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Gentenaar M, Meulmeester FL, van der Burg XR, Hoekstra AT, Hunt H, Kroon J, van Roon-Mom WMC, Meijer OC. Glucocorticoid receptor antagonist CORT113176 attenuates motor and neuropathological symptoms of Huntington's disease in R6/2 mice. Exp Neurol 2024; 374:114675. [PMID: 38216109 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Huntington's Disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by a mutation in the huntingtin gene. The mutation leads to a toxic gain of function of the mutant huntingtin (mHtt) protein resulting in cellular malfunction, aberrant huntingtin aggregation and eventually neuronal cell death. Patients with HD show impaired motor functions and cognitive decline. Elevated levels of glucocorticoids have been found in HD patients and in HD mouse models, and there is a positive correlation between increased glucocorticoid levels and the progression of HD. Therefore, antagonism of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) may be an interesting strategy for the treatment of HD. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of the selective GR antagonist CORT113176 in the commonly used R6/2 mouse model. In male mice, CORT113176 treatment significantly delayed the loss of grip strength, the development of hindlimb clasping, gait abnormalities, and the occurrence of epileptic seizures. CORT113176 treatment delayed loss of DARPP-32 immunoreactivity in the dorsolateral striatum. It also restored HD-related parameters including astrocyte markers in both the dorsolateral striatum and the hippocampus, and microglia markers in the hippocampus. This suggests that CORT113176 has both cell-type and brain region-specific effects. CORT113176 delayed the formation of mHtt aggregates in the striatum and the hippocampus. In female mice, we did not observe major effects of CORT113176 treatment on HD-related symptoms, with the exception of the anti-epileptic effects. We conclude that CORT113176 effectively delays several key symptoms related to the HD phenotype in male R6/2 mice and believe that GR antagonism may be a possible treatment option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Gentenaar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Fleur L Meulmeester
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Ximaine R van der Burg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Anna T Hoekstra
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Hazel Hunt
- Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | - Jan Kroon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands; Corcept Therapeutics, Menlo Park, CA, USA
| | | | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
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2
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Braine A, Georges F. Emotion in action: When emotions meet motor circuits. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105475. [PMID: 37996047 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The brain is a remarkably complex organ responsible for a wide range of functions, including the modulation of emotional states and movement. Neuronal circuits are believed to play a crucial role in integrating sensory, cognitive, and emotional information to ultimately guide motor behavior. Over the years, numerous studies employing diverse techniques such as electrophysiology, imaging, and optogenetics have revealed a complex network of neural circuits involved in the regulation of emotional or motor processes. Emotions can exert a substantial influence on motor performance, encompassing both everyday activities and pathological conditions. The aim of this review is to explore how emotional states can shape movements by connecting the neural circuits for emotional processing to motor neural circuits. We first provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of different emotional states on motor control in humans and rodents. In line with behavioral studies, we set out to identify emotion-related structures capable of modulating motor output, behaviorally and anatomically. Neuronal circuits involved in emotional processing are extensively connected to the motor system. These circuits can drive emotional behavior, essential for survival, but can also continuously shape ongoing movement. In summary, the investigation of the intricate relationship between emotion and movement offers valuable insights into human behavior, including opportunities to enhance performance, and holds promise for improving mental and physical health. This review integrates findings from multiple scientific approaches, including anatomical tracing, circuit-based dissection, and behavioral studies, conducted in both animal and human subjects. By incorporating these different methodologies, we aim to present a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the emotional modulation of movement in both physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Braine
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, IMN, UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
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3
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Environmental stimulation in Huntington disease patients and animal models. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 171:105725. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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4
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Mees I, Li S, Beauchamp LC, Barnham KJ, Dutschmann M, Hannan AJ, Renoir T. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function studies refute the hypothesis that tau protein is causally involved in the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease. Hum Mol Genet 2022; 31:1997-2009. [PMID: 34999772 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddac001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tau is a microtubule-associated protein, whose abnormal phosphorylation and deposition in the brain characterizes a range of neurodegenerative diseases called tauopathies. Recent clinical (post-mortem) and pre-clinical evidence suggests that Huntington's disease (HD), an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder, could be considered as a tauopathy. Studies have found the presence of hyperphosphorylated tau, altered tau isoform ratio and aggregated tau in HD brains. However, little is known about the implication of tau in the development of HD pathophysiology, which includes motor, cognitive and affective symptoms. To shine a light on the involvement of tau in HD, our present study aimed at (i) knocking out tau expression and (ii) expressing a transgene encoding mutant human tau in the R6/1 mouse model of HD. We hypothesized that expression of the mutant human tau transgene in HD mice would worsen the HD phenotype, while knocking out endogenous mouse tau in HD mice would improve some behavioural deficits display by HD mice. Our data suggests that neither the expression of a tau transgene nor the ablation of tau expression impacted the progression of the HD motor, cognitive and affective phenotypes. Supporting these behavioural findings, we also found that modulating tau expression had no effect on brain weights in HD mice. We also report that expression of the tau transgene increased the weight of WT and HD male mice, whereas tau ablation increased the weight of HD females only. Together, our results indicate that tau might not be as important in regulating the progression of HD symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaline Mees
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Leah C Beauchamp
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kevin J Barnham
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Melbourne Dementia Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mathias Dutschmann
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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5
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Chuang CL, Demontis F. Systemic manifestation and contribution of peripheral tissues to Huntington's disease pathogenesis. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 69:101358. [PMID: 33979693 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease that is caused by expansion of cytosine/adenosine/guanine repeats in the huntingtin (HTT) gene, which leads to a toxic, aggregation-prone, mutant HTT-polyQ protein. Beyond the well-established mechanisms of HD progression in the central nervous system, growing evidence indicates that also peripheral tissues are affected in HD and that systemic signaling originating from peripheral tissues can influence the progression of HD in the brain. Herein, we review the systemic manifestation of HD in peripheral tissues, and the impact of systemic signaling on HD pathogenesis. Mutant HTT induces a body wasting syndrome (cachexia) primarily via its activity in skeletal muscle, bone, adipose tissue, and heart. Additional whole-organism effects induced by mutant HTT include decline in systemic metabolic homeostasis, which stems from derangement of pancreas, liver, gut, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and circadian functions. In addition to spreading via the bloodstream and a leaky blood brain barrier, HTT-polyQ may travel long distance via its uptake by neurons and its axonal transport from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Lastly, signaling factors that are produced and/or secreted in response to therapeutic interventions such as exercise or in response to mutant HTT activity in peripheral tissues may impact HD. In summary, these studies indicate that HD is a systemic disease that is influenced by intertissue signaling and by the action of pathogenic HTT in peripheral tissues. We propose that treatment strategies for HD should include the amelioration of HD symptoms in peripheral tissues. Moreover, harnessing signaling between peripheral tissues and the brain may provide a means for reducing HD progression in the central nervous system.
