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Dutcher EG, Lopez-Cruz L, Pama EAC, Lynall ME, Bevers ICR, Jones JA, Khan S, Sawiak SJ, Milton AL, Clatworthy MR, Robbins TW, Bullmore ET, Dalley JW. Early-life stress biases responding to negative feedback and increases amygdala volume and vulnerability to later-life stress. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:81. [PMID: 36882404 PMCID: PMC9992709 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02385-7] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress (ELS) or adversity, particularly in the form of childhood neglect and abuse, is associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood. However, whether these relationships are mediated by the consequences of ELS itself or by other exposures that frequently co-occur with ELS is unclear. To address this question, we carried out a longitudinal study in rats to isolate the effects of ELS on regional brain volumes and behavioral phenotypes relevant to anxiety and depression. We used the repeated maternal separation (RMS) model of chronic ELS, and conducted behavioral measurements throughout adulthood, including of probabilistic reversal learning (PRL), responding on a progressive ratio task, sucrose preference, novelty preference, novelty reactivity, and putative anxiety-like behavior on the elevated plus maze. Our behavioral assessment was combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for quantitation of regional brain volumes at three time points: immediately following RMS, young adulthood without further stress, and late adulthood with further stress. We found that RMS caused long-lasting, sexually dimorphic biased responding to negative feedback on the PRL task. RMS also slowed response time on the PRL task, but without this directly impacting task performance. RMS animals were also uniquely sensitive to a second stressor, which disproportionately impaired their performance and slowed their responding on the PRL task. MRI at the time of the adult stress revealed a larger amygdala volume in RMS animals compared with controls. These behavioral and neurobiological effects persisted well into adulthood despite a lack of effects on conventional tests of 'depression-like' and 'anxiety-like' behavior, and a lack of any evidence of anhedonia. Our findings indicate that ELS has long-lasting cognitive and neurobehavioral effects that interact with stress in adulthood and may have relevance for understanding the etiology of anxiety and depression in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan G Dutcher
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - E A Claudia Pama
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Mary-Ellen Lynall
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
- Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 OQH, UK
| | - Iris C R Bevers
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, 6525 XZ, The Netherlands
| | - Jolyon A Jones
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Shahid Khan
- GlaxoSmithKline Research & Development, Stevenage, SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Stephen J Sawiak
- Department of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EL, UK
- Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Amy L Milton
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Menna R Clatworthy
- Molecular Immunity Unit, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 OQH, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Edward T Bullmore
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Jeffrey W Dalley
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 0SZ, UK.
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2
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Gericke J, Lekhooa M, Steyn SF, Viljoen AM, Harvey BH. An acute dose-ranging evaluation of the antidepressant properties of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin®) versus escitalopram in the Flinders Sensitive Line rat. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2022; 284:114550. [PMID: 34454055 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Sceletium tortuosum (L.) N.E.Br. (ST) has been used by the Khoisan people of South Africa as a mood elevator. Its various pharmacological mechanisms of action suggest distinct potential as an antidepressant. Clinical studies in healthy individuals suggest beneficial effects on mood, cognition, and anxiety. AIM OF THE STUDY To obtain a chromatographic fingerprint of a standardized extract of S. tortuosum (Zembrin®), and to evaluate the acute antidepressant-like properties of Zembrin® versus the reference antidepressant, escitalopram, in the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rat, a genetic rodent model of depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chemical profile of Zembrin® was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) chromatogram method using alkaloid standards. Twelve saline treated FSL and six Flinders Resistant Line (FRL) control rats were used to confirm face validity of the FSL model using the forced swim test (FST). Thereafter, FSL rats (n = 10) received either 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg of Zembrin®, or 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg escitalopram oxalate (ESC), both via oral gavage, and subjected to the open field test (OFT) and FST. RESULTS Four main ST alkaloids were identified and quantified in Zembrin® viz. mesembrenone, mesembrenol, mesembrine, and mesembranol (47.9%, 32%, 13.2%, and 6.8% of the total alkaloids, respectively). FSL rats showed significantly decreased swimming and climbing (coping) behaviours, and significantly increased immobility (despair), versus FRL controls. ESC 5 mg/kg and Zembrin® 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg showed significant dose-dependent reversal of immobility in FSL rats and variable effects on coping behaviours. Zembrin® 50 mg/kg was the most effective antidepressant dose, showing equivalence to ESC 5. CONCLUSIONS Zembrin® (25 and 50 mg/kg) and ESC (5 mg/kg) are effective antidepressants after acute treatment in the FST, as assessed in FSL rats. Moreover, Zembrin® 50 mg/kg proved equivalent to ESC 5. Further long-term bio-behavioural studies on the antidepressant properties of Zembrin® are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johané Gericke
- Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacen), North West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.
