering sex as a biological variable (SABV) as an experimental factor, aiming to address sex differences and avoid possible sex biases to enhance the reproducibility and translational relevance of preclinical research. In neuroscience and pharmacology, the female sex is often omitted from experimental designs, with researchers generalizing male-driven outcomes to both sexes, risking a biased or limited understanding of disease mechanisms and thus potentially ineffective therapeutics. Herein, we describe key methodological aspects that should be considered when sex is factored into in vitro and in vivo experiments and provide practical knowledge for researchers to incorporate SABV into preclinical research. Both age and sex significantly influence biological and behavioral processes due to critical changes at different timepoints of development for males and females and due to hormonal fluctuations across the rodent lifespan. We show that including both sexes does not require larger sample sizes, and even if sex is included as an independent variable in the study design, a moderate increase in sample size is sufficient. Moreover, the importance of tracking hormone levels in both sexes and the differentiation between sex differences and sex-related strategy in behaviors are explained. Finally, the lack of robust data on how biological sex influences the pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), or toxicological effects of various preclinically administered drugs to animals due to the exclusion of female animals is discussed, and methodological strategies to enhance the rigor and translational relevance of preclinical research are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Dalla
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
| | - Ivana Jaric
- Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Pavlina Pavlidi
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia E Hodes
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Nikolaos Kokras
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; First Department of Psychiatry, Eginition Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Anton Bespalov
- Partnership for Assessment and Accreditation of Scientific Practice (PAASP GmbH), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martien J Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences & Neurosciences, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA
| | - Hanno Würbel
- Animal Welfare Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jordan Marrocco
- Department of Biology, Touro University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | | | - Rebecca Shansky
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02128, USA
| | - Debra Bangasser
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Jill B Becker
- Department of Psychology and Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Margaret McCarthy
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Baltimore MD, USA
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Sakata S. SaLSa: A Combinatory Approach of Semi-Automatic Labeling and Long Short-Term Memory to Classify Behavioral Syllables. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0201-23.2023. [PMID: 37989587 PMCID: PMC10714892 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0201-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Accurately and quantitatively describing mouse behavior is an important area. Although advances in machine learning have made it possible to track their behaviors accurately, reliable classification of behavioral sequences or syllables remains a challenge. In this study, we present a novel machine learning approach, called SaLSa (a combination of semi-automatic labeling and long short-term memory-based classification), to classify behavioral syllables of mice exploring an open field. This approach consists of two major steps. First, after tracking multiple body parts, spatial and temporal features of their egocentric coordinates are extracted. A fully automated unsupervised process identifies candidates for behavioral syllables, followed by manual labeling of behavioral syllables using a graphical user interface (GUI). Second, a long short-term memory (LSTM) classifier is trained with the labeled data. We found that the classification performance was marked over 97%. It provides a performance equivalent to a state-of-the-art model while classifying some of the syllables. We applied this approach to examine how hyperactivity in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease develops with age. When the proportion of each behavioral syllable was compared between genotypes and sexes, we found that the characteristic hyperlocomotion of female Alzheimer's disease mice emerges between four and eight months. In contrast, age-related reduction in rearing is common regardless of genotype and sex. Overall, SaLSa enables detailed characterization of mouse behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzo Sakata
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, United Kingdom
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38
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Gessner NR, Peiravi M, Zhang F, Yimam S, Springer D, Harbison ST. A conserved role for frizzled in sleep architecture. SLEEP ADVANCES : A JOURNAL OF THE SLEEP RESEARCH SOCIETY 2023; 4:zpad045. [PMID: 38033424 PMCID: PMC10684271 DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpad045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies of natural variants in Drosophila melanogaster implicated the Wnt signaling receptor frizzled in sleep. Given that the Wnt signaling pathway is highly conserved across species, we hypothesized that frizzled class receptor 1 (Fzd1), the murine homolog of frizzled, would also have a role in sleep. Using a CRISPR transgenic approach, we removed most of the Fzd1 coding region from C57BL/6N mice. We used a video assay to measure sleep characteristics in Fzd1-deficient mice. As Wnt signaling is known to affect visuospatial memory, we also examined the impact of the deletion on learning and memory using the novel object recognition (NOR) paradigm. Fzd1-deficient mice had altered sleep compared to littermate controls. The mice did not respond differently to the NOR paradigm compared to controls but did display anxiety-like behavior. Our strategy demonstrates that the study of natural variation in Drosophila sleep translates into candidate genes for sleep in vertebrate species such as the mouse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Gessner
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Morteza Peiravi
- Murine Phenotyping Core, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fan Zhang
- Transgenic Core, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shemsiya Yimam
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Danielle Springer