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6
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Khaspekov LG. Current Views on the Role of Stress in the Pathogenesis of Chronic Neurodegenerative Diseases. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 86:737-745. [PMID: 34225596 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921060110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The review summarizes the results of studies on the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating the impact of stress on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative brain pathologies (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, etc.) and presents current information on the role of stress in the hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, aggregation of beta-amyloid, and hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis involved in the hyperproduction of factors that contribute to the pathogenetic role of stress in neurodegeneration. The data on the participation of microglia in the effects of stress on the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases are presented.
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7
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Hokenson RE, Short AK, Chen Y, Pham AL, Adams ET, Bolton JL, Swarup V, Gall CM, Baram TZ. Unexpected Role of Physiological Estrogen in Acute Stress-Induced Memory Deficits. J Neurosci 2021; 41:648-662. [PMID: 33262247 PMCID: PMC7842761 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2146-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress may promote emotional and cognitive disturbances, which differ by sex. Adverse outcomes, including memory disturbances, are typically observed following chronic stress, but are now being recognized also after short events, including mass shootings, assault, or natural disasters, events that consist of concurrent multiple acute stresses (MAS). Prior work has established profound and enduring effects of MAS on memory in males. Here we examined the effects of MAS on female mice and probed the role of hormonal fluctuations during the estrous cycle on MAS-induced memory problems and the underlying brain network and cellular mechanisms. Female mice were impacted by MAS in an estrous cycle-dependent manner: MAS impaired hippocampus-dependent spatial memory in early-proestrous mice, characterized by high levels of estradiol, whereas memory of mice stressed during estrus (low estradiol) was spared. As spatial memory requires an intact dorsal hippocampal CA1, we examined synaptic integrity in mice stressed at different cycle phases and found a congruence of dendritic spine density and spatial memory deficits, with reduced spine density only in mice stressed during high estradiol cycle phases. Assessing MAS-induced activation of brain networks interconnected with hippocampus, we identified differential estrous cycle-dependent activation of memory- and stress-related regions, including the amygdala. Network analyses of the cross-correlation of fos expression among these regions uncovered functional connectivity that differentiated impaired mice from those not impaired by MAS. In conclusion, the estrous cycle modulates the impact of MAS on spatial memory, and fluctuating physiological levels of sex hormones may contribute to this effect.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Effects of stress on brain functions, including memory, are profound and sex-dependent. Acute stressors occurring simultaneously result in spatial memory impairments in males, but effects on females are unknown. Here we identified estrous cycle-dependent effects of such stresses on memory in females. Surprisingly, females with higher physiological estradiol experienced stress-induced memory impairment and a loss of underlying synapses. Memory- and stress-responsive brain regions interconnected with hippocampus were differentially activated across high and low estradiol mice, and predicted memory impairment. Thus, at functional, network, and cellular levels, physiological estradiol influences the effects of stress on memory in females, providing insight into mechanisms of prominent sex differences in stress-related memory disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christine M Gall
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology
- Neurobiology and Behavior
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Departments of Anatomy and Neurobiology
- Pediatrics
- Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, California 92697
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8
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Laroche M, Lessard-Beaudoin M, Garcia-Miralles M, Kreidy C, Peachey E, Leavitt BR, Pouladi MA, Graham RK. Early deficits in olfaction are associated with structural and molecular alterations in the olfactory system of a Huntington disease mouse model. Hum Mol Genet 2020; 29:2134-2147. [PMID: 32436947 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory dysfunction and altered neurogenesis are observed in several neurodegenerative disorders including Huntington disease (HD). These deficits occur early and correlate with a decline in global cognitive performance, depression and structural abnormalities of the olfactory system including the olfactory epithelium, bulb and cortices. However, the role of olfactory system dysfunction in the pathogenesis of HD remains poorly understood and the mechanisms underlying this dysfunction are unknown. We show that deficits in odour identification, discrimination and memory occur in HD individuals. Assessment of the olfactory system in an HD murine model demonstrates structural abnormalities in the olfactory bulb (OB) and piriform cortex, the primary cortical recipient of OB projections. Furthermore, a decrease in piriform neuronal counts and altered expression levels of neuronal nuclei and tyrosine hydroxylase in the OB are observed in the YAC128 HD model. Similar to the human HD condition, olfactory dysfunction is an early phenotype in the YAC128 mice and concurrent with caspase activation in the murine HD OB. These data provide a link between the structural olfactory brain region atrophy and olfactory dysfunction in HD and suggest that cell proliferation and cell death pathways are compromised and may contribute to the olfactory deficits in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Laroche
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS-IUGS de l'Estrie-CHUS, FMSS, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - M Lessard-Beaudoin
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS-IUGS de l'Estrie-CHUS, FMSS, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - M Garcia-Miralles
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore 138632
| | - C Kreidy
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore 138632
| | - E Peachey
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - B R Leavitt
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - M A Pouladi
- Translational Laboratory in Genetic Medicine, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore 138632.,Departments of Medicine and Physiology, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077
| | - R K Graham
