1
|
Tactile cues are important to environmental novelty during repeated open field tests. Behav Processes 2023; 204:104796. [PMID: 36460136 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The open field test (OFT) is a commonly used protocol to measure anxiety-like behaviors in rodents. Exploration in the central area of the open field and rearing frequency are often readouts of anxiety measurement. However, concerns about carry-over effects associated with repeated assessments limit its application, with the underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon still to be fully described. Here, we showed that repeated OFTs in the same mice led to reductions in the percentage of time spent in the central area and frequency of rearing. This effect reduced with an increase in the intervals between test. The decay caused by repeated OFTs was due to habituation, rather than frequent handling of the experimenter, since novel environments could prevent decay from repeated OFTs. Our results also indicated that tactile cues of the environment played important roles in the habituation of repeated OFTs. Furthermore, the decay of central area activity and rearing behavior during repeated OFTs would be blocked if the hippocampal CA1 was lesioned, suggesting that CA1 is a crucial region for habituation of the OFT in mice. Taken together, our study uncovers the important roles of tactile cues and hippocampal CA1 during repeated OFTs in mice.
Collapse
|
2
|
Pirino BE, Martin CR, Carpenter BA, Curtis GR, Curran-Alfaro CM, Samels SB, Barker JM, Karkhanis AN, Barson JR. Sex-related differences in pattern of ethanol drinking under the intermittent-access model and its impact on exploratory and anxiety-like behavior in Long-Evans rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1282-1293. [PMID: 35491472 PMCID: PMC9357056 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While men in the United States consume more alcohol than women, rates of drinking are converging. Nevertheless, females remain underrepresented in preclinical alcohol research. Here, we examined rats' sex-related differences in patterns of ethanol (EtOH) drinking and the effects of this drinking on exploratory and anxiety-like behavior. METHODS Adult male and female Long-Evans rats were given 20% ethanol under the intermittent-access two-bottle-choice paradigm. Their intake was measured daily for the first 7 weeks. During the eighth week, intake was measured over the 24 h of daily access. During the ninth week, they, along with EtOH-naive controls, were tested prior to daily access in a novel chamber, light-dark box, and hole board apparatus. During the tenth week, blood ethanol concentration (BEC) was assessed after 30 to 40 min of access. RESULTS Females overall demonstrated higher ethanol intake and preference across all access weeks than males, although only half of females drank significantly more than males. Across 24 h of daily access, both sexes had their highest intake in the first 30 min and their lowest in the middle of the light phase of the light/dark cycle. Despite their greater ethanol intake, females did not show significantly different BECs than males. In behavioral tests, females showed less vertical time in a novel activity chamber, more movement between chambers in a light-dark box, and more nose pokes in a hole-board apparatus than males. While a history of ethanol drinking led to a trend for lower vertical time in the activity chamber and greater chamber entries in the light-dark box, the effects were not sex-dependent. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that female and male rats could both be tested for acute effects of ethanol after 30 min of daily access, but that nuanced considerations are needed in the design of these experiments and the interpretation of their findings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Breanne E Pirino
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Cydney R Martin
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brody A Carpenter
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Genevieve R Curtis
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christina M Curran-Alfaro
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Shanna B Samels
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jacqueline M Barker
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anushree N Karkhanis
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University - SUNY, Binghamton, New York, USA
| | - Jessica R Barson
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cnops V, Iyer VR, Parathy N, Wong P, Dawe GS. Test, Rinse, Repeat: A Review of Carryover Effects in Rodent Behavioral Assays. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 135:104560. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
|
4
|
Tucker LB, McCabe JT. Measuring Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Rodent Models of Traumatic Brain Injury. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:682935. [PMID: 34776887 PMCID: PMC8586518 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.682935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety is a common complaint following acquired traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the measurement of dysfunctional anxiety behavioral states following experimental TBI in rodents is complex. Some studies report increased anxiety after TBI, whereas others find a decreased anxiety-like state, often described as increased risk-taking behavior or impulsivity. These inconsistencies may reflect a lack of standardization of experimental injury models or of behavioral testing techniques. Here, we review the most commonly employed unconditioned tests of anxiety and discuss them in a context of experimental TBI. Special attention is given to the effects of repeated testing, and consideration of potential sensory and motor confounds in injured rodents. The use of multiple tests and alternative data analysis methods are discussed, as well as the potential for the application of common data elements (CDEs) as a means of providing a format for documentation of experimental details and procedures of each published research report. CDEs may improve the rigor, reproducibility, as well as endpoint for better relating findings with clinical TBI phenotypes and the final goal of translation. While this may not resolve all incongruities in findings across laboratories, it is seen as a way forward for standardized and universal data collection for improvement of data quality and sharing, and advance therapies for neuropsychiatric symptoms that often present for decades following TBI.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura B Tucker
- Preclinical Behavior and Models Core, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Joseph T McCabe
