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Cattaneo A, Begni V, Zonca V, Riva MA. Early life adversities, psychopathologies and novel pharmacological strategies. Pharmacol Ther 2024; 260:108686. [PMID: 38969307 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108686] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to adversities during early life stages (early life adversities - ELA), ranging from pregnancy to adolescence, represents a major risk factor for the vulnerability to mental disorders. Hence, it is important to understand the molecular and functional underpinning of such relationship, in order to develop strategies aimed at reducing the psychopathologic burden associated with ELA, which may eventually lead to a significant improvement in clinical practice. In this review, we will initially recapitulate clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the link between ELA and psychopathology and we will primarily discuss the main biological mechanisms that have been described as potential mediators of the effects of ELA on the psychopathologic risk, including the role for genetic factors as well as sex differences. The knowledge emerging from these studies may be instrumental for the development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed not only at correcting the deficits that emerge from ELA exposure, but also in preventing the manifestation of a full-blown psychopathologic condition. With this respect, we will specifically focus on adolescence as a key time frame for disease onset as well as for early therapeutic intervention. We believe that incorporating clinical and preclinical research data in the context of early life adversities can be instrumental to elucidate the mechanisms contributing to the risk for psychopathology or that may promote resilience. This will ultimately allow the identification of 'at risk' individuals who may benefit from specific forms of interventions that, by interfering with disease trajectories, could result in more benign clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Cattaneo
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Veronica Begni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Zonca
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
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2
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Geertsema J, Kratochvil M, González-Domínguez R, Lefèvre-Arbogast S, Low D, Du Preez A, Lee H, Urpi-Sarda M, Sánchez-Pla A, Aigner L, Samieri C, Andres-Lacueva C, Manach C, Thuret S, Lucassen P, Korosi A. Coffee polyphenols ameliorate early-life stress-induced cognitive deficits in male mice. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 31:100641. [PMID: 38827176 PMCID: PMC11140806 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress exposure during the sensitive period of early development has been shown to program the brain and increases the risk to develop cognitive deficits later in life. We have shown earlier that early-life stress (ES) leads to cognitive decline at an adult age, associated with changes in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and neuroinflammation. In particular, ES has been shown to affect neurogenesis rate and the survival of newborn cells later in life as well as microglia, modulating their response to immune or metabolic challenges later in life. Both of these processes possibly contribute to the ES-induced cognitive deficits. Emerging evidence by us and others indicates that early nutritional interventions can protect against these ES-induced effects through nutritional programming. Based on human metabolomics studies, we identified various coffee-related metabolites to be part of a protective molecular signature against cognitive decline in humans. Caffeic and chlorogenic acids are coffee-polyphenols and have been described to have potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Therefore, we here aimed to test whether supplementing caffeic and chlorogenic acids to the early diet could also protect against ES-induced cognitive deficits. We induced ES via the limited nesting and bedding paradigm in mice from postnatal(P) day 2-9. On P2, mice received a diet to which 0.02% chlorogenic acid (5-O-caffeoylquinic acid) + 0.02% caffeic acid (3',4'-dihydroxycinnamic acid) were added, or a control diet up until P42. At 4 months of age, all mice were subjected to a behavioral test battery and their brains were stained for markers for microglia and neurogenesis. We found that coffee polyphenols supplemented early in life protected against ES-induced cognitive deficits, potentially this is mediated by the survival of neurons or microglia, but possibly other mechanisms not studied here are mediating the effects. This study provides additional support for the potential of early nutritional interventions and highlights polyphenols as nutrients that can protect against cognitive decline, in particular for vulnerable populations exposed to ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Geertsema
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M. Kratochvil
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - R. González-Domínguez
- Biomarkers and Nutrimetabolomics Laboratory, Food Innovation Network (XIA), Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERfes), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - S. Lefèvre-Arbogast
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, UMR 1219, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - D.Y. Low
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, UNH, F-63000, Clermont Ferrand, France
| | - A. Du Preez
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - H. Lee
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - M. Urpi-Sarda
- Biomarkers and Nutrimetabolomics Laboratory, Food Innovation Network (XIA), Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERfes), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - A. Sánchez-Pla
- CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERfes), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - L. Aigner
- Institute of Molecular Regenerative Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury and Tissue Regeneration Center Salzburg, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, 5020, Austria
| | - C. Samieri
- University of Bordeaux, Inserm, Bordeaux Population Health Research Center, UMR 1219, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - C. Andres-Lacueva
- Biomarkers and Nutrimetabolomics Laboratory, Food Innovation Network (XIA), Nutrition and Food Safety Research Institute (INSA), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERfes), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - C. Manach
- Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, UNH, F-63000, Clermont Ferrand, France
| | - S. Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, SE5 9NU, UK
| | - P.J. Lucassen
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A. Korosi
- Center for Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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3
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Zheng JY, Li XX, Liu X, Zhang CC, Sun YX, Ma YN, Wang HL, Su YA, Si TM, Li JT. Fluoxetine reverses early-life stress-induced depressive-like behaviors and region-specific alterations of monoamine transporters in female mice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 237:173722. [PMID: 38336220 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
The sex difference that females are more vulnerable to depression than males has been recently replicated in an animal model of early-life stress (ES) called the limited bedding and nesting material (LBN) paradigm. Adopting this animal model, we have previously examined the effects of ES on monoamine transporter (MATs) expression in stress-related regions in adult female mice, and the reversal effects of a novel multimodal antidepressant, vortioxetine. In this study, replacing vortioxetine with a classical antidepressant, fluoxetine, we aimed to replicate the ES effects in adult female mice and to elucidate the commonality and differences between fluoxetine and vortioxetine. We found that systemic 30-day treatment with fluoxetine successfully reversed ES-induced depression-like behaviors (especially sucrose preference) in adult female mice. At the molecular level, we largely replicated the ES effects, such as reduced serotonin transporter (SERT) expression in the amygdala and increased norepinephrine transporter (NET) expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. Similar reversal effects of fluoxetine and vortioxetine were observed, including SERT in the amygdala and NET in the mPFC, whereas different reversal effects were observed for NET in the hippocampus and vesicular monoamine transporters expression in the nucleus accumbens. Overall, these results demonstrate the validity of the LBN paradigm to induce depression-like behaviors in female mice, highlight the involvement of region-specific MATs in ES-induced depression-like behaviors, and provide insights for further investigation of neurobiological mechanisms, treatment, and prevention associated with depression in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Ya Zheng
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Xue-Xin Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Chen-Chen Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Xin Sun
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Yu-Nu Ma
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Li Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Yun-Ai Su
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China
| | - Tian-Mei Si
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.
| | - Ji-Tao Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital/Institute of Mental Health) and the Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health (Peking University), Beijing, China.
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Hernandez M, Ghislin S, Lalonde R, Strazielle C. Corticosterone effects on postnatal cerebellar development in mice. Neurochem Int 2023; 171:105611. [PMID: 37704081 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105611] [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: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids administered early in infancy can affect the architectonic organization of brain structures, particularly those with a postnatal development and resulting in long-term deficits of neuromotor function and cognition. The present study was undertaken to study the effects of daily corticosterone (CORT) injections at a pharmacological dose from postnatal days 8-15 on cerebellar and hippocampal development in mouse pups. Gene expression status for trophic factors involved in synaptic development and function as well as measures of layer thickness associated with cytochrome oxidase labelling were analyzed in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and specific cerebellar lobules involved in motor control. Repeated CORT injections dysregulated the HPA axis with increased Crh and Nr3c1 mRNA levels in the hypothalamus and a resulting higher serum corticosterone level. The CORT treatment altered the morphology of the hippocampus and down-regulated gene transcription for corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) and its type-1 receptor (Crhr1), glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor Bdnf and its receptor Ntrk2 (neurotrophic receptor tyrosine kinase 2). Similar mRNA expression decreases were found in the cerebellum for Crhr1, Crhr2, Nr3c1, and Grid2 (glutamatergic δ2 receptor). Morphological alterations and metabolic activity variations were observed in specific cerebellar lobules involved in motor control. The paramedian lobule, normally characterized by mitotic activity in the external germinative layer during the second postnatal week, was atrophic but metabolically hyperactive in its granule cell and molecular layers. On the contrary, lobules with an earlier cell proliferation displayed neurogenesis but a hypoactivated granule cell layer, suggesting a developmental delay in synaptogenesis. The results indicate that glucocorticoid, administered daily during the second postnatal week modulated the developmental programming of the hippocampus and cerebellum. These growth and metabolic alterations may lead possibly to morphological and functional changes later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hernandez
- Laboratory of Stress, Immunity, Pathogens (EA 7300), Medical School, University of Lorraine, 54500 Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France; CHRU Nancy, Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France
| | - S Ghislin
- Laboratory of Stress, Immunity, Pathogens (EA 7300), Medical School, University of Lorraine, 54500 Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France
| | - R Lalonde
- Laboratory of Stress, Immunity, Pathogens (EA 7300), Medical School, University of Lorraine, 54500 Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France
| | - C Strazielle
- Laboratory of Stress, Immunity, Pathogens (EA 7300), Medical School, University of Lorraine, 54500 Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France; CHRU Nancy, Vandœuvre-les-Nancy, France.