- Research Center on Aging, CIUSSS-IUGS de l'Estrie-CHUS, FMSS, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec J1K 2R1, Canada
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9
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Lyons CE, Bartolomucci A. Stress and Alzheimer's disease: A senescence link? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 115:285-298. [PMID: 32461080 PMCID: PMC7483955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress has been shown to promote numerous aging-related diseases, and to accelerate the aging process itself. Of particular interest is the impact of stress on Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most prevalent form of dementia. The vast majority of AD cases have no known genetic cause, making it vital to identify the environmental factors involved in the onset and progression of the disease. Age is the greatest risk factor for AD, and measures of biological aging such as shorter telomere length, significantly increase likelihood for developing AD. Stress is also considered a crucial contributor to AD, as indicated by a formidable body of research, although the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Here we review human and animal literature on the impact of stress on AD and discuss the mechanisms implicated in the interaction. In particular we will focus on the burgeoning body of research demonstrating that senescent cells, which accumulate with age and actively drive a number of aging-related diseases, may be a key mechanism through which stress drives AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carey E Lyons
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of Minnesota, United States; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, United States.
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10
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Donzis EJ, Estrada-Sánchez AM, Indersmitten T, Oikonomou K, Tran CH, Wang C, Latifi S, Golshani P, Cepeda C, Levine MS. Cortical Network Dynamics Is Altered in Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease. Cereb Cortex 2020; 30:2372-2388. [PMID: 31761935 PMCID: PMC7174987 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhz245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by involuntary movements, cognitive deficits, and psychiatric disturbances. Although evidence indicates that projections from motor cortical areas play a key role in the development of dysfunctional striatal activity and motor phenotype, little is known about the changes in cortical microcircuits and their role in the development of the HD phenotype. Here we used two-photon laser-scanning microscopy to evaluate network dynamics of motor cortical neurons in layers II/III in behaving transgenic R6/2 and knock-in Q175+/- mice. Symptomatic R6/2 mice displayed increased motion manifested by a significantly greater number of motion epochs, whereas symptomatic Q175 mice displayed decreased motion. In both models, calcium transients in symptomatic mice displayed reduced amplitude, suggesting decreased bursting activity. Changes in frequency were genotype- and time-dependent; for R6/2 mice, the frequency was reduced during both motion and nonmotion, whereas in symptomatic Q175 mice, the reduction only occurred during nonmotion. In presymptomatic Q175 mice, frequency was increased during both behavioral states. Interneuronal correlation coefficients were generally decreased in both models, suggesting disrupted interneuronal communication in HD cerebral cortex. These results indicate similar and contrasting effects of the HD mutation on cortical ensemble activity depending on mouse model and disease stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elissa J Donzis
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Ana María Estrada-Sánchez
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Tim Indersmitten
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Katerina Oikonomou
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Conny H Tran
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Catherine Wang
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Shahrzad Latifi
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Peyman Golshani
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Neurology, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA
| | - Carlos Cepeda
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
| | - Michael S Levine
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
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11
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Petruccelli E, Lark A, Mrkvicka JA, Kitamoto T. Significance of DopEcR, a G-protein coupled dopamine/ecdysteroid receptor, in physiological and behavioral response to stressors. J Neurogenet 2020; 34:55-68. [PMID: 31955616 PMCID: PMC7717672 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2019.1710144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Organisms respond to various environmental stressors by modulating physiology and behavior to maintain homeostasis. Steroids and catecholamines are involved in the highly conserved signaling pathways crucial for mounting molecular and cellular events that ensure immediate or long-term survival under stress conditions. The insect dopamine/ecdysteroid receptor (DopEcR) is a dual G-protein coupled receptor for the catecholamine dopamine and the steroid hormone ecdysone. DopEcR acts in a ligand-dependent manner, mediating dopaminergic signaling and unconventional "nongenomic" ecdysteroid actions through various intracellular signaling pathways. This unique feature of DopEcR raises the interesting possibility that DopEcR may serve as an integrative hub for complex molecular cascades activated under stress conditions. Here, we review previously published studies of Drosophila DopEcR in the context of stress response and also present newly discovered DopEcR loss-of-function phenotypes under different stress conditions. These findings provide corroborating evidence that DopEcR plays vital roles in responses to various stressors, including heat, starvation, alcohol, courtship rejection, and repeated neuronal stimulation in Drosophila. We further discuss what is known about DopEcR in other insects and DopEcR orthologs in mammals, implicating their roles in stress responses. Overall, this review highlights the importance of dual GPCRs for catecholamines and steroids in modulating physiology and behavior under stress conditions. Further multidisciplinary studies of Drosophila DopEcR will contribute to our basic understanding of the functional roles and underlying mechanisms of this class of GPCRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Petruccelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA
| | - Arianna Lark
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - James A Mrkvicka
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Toshihiro Kitamoto
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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12