- Preclinical Behavior and Models Core, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Activation of 5-HT 1A receptor reduces abnormal emotionality in stress-maladaptive mice by alleviating decreased myelin protein in the ventral hippocampus. Neurochem Int 2021; 151:105213. [PMID: 34673172 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2021.105213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported that abnormal emotionality in stress-maladaptive mice was ameliorated by chronic treatment with flesinoxan, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist. Furthermore, the maintenance of hippocampal myelination appeared to contribute to the development of stress adaptation in mice. However, the effects of 5-HT1A receptor activation on myelination under the stress-maladaptive situations and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In the present study, we examined using flesinoxan whether activation of 5-HT1A receptor can reduce an abnormal emotional response by acting on oligodendrocytes to preserve myelin proteins in stress-maladaptive mice. Mice were exposed to repeated restraint stress for 4 h/day for 14 days as a stress-maladaptive model. Flesinoxan was given intraperitoneally immediately after the daily exposure to restraint stress. After the final exposure to restraint stress, the emotionality of mice was evaluated by the hole-board test. The expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), phosphorylated-cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB), myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), myelin basic protein (MBP) and oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2 (olig2) in the hippocampus was assessed by western blotting. Hippocampal oligodendrogenesis were examined by immunohistochemistry. Chronic treatment with flesinoxan suppressed the decrease in head-dipping behaviors in stress-maladaptive mice in the hole-board test. Under this condition, the decreases in MAG and MBP in the hippocampus recovered with increase in BDNF, p-ERK, p-CREB, and olig2. Furthermore, hippocampal oligodendrogenesis in stress-maladaptive mice was promoted by chronic treatment with flesinoxan. These findings suggest that 5-HT1A receptor activation may promote oligodendrogenesis and myelination via an ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway in the hippocampus and reduces abnormal emotionality due to maladaptation to excessive stress.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hartmann MC, Haney MM, Smith CG, Kumar V, Rosenwasser AM. Affective Disruption During Forced Ethanol Abstinence in C57BL/6J and C57BL/6NJ Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2019-2030. [PMID: 32862442 PMCID: PMC11060412 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In alcohol-dependent individuals, acute alcohol withdrawal results in severe physiological disruption, including potentially lethal central nervous system hyperexcitability. Although benzodiazepines successfully mitigate such symptoms, this treatment does not significantly reduce recidivism rates in postdependent individuals. Instead, persistent affective disturbances that often emerge weeks to months after initial detoxification appear to play a significant role in relapse risk; however, it remains unclear whether genetic predispositions contribute to their emergence, severity, and/or duration. Interestingly, significant genotypic and phenotypic differences have been observed among distinct C57BL/6 (B6) substrains, and, in particular, C57BL/6J (B6J) mice have been found to reliably exhibit higher voluntary ethanol (EtOH) intake and EtOH preference compared to several C57BL/6N (B6N)-derived substrains. To date, however, B6 substrains have not been directly compared on measures of acute withdrawal severity or affective-behavioral disruption during extended abstinence. METHODS Male and female B6J and B6NJ mice were exposed to either a 7-day chronic intermittent EtOH vapor (CIE) protocol or to ordinary room air in inhalation chambers. Subsequently, blood EtOH concentrations and handling-induced convulsions were evaluated during acute withdrawal, and mice were then tested weekly for affective behavior on the sucrose preference test, light-dark box test, and forced swim test throughout 4 weeks of (forced) abstinence. RESULTS Despite documented differences in voluntary EtOH intake between these substrains, we found little evidence for substrain differences in either acute withdrawal or long-term abstinence between B6J and B6NJ mice. CONCLUSIONS In B6J and B6NJ mice, both the acute and long-term sequelae of EtOH withdrawal are dependent on largely nonoverlapping gene networks relative to those underlying voluntary EtOH drinking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C. Hartmann
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Megan M. Haney
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Caitlin G. Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| | - Vivek Kumar
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, USA
| | - Alan M. Rosenwasser
- Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 04469, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Rauhut AS. Voluntary exercise ameliorates anxiogenic effects of acute methamphetamine exposure in Swiss-Webster mice. Pharmacol Rep 2019; 71:1020-1024. [PMID: 31585317 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The present experiment examined the ability of voluntary exercise (i.e., home-cage wheel running; HCWR) to ameliorate anxiety-like behavior associated with acute methamphetamine exposure in male, Swiss-Webster mice. METHODS Mice were permitted access to home-cage running wheels (Exercise), locked home-cage running wheels or no home-cage running wheels (Sedentary) for 6 weeks and then exposed to different methamphetamine doses (vehicle, 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 mg/kg) once weekly during an 8 h open-field session for 4 weeks. Group differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity also were assessed by weighing adrenal glands. RESULTS It was found that HCWR ameliorated anxiety-like behavior after an injection of either the 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg methamphetamine dose. Adrenal weights did not differ between Exercise and Sedentary mice. CONCLUSION Taken together, these results suggest that voluntary exercise ameliorates the anxiogenic effects of methamphetamine depending on the dose, perhaps via a non-HPA mechanism.
Collapse
|
8
|
Minocycline alters behavior, microglia and the gut microbiome in a trait-anxiety-dependent manner. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:223. [PMID: 31519869 PMCID: PMC6744405 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0556-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is the main cause of disability worldwide with imperfect treatment options. However, novel therapeutic approaches are currently discussed, from augmentation strategies to novel treatments targeting the immune system or the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Therefore, we examined the potential beneficial effects of minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic with pleiotropic, immunomodulatory action, alone or as augmentation of escitalopram on behavior, prefrontal microglial density, and the gut microbiome in rats selectively bred for high anxiety-like behavior (HAB). We show that concomitant with their high innate anxiety and depression, HABs have lower microglial numbers in the infralimbic and prelimbic prefrontal cortex and an altered gut microbiota composition compared with controls. Three weeks of minocycline treatment alleviated the depressive-like phenotype, further reduced microglial density, exclusively in male HAB rats, and reduced plasma concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, coadministration of escitalopram, which had no effect alone, prevented these minocycline-induced effects. Moreover, minocycline led to a robust shift in cecal microbial composition in both HABs and rats non-selected for anxiety-like behavior. Minocycline markedly increased relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Clostridiales Family XIII, families known for their butyrate production, with a corresponding increase and positive correlation in plasma 3-OH-butyrate levels in a trait-dependent manner. Thus, our data suggest that the antidepressant effect of minocycline is sex- and trait-dependent, associated with a reduced microglial number in the prefrontal cortex, and with changes in microbial composition and their metabolites. These results further support the microbiome-gut-brain axis as potential target in the treatment of depression.