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Zald DH. The influence of dopamine autoreceptors on temperament and addiction risk. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105456. [PMID: 37926241 PMCID: PMC11330662 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
As a major regulator of dopamine (DA), DA autoreceptors (DAARs) exert substantial influence over DA-mediated behaviors. This paper reviews the physiological and behavioral impact of DAARs. Individual differences in DAAR functioning influences temperamental traits such as novelty responsivity and impulsivity, both of which are associated with vulnerability to addictive behavior in animal models and a broad array of externalizing behaviors in humans. DAARs additionally impact the response to psychostimulants and other drugs of abuse. Human PET studies of D2-like receptors in the midbrain provide evidence for parallels to the animal literature. These data lead to the proposal that weak DAAR regulation is a risk factor for addiction and externalizing problems. The review highlights the potential to build translational models of the functional role of DAARs in behavior. It also draws attention to key limitations in the current literature that would need to be addressed to further advance a weak DAAR regulation model of addiction and externalizing risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Zald
- Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging and Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
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Lonstein JS, Vitale EM, Olekanma D, McLocklin A, Pence N, Bredewold R, Veenema AH, Johnson AW, Burt SA. Anxiety, aggression, reward sensitivity, and forebrain dopamine receptor expression in a laboratory rat model of early-life disadvantage. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22421. [PMID: 37860907 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Despite early-life disadvantage (ELD) in humans being a highly heterogenous construct, it consistently predicts negative neurobehavioral outcomes. The numerous environmental contributors and neural mechanisms underlying ELD remain unclear, though. We used a laboratory rat model to evaluate the effects of limited resources and/or heavy metal exposure on mothers and their adult male and female offspring. Dams and litters were chronically exposed to restricted (1-cm deep) or ample (4-cm deep) home cage bedding postpartum, with or without lead acetate (0.1%) in their drinking water from insemination through 1-week postweaning. Restricted-bedding mothers showed more pup-directed behaviors and behavioral fragmentation, while lead-exposed mothers showed more nestbuilding. Restricted bedding-raised male offspring showed higher anxiety and aggression. Either restricted bedding or lead exposure impaired goal-directed performance in a reinforcer devaluation task in females, whereas restricted bedding alone disrupted it in males. Lead exposure, but not limited bedding, also reduced sucrose reward sensitivity in a progressive ratio task in females. D1 and D2 receptor mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens (NAc) were each affected by the early-life treatments and differently between the sexes. Most notably, adult males (but not females) exposed to both early-life treatments had greatly increased D1 receptor mRNA in the NAc core. These results illuminate neural mechanisms through which ELD threatens neurobehavioral development and highlight forebrain dopamine as a factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Lonstein
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Erika M Vitale
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Doris Olekanma
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Andrew McLocklin
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Nathan Pence
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Remco Bredewold
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Alexa H Veenema
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Alexander W Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - S Alexandra Burt
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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DeSerisy M, Cohen JW, Dworkin JD, Stingone JA, Ramphal B, Herbstman JB, Pagliaccio D, Margolis AE. Early life stress, prenatal secondhand smoke exposure, and the development of internalizing symptoms across childhood. Environ Health 2023; 22:58. [PMID: 37620883 PMCID: PMC10463722 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-023-01012-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior findings relating secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure and internalizing problems, characterized by heightened anxiety and depression symptoms, have been equivocal; effects of SHS on neurodevelopment may depend on the presence of other neurotoxicants. Early life stress (ELS) is a known risk factor for internalizing symptoms and is also often concurrent with SHS exposure. To date the interactive effects of ELS and SHS on children's internalizing symptoms are unknown. We hypothesize that children with higher exposure to both prenatal SHS and ELS will have the most internalizing symptoms during the preschool period and the slowest reductions in symptoms over time. METHODS The present study leveraged a prospective, longitudinal birth cohort of 564 Black and Latinx mothers and their children, recruited between 1998 and 2006. Cotinine extracted from cord and maternal blood at birth served as a biomarker of prenatal SHS exposure. Parent-reported Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) scores were examined at four timepoints between preschool and eleven years-old. ELS exposure was measured as a composite of six domains of maternal stress reported at child age five. Latent growth models examined associations between SHS, ELS, and their interaction term with trajectories of children's