| | - Makhotso Lekhooa
- Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacen), North West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.
| | - Stephan F Steyn
- Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacen), North West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa.
| | - Alvaro M Viljoen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa; SAMRC Herbal Drugs Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa.
| | - Brian H Harvey
- Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (Pharmacen), North West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa; SAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
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3
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Abstract
The overarching objective is to review how early exposure to adversity interacts with inflammation to alter brain maturation. Both adversity and inflammation are significant risk factors for psychopathology. Literature relevant to the effects of adversity in children and adolescents on brain development is reviewed. These studies are supported by research in animals exposed to species-relevant stressors during development. While it is known that exposure to adversity at any age increases inflammation, the effects of inflammation are exacerbated at developmental stages when the immature brain is uniquely sensitive to experiences. Microglia play a vital role in this process, as they scavenge cellular debris and prune synapses to optimize performance. In essence, microglia modify the synapse to match environmental demands, which is necessary for someone with a history of adversity. Overall, by piecing together clinical and preclinical research areas, what emerges is a picture of how adversity uniquely sculpts the brain. Microglia interactions with the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA (specifically, the subtype expressing parvalbumin) are discussed within contexts of development and adversity. A review of inflammation markers in individuals with a history of abuse is combined with preclinical studies to describe their effects on maturation. Inconsistencies within the literature are discussed, with a call for standardizing methodologies relating to the age of assessing adversity effects, measures to quantify stress and inflammation, and more brain-based measures of biochemistry. Preclinical studies pave the way for interventions using anti-inflammation-based agents (COX-2 inhibitors, CB2 agonists, meditation/yoga) by identifying where, when, and how the developmental trajectory goes awry.
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Henn L, Zanta NC, Girardi CEN, Suchecki D. Chronic Escitalopram Treatment Does Not Alter the Effects of Neonatal Stress on Hippocampal BDNF Levels, 5-HT 1A Expression and Emotional Behaviour of Male and Female Adolescent Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:926-943. [PMID: 33063280 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02164-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress is considered a risk factor for the development of long-term psychiatric disorders. Maternal deprivation (MD) is a useful paradigm to understand the neurobiological underpinnings of early stress-induced changes in neurodevelopment trajectory. The goal of the present study was to examine the effects of a chronic treatment with escitalopram (ESC) on the hippocampal levels of BDNF and neuropeptide Y (NPY), expression of serotonin type 1A receptor (5-HT1A), plasma corticosterone levels and emotional behaviours in male and female adolescent rats submitted to MD at 9 days of life (group DEP9) and challenged with a brief and mild stress (saline injection (SAL)) at the end of MD. Whole litters were kept with mothers (CTL) or submitted to MD (DEP9). Within each group, pups were stress-challenged (CTL-SAL and DEP9-SAL) or not (CTL-NSAL and DEP9-NSAL). ESC or vehicle treatments began at weaning and lasted 24 days, when animals were sacrificed for determination of neurobiological variables or submitted to a battery of tests for evaluation of emotional behaviours. The results showed that BDNF levels were higher in SAL-challenged males and in DEP9-SAL females, whereas 5-HT1A receptor expression was reduced in DEP9 males and in SAL-challenged females. There were no changes in NPY or corticosterone levels. In the forced swim test, SAL-challenged males and DEP9 females displayed less immobility and ESC only increased social motivation in males. The results indicated that neonatal stress led to sex-dependent changes in neurobiology and behaviour and that chronic ESC treatment had minor effects on these parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Henn
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, 1° andar, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Natália C Zanta
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, 1° andar, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Carlos Eduardo N Girardi
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, 1° andar, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil
| | - Deborah Suchecki
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925, 1° andar, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil.