Collapse
|
9
|
Garcia-Garcia AL, Canetta S, Stujenske JM, Burghardt NS, Ansorge MS, Dranovsky A, Leonardo ED. Serotonin inputs to the dorsal BNST modulate anxiety in a 5-HT 1A receptor-dependent manner. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:1990-1997. [PMID: 28761080 PMCID: PMC5794659 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2017.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) neurons project from the raphe nuclei throughout the brain where they act to maintain homeostasis. Here, we study 5-HT inputs into the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a major subdivision of the extended amygdala that has been proposed to regulate responses to anxiogenic environments in humans and rodents. While the dorsal part of the BNST (dBNST) receives dense 5-HT innervation, whether and how 5-HT in the dBNST normally modulates anxiety remains unclear. Using optogenetics, we demonstrate that activation of 5-HT terminals in the dBNST reduces anxiety in a highly anxiogenic environment. Further analysis revealed that optogenetic inhibition of 5-HT inputs into the dBNST increases anxiety in a less anxiogenic environment. We found that 5-HT predominantly hyperpolarizes dBNST neurons, reducing their activity in a manner that can be blocked by a 5-HT1A antagonist. Finally, we demonstrate that activation of 5-HT1A receptors in the dBNST is necessary for the anxiolytic effect observed following optogenetic stimulation of 5-HT inputs into the dBNST. These data reveal that 5-HT release in the dBNST modulates anxiety-like behavior via 5-HT1A receptors under naturalistic conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro L. Garcia-Garcia
- Dranovsky-Leonardo (ADL) lab, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Integrative Neuroscience, Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr. Box 87, New York, NY 10032,Address correspondence to AGG at , to AD at and to EDL at . Telephone: (001) (646) 774-7105. Fax: (001) (646) 774-7117
| | - Sarah Canetta
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Joseph M. Stujenske
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Integrative Neuroscience, Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr. Box 87, New York, NY 10032
| | - Nesha S. Burghardt
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College, City University of New York, 695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065
| | - Mark S. Ansorge
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
| | - Alex Dranovsky
- Dranovsky-Leonardo (ADL) lab, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Integrative Neuroscience, Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr. Box 87, New York, NY 10032,Address correspondence to AGG at , to AD at and to EDL at . Telephone: (001) (646) 774-7105. Fax: (001) (646) 774-7117
| | - E. David Leonardo
- Dranovsky-Leonardo (ADL) lab, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Integrative Neuroscience, Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr. Box 87, New York, NY 10032,Address correspondence to AGG at , to AD at and to EDL at . Telephone: (001) (646) 774-7105. Fax: (001) (646) 774-7117
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rauhut AS, Curran-Rauhut MA. 17 β-Estradiol exacerbates methamphetamine-induced anxiety-like behavior in female mice. Neurosci Lett 2018; 681:44-49. [PMID: 29791866 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
The present experiment investigated the effect of 17 β-estradiol (E2) on anxiety-like behavior following methamphetamine administration in female, Swiss-Webster mice. Mice underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) followed by a subcutaneous implantation of a Silastic capsule containing either sesame oil (OVX + Oil) or E2 (36 μg/ml; OVX + E2). One week later, mice were placed in an open-field chamber for an 8-h session. During the first 3 h of the session, mice were permitted to run in the absence of any drug (baseline). Then, mice were injected intraperitoneally with methamphetamine (0.25, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg) or vehicle (physiological saline) and returned to the open-field chamber for the remaining five hours of the session. Mice were injected with vehicle or a different methamphetamine dose once a week for 4 weeks. Four measures of anxiety were assessed: distanced traveled, vertical counts, time in the center, and time resting in the perimeter of the chamber. OVX + E2 were less active and spent less time in the center than OVX + Oil mice during Hour 1 at certain doses, but not during remaining baseline hours (Hours 2-3). Furthermore, group differences were not observed during the Stimulant Phase (Hour 4) following injection of any methamphetamine dose (0.25, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg) or the vehicle. However, OVX + E2 mice were less active, spent less time in the center, and spent more time resting in the perimeter of the chamber compared to OVX + Oil mice during certain hours of the Clearance Phase (Hours 5-8) following injection of the high (1.0 mg/kg), but not the low (0.25 mg/kg) or moderate (0.5 mg/kg), methamphetamine doses. These results suggest that E2 exacerbates anxiety-like behavior during acute clearance from a high methamphetamine dose in OVX female mice, perhaps indicating that E2 contributes to drug relapse in women by worsening anxiety-related withdrawal symptoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A S Rauhut
- Neuroscience Program, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, 17013, USA; Psychology Department, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, 17013 USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Abstract
Stress affects core body temperature (Tc). Many kinds of stress induce transient, monophasic hyperthermia, which diminishes gradually if the stressor is terminated. Stronger stressors produce a longer-lasting effect. Repeated/chronic stress induces anticipatory hyperthermia, reduces diurnal changes in Tc, or slightly increases Tc throughout the day. Animals that are exposed to chronic stress or a cold environment exhibit an enhanced hyperthermic response to a novel stress. These changes persist for several days after cessation of stress exposure. In contrast, long-lasting inescapable stress sometimes induces hypothermia. In healthy humans, psychologic stress induces slight increases in Tc, which are within the normal range of Tc or just above it. Some individuals, however, develop extremely high Tc (up to 41°C) when they are exposed to emotional events or show persistent low-grade high Tc (37-38°C) during or after chronic stress situations. In addition to the nature of the stressor itself, such stress-induced thermal responses are modulated by sex, age, ambient temperature, cage mates, past stressful experiences and cold exposure, and coping. Stress-induced hyperthermia is driven by mechanisms distinct from infectious fever, which requires inflammatory mediators. However, both stress and infection activate the dorsomedial hypothalamus-rostral medullary raphe region-sympathetic nerve axis to increase Tc.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takakazu Oka