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Peña-Bautista C, Casas-Fernández E, Vento M, Baquero M, Cháfer-Pericás C. Stress and neurodegeneration. Clin Chim Acta 2020; 503:163-168. [PMID: 31987795 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are a great concern because of aging worldwide population. Despite substantial effort to advance our understanding of the etiology and potential treatment of neurodegeneration, there remains a paucity of information with respect to this complex disease process. Interestingly, stress has been implicated among the potential mechanisms implicated in neurodegenerative pathology. Given the increase in chronic stress in modern society, this premise warrants further investigation. The aim of this review is to evaluate the influence of stress on neurodegeneration, the effect of neurodegenerative diseases diagnosis on stress, and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases with a special focus on stress reduction. Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's Disease showed an acceleration in disease progression and a worsening of symptoms under stress. Some therapies (e.g., yoga, meditation) focused on reducing stress showed beneficial effects against neurodegeneration. Nevertheless, more studies are necessary in order to completely understand the implications of stress in neurodegeneration and the usefulness of stress reduction in the treatment thereof.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Máximo Vento
- Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel Baquero
- Division of Neurology, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
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13
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Tobore TO. Towards a comprehensive understanding of the contributions of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of Huntington's disease. J Neurosci Res 2019; 97:1455-1468. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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14
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Galts CP, Bettio LE, Jewett DC, Yang CC, Brocardo PS, Rodrigues ALS, Thacker JS, Gil-Mohapel J. Depression in neurodegenerative diseases: Common mechanisms and current treatment options. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 102:56-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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15
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Bruzelius E, Scarpa J, Zhao Y, Basu S, Faghmous JH, Baum A. Huntington's disease in the United States: Variation by demographic and socioeconomic factors. Mov Disord 2019; 34:858-865. [PMID: 30868663 PMCID: PMC6579693 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite extensive research regarding the etiology of Huntington's disease, relatively little is known about the epidemiology of this rare disorder, particularly in the United States where there are no national-scale estimates of the disease. OBJECTIVES To provide national-scale estimates of Huntington's disease in a U.S. population and to test whether disease rates are increasing, and whether frequency varies by race, ethnicity, or other factors. METHODS Using an insurance database of over 67 million enrollees, we retrospectively identified a cohort of 3,707 individuals diagnosed with Huntington's disease between 2003 and 2016. We estimated annual incidence, annual diagnostic frequency, and tested for trends over time and differences in diagnostic frequency by sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS During the observation period, the age-adjusted cumulative incidence rate was1.22 per 100,000 persons (95% confidence interval: 1.53, 1.65), and age-adjusted diagnostic frequency was 6.52 per 100,000 persons (95% confidence interval: 5.31, 5.66); both rates remained relatively stable over the 14-year period. We identified several previously unreported differences in Huntington's disease frequency by self-reported sex, income, and race/ethnicity. However, racial/ethnic differences were of lower magnitude than have previously been reported in other country-level studies. CONCLUSIONS In these large-scale estimates of U.S. Huntington's disease epidemiology, we found stable disease frequency rates that varied by several sociodemographic factors. These findings suggest that disease patterns may be more driven by social or environmental factors than has previously been appreciated. Results further demonstrate the potential utility of administrative Big Data in rare disease epidemiology when other data sources are unavailable. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie Bruzelius
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
| | | | - Yiyi Zhao
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University
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16
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Olfactory bulb atrophy and caspase activation observed in the BACHD rat models of Huntington disease. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 125:219-231. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
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Chronic stress impairs the aquaporin-4-mediated glymphatic transport through glucocorticoid signaling. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1367-1384. [PMID: 30607477 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5147-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The glymphatic system has recently been proposed to function as a brain-wide macroscopic system for the clearance of potentially harmful molecules, such as amyloid beta (e.g., Aβ), from the brain parenchyma. Previous literatures have established that the glymphatic function is dramatically suppressed by aging, traumatic brain injury, and some diseases. However, the effect of chronic stress on the glymphatic function and its underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. METHODS Adult mice were randomly divided into four groups: chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-treated group, CUMS simultaneously treated with mifepristone (MFP) group, dexamethasone (DEX)-treated group, and control group. Stress response was observed by assessing the change of body weight, plasma corticosterone level, and behavior tests. The level of Aβ42 in cerebral tissue was assessed by ELISA. The glymphatic function was determined by using fluorescence tracer injection. The expression and localization of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot. The transcription level of AQP4 and anchoring molecules was evaluated by real-time PCR. FINDINGS Compared with control group, CUMS-treated mice exhibited the impairment of global glymphatic function especially in the anterior brain. This change was accompanied by the decreased expression and polarization of AQP4, reduced transcription of AQP4, agrin, laminin, and dystroglycan in the anterior cortex. Similarly, the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) agonist DEX exposure could reduce the glymphatic function and AQP4 expression. Moreover, the GR antagonist MFP treatment could significantly rescue the glymphatic function and reverse the expression and polarization of AQP4 impaired by CUMS. CONCLUSION Chronic stress could impair the AQP4-mediated glymphatic transport in the brain through glucocorticoid signaling. Our results also suggest that GR antagonist could be beneficial to rescue the glymphatic function suppressed by chronic stress.