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5
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Park SW, Seo MK, Lee JG, Hien LT, Kim YH. Effects of maternal separation and antidepressant drug on epigenetic regulation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor exon I promoter in the adult rat hippocampus. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2018; 72:255-265. [PMID: 28990703 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
AIM Early life stress can induce epigenetic changes through genetic and environmental interactions and is a risk factor for depression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and antidepressant drug action. We investigated epigenetic changes at the BDNF exon I promoter in the hippocampus of adult rats subjected to maternal separation (MS) during early life and treated with an antidepressant drug as adults. METHODS Rat pups were subjected to MS from postnatal day 1 to 21 and received chronic escitalopram (ESC) as adults. We assessed the effects of MS and ESC on BDNF exon I and DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) mRNA levels (quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction), acetylated histone H3, and MeCP2 binding to the BDNF promoter I (chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction), and BDNF protein levels (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). RESULTS The levels of BDNF protein, exon I mRNA, histone H3 acetylation, and DNMT1 and DNMT3a mRNA were altered in the MS group compared with the control group. Significant decreases were observed in the BDNF protein, exon I mRNA, and histone H3 acetylation levels and there were significant increases in DNMT1 and DNMT3a mRNA levels. The comparison between the MS + ESC and MS groups revealed significant increases in BDNF protein, exon I mRNA, and histone H3 acetylation levels and significant decreases in MeCP2 and DNMT1 and DNMT3a mRNA levels. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that MS induced epigenetic changes at the BDNF exon I promoter and these changes were prevented by antidepressant drug treatment during adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Woo Park
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.,Departments of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.,Department of Convergence Biomedical Science, College of Medicine, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi Kyoung Seo
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Goo Lee
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.,Departments of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Le Thi Hien
- Departments of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hoon Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Gongju National Hospital, Gongju, Republic of Korea
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Wang Q, Dong X, Wang Y, Liu M, Sun A, Li N, lin Y, Geng Z, Jin Y, Li X. Adolescent escitalopram prevents the effects of maternal separation on depression‐ and anxiety‐like behaviours and regulates the levels of inflammatory cytokines in adult male mice. Int J Dev Neurosci 2017; 62:37-45. [PMID: 28778811 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2017.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 07/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Xiaomei Dong
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Mengxi Liu
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Anji Sun
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Nannan Li
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Yiwei lin
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Zhongli Geng
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Ye Jin
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
| | - Xiaobai Li
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyangLiaoning ProvinceChina
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McIntosh AL, Gormley S, Tozzi L, Frodl T, Harkin A. Recent Advances in Translational Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Animal Models of Stress and Depression. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:150. [PMID: 28596724 PMCID: PMC5442179 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable translational tool that can be used to investigate alterations in brain structure and function in both patients and animal models of disease. Regional changes in brain structure, functional connectivity, and metabolite concentrations have been reported in depressed patients, giving insight into the networks and brain regions involved, however preclinical models are less well characterized. The development of more effective treatments depends upon animal models that best translate to the human condition and animal models may be exploited to assess the molecular and cellular alterations that accompany neuroimaging changes. Recent advances in preclinical imaging have facilitated significant developments within the field, particularly relating to high resolution structural imaging and resting-state functional imaging which are emerging techniques in clinical research. This review aims to bring together the current literature on preclinical neuroimaging in animal models of stress and depression, highlighting promising avenues of research toward understanding the pathological basis of this hugely prevalent disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shane Gormley
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland
| | - Leonardo Tozzi
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland
| | - Thomas Frodl
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland.,Universitätsklinikum A.ö.R, Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Fakultät, Otto von Guericke UniversitätMagdeburg, Germany
| | - Andrew Harkin
- Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland.,School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences, Trinity College DublinDublin, Ireland
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8
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Park SW, Lee JG, Seo MK, Ly NN, Lee CH, Cho HY, Hein LT, Choi AJ, Kim GM, Kim YH. Epigenetic modification of glucocorticoid receptor promoter I 7 in maternally separated and restraint-stressed rats. Neurosci Lett 2017; 650:38-44. [PMID: 28414132 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) promoter I7 is susceptible to epigenetic changes induced by environmental influences. Early life stress (ELS) has a persistent impact on GR expression, as well as behavior, in adult rodents via epigenetic changes of GR promoter I7. Moreover, various stressors can induce histone modifications in this region during adulthood. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate whether maternally separated (MS) rats exposed to chronic restraint stress (RS) would exhibit histone modifications of GR promoter I7 in the hippocampus. Rats were subjected to MS (3h per day) on postnatal days (PND) 1-21. Then, during adulthood (PND 56-77), the rats were exposed to RS (2h per day) followed by treatment with escitalopram (10mg/kg). The MS and RS groups exhibited significant decreases in total and exon I7 GR mRNA levels and the combination of MS and RS exerted a greater effect on these mRNA levels than either MS or RS alone. Additionally, both the MS and RS groups showed significant reductions in histone H3 acetylation at GR promoter I7 and the combination of MS and RS had a greater effect than did either MS or RS alone. Chronic escitalopram treatment ameliorated these changes. The present results indicate that postnatal MS and adult RS influence GR expression through histone modification at GR promoter I7, and that the combination of the two stressors potentiates these changes. Furthermore, epigenetic mechanisms are involved in escitalopram action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung Woo Park
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Goo Lee
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea; Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mi Kyoung Seo
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Nguyen Ngoc Ly
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Hong Lee
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Yeon Cho
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Le Thi Hein
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Ah Jeong Choi
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyung-Mee Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hoon Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Gongju National Hospital, Gongju, Republic of Korea.
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9
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Pałasz A, Suszka-Świtek A, Filipczyk Ł, Bogus K, Rojczyk E, Worthington J, Krzystanek M, Wiaderkiewicz R. Escitalopram affects spexin expression in the rat hypothalamus, hippocampus and striatum. Pharmacol Rep 2016; 68:1326-1331. [PMID: 27710862 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2016.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2016] [Revised: 08/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spexin (SPX) is a recently discovered neuropeptide that exhibits a large spectrum of central and peripheral regulatory activity, especially when considered as a potent anorexigenic factor. It has already been proven that antidepressants, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), can modulate peptidergic signaling in various brain structures. Despite these findings, there is so far no information regarding the influence of treatment with the SSRI antidepressant escitalopram on brain SPX expression. METHODS In this current study we measured SPX mRNA and protein expression in the selected brain structures (hypothalamus, hippocampus and striatum) of rats chronically treated with a 10mg/kg dose of escitalopram using quantitative Real-Time PCR and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Strikingly, long-term (4 week) drug treatment led to the downregulation of SPX expression in the rat hypothalamus. This supports the hypothesis that SPX may be involved in the hypothalamic serotonin-dependent actions of SSRI antidepressants and possibly also in the central mechanism of body mass increase. Conversely, SPX expression increased in the hippocampus and striatum. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report of the effects of a neuropsychiatric medication on SPX expression in animal brain. Our findings shed a new light on the pharmacology of antidepressants and may contribute to a better understanding of the alternative mechanisms responsible for antidepressant action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Pałasz
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Suszka-Świtek
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland
| | - Łukasz Filipczyk
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Bogus
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland
| | - Ewa Rojczyk
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland
| | - John Worthington
- Manchester Immunology Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Greater Manchester, M13 9PT, UK; Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK
| | - Marek Krzystanek
- Department and Clinic of Psychiatric Rehabilitation, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Ziolowa 45/47, Katowice 40-635, Poland
| | - Ryszard Wiaderkiewicz
- Department of Histology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, Katowice 40-752, Poland
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10