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare Hospital, Tochigi-ken, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ennaceur A, Chazot PL. Preclinical animal anxiety research - flaws and prejudices. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2016; 4:e00223. [PMID: 27069634 PMCID: PMC4804324 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The current tests of anxiety in mice and rats used in preclinical research include the elevated plus-maze (EPM) or zero-maze (EZM), the light/dark box (LDB), and the open-field (OF). They are currently very popular, and despite their poor achievements, they continue to exert considerable constraints on the development of novel approaches. Hence, a novel anxiety test needs to be compared with these traditional tests, and assessed against various factors that were identified as a source of their inconsistent and contradictory results. These constraints are very costly, and they are in most cases useless as they originate from flawed methodologies. In the present report, we argue that the EPM or EZM, LDB, and OF do not provide unequivocal measures of anxiety; that there is no evidence of motivation conflict involved in these tests. They can be considered at best, tests of natural preference for unlit and/or enclosed spaces. We also argued that pharmacological validation of a behavioral test is an inappropriate approach; it stems from the confusion of animal models of human behavior with animal models of pathophysiology. A behavioral test is developed to detect not to produce symptoms, and a drug is used to validate an identified physiological target. In order to overcome the major methodological flaws in animal anxiety studies, we proposed an open space anxiety test, a 3D maze, which is described here with highlights of its various advantages over to the traditional tests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul L. Chazot
- School of Biological and Biomedical SciencesDurham UniversityDurhamUK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Bouwknecht JA. Behavioral studies on anxiety and depression in a drug discovery environment: keys to a successful future. Eur J Pharmacol 2014; 753:158-76. [PMID: 25460021 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.09.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Revised: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The review describes a personal journey through 25 years of animal research with a focus on the contribution of rodent models for anxiety and depression to the development of new medicines in a drug discovery environment. Several classic acute models for mood disorders are briefly described as well as chronic stress and disease-induction models. The paper highlights a variety of factors that influence the quality and consistency of behavioral data in a laboratory setting. The importance of meta-analysis techniques for study validation (tolerance interval) and assay sensitivity (Monte Carlo modeling) are demonstrated by examples that use historic data. It is essential for successful discovery of new potential drugs to maintain a high level of control in animal research and to bridge knowledge across in silico modeling, and in vitro and in vivo assays. Today, drug discovery is a highly dynamic environment in search of new types of treatments and new animal models which should be guided by enhanced two-way translation between bench and bed. Although productivity has been disappointing in the search of new and better medicines in psychiatry over the past decades, there has been and will always be an important role for in vivo models in-between preclinical discovery and clinical development. The right balance between good science and proper judgment versus a decent level of innovation, assay development and two-way translation will open the doors to a very bright future.
Collapse
|
14
|
Albert PR, Vahid-Ansari F, Luckhart C. Serotonin-prefrontal cortical circuitry in anxiety and depression phenotypes: pivotal role of pre- and post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptor expression. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:199. [PMID: 24936175 PMCID: PMC4047678 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Decreased serotonergic activity has been implicated in anxiety and major depression, and antidepressants directly or indirectly increase the long-term activity of the serotonin system. A key component of serotonin circuitry is the 5-HT1A autoreceptor, which functions as the major somatodendritic autoreceptor to negatively regulate the "gain" of the serotonin system. In addition, 5-HT1A heteroreceptors are abundantly expressed post-synaptically in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and hippocampus to mediate serotonin actions on fear, anxiety, stress, and cognition. Importantly, in the PFC 5-HT1A heteroreceptors are expressed on at least two antagonist neuronal populations: excitatory pyramidal neurons and inhibitory interneurons. Rodent models implicate the 5-HT1A receptor in anxiety- and depression-like phenotypes with distinct roles for pre- and post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors. In this review, we present a model of serotonin-PFC circuitry that integrates evidence from mouse genetic models of anxiety and depression involving knockout, suppression, over-expression, or mutation of genes of the serotonin system including 5-HT1A receptors. The model postulates that behavioral phenotype shifts as serotonin activity increases from none (depressed/aggressive not anxious) to low (anxious/depressed) to high (anxious, not depressed). We identify a set of conserved transcription factors including Deaf1, Freud-1/CC2D1A, Freud-2/CC2D1B and glucocorticoid receptors that may confer deleterious regional changes in 5-HT1A receptors in depression, and how future treatments could target these mechanisms. Further studies to specifically test the roles and regulation of pyramidal vs. interneuronal populations of 5-HT receptors are needed better understand the role of serotonin in anxiety and depression and to devise more effective targeted therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul R Albert
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Faranak Vahid-Ansari
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON, Canada ; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa Ottawa ON, Canada
| | - Christine Luckhart
- Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, University of Ottawa Ottawa, ON, Canada ; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa Ottawa ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ennaceur A. Tests of unconditioned anxiety - pitfalls and disappointments. Physiol Behav 2014; 135:55-71. [PMID: 24910138 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Revised: 04/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The plus-maze, the light-dark box and the open-field are the main current tests of unconditioned anxiety for mice and rats. Despite their disappointing achievements, they remain as popular as ever and seem to play an important role in an ever-growing demand for behavioral phenotyping and drug screening. Numerous reviews have repeatedly reported their lack of consistency and reliability but they failed to address the core question of whether these tests do provide unequivocal measures of fear-induced anxiety, that these measurements are not confused with measures of fear-induced avoidance or natural preference responses - i.e. discriminant validity. In the present report, I examined numerous issues that undermine the validity of the current tests, and I highlighted various flaws in the aspects of these tests and the methodologies pursued. This report concludes that the evidence in support of the validity of the plus-maze, the light/dark box and the open-field as anxiety tests is poor and methodologically questionable.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Ennaceur