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Zajac MS, Renoir T, Perreau VM, Li S, Adams W, van den Buuse M, Hannan AJ. Short-Term Environmental Stimulation Spatiotemporally Modulates Specific Serotonin Receptor Gene Expression and Behavioral Pharmacology in a Sexually Dimorphic Manner in Huntington's Disease Transgenic Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:433. [PMID: 30618600 PMCID: PMC6295568 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a tandem repeat mutation encoding an expanded polyglutamine tract in the huntingtin protein, which leads to cognitive, psychiatric and motor dysfunction. Exposure to environmental enrichment (EE), which enhances levels of cognitive stimulation and physical activity, has therapeutic effects on cognitive, affective and motor function of transgenic HD mice. The present study investigated gene expression changes and behavioral pharmacology in male and female R6/1 transgenic HD mice at an early time-point in HD progression associated with onset of cognitive and affective abnormalities, following EE and exercise (wheel running) interventions. We have demonstrated changes in expression levels of the serotonin (5-HT) receptor Htr1a, Htr1b, Htr2a and Htr2c genes (encoding the 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors, respectively) in HD brains at 8 weeks of age, using quantitative real-time PCR. In contrast, expression of the serotonin transporter (SerT, also known as 5-HTT or Slc6a4) was not altered in these brains. Furthermore, we identified region-specific, sex-specific and environmentally regulated (comparing EE, exercise and standard housing conditions) impacts on gene expression of particular 5-HT receptors, as well as SerT. For example, SerT gene expression was upregulated by exercise (wheel running from 6 to 8 weeks of age) in the hippocampus. Interestingly, when EE was introduced from 6 to 8 weeks of age, Htr2a gene expression was upregulated in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus of male mice. EE also rescued the functional activity of 5-HT2 receptors as observed in the head-twitch test, reflecting sexually dimorphic effects of environmental stimulation. These findings demonstrate that disruption of the serotonergic system occurs early in HD pathogenesis and, together with previous findings, show that the timing and duration of environmental interventions are critical in terms of their ability to modify gene expression. This study is the first to show that EE is able to selectively enhance both gene expression of a neurotransmitter receptor and the functional consequences on behavioral pharmacology, and links this molecular modulation to the therapeutic effects of environmental stimulation in this neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Zajac
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Thibault Renoir
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Victoria M Perreau
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Shanshan Li
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Wendy Adams
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
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Normalizing glucocorticoid levels attenuates metabolic and neuropathological symptoms in the R6/2 mouse model of huntington's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2018; 121:214-229. [PMID: 30292559 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal genetic neurological disorder caused by a mutation in the human Huntingtin (HTT) gene. This mutation confers a toxic gain of function of the encoded mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein, leading to widespread neuropathology including the formation of mHTT-positive inclusion bodies, gene dysregulation, reduced levels of adult dentate gyrus neurogenesis and neuron loss throughout many regions of the brain. Additionally, because HTT is ubiquitously expressed, several peripheral tissues are also affected. HD patients suffer from progressive motor, cognitive, psychiatric, and metabolic symptoms, including weight loss and skeletal muscle wasting. HD patients also show neuroendocrine changes including a robust, significant elevation in circulating levels of the glucocorticoid, cortisol. Previously, we confirmed that the R6/2 mouse model of HD exhibits elevated corticosterone (the rodent homolog of cortisol) levels and demonstrated that experimentally elevated corticosterone exacerbates R6/2 HD symptomology, resulting in severe and rapid weight loss and a shorter latency to death. Given that efficacious therapeutics are lacking for HD, here we investigated whether normalizing glucocorticoid levels could serve as a viable therapeutic approach for this disease. We tested the hypothesis that normalizing glucocorticoids to wild-type levels would ameliorate HD symptomology. Wild-type (WT) and transgenic R6/2 mice were allocated to three treatment groups: 1) adrenalectomy with normalized, WT-level corticosterone replacement (10 μg/ml), 2) adrenalectomy with high HD-level corticosterone replacement (35 μg/ml), or 3) sham surgery with no corticosterone replacement. Normalizing corticosterone to WT levels led to an improvement in metabolic rate in male R6/2 mice, as indicated by indirect calorimetry, including a reduction in oxygen consumption and normalization of respiratory exchange ratio values (p < .05 for both). Normalizing corticosterone also ameliorated brain atrophy in female R6/2 mice and skeletal muscle wasting in both male and female R6/2 mice (p < .05 for all). Female R6/2 mice given WT-level corticosterone replacement also showed a reduction in HD neuropathological markers, including a reduction in mHTT inclusion burden in the striatum, cortex, and hippocampus (p < .05 for all). This data illustrates that ameliorating glucocorticoid dysregulation leads to a significant improvement in HD symptomology in the R6/2 mouse model and suggests that cortisol-reducing therapeutics may be of value in improving HD patient quality of life.