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Blood oxygen level-dependent signals via fMRI in the mood-regulating circuit using two animal models of depression are reversed by chronic escitalopram treatment. Behav Brain Res 2016; 311:210-218. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 05/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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11
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Seo MK, Ly NN, Lee CH, Cho HY, Choi CM, Nhu LH, Lee JG, Lee BJ, Kim GM, Yoon BJ, Park SW, Kim YH. Early life stress increases stress vulnerability through BDNF gene epigenetic changes in the rat hippocampus. Neuropharmacology 2016; 105:388-397. [PMID: 26877199 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Revised: 01/20/2016] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) exerts long-lasting epigenetic influences on the brain and makes an individual susceptible to later depression. It is poorly understood whether ELS and subsequent adult chronic stress modulate epigenetic mechanisms. We examined the epigenetic mechanisms of the BDNF gene in the hippocampus, which may underlie stress vulnerability to postnatal maternal separation (MS) and adult restraint stress (RS). Rat pups were separated from their dams (3 h/day from P1-P21). When the pups reached adulthood (8 weeks old), we introduced RS (2 h/day for 3 weeks) followed by escitalopram treatment. We showed that both the MS and RS groups expressed reduced levels of total and exon IV BDNF mRNA. Furthermore, RS potentiated MS-induced decreases in these expression levels. Similarly, both the MS and RS groups showed decreased levels of acetylated histone H3 and H4 at BDNF promoter IV, and RS exacerbated MS-induced decreases of H3 and H4 acetylation. Both the MS and RS groups had increased MeCP2 levels at BDNF promoter IV, as well as increased HDAC5 mRNA, and the combination of MS and RS exerted a greater effect on these parameters than did RS alone. In the forced swimming test, the immobility time of the MS + RS group was significantly higher than that of the RS group. Additionally, chronic escitalopram treatment recovered these alterations. Our results suggest that postnatal MS and subsequent adult RS modulate epigenetic changes in the BDNF gene, and that these changes may be related to behavioral phenotype. These epigenetic mechanisms are involved in escitalopram action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Kyoung Seo
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Republic of Korea
| | - Nguyen Ngoc Ly
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School of Inje University, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan Hong Lee
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Yeon Cho
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol Min Choi
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School of Inje University, Republic of Korea
| | - Le Hoa Nhu
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School of Inje University, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Goo Lee
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School of Inje University, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Ju Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Gyung-Mee Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong June Yoon
- College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung Woo Park
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School of Inje University, Republic of Korea.
| | - Young Hoon Kim
- Paik Institute for Clinical Research, Republic of Korea; Department of Health Science and Technology, Graduate School of Inje University, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
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Harrison EL, Baune BT. Modulation of early stress-induced neurobiological changes: a review of behavioural and pharmacological interventions in animal models. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e390. [PMID: 24825729 PMCID: PMC4035722 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Revised: 02/08/2014] [Accepted: 03/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood adversity alters the predisposition to psychiatric disorders later in life. Those with psychiatric conditions and a history of early adversity exhibit a higher incidence of treatment resistance compared with individuals with no such history. Modulation of the influence early stress exerts over neurobiology may help to prevent the development of psychiatric disorders in some cases, while attenuating the extent of treatment resistance in those with established psychiatric disorders. This review aims to critically evaluate the ability of behavioural, environmental and pharmacologic interventions to modulate neurobiological changes induced by early stress in animal models. Databases were systematically searched to locate literature relevant to this review. Early adversity was defined as stress that resulted from manipulation of the mother-infant relationship. Analysis was restricted to animal models to enable characterisation of how a given intervention altered specific neurobiological changes induced by early stress. A wide variety of changes in neurobiology due to early stress are amenable to intervention. Behavioural interventions in childhood, exercise in adolescence and administration of epigenetic-modifying drugs throughout life appear to best modulate cellar and behavioural alterations induced by childhood adversity. Other pharmacotherapies, such as endocannabinoid system modulators, anti-inflammatories and antidepressants can also influence these neurobiological and behavioural changes that result from early stress, although findings are less consistent at present and require further investigation. Further work is required to examine the influence that behavioural interventions, exercise and epigenetic-modifying drugs exert over alterations that occur following childhood stress in human studies, before possible translational into clinical practice is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Harrison