internalizing symptoms. In follow-up analyses, weighted quintile sum regression examined contributions of components of the ELS mixture to children's internalizing symptoms at each time point. RESULTS ELS interacted with SHS exposure such that higher levels of ELS and SHS exposure were associated with more internalizing symptoms during the preschool period (β = 0.14, p = 0.03). The interaction between ELS and SHS was also associated with a less negative rate of change in internalizing symptoms over time (β=-0.02, p = 0.01). Weighted quintile sum regression revealed significant contributions of maternal demoralization and other components of the stress mixture to children's internalizing problems at each age point (e.g., age 11 WQS β = 0.26, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that prior inconsistencies in studies of SHS on behavior may derive from unmeasured factors that also influence behavior and co-occur with exposure, specifically maternal stress during children's early life. Findings point to modifiable targets for personalized prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariah DeSerisy
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Jacob W Cohen
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jordan D Dworkin
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Jeanette A Stingone
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Bruce Ramphal
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Julie B Herbstman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - David Pagliaccio
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Amy E Margolis
- Department of Psychiatry, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
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Kuhlman KR, Cole SW, Irwin MR, Craske MG, Fuligni AJ, Bower JE. The role of early life adversity and inflammation in stress-induced change in reward and risk processes among adolescents. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 109:78-88. [PMID: 36621653 PMCID: PMC10112053 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life adversity (ELA) has long been associated with increased risk for stress-related psychopathology, particularly depression. The neuroimmune network hypothesis posits that ELA increases sensitivity to psychosocial stress, moderating the association between increases in peripheral markers of inflammation and decreases in reward outcomes linked to anhedonia and risk-taking behaviors. The present study examined this hypothesis in a sample of adolescents by using acute psychosocial stress to probe the role of inflammatory signaling in behavioral measures of reward and risk processing. METHOD 80 adolescents [13.86 years (SD = 1.54); 45 % female], oversampled for ELA, underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for Children while providing blood samples immediately before and 60-minutes after stress onset. Blood samples were assayed for plasma IL-6. One hour before stress onset, and then 60 min after, participants completed computer-administered behavioral tasks measuring reward (Pirate Task) and risk (Balloon Analog Risk Task). RESULTS ELA moderated the association between increases in IL-6 and decreases in risk tolerance in pursuit of rewards (p = 0.003) and reward response bias (p = 0.04). Stress-induced increases in IL-6 were associated with decreases in pumps for rewards among adolescents exposed to high, relative to little or no, ELA. Further, greater IL-6 increases were associated with increases in bias toward high relative to low value rewards among adolescents with low adversity exposure but not among those exposed to higher adversity. CONCLUSIONS The present study provides the first evidence in a pediatric sample that ELA may alter the role of stress-induced inflammation in reward and risk processing, and may extend our understanding of why stress leads to depression in this high-risk population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate R Kuhlman
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA; Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Steve W Cole
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael R Irwin
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michelle G Craske
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Andrew J Fuligni
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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9
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Advanced methods and implementations for the meta-analyses of animal models: Current practices and future recommendations. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105016. [PMID: 36566804 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Meta-analytic techniques have been widely used to synthesize data from animal models of human diseases and conditions, but these analyses often face two statistical challenges due to complex nature of animal data (e.g., multiple effect sizes and multiple species): statistical dependency and confounding heterogeneity. These challenges can lead to unreliable and less informative evidence, which hinders the translation of findings from animal to human studies. We present a literature survey of meta-analysis using animal models (animal meta-analysis), showing that these issues are not adequately addressed in current practice. To address these challenges, we propose a meta-analytic framework based on multilevel (linear mixed-effects) models. Through conceptualization, formulations, and worked examples, we illustrate how this framework can appropriately address these issues while allowing for testing new questions. Additionally, we introduce other advanced techniques such as multivariate models, robust variance estimation, and meta-analysis of emergent effect sizes, which can deliver robust inferences and novel biological insights. We also provide a tutorial with annotated R code to demonstrate the implementation of these techniques.