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20
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Novati A, Hentrich T, Wassouf Z, Weber JJ, Yu-Taeger L, Déglon N, Nguyen HP, Schulze-Hentrich JM. Environment-dependent striatal gene expression in the BACHD rat model for Huntington disease. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5803. [PMID: 29643462 PMCID: PMC5895842 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24243-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the huntingtin (HTT) gene which results in progressive neurodegeneration in the striatum, cortex, and eventually most brain areas. Despite being a monogenic disorder, environmental factors influence HD characteristics. Both human and mouse studies suggest that mutant HTT (mHTT) leads to gene expression changes that harbor potential to be modulated by the environment. Yet, the underlying mechanisms integrating environmental cues into the gene regulatory program have remained largely unclear. To better understand gene-environment interactions in the context of mHTT, we employed RNA-seq to examine effects of maternal separation (MS) and environmental enrichment (EE) on striatal gene expression during development of BACHD rats. We integrated our results with striatal consensus modules defined on HTT-CAG length and age-dependent co-expression gene networks to relate the environmental factors with disease progression. While mHTT was the main determinant of expression changes, both MS and EE were capable of modulating these disturbances, resulting in distinctive and in several cases opposing effects of MS and EE on consensus modules. This bivalent response to maternal separation and environmental enrichment may aid in explaining their distinct effects observed on disease phenotypes in animal models of HD and related neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Novati
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Hentrich
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zinah Wassouf
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jonasz J Weber
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Libo Yu-Taeger
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nicole Déglon
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DNC), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Huu Phuc Nguyen
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. .,Department of Human Genetics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
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21
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Reynolds RH, Petersen MH, Willert CW, Heinrich M, Nymann N, Dall M, Treebak JT, Björkqvist M, Silahtaroglu A, Hasholt L, Nørremølle A. Perturbations in the p53/miR-34a/SIRT1 pathway in the R6/2 Huntington's disease model. Mol Cell Neurosci 2017; 88:118-129. [PMID: 29289683 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The three factors, p53, the microRNA-34 family and Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), interact in a positive feedback loop involved in cell cycle progression, cellular senescence and apoptosis. Each factor in this triad has roles in metabolic regulation, maintenance of mitochondrial function, and regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Thus, this regulatory network holds potential importance for the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited neurodegenerative disorder in which both mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired neurotrophic signalling are observed. We investigated expression of the three members of this regulatory triad in the R6/2 HD mouse model. Compared to wild-type littermates, we found decreased levels of miR-34a-5p, increased SIRT1 mRNA and protein levels, and increased levels of p53 protein in brain tissue from R6/2 mice. The upregulation of SIRT1 did not appear to lead to an increased activity of the enzyme, as based on measures of p53 acetylation. In other words, the observed changes did not reflect the known interactions between these factors, indicating a general perturbation of the p53, miR-34a and SIRT1 pathway in HD. This is the first study investigating the entire triad during disease progression in an HD model. Given the importance of these three factors alone and within the triad, our results indicate that outside factors are regulating - or dysregulating - this pathway in HD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Hvidberg Petersen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Cecilie Wennemoes Willert
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Marie Heinrich
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Nynne Nymann
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Morten Dall
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section of Integrative Physiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jonas T Treebak
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Section of Integrative Physiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Maria Björkqvist
- Brain Disease Biomarker Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Centre, Lund University, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Asli Silahtaroglu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Lis Hasholt
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anne Nørremølle
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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Tian L, Hui CW, Bisht K, Tan Y, Sharma K, Chen S, Zhang X, Tremblay ME. Microglia under psychosocial stressors along the aging trajectory: Consequences on neuronal circuits, behavior, and brain diseases. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 79:27-39. [PMID: 28095309 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence indicates the importance of microglia for proper brain development and function, as well as in complex stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders and cognitive decline along the aging trajectory. Considering that microglia are resident immune cells of the brain, a homeostatic maintenance of their effector functions that impact neuronal circuitry, such as phagocytosis and secretion of inflammatory factors, is critical to prevent the onset and progression of these pathological conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms by which microglial functions can be properly regulated under healthy and pathological conditions are still largely unknown. We aim to summarize recent progress regarding the effects of psychosocial stress and oxidative stress on microglial phenotypes, leading to neuroinflammation and impaired microglia-synapse interactions, notably through our own studies of inbred mouse strains, and most importantly, to discuss about promising therapeutic strategies that take advantage of microglial functions to tackle such brain disorders in the context of adult psychosocial stress or aging-induced oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Tian
- Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 4, Helsinki FIN-00014, Finland; Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Chin Wai Hui
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Kanchan Bisht
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Yunlong Tan
- Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kaushik Sharma
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Song Chen
- Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders and Center of Schizophrenia, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, China
| | - Xiangyang Zhang
- Psychiatry Research Center, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Marie-Eve Tremblay
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, Canada.