- University of Sunderland, Department of Pharmacy, Wharncliffe Street, Sunderland SR1 3SD, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Vinkers CH, van Oorschot R, Nielsen EØ, Cook JM, Hansen HH, Groenink L, Olivier B, Mirza NR. GABA(A) receptor α subunits differentially contribute to diazepam tolerance after chronic treatment. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43054. [PMID: 22912786 PMCID: PMC3418228 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 07/18/2012] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Within the GABAA-receptor field, two important questions are what molecular mechanisms underlie benzodiazepine tolerance, and whether tolerance can be ascribed to certain GABAA-receptor subtypes. Methods We investigated tolerance to acute anxiolytic, hypothermic and sedative effects of diazepam in mice exposed for 28-days to non-selective/selective GABAA-receptor positive allosteric modulators: diazepam (non-selective), bretazenil (partial non-selective), zolpidem (α1 selective) and TPA023 (α2/3 selective). In-vivo binding studies with [3H]flumazenil confirmed compounds occupied CNS GABAA receptors. Results Chronic diazepam treatment resulted in tolerance to diazepam's acute anxiolytic, hypothermic and sedative effects. In mice treated chronically with bretazenil, tolerance to diazepam's anxiolytic and hypothermic, but not sedative, effects was seen. Chronic zolpidem treatment resulted in tolerance to diazepam's hypothermic effect, but partial anxiolytic tolerance and no sedative tolerance. Chronic TPA023 treatment did not result in tolerance to diazepam's hypothermic, anxiolytic or sedative effects. Conclusions Our data indicate that: (i) GABAA-α2/α3 subtype selective drugs might not induce tolerance; (ii) in rodents quantitative and temporal variations in tolerance development occur dependent on the endpoint assessed, consistent with clinical experience with benzodiazepines (e.g., differential tolerance to antiepileptic and anxiolytic actions); (iii) tolerance to diazepam's sedative actions needs concomitant activation of GABAA-α1/GABAA-α5 receptors. Regarding mechanism, in-situ hybridization studies indicated no gross changes in expression levels of GABAA α1, α2 or α5 subunit mRNA in hippocampus or cortex. Since selective chronic activation of either GABAA α2, or α3 receptors does not engender tolerance development, subtype-selective GABAA drugs might constitute a promising class of novel drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christiaan H Vinkers
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Vardya I, Hoestgaard-Jensen K, Nieto-Gonzalez JL, Dósa Z, Boddum K, Holm MM, Wolinsky TD, Jones KA, Dalby NO, Ebert B, Jensen K. Positive modulation of δ-subunit containing GABA(A) receptors in mouse neurons. Neuropharmacology 2012; 63:469-79. [PMID: 22579928 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2010] [Revised: 04/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
δ-subunit containing extrasynaptic GABA(A) receptors are potential targets for modifying neuronal activity in a range of brain disorders. With the aim of gaining more insight in synaptic and extrasynaptic inhibition, we used a new positive modulator, AA29504, of δ-subunit containing GABA(A) receptors in mouse neurons in vitro and in vivo. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were carried out in the dentate gyrus in mouse brain slices. In granule cells, AA29504 (1 μM) caused a 4.2-fold potentiation of a tonic current induced by THIP (1 μM), while interneurons showed a potentiation of 2.6-fold. Moreover, AA29504 (1 μM) increased the amplitude and prolonged the decay of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in granule cells, and this effect was abolished by Zn²⁺ (15 μM). AA29504 (1 μM) also induced a small tonic current (12.7 ± 3.2 pA) per se, and when evaluated in a nominally GABA-free environment using Ca²⁺ imaging in cultured neurons, AA29504 showed GABA(A) receptor agonism in the absence of agonist. Finally, AA29504 exerted dose-dependent stress-reducing and anxiolytic effects in mice in vivo. We propose that AA29504 potentiates δ-containing GABA(A) receptors to enhance tonic inhibition, and possibly recruits perisynaptic δ-containing receptors to participate in synaptic phasic inhibition in dentate gyrus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Irina Vardya
- Synaptic Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Groenink L, Vinkers C, van Oorschot R, Olivier B. Models of anxiety: stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) in singly housed mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; Chapter 5:Unit 5.16. [PMID: 22294397 DOI: 10.1002/0471141755.ph0516s45] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Described in this unit is the stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) test in mice in a single-housed format. This protocol has proven reliable in detecting the anxiolytic properties of test compounds. In this test, SIH is quantified in singly housed mice using a rectal temperature measurement as the stressor. Rectal temperature is measured twice at a 10-min interval. Due to the stress experienced during the first temperature measurement, the temperature of the second measurement (T(2)) is ∼0.8° to 1.5°C higher than that of the first (T(1)). This difference in temperature (ΔT = T(2) - T(1)) is defined as the SIH response. The SIH response is reduced by different classes of anxiolytics. The SIH test is simple and robust, it does not require training of animals, and test compound effects on motor behavior, feeding, and nociception do not affect test outcome. Furthermore, it is one of few anxiety tests that focuses on the physiological component of anxiety.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucianne Groenink
- Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences and Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
The use of a test battery assessing affective behavior in rats: Order effects. Behav Brain Res 2012; 228:16-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.11.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2011] [Revised: 11/25/2011] [Accepted: 11/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
20
|
Zubenko GS, Hughes HB. Replacement of homologous mouse DNA sequence with pathogenic 6-base human CREB1 promoter sequence creates murine model of major depressive disorder. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2011; 156B:517-31. [PMID: 21598377 PMCID: PMC3236563 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.31197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2011] [Accepted: 04/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Families with recurrent, early-onset MDD (RE-MDD), a severe, familial form of MDD, have provided an important resource for identifying and characterizing genetic variants that confer susceptibility to MDD and related disorders. Previous studies identified a rare, highly penetrant A(-115)G transition within the human CREB1 promoter that reduced promoter activity in vitro and was associated with depressive disorders in RE-MDD families. The development of an etiology-based recombinant animal model for MDD would facilitate the advancement of our limited understanding of the pathophysiology of MDD, as well as the development of improved treatments. Here we report the construction and initial characterization of a congenic mutant C57BL/6NTac mouse model that carries the human pathogenic sequence at the homologous position of the mouse Creb1 promoter. The recombinant strain exhibited decreases in reproductive capacity and pup survival that may be related to increased infant mortality observed in RE-MDD families; enlargement of the cerebral ventricles; reduced levels of CREB protein in the mouse cerebral cortex, as predicted from transfection experiments employing the pathogenic human CREB1 promoter; and alterations in two standardized behavioral tests, the forced swim and marble burying tests. These initial findings support the pathogenicity of the human A(-115)G promoter variant, and invite further characterization of this etiology-based recombinant animal model for MDD. Human promoter variants that have highly penetrant effects on disease expression provide an attractive opportunity for creating etiology-based mouse models of human diseases, with minimal disruption of the mouse genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George S Zubenko