- Murine Phenotyping Core, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Susan T Harbison
- Laboratory of Systems Genetics, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Alpirez J, Leon-Moreno LC, Aguilar-García IG, Castañeda-Arellano R, Dueñas-Jiménez JM, Asencio-Piña CR, Dueñas-Jiménez SH. Walk Locomotion Kinematic Changes in a Model of Penetrating Hippocampal Injury in Male/Female Mice and Rats. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1545. [PMID: 38002505 PMCID: PMC10669690 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13111545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury has been the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in human beings. One of the most susceptible structures to this damage is the hippocampus due to cellular and synaptic loss and impaired hippocampal connectivity to the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord. Thus, hippocampal damage in rodents using a stereotaxic device could be an adequate method to study a precise lesion from CA1 to the dentate gyrus structures. We studied male and female rats and mice, analyzing hindlimb locomotion kinematics changes to compare the locomotion kinematics using the same methodology in rodents. We measure (1) the vertical hindlimb metatarsus, ankle, and knee joint vertical displacements (VD) and (2) the factor of dissimilarity (DF). The VD in intact rats in metatarsus, ankle, and knee joints differs from that in intact mice in similar joints. In rats, the vertical displacement through the step cycle changed in the left and right metatarsus, ankle, and knee joints compared to the intact group versus the lesioned group. More subtle changes were also observed in mice. DF demonstrates contrasting results when studying locomotion kinematics of mice or rats and sex-dependent differences. Thus, a precise lesion in a rodent's hippocampal structure discloses some hindlimb locomotion changes related to species and sex. Thus, we only have a qualitative comparison between murine species. In order to make a comparison with other species, we should standardize the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonatan Alpirez
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico; (J.A.); (L.C.L.-M.); (I.G.A.-G.)
| | - Lilia Carolina Leon-Moreno
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico; (J.A.); (L.C.L.-M.); (I.G.A.-G.)
| | - Irene Guadalupe Aguilar-García
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico; (J.A.); (L.C.L.-M.); (I.G.A.-G.)
| | - Rolando Castañeda-Arellano
- Centro de Investigación Multidisciplinario en Salud, Centro Universitario de Tonalá, Universidad de Guadalajara, Tonalá 45425, Mexico;
| | - Judith Marcela Dueñas-Jiménez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico;
| | - Cesar Rodolfo Asencio-Piña
- Departamento de Electronica, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44430, Mexico;
| | - Sergio Horacio Dueñas-Jiménez
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara 44340, Mexico; (J.A.); (L.C.L.-M.); (I.G.A.-G.)
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Titulaer J, Gottfridsson R, Nordling D, Fagerström E, Eberhard J, Konradsson-Geuken Å. Sex-specific differences and similarities of olanzapine and risperidone on avoidance suppression in rats in the conditioned avoidance response test. Brain Res 2023; 1818:148527. [PMID: 37567547 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148527] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that antipsychotic drugs (APDs) are more effective in reducing symptoms in women than in men, and that women are more sensitive to the side effects of APDs. Therefore, it is of great importance that sex differences in drug responses are considered already in the early stages of drug development. In this study, we investigated whether sex-specific differences could be observed in response to the commonly prescribed APDs olanzapine and risperidone using the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) test. To this end we tested the effect of 1.25 and 2.5 mg/kg olanzapine and 0.25 and 0.4 mg/kg risperidone using female and male Wistar rats in the CAR test. Whereas there were no significant differences between the female and male rats in response to either dose of olanzapine administration, an injection of 0.4 mg/kg risperidone significantly suppressed avoidance more in female rats than in male rats. In addition, we found that the estrous cycle of the female rats did not have a significant effect on the avoidance response. In conclusion, we show that there are sex-specific differences as well as similarities between female and male rats in the CAR test and novel APDs should be tested on female and male rats in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joep Titulaer
- Section of Neuropharmacology and Addiction Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Section of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rebecca Gottfridsson
- Section of Neuropharmacology and Addiction Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Daniel Nordling
- Section of Neuropharmacology and Addiction Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Division of Psychiatry, Clinical Sciences Helsingborg, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ella Fagerström
- Section of Neuropharmacology and Addiction Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jonas Eberhard
- Division of Psychiatry, Clinical Sciences Helsingborg, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Åsa Konradsson-Geuken
- Section of Neuropharmacology and Addiction Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Section of Neuropsychopharmacology, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychiatry, Clinical Sciences Helsingborg, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
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Bruce LK, Kasl P, Soltani S, Viswanath VK, Hartogensis W, Dilchert S, Hecht FM, Chowdhary A, Anglo C, Pandya L, Dasgupta S, Altintas I, Gupta A, Mason AE, Smarr BL. Variability of temperature measurements recorded by a wearable device by biological sex. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:76. [PMID: 37915069 PMCID: PMC10619297 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00558-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Females have been historically excluded from biomedical research due in part to the documented presumption that results with male subjects will generalize effectively to females. This has been justified in part by the assumption that ovarian rhythms will increase the overall variance of pooled random samples. But not all variance in samples is random. Human biometrics are continuously changing in response to stimuli and biological rhythms; single measurements taken sporadically do not easily support exploration of variance across time scales. Recently we reported that in mice, core body temperature measured longitudinally shows higher variance in males than cycling females, both within and across individuals at multiple time scales. METHODS Here, we explore longitudinal human distal body temperature, measured by a wearable sensor device (Oura Ring), for 6 months in females and males ranging in age from 20 to 79 years. In this study, we did not limit the comparisons to female versus male, but instead we developed a method for categorizing individuals as cyclic or acyclic depending on the presence of a roughly monthly pattern to their nightly temperature. We then compared structure and variance across time scales using multiple standard instruments. RESULTS Sex differences exist as expected, but across multiple statistical comparisons and timescales, there was no one group that consistently exceeded the others in variance. When variability was assessed across time, females, whether or not their temperature contained monthly cycles, did not significantly differ from males both on daily and monthly time scales. CONCLUSIONS These findings contradict the viewpoint that human females are too variable across menstrual cycles to include in biomedical research. Longitudinal temperature of females does not accumulate greater measurement error over time than do males and the majority of unexplained variance is within sex category, not between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauryn Keeler Bruce
- UC San Diego Health Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Kasl
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, , La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Severine Soltani
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Varun K Viswanath
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Wendy Hartogensis
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephan Dilchert
- Department of Management, Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Frederick M Hecht
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anoushka Chowdhary
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Claudine Anglo
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Leena Pandya
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Subhasis Dasgupta
- San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ilkay Altintas
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
- San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Amarnath Gupta
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
- San Diego Supercomputer Center, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ashley E Mason
- Osher Center for Integrative Health, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin L Smarr
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, , La Jolla, San Diego, CA, USA.
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
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42
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Williams JS, Fattori MR, Honeyborne IR, Ritz SA. Considering hormones as sex- and gender-related factors in biomedical research: Challenging false dichotomies and embracing complexity. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105442. [PMID: 37913648 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The inclusion of sex and gender considerations in biomedicine has been increasing in light of calls from research and funding agencies, governmental bodies, and advocacy groups to direct research attention to these issues. Although the inclusion of both female and male participants is often an important element, overreliance on a female-male binary tends to oversimplify the interactions between sex- and gender-related factors and health, and runs a risk of being influenced by cultural stereotypes about sex and gender. When biomedical researchers are examining how hormones associated with gender and sex may influence pathways of interest, it is of crucial importance to approach this work with a critical lens on the rhetoric used, and in ways that acknowledge the complexity of hormone physiology. Here, we document the ways in which discourses around sex, gender and hormones shape our scientific thinking and practice in biomedical research, and review how the existing scientific knowledge about hormones reflects a complex and dynamic reality that is often not reflected outside of specialist niches of hormone biology. Where biomedical scientists take up sex- and gender-associated hormones as a way of addressing sex and gender considerations, it is valuable for us to bring a critical lens to the rhetoric and discourses used, to employ a sex contextualist approach in designing experimentation, and be rigorous and reflexive about the approaches used in analysis and interpretation of data. These strategies will allow us to design experimentation that goes beyond binaries, and grapples more directly with the material intricacies of sex, gender, and hormones.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michelle R Fattori
- Health Sciences Education Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Isabella R Honeyborne
- Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stacey A Ritz
- Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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43
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Farsi Z, Nicolella A, Simmons SK, Aryal S, Shepard N, Brenner K, Lin S, Herzog L, Moran SP, Stalnaker KJ, Shin W, Gazestani V, Song BJ, Bonanno K, Keshishian H, Carr SA, Pan JQ, Macosko EZ, Datta SR, Dejanovic B, Kim E, Levin JZ, Sheng M. Brain-region-specific changes in neurons and glia and dysregulation of dopamine signaling in Grin2a mutant mice. Neuron 2023; 111:3378-3396.e9. [PMID: 37657442 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
A genetically valid animal model could transform our understanding of schizophrenia (SCZ) disease mechanisms. Rare heterozygous loss-of-function (LoF) mutations in GRIN2A, encoding a subunit of the NMDA receptor, greatly increase the risk of SCZ. By transcriptomic, proteomic, and behavioral analyses, we report that heterozygous Grin2a mutant mice show (1) large-scale gene expression changes across multiple brain regions and in neuronal (excitatory and inhibitory) and non-neuronal cells (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes), (2) evidence of hypoactivity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hyperactivity in the hippocampus and striatum, (3) an elevated dopamine signaling in the striatum and hypersensitivity to amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion (AIH), (4) altered cholesterol biosynthesis in astrocytes, (5) a reduction in glutamatergic receptor signaling proteins in the synapse, and (6) an aberrant locomotor pattern opposite of that induced by antipsychotic drugs. These findings reveal potential pathophysiologic mechanisms, provide support for both the "hypo-glutamate" and "hyper-dopamine" hypotheses of SCZ, and underscore the utility of Grin2a-deficient mice as a genetic model of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohreh Farsi