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23
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Preliminary behavioral assessment of cagemates living with conspecifics submitted to chronic restraint stress in mice. Neurosci Lett 2017; 657:204-210. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Futch HS, Croft CL, Truong VQ, Krause EG, Golde TE. Targeting psychologic stress signaling pathways in Alzheimer's disease. Mol Neurodegener 2017; 12:49. [PMID: 28633663 PMCID: PMC5479037 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-017-0190-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most prevalent progressive neurodegenerative disease; to date, no AD therapy has proven effective in delaying or preventing the disease course. In the search for novel therapeutic targets in AD, it has been shown that increased chronic psychologic stress is associated with AD risk. Subsequently, biologic pathways underlying psychologic stress have been identified and shown to be able to exacerbate AD relevant pathologies. In this review, we summarize the literature relevant to the association between psychologic stress and AD, focusing on studies investigating the effects of stress paradigms on transgenic mouse models of Amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau pathologies. In recent years, a substantial amount of research has been done investigating a key stress-response mediator, corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), and its interactions with AD relevant processes. We highlight attempts to target the CRH signaling pathway as a therapeutic intervention in these transgenic mouse models and discuss how targeting this pathway is a promising avenue for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hunter S. Futch
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, PO Box 1000015, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
| | - Cara L. Croft
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, PO Box 1000015, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
| | - Van Q. Truong
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, PO Box 1000015, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
| | - Eric G. Krause
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, PO Box 1000015, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
| | - Todd E. Golde
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, PO Box 1000015, Gainesville, FL 32610 USA
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Bartlett DM, Cruickshank TM, Hannan AJ, Eastwood PR, Lazar AS, Ziman MR. Neuroendocrine and neurotrophic signaling in Huntington’s disease: Implications for pathogenic mechanisms and treatment strategies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:444-454. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Wu Q, Yang X, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Feng L. Chronic mild stress accelerates the progression of Parkinson's disease in A53T α-synuclein transgenic mice. Exp Neurol 2016; 285:61-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 09/02/2016] [Accepted: 09/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Dufour BD, McBride JL. Corticosterone dysregulation exacerbates disease progression in the R6/2 transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease. Exp Neurol 2016; 283:308-17. [PMID: 27381424 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 05/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic neurological disorder that causes severe and progressive motor, cognitive, psychiatric, and metabolic symptoms. There is a robust, significant elevation in circulating levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, in HD patients; however, the causes and consequences of this elevation are largely uncharacterized. Here, we evaluated whether elevated levels of corticosterone, the rodent homolog of cortisol, contributed to the development of symptomology in transgenic HD mice. Wild-type (WT) and transgenic R6/2 mice were given either 1) adrenalectomy with WT-level corticosterone replacement (10ng/ml), 2) adrenalectomy with high HD-level corticosterone replacement (60ng/ml), or 3) sham surgery without replacement. R6/2 mice on HD-level replacement showed severe and rapid weight loss (p<0.05) and a shorter latency to death (p<0.01) relative to the HD mice on WT-level replacement. We further evaluated basal and stress-induced levels of circulating corticosterone in R6/2 mice throughout the course of their life. We found that R6/2 transgenic HD mice display a spontaneous elevation in circulating corticosterone levels that became significant at 10weeks of age. Furthermore, we identified significant dysregulation of circadian rhythmicity of corticosterone release measured over a 24h period compared to wild-type controls. Unexpectedly, we found that R6/2 transgenic mice show a blunted corticosterone response to restraint stress, compared to wild-type mice. Together, these data provide further evidence that HPA-axis activity is abnormal in R6/2 mice, and highlight the important role that cortisol plays in HD symptom development. Our findings suggest that cortisol-reducing therapeutics may be of value in improving HD patient quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett D Dufour
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA
| | - Jodi L McBride
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR, 97006, USA.
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Burning odor-elicited anxiety in OEF/OIF combat veterans: Inverse relationship to gray matter volume in olfactory cortex. J Psychiatr Res 2015; 70:58-66. [PMID: 26424424 PMCID: PMC4605869 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Despite the anatomical overlap between the brain's fear/threat and olfactory systems, a very limited number of investigations have considered the role of odors and the central olfactory system in the pathophysiology of PTSD. The goal of the present study was to assess structural differences in primary and secondary olfactory cortex between combat veterans with and without PTSD (CV + PTSD, CV-PTSD, respectively). An additional goal was to determine the relationship between gray matter volume (GMV) in olfactory cortex and the distressing properties of burning-related odors. A region of interest voxel-based morphometric (VBM) approach was used to measure GMV in olfactory cortex in a well-characterized group of CV + PTSD (n = 20) and CV-PTSD (n = 25). Prior to the MRI exam, combat-related (i.e., burning rubber) and control odors were systematically sampled and rated according to their potential for eliciting PTSD symptoms. Results showed that CV + PTSD exhibited significantly reduced GMV in anterior piriform (primary olfactory) and orbitofrontal (secondary olfactory) cortices compared to CV-PTSD (both p < .01). For the entire group, GMV in bilateral anterior piriform cortex was inversely related to burning rubber odor-elicited memories of trauma (p < .05). GMV in orbitofrontal cortex was inversely related to both clinical and laboratory measures of PTSD symptoms (all p < .05). In addition to replicating an established inverse relationship between GMV in anxiety-associated brain structures and PTSD symptomatology, the present study extends those findings by being the first report of volumetric decreases in olfactory cortex that are inversely related to odor-elicited PTSD symptoms. Potential mechanisms underlying these findings are discussed.