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Qiao Q, Li T, Sun J, Liu X, Ren J, Fei J. Metabolomic analysis of normal (C57BL/6J, 129S1/SvImJ) mice by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: detection of strain and gender differences. Talanta 2011; 85:718-24. [PMID: 21645764 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2011.04.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2011] [Revised: 04/20/2011] [Accepted: 04/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that the C57 and 129 strains of mice display marked differences in behavioural performance, neuroanatomy, neurochemistry and synaptic plasticity. However, few metabolomic studies of their biofluids have been performed. As part of a series of metabolic phenotyping, the effects of gender and strain upon serum metabolite composition and variation are examined in this study using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in normal C57BL/6J and 129S1/SvImJ strains of mice. The 129S1/SvImJ strain is phenotypically distinct from the C57BL/6J strain and characteristic metabotypes are produced for both male and female mice of each strain. These data demonstrate that the C57BL/6J and 129S1/SvImJ strains of mice show a wide range of metabolic differences across glycine, serine and threonine metabolism; valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis; and tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways. Remarkably, the concentration of glyceric acid in the 129S1/SvImJ strain is significantly increased compared to the C57BL/6J mouse strain, reflecting important considerations for studies that use the 129S1/SvImJ mouse as the human d-glycericaciduria model. We infer that a deficiency of d-glycerate kinase would explain such a glyceric acid accumulation in the 129S1/SvImJ strain. More importantly, this differential metabolite level data provide insight into specific metabolic pathways and lay the groundwork for integrated studies of the mouse models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Neufeld KM, Kang N, Bienenstock J, Foster JA. Reduced anxiety-like behavior and central neurochemical change in germ-free mice. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2011; 23:255-64, e119. [PMID: 21054680 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2010.01620.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 883] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is increasing interest in the gut-brain axis and the role intestinal microbiota may play in communication between these two systems. Acquisition of intestinal microbiota in the immediate postnatal period has a defining impact on the development and function of the gastrointestinal, immune, neuroendocrine and metabolic systems. For example, the presence of gut microbiota regulates the set point for hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. METHODS We investigated basal behavior of adult germ-free (GF), Swiss Webster female mice in the elevated plus maze (EPM) and compared this to conventionally reared specific pathogen free (SPF) mice. Additionally, we measured brain mRNA expression of genes implicated in anxiety and stress-reactivity. KEY RESULTS Germ-free mice, compared to SPF mice, exhibited basal behavior in the EPM that can be interpreted as anxiolytic. Altered GF behavior was accompanied by a decrease in the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit NR2B mRNA expression in the central amygdala, increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression and decreased serotonin receptor 1A (5HT1A) expression in the dentate granule layer of the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES We conclude that the presence or absence of conventional intestinal microbiota influences the development of behavior, and is accompanied by neurochemical changes in the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K M Neufeld
- Brain-Body Institute, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Umeda T, Takashima N, Nakagawa R, Maekawa M, Ikegami S, Yoshikawa T, Kobayashi K, Okanoya K, Inokuchi K, Osumi N. Evaluation of Pax6 mutant rat as a model for autism. PLoS One 2010; 5:e15500. [PMID: 21203536 PMCID: PMC3006426 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0015500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism is a highly variable brain developmental disorder and has a strong genetic basis. Pax6 is a pivotal player in brain development and maintenance. It is expressed in embryonic and adult neural stem cells, in astrocytes in the entire central nervous system, and in neurons in the olfactory bulb, amygdala, thalamus, and cerebellum, functioning in highly context-dependent manners. We have recently reported that Pax6 heterozygous mutant (rSey2/+) rats with a spontaneous mutation in the Pax6 gene, show impaired prepulse inhibition (PPI). In the present study, we further examined behaviors of rSey2/+ rats and revealed that they exhibited abnormality in social interaction (more aggression and withdrawal) in addition to impairment in rearing activity and in fear-conditioned memory. Ultrasonic vocalization (USV) in rSey2+ rat pups was normal in male but abnormal in female. Moreover, treatment with clozapine successfully recovered the defects in sensorimotor gating function, but not in fear-conditioned memory. Taken together with our prior human genetic data and results in other literatures, rSey2/+ rats likely have some phenotypic components of autism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Toshiko Umeda
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
| | - Noriko Takashima
- Laboratory for Behavioral and Developmental Disorders, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
- Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences (MITILS), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryoko Nakagawa
- Laboratory for Biolinguistics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
| | - Motoko Maekawa
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
| | - Shiro Ikegami
- Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences (MITILS), Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychology, Saitama Institute of Technology, Fukaya, Japan
| | - Takeo Yoshikawa
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychiatry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
| | - Kazuto Kobayashi
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Kazuo Okanoya
- Laboratory for Biolinguistics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Wako, Japan
| | - Kaoru Inokuchi
- Mitsubishi Kagaku Institute of Life Sciences (MITILS), Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Noriko Osumi
- Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Vinkers CH, van Oorschot R, Olivier B, Groenink L. Stress-Induced Hyperthermia in the Mouse. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-60761-303-9_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
|
25
|
Pitfalls in the interpretation of genetic and pharmacological effects on anxiety-like behaviour in rodents. Behav Pharmacol 2008; 19:385-402. [PMID: 18690100 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0b013e32830c3658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Over the last 15 years, genetically modified mice have added important data to our knowledge on psychiatric diseases including anxiety. This has produced many behavioural publications, partially by non-behaviourists, in which differences between mutants and normal wild-type animals were described. The popularity of these novel tools allowing the study of new mechanisms also, however, led to observations that could not be confirmed. This review attempts to summarize various factors that can lead to difficult and partially incorrect interpretation of data collected in anxiety-related paradigms. These pitfalls are explained by using virtual data. Our analysis illustrates that determining anxiety in rodents is more complicated than measuring a single parameter in a particular paradigm. It is important to use proper controls such as additional measures in the same or other procedures, as well as a conservative estimation of the chance of finding an actual effect. In this way, it is possible to enhance confidence in the findings. Alternative explanations for findings, like side effects or main effects in a different domain, such as cognition, should always be taken into account. Finally, several examples from the literature are presented as illustrations of the theoretical issues discussed. We believe that considering the pitfalls presented here will help researchers to design optimized experiments that can be more readily interpreted and replicated across laboratories.