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Ally Nicolella
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sean K Simmons
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sameer Aryal
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nate Shepard
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kira Brenner
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sherry Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Linnea Herzog
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sean P Moran
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Katherine J Stalnaker
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wangyong Shin
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Vahid Gazestani
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Bryan J Song
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Bonanno
- Proteomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Hasmik Keshishian
- Proteomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven A Carr
- Proteomics Platform, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jen Q Pan
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Evan Z Macosko
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Borislav Dejanovic
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon, South Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute for Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Joshua Z Levin
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Klarman Cell Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Morgan Sheng
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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44
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Zilkha N, Kimchi T. Sexual behavior and drive: Is it all in your brain? Curr Biol 2023; 33:R1052-R1054. [PMID: 37875079 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Male mating behavior involves a series of behaviors aimed to recognize, approach and mate with a female. A new study in mice reveals an elaborated neural circuit that drives both sexual recognition, sexual reward, and copulatory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noga Zilkha
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Tali Kimchi
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel.
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45
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Chen JY, Wu K, Guo MM, Song W, Huang ST, Zhang YM. The PrL Glu→avBNST GABA circuit rapidly modulates depression-like behaviors in male mice. iScience 2023; 26:107878. [PMID: 37810240 PMCID: PMC10551841 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107878] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression is a global disease with a high prevalence. Here, we examine the role of the circuit from prelimbic mPFC (PrL) to the anterior ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (avBNST) in depression-like mice through behavioral tests, immunofluorescence, chemogenetics, optogenetics, pharmacology, and fiber photometry. Mice exposed to chronic restraint stress with individual housing displayed depression-like behaviors. Optogenetic or chemogenetic activation of the avBNST-projecting glutamatergic neurons in the PrL had an antidepressant effect. Moreover, we found that α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionicacid receptors (AMPARs) play a dominant role in this circuit. Systemic administration of ketamine profoundly alleviated depression-like behaviors in the mice and rapidly rescued the decreased activity in the PrLGlu→avBNSTGABA circuit. Furthermore, the fast-acting effect of ketamine on depressive behaviors was diminished when the circuit was inhibited. To summarize, activating the PrLGlu→avBNSTGABA circuit quickly ameliorated depression-like behaviors. Thus, we propose the PrLGlu→avBNSTGABA circuit as a target for fast regulation of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie-ying Chen
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Ke Wu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Miao-miao Guo
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Wei Song
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Si-ting Huang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
| | - Yong-mei Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
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46
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Tsao CH, Wu KY, Su NC, Edwards A, Huang GJ. The influence of sex difference on behavior and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in C57BL/6 mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17297. [PMID: 37828065 PMCID: PMC10570284 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44360-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models have been used extensively in in vivo studies, especially within the biomedical field. Traditionally, single-sex studies, mostly males, are used to avoid any potential confounding variation caused by sex difference and the female estrous cycle. Historically, female animal subjects are believed to exhibit higher variability, and this could increase the statistical power needed to test a hypothesis. This study sets out to evaluate whether a sex difference does exist in mouse behavior, and whether female mice featured higher variability. We assessed the sensorimotor skills, anxiety-like behavior, depression-like behavior, and cognitive abilities of mice through a series of commonly used behavioral tests. Except for the stronger grip force and lower tactile sensory sensitivity detected in male mice, there was no significant difference between males and females in other tests. Furthermore, immunolabeling of neurogenesis markers suggested no significant difference between sexes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Within group variances were equivalent; females did not exhibit higher variability than males. However, the overall negative results could be due to the limitation of small sample size. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that sex difference in mice does not significantly influence these commonly used behavioral tests nor adult neurogenesis under basal conditions. We suggest that female mice could also be considered for test inclusion in future experiment design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Hui Tsao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Yu Wu
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Nicole Ching Su
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan
| | - Andrew Edwards
- Department of Psychiatry, Dykebar Hospital, National Health Service Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Paisley, PA2 7DE, Scotland
| | - Guo-Jen Huang
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302, Taiwan.
- Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital-Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
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47
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Beck J, Wernisch B, Klaus T, Penn DJ, Zala SM. Attraction of female house mice to male ultrasonic courtship vocalizations depends on their social experience and estrous stage. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285642. [PMID: 37816035 PMCID: PMC10564145 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Male house mice (Mus musculus) produce complex ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), especially during courtship and mating. Playback experiments suggest that female attraction towards recordings of male USVs depends on their social experience, paternal exposure, and estrous stage. We conducted a playback experiment with wild-derived female house mice (M. musculus musculus) and compared their attraction to male USVs versus the same recording without USVs (background noise). We tested whether female attraction to USVs is influenced by the following factors: (1) social housing (two versus one female per cage); (2) neonatal paternal exposure (rearing females with versus without father); and (3) estrous stage. We found that females showed a significant attraction to male USVs but only when they were housed socially with another female. Individually housed females showed the opposite response. We found no evidence that pre-weaning exposure to a father influenced females' preferences, whereas estrous stage influenced females' attraction to male USVs: females not in estrus showed preferences towards male USVs, whereas estrous females did not. Finally, we found that individually housed females were more likely to be in sexually receptive estrous stages than those housed socially, and that attraction to male USVs was most pronounced amongst non-receptive females that were socially housed. Our findings indicate that the attraction of female mice to male USVs depends upon their social experience and estrous stage, though not paternal exposure. They contribute to the growing number of studies showing that social housing and estrous stage can influence the behavior of house mice and we show how such unreported variables can contribute to the replication crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Beck
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bettina Wernisch
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Teresa Klaus
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dustin J. Penn
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah M. Zala
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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García MT, Tran DN, Peterson RE, Stegmann SK, Hanson SM, Reid CM, Xie Y, Vu S, Harwell CC. A developmentally defined population of neurons in the lateral septum controls responses to aversive stimuli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.24.559205. [PMID: 37873286 PMCID: PMC10592641 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.24.559205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
When interacting with their environment, animals must balance exploratory and defensive behavior to evaluate and respond to potential threats. The lateral septum (LS) is a structure in the ventral forebrain that calibrates the magnitude of behavioral responses to stress-related external stimuli, including the regulation of threat avoidance. The complex connectivity between the LS and other parts of the brain, together with its largely unexplored neuronal diversity, makes it difficult to understand how defined LS circuits control specific behaviors. Here, we describe a mouse model in which a population of neurons with a common developmental origin (Nkx2.1-lineage neurons) are absent from the LS. Using a combination of circuit tracing and behavioral analyses, we found that these neurons receive inputs from the perifornical area of the anterior hypothalamus (PeFAH) and are specifically activated in stressful contexts. Mice lacking Nkx2.1-lineage LS neurons display increased exploratory behavior even under stressful conditions. Our study extends the current knowledge about how defined neuronal populations within the LS can evaluate contextual information to select appropriate behavioral responses. This is a necessary step towards understanding the crucial role that the LS plays in neuropsychiatric conditions where defensive behavior is dysregulated, such as anxiety and aggression disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Turrero García
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Diana N. Tran
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA
| | | | | | - Sarah M. Hanson
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Christopher M. Reid
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
- Ph.D. Program in Neuroscience, Harvard University; Boston, MA
| | - Yajun Xie
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
| | - Steve Vu
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA
| | - Corey C. Harwell
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- The Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research; San Francisco, CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco; San Francisco, CA
- Lead contact
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49