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - B T Baune
- Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia,Discipline of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. E-mail:
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Erdemir F, Atilgan D, Firat F, Markoc F, Parlaktas BS, Sogut E. The effect of Sertraline, Paroxetine, Fluoxetine and Escitalopram on testicular tissue and oxidative stress parameters in rats. Int Braz J Urol 2014; 40:100-8. [DOI: 10.1590/s1677-5538.ibju.2014.01.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2013] [Accepted: 11/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
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Zhang J, Abdallah CG, Chen Y, Huang T, Huang Q, Xu C, Xiao Y, Liu Y, Ding Y, Wu R. Behavioral deficits, abnormal corticosterone, and reduced prefrontal metabolites of adolescent rats subject to early life stress. Neurosci Lett 2013; 545:132-7. [PMID: 23643993 PMCID: PMC3699722 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2013.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Revised: 04/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigated the effect of early life stress in adolescent rats on brain metabolites, serum corticosterone, and depressive-like behavior. A group of rats was subject to early life stress from postnatal day (PND) 1 to 14. A matched control group was studied. Behavioral tests, serum corticosterone and high-resolution proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy were conducted between PND 30 and 40. In this study, adolescent rats exposed to early life stress demonstrated depressive-like behavior and increased serum corticosterone during adolescence. They also showed reduced glutamate, glutamine, and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) levels in the prefrontal cortex. A reduced myo-inositol level, consistent with astroglial deficits, was observed but was not statistically significant. Together, these findings characterize the effect of early life stress on adolescent animals and underscore the long-lasting and detrimental effects of childhood adversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhang
- Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chadi G. Abdallah
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Clinical Neuroscience Division, National Center for PTSD, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yaowen Chen
- Central Laboratory of Shantou University, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Tianhua Huang
- Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Qingjun Huang
- Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Chongtao Xu
- Mental Health Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yeyu Xiao
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yuzhen Liu
- Department of E.N.T, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Yan Ding
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Renhua Wu
- Department of Radiology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong, P. R. China
- Corresponding author: Renhua Wu, MD, PhD. Address: Dongxia North Road, Department of Radiology, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, P.R China. Tel: +86-754-8891-5674; fax: +86-754-8891-5674. (R.H Wu)
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Czéh B, Di Benedetto B. Antidepressants act directly on astrocytes: evidences and functional consequences. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2013; 23:171-85. [PMID: 22609317 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2012.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Accepted: 04/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Post-mortem histopathological studies report on reduced glial cell numbers in various frontolimbic areas of depressed patients implying that glial loss together with abnormal functioning could contribute to the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Astrocytes are regarded as the most abundant cell type in the brain and known for their housekeeping functions, but as recent developments suggest, they are also dynamic regulators of synaptogenesis, synaptic strength and stability and they control adult hippocampal neurogenesis. The primary aim of this review was to summarize the abundant experimental evidences demonstrating that antidepressant therapies have profound effect on astrocytes. Antidepressants modify astroglial physiology, morphology and by affecting gliogenesis they probably even regulate glial cell numbers. Antidepressants affect intracellular signaling pathways and gene expression of astrocytes, as well as the expression of receptors and the release of various trophic factors. We also assess the potential functional consequences of these changes on glutamate and glucose homeostasis and on synaptic communication between the neurons. We propose here a hypothesis that antidepressant treatment not only affects neurons, but also activates astrocytes, triggering them to carry out specific functions that result in the reactivation of cortical plasticity and can lead to the readjustment of abnormal neuronal networks. We argue here that these astrocyte specific changes are likely to contribute to the therapeutic effectiveness of the currently available antidepressant treatments and the better understanding of these cellular and molecular processes could help us to identify novel targets for the development of antidepressant drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boldizsár Czéh
- Max-Planck-Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany.