Collapse
|
26
|
Mandillo S, Tucci V, Hölter SM, Meziane H, Banchaabouchi MA, Kallnik M, Lad HV, Nolan PM, Ouagazzal AM, Coghill EL, Gale K, Golini E, Jacquot S, Krezel W, Parker A, Riet F, Schneider I, Marazziti D, Auwerx J, Brown SDM, Chambon P, Rosenthal N, Tocchini-Valentini G, Wurst W. Reliability, robustness, and reproducibility in mouse behavioral phenotyping: a cross-laboratory study. Physiol Genomics 2008; 34:243-55. [PMID: 18505770 PMCID: PMC2519962 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.90207.2008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2008] [Accepted: 05/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) as tools for the analysis of behavioral phenotypes is fundamental to mouse functional genomics. It is essential that the tests designed provide reliable measures of the process under investigation but most importantly that these are reproducible across both time and laboratories. For this reason, we devised and tested a set of SOPs to investigate mouse behavior. Five research centers were involved across France, Germany, Italy, and the UK in this study, as part of the EUMORPHIA program. All the procedures underwent a cross-validation experimental study to investigate the robustness of the designed protocols. Four inbred reference strains (C57BL/6J, C3HeB/FeJ, BALB/cByJ, 129S2/SvPas), reflecting their use as common background strains in mutagenesis programs, were analyzed to validate these tests. We demonstrate that the operating procedures employed, which includes open field, SHIRPA, grip-strength, rotarod, Y-maze, prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle response, and tail flick tests, generated reproducible results between laboratories for a number of the test output parameters. However, we also identified several uncontrolled variables that constitute confounding factors in behavioral phenotyping. The EUMORPHIA SOPs described here are an important start-point for the ongoing development of increasingly robust phenotyping platforms and their application in large-scale, multicentre mouse phenotyping programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Mandillo
- Gesellschaft für Strahlenforschungdagger-National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Developmental Genetics, Neuherberg, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Vinkers CH, van Bogaert MJV, Klanker M, Korte SM, Oosting R, Hanania T, Hopkins SC, Olivier B, Groenink L. Translational aspects of pharmacological research into anxiety disorders: the stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) paradigm. Eur J Pharmacol 2008; 585:407-25. [PMID: 18420191 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.02.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2007] [Revised: 02/01/2008] [Accepted: 02/13/2008] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In anxiety research, the search for models with sufficient clinical predictive validity to support the translation of animal studies on anxiolytic drugs to clinical research is often challenging. This review describes the stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) paradigm, a model that studies the activation of the autonomic nervous system in response to stress by measuring body temperature. The reproducible and robust SIH response, combined with ease of testing, make the SIH paradigm very suitable for drug screening. We will review the current knowledge on the neurobiology of the SIH response, discuss the role of GABA(A) and serotonin (5-HT) pharmacology, as well as how the SIH response relates to infectious fever. Furthermore, we will present novel data on the SIH response variance across different mice and their sensitivity to anxiolytic drugs. The SIH response is an autonomic stress response that can be successfully studied at the level of its physiology, pharmacology, neurobiology and genetics and possesses excellent animal-to-human translational properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christiaan H Vinkers
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS) and Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Boucher AA, Arnold JC, Duffy L, Schofield PR, Micheau J, Karl T. Heterozygous neuregulin 1 mice are more sensitive to the behavioural effects of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2007; 192:325-36. [PMID: 17333138 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-007-0721-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2006] [Accepted: 01/22/2007] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cannabis use may precipitate schizophrenia especially if the individual has a genetic vulnerability to this mental disorder. Human and animal research indicates that neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) is a susceptibility gene for schizophrenia. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate whether dysfunction in the Nrg1 gene modulates the behavioural effects of Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychotropic component of cannabis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Heterozygous Nrg1 transmembrane-domain knockout mice (Nrg1 HET) were treated with acute THC (0, 5 or 10 mg/kg i.p.) 30 min before being tested using open field (OF), hole board (HB), light-dark (LD), elevated plus maze (EPM), social interaction (SI) and prepulse inhibition (PPI) tests. RESULTS Nrg1 HET mice showed differences in baseline behaviour with regard to locomotor activity, exploration and anxiety. More importantly, they were more sensitive to the locomotor suppressant actions of THC compared to wild type-like (WT) mice. In addition, Nrg1 HET mice expressed a greater THC-induced enhancement in % PPI than WT mice. The effects of THC on anxiety-related behaviour were task-dependent, with Nrg1 HET mice being more susceptible than WT mice to the anxiogenic effects of THC in LD, but not in the EPM, SI and OF tests. CONCLUSIONS Nrg1 HET mice were more sensitive to the acute effects of THC in an array of different behaviours including those that model symptoms of schizophrenia. It appears that variation in the schizophrenia-related neuregulin 1 gene alters the sensitivity to the behavioural effects of cannabinoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A A Boucher
- Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, NSW, 2010, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
29
|