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Mo C, Renoir T, Hannan AJ. What's wrong with my mouse cage? Methodological considerations for modeling lifestyle factors and gene-environment interactions in mice. J Neurosci Methods 2015; 265:99-108. [PMID: 26279343 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 08/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The mechanistic understanding of lifestyle contributions to disease has been largely driven by work in laboratory rodent models using environmental interventions. These interventions show an array of methodologies and sometimes unclear collective conclusions, hampering clinical interpretations. Here we discuss environmental enrichment, exercise and stress interventions to illustrate how different protocols can affect the interpretations of environmental factors in disease. We use Huntington's disease (HD) as an example because its mouse models exhibit excellent validity and HD was the first genetic animal model in which environmental stimulation was found to be beneficial. We make a number of observations and recommendations. Firstly, environmental enrichment and voluntary exercise generally show benefits across laboratories and mouse models. However, the extent to which these environmental interventions have beneficial effects depends on parameters such as the structural complexity of the cage in the case of enrichment, the timing of the intervention and the nature of the control conditions. In particular, clinical interpretations should consider deprived control living conditions and the ethological relevance of the enrichment. Secondly, stress can have negative effects on the phenotype in mouse models of HD and other brain disorders. When modeling stress, the effects of more than one type of experimental stressor should be investigated due to the heterogeneity and complexity of stress responses. With stress in particular, but ideally in all studies, both sexes should be used and the randomized group sizes need to be sufficiently powered to detect any sex effects. Opportunities for clinical translation will be guided by the 'environmental construct validity' of the preclinical data, including the culmination of complementary protocols across multiple animal models. Environmental interventions in mouse models of HD provide illustrative examples of how valid preclinical studies can lead to conclusions relevant to clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Mo
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Department of Neurobiology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Thibault Renoir
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Anthony J Hannan
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.
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Raynaud A, Meunier N, Acquistapace A, Bombail V. Chronic variable stress exposure in male Wistar rats affects the first step of olfactory detection. Behav Brain Res 2015; 291:36-45. [PMID: 26003942 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Revised: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
For most animal species, olfaction plays a paramount role in their perception of the environment. Odours are initially detected in neurons located in the olfactory mucosa. This tissue is regulated by several physiological signals and can be altered in pathology. A number of clinical studies suggest an association between depressive disorders and olfactory sensory loss. In rodents, depressive-like states can be observed in models of chronic stress. We tested the hypothesis that olfactory function might be altered in a rat model of depression, induced by chronic variable stress (CVS). While CVS rats exhibited several symptoms consistent with chronic stress exposure and depressive-like states (increased sucrose intake in sucrose preference test, increased immobility in forced swim test, hyperlocomotion), their odorant responses recorded at the olfactory mucosa level by electro-olfactogram were decreased. In addition we observed increased apoptosis markers in the olfactory mucosa using Western Blot. Our data are consistent with reduced olfactory capacities in a laboratory rat model of chronic stress and depression, in agreement with human clinical data; this warrants further mechanistic studies. Furthermore, this works raises the possibility that altered olfactory function might be a confounding factor in the behavioural testing of chronically stressed or depressed rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélien Raynaud
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UR 1197 NeuroBiologie de l'Olfaction, Domaine de Vilvert, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Nicolas Meunier
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UR 1197 NeuroBiologie de l'Olfaction, Domaine de Vilvert, Jouy-en-Josas, France; Université de Versailles St-Quentin en Yvelines, Versailles, France
| | - Adrien Acquistapace
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UR 1197 NeuroBiologie de l'Olfaction, Domaine de Vilvert, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Vincent Bombail
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UR 1197 NeuroBiologie de l'Olfaction, Domaine de Vilvert, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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Mo C, Hannan AJ, Renoir T. Environmental factors as modulators of neurodegeneration: Insights from gene–environment interactions in Huntington's disease. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 52:178-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Du X, Pang TY. Is Dysregulation of the HPA-Axis a Core Pathophysiology Mediating Co-Morbid Depression in Neurodegenerative Diseases? Front Psychiatry 2015; 6:32. [PMID: 25806005 PMCID: PMC4353372 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2015.00032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence of prodromal manifestation of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD) and Huntington's disease (HD). These affective symptoms may be observed many years before the core diagnostic symptoms of the neurological condition. It is becoming more apparent that depression is a significant modifying factor of the trajectory of disease progression and even treatment outcomes. It is therefore crucial that we understand the potential pathophysiologies related to the primary condition, which could contribute to the development of depression. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis is a key neuroendocrine signaling system involved in physiological homeostasis and stress response. Disturbances of this system lead to severe hormonal imbalances, and the majority of such patients also present with behavioral deficits and/or mood disorders. Dysregulation of the HPA-axis is also strongly implicated in the pathology of major depressive disorder. Consistent with this, antidepressant drugs, such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been shown to alter HPA-axis activity. In this review, we will summarize the current state of knowledge regarding HPA-axis pathology in Alzheimer's, PD and HD, differentiating between prodromal and later stages of disease progression when evidence is available. Both clinical and preclinical evidence will be examined, but we highlight animal model studies as being particularly useful for uncovering novel mechanisms of pathology related to co-morbid mood disorders. Finally, we purpose utilizing the preclinical evidence to better inform prospective, intervention studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Du
- Mental Health Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
| | - Terence Y Pang
- Behavioural Neurosciences Division, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne , Melbourne, VIC , Australia
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