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Selective breeding for helplessness in rats alters the metabolic profile of the hippocampus and frontal cortex: a 1H-MRS study at 9.4 T. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2013; 16:199-212. [PMID: 22272798 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145711001994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans metabolic changes, particularly in frontal areas of the brain, accompany depressive disorders, but few studies were conducted in animal models of depression. We used hydrogen-1 magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 9.4 T to measure the metabolic profiles of the hippocampus and frontal cortex in congenital learned helpless (cLH) and wild-type (WT) rats. The learned helplessness model of depression exposes animals to uncontrollable stress to induce changes in emotion, cognition and behaviour, but cLH rats were selectively bred to show changes in behaviour even without exposure to uncontrollable stress. Experimentally naive male 8- to 10-wk-old cLH (n = 10) and WT rats (n = 22) underwent spectroscopy and were exposed to uncontrollable stress 1 wk after the scan. We found that cLH compared to WT rats had lower levels of glutamate in the hippocampus and lower levels of choline-containing compounds in the hippocampus and frontal cortex, but higher levels of taurine and phosphocreatine in these regions, pointing to compensatory efforts of the brain to reduce excitotoxic potential and to increase neuroprotection and energy, possibly as a result of cellular stress and damage. The reduction in choline-containing phospholipids might represent a source or correlate of such stress. Overall, the results indicate that metabolic abnormalities are present in animals with a predisposition to helplessness even without exposure to explicit stress and may help identify non-invasive biomarkers in individuals who are prone to depression.
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Dimatelis J, Stein D, Russell V. Behavioral changes after maternal separation are reversed by chronic constant light treatment. Brain Res 2012; 1480:61-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2012] [Revised: 07/06/2012] [Accepted: 07/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Learning and memory alterations are associated with hippocampal N-acetylaspartate in a rat model of depression as measured by 1H-MRS. PLoS One 2011; 6:e28686. [PMID: 22194886 PMCID: PMC3237477 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/13/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
It is generally accepted that cognitive processes, such as learning and memory, are affected in depression. The present study used a rat model of depression, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), to determine whether hippocampal volume and neurochemical changes were involved in learning and memory alterations. A further aim was to determine whether these effects could be ameliorated by escitalopram treatment, as assessed with the non-invasive techniques of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Our results demonstrated that CUMS had a dramatic influence on spatial cognitive performance in the Morris water maze task, and CUMS reduced the concentration of neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the hippocampus. These effects could be significantly reversed by repeated administration of escitalopram. However, neither chronic stress nor escitalopram treatment influenced hippocampal volume. Of note, the learning and memory alterations of the rats were associated with right hippocampal NAA concentration. Our results indicate that in depression, NAA may be a more sensitive measure of cognitive function than hippocampal volume.
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Abstract
Despite being a first-line treatment for adolescent depression and anxiety, antidepressant drugs appear to have questionable efficacy and carry an increased risk of adverse effects in this population. The neural mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are currently unknown. Recent research into the neural effects of alcohol and recreational drugs suggests that the developmental trajectory of the adolescent brain may be particularly vulnerable to pharmacological disturbance. It is therefore important to consider whether prescription psychotropic drugs may have analogous effects. This article reviews the contribution of recent preclinical, clinical and pharmacogenetic literature to current knowledge on the short-term and enduring neural effects of antidepressants on the adolescent brain, with a particular focus on the major neurotransmitter systems and neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Karanges
- School of Psychology A18, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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Hui JJ, Zhang ZJ, Liu SS, Xi GJ, Zhang XR, Teng GJ, Chan KC, Wu EX, Nie BB, Shan BC, Li LJ, Reynolds GP. Hippocampal neurochemistry is involved in the behavioural effects of neonatal maternal separation and their reversal by post-weaning environmental enrichment: A magnetic resonance study. Behav Brain Res 2011; 217:122-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2010.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2010] [Revised: 10/10/2010] [Accepted: 10/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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