Tweedie D, Milman A, Holloway HW, Li Y, Harvey BK, Shen H, Pistell PJ, Lahiri DK, Hoffer BJ, Wang Y, Pick CG, Greig NH. Apoptotic and behavioral sequelae of mild brain trauma in mice. J Neurosci Res 2007; 85:805-15. [PMID: 17243171 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.21160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a not uncommon event in adolescents and young adults. Although it does not result in clear morphological brain defects, it is associated with long-term cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems. Herein, we characterized the biochemical and behavioral changes associated with experimental mTBI in mice that may act as either targets or surrogate markers for interventional therapy. Specifically, mTBI was induced by 30-g and 50-g weight drop, and at 8 and 72 hr thereafter markers of cellular apoptosis-caspase-3, Bax, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), and cytochrome-c (Cyt-c)-were quantified by Western blot analysis in hippocampus ipsilateral to the impact. Levels of amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) were also measured, and specific behavioral tests-passive avoidance, open field, and forced swimming (Porsolt) paradigms-were undertaken to assess learning, emotionality, and emotional memory. In the absence of hemorrhage or infarcts, as assessed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, procaspase-3 and Bax levels were markedly altered following mTBI at both times. No cleaved caspase-3 was detected, and levels of AIF and Cyt-c, but not APP, were significantly changed at 72 hr. Mice subjected to mTBI were indistinguishable from controls by neurological examination at 1 and 24 hr, and by passive avoidance/open field at 72 hr, but could be differentiated in the forced swimming paradigm. In general, this model mimics the diffuse effects of mTBI on brain function associated with the human condition and highlights specific apoptotic proteins and a behavioral paradigm as potential markers for prospective interventional strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Tweedie
- Drug Design and Development Section, Laboratory of Neurosciences, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Adriaan Bouwknecht J, Olivier B, Paylor RE. The stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm as a physiological animal model for anxiety: A review of pharmacological and genetic studies in the mouse. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2007; 31:41-59. [PMID: 16618509 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2006.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 204] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2005] [Revised: 01/26/2006] [Accepted: 02/15/2006] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews the function, brain mechanisms and pharmacology of stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) in a broad context. Hyperthermia itself is induced by all stressful stimuli and can be found across numerous species, including humans. As a model for anxiety, the process of insertion of a rectal probe increases temperature ranging from about 0.5-1.5 degrees C in 10-15min is called SIH. This temperature increase can be blocked by anxiolytic drugs. The methodological as well as pharmacological aspects of the group- (G-SIH) and singly housed (SIH) version of the paradigm are described in detail. Also, an overview is presented about studies using the SIH procedure in genetically modified mice together with the potential interference with immunological induction of a febrile response. The paper also presents data that highlight some of the limitations of the SIH procedure for use of drugs like nicotine, which contain particular characteristics such as short in vivo half-life, and/or disturbance of thermoregulation. The advantages and disadvantages of the SIH procedure as a physiological model of anxiety are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Adriaan Bouwknecht
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
van Bogaert MJV, Groenink L, Oosting RS, Westphal KGC, van der Gugten J, Olivier B. Mouse strain differences in autonomic responses to stress. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2006; 5:139-49. [PMID: 16507005 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2005.00143.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In humans, anxiety disorders are often accompanied by an overactive autonomic nervous system, reflected in increased body temperature (BT) and heart rate (HR). In rodents, comparable effects are found after exposure to stress. These autonomic parameters can give important information on stress and anxiety responses in mice. In the present experiments, stress reactivity of three frequently used mouse strains [129 Sv/Ev, Swiss Webster (SW) and C57 BL/6] was assessed using their autonomic stress responses. BT, HR and activity were telemetrically measured. Undisturbed circadian rhythms already showed clear differences between the mouse strains. Hereafter, autonomic responses to stressors with increasing intensity were measured. Strain differences were found in magnitude and duration of the stress responses, especially after high-intensity stressors. Generally, C57BL/6 mice showed the largest autonomic response, SW the lowest and the 129Sv/Ev the intermediate response. Interestingly, the observed ranking in autonomic stress response does not match the behavioral stress responsivity of these strains. Finally, sensitivity to the anxiolytic diazepam (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg) was tested using the stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm. Pharmacological sensitivity to diazepam differed between the strains with the 129Sv/Ev being most sensitive. These studies show that simultaneous measurement of behavioral and autonomic parameters under stressful conditions contributes considerably to a better interpretation of anxiety and stress levels in mice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M J V van Bogaert
- Department of Psychopharmacology, Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Behavioural Genomics Section, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, the Netherlands.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Bouwknecht JA, van der Gugten J, Groenink L, Olivier B, Paylor RE. Behavioral and physiological mouse models for anxiety: effects of flesinoxan in 129S6/SvEvTac and C57BL/6J mice. Eur J Pharmacol 2004; 494:45-53. [PMID: 15194450 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2004.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2003] [Revised: 04/19/2004] [Accepted: 04/26/2004] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin(1A) (5-HT(1A)) receptors are involved in anxiety. This study focuses on the role of genetic factors on the anxiety-related effects of 5-HT(1A) receptor stimulation using both a within subject design. The effects of 5-HT(1A) receptor activation were studied in high- and low-anxiety mice (129S6/SvEvTac (S6) and C57BL/6J (B6), respectively) in behavioral and physiological anxiety-related assays. These two strains were also selected because they are frequently used in gene-targeting studies. Mice were treated with the selective 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist flesinoxan (0-0.3-1.0-3.0 mg/kg s.c.) and tested in either the open-field activity test, the light-dark exploration test, or the stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm. Flesinoxan unexpectedly increased anxiety, but also decreased activity on several behavioral measures in B6 mice. Flesinoxan produced only minimal effects in the behavioral tests in the high-anxiety S6 strain. In contrast, the physiological hyperthermia response showed anxiolytic-like effects of flesinoxan in both strains. Our data indicate that the role of 5-HT(1A) receptor activation on anxiety-related responses is dependent on genetic background and selected paradigm used to assess anxiety. These findings indicate that it is critical to use a multi-level approach to develop mouse models for human diseases. In addition, the implication of such findings for studies on genetically modified mice is discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Adriaan Bouwknecht
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|