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Ledesma-Corvi S, García-Fuster MJ. Comparing the antidepressant-like effects of electroconvulsive seizures in adolescent and adult female rats: an intensity dose-response study. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:67. [PMID: 37777813 PMCID: PMC10541687 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00552-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The induction of electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) in rodents induces sex- and age-specific disparities in antidepressant-like responses, with females and young age being the most unresponsive ones. Since the electrical charge needed to induce an effective convulsion is also altered by these variables, our aim was to compare different dose-intensities of ECS exclusively in female rats, since there is a lack of preclinical data characterizing this particular sex, while also evaluating efficacy during distinctive age periods of treatment (adolescence vs. adulthood). METHODS Adolescent and adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to an intensity dose-response study (55, 75 or 95 mA; 0.6 s, 100 Hz, 1 session/day, 5 days). The particular characteristics of the induced convulsions (tonic, clonic, recovery times) were monitored during treatment. Antidepressant-like responses were evaluated under the stress of the forced-swim test 1-, 3-, and 7-days post-treatment (i.e., improved immobility time as an indicative of an antidepressant-like response), and brains were collected 24 h later (8 days post-treatment) to evaluate potential changes in hippocampal neurogenesis (Ki-67 and NeuroD) by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The lowest intensities tested of ECS (55 and 75 mA) induced an antidepressant-like effect in adult female rats, but rendered insufficient in adolescence. The lack of efficacy observed in adolescent rats paralleled differences in the characteristics of the seizures induced by ECS as compared to adulthood. In line with prior results, different dose-intensities of ECS modulated hippocampal neurogenesis in a comparable fashion with age (i.e., increased survival of neural progenitors 8 days post-treatment). CONCLUSIONS In conjunction, these results reinforce the importance of fine-tuning the parameters of ECS that might render efficacious while considering sex and age as essential variables for treatment response, and suggest that other molecular mechanisms, beside the partial role of hippocampal neurogenesis, might be participating in the antidepressant-like effects induced by ECS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Ledesma-Corvi
- IUNICS, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. de Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Spain
- Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, Spain
| | - M Julia García-Fuster
- IUNICS, University of the Balearic Islands, Cra. de Valldemossa Km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Spain.
- Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma, Spain.
- Department of Medicine, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain.
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50
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Lauby SC, Lapp HE, Salazar M, Semyrenko S, Chauhan D, Margolis AE, Champagne FA. Postnatal maternal care moderates the effects of prenatal bisphenol exposure on offspring neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and transcriptomic outcomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.19.558481. [PMID: 37786706 PMCID: PMC10541647 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.19.558481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Bisphenols (BPs), including BPA and "BPA-free" structural analogs, are commonly used plasticizers that are present in many plastics and are known endocrine disrupting chemicals. Prenatal exposure to BPA has been associated with negative neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes in children and rodent models. Prenatal BPA exposure has also been shown to impair postnatal maternal care provisioning, which can also affect offspring neurodevelopment and behavior. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the biological effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenols other than BPA and the interplay between prenatal BP exposure and postnatal maternal care on adult behavior. The purpose of the current study was to determine the interactive impact of prenatal BP exposure and postnatal maternal care on neurodevelopment and behavior. Our findings suggest that the effects of prenatal BP exposure on eye-opening, adult attentional set shifting and anxiety-like behavior in the open field are dependent on maternal care in the first five days of life. Interestingly, maternal care might also attenuate the effects of prenatal BP exposure on eye opening and adult attentional set shifting. Finally, transcriptomic profiles in male and female medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala suggest that the interactive effects of prenatal BP exposure and postnatal maternal care converge on estrogen receptor signaling and are involved in biological processes related to gene expression and protein translation and synthesis. Overall, these findings indicate that postnatal maternal care plays a critical role in the expression of the effects of prenatal BP exposure on neurodevelopment and adult behavior. Understanding the underlying biological mechanisms involved might allow us to identify potential avenues to mitigate the adverse effects of prenatal BP exposure and improve health and well-being in human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha C Lauby
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin
- Center for Molecular Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin
| | - Hannah E Lapp
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin
| | - Melissa Salazar
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin
| | - Sofiia Semyrenko
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin
| | - Danyal Chauhan
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin
| | - Amy E Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
| | - Frances A Champagne
- Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts, University of Texas at Austin
- Center for Molecular Carcinogenesis and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin
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