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10
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Mahony C, O'Ryan C. A molecular framework for autistic experiences: Mitochondrial allostatic load as a mediator between autism and psychopathology. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:985713. [PMID: 36506457 PMCID: PMC9732262 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.985713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular autism research is evolving toward a biopsychosocial framework that is more informed by autistic experiences. In this context, research aims are moving away from correcting external autistic behaviors and toward alleviating internal distress. Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASCs) are associated with high rates of depression, suicidality and other comorbid psychopathologies, but this relationship is poorly understood. Here, we integrate emerging characterizations of internal autistic experiences within a molecular framework to yield insight into the prevalence of psychopathology in ASC. We demonstrate that descriptions of social camouflaging and autistic burnout resonate closely with the accepted definitions for early life stress (ELS) and chronic adolescent stress (CAS). We propose that social camouflaging could be considered a distinct form of CAS that contributes to allostatic overload, culminating in a pathophysiological state that is experienced as autistic burnout. Autistic burnout is thought to contribute to psychopathology via psychological and physiological mechanisms, but these remain largely unexplored by molecular researchers. Building on converging fields in molecular neuroscience, we discuss the substantial evidence implicating mitochondrial dysfunction in ASC to propose a novel role for mitochondrial allostatic load in the relationship between autism and psychopathology. An interplay between mitochondrial, neuroimmune and neuroendocrine signaling is increasingly implicated in stress-related psychopathologies, and these molecular players are also associated with neurodevelopmental, neurophysiological and neurochemical aspects of ASC. Together, this suggests an increased exposure and underlying molecular susceptibility to ELS that increases the risk of psychopathology in ASC. This article describes an integrative framework shaped by autistic experiences that highlights novel avenues for molecular research into mechanisms that directly affect the quality of life and wellbeing of autistic individuals. Moreover, this framework emphasizes the need for increased access to diagnoses, accommodations, and resources to improve mental health outcomes in autism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colleen O'Ryan
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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11
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Duque-Quintero M, Hooijmans CR, Hurowitz A, Ahmed A, Barris B, Homberg JR, Hen R, Harris AZ, Balsam P, Atsak P. Enduring effects of early-life adversity on reward processes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104849. [PMID: 36116576 PMCID: PMC10729999 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Two-thirds of individuals experience adversity during childhood such as neglect, abuse or highly-stressful events. Early-life adversity (ELA) increases the life-long risk of developing mood and substance use disorders. Reward-related deficits has emerged as a key endophenotype of such psychiatric disorders. Animal models are invaluable for studying how ELA leads to reward deficits. However, the existing literature is heterogenous with difficult to reconcile findings. To create an overview, we conducted a systematic review containing multiple meta-analyses regarding the effects of ELA on reward processes overall and on specific aspects of reward processing in animal models. A comprehensive search identified 120 studies. Most studies omitted key details resulting in unclear risk of bias. Overall meta-analysis showed that ELA significantly reduced reward behaviors (SMD: -0.42 [-0.60; -0.24]). The magnitude of ELA effects significantly increased with longer exposure. When reward domains were analyzed separately, ELA only significantly dampened reward responsiveness (SMD: -0.525[-0.786; -0.264]) and social reward processing (SMD: -0.374 [-0.663; -0.084]), suggesting that ELA might lead to deficits in specific reward domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Duque-Quintero
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carlijn R Hooijmans
- Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE), Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Hurowitz
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Afsana Ahmed
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Ben Barris
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rene Hen
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexander Z Harris
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Peter Balsam
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Piray Atsak
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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12
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Alizadeh-Ezdini Z, Vatanparast J. Differential impact of two paradigms of early-life adversity on behavioural responses to social defeat in young adult rats and morphology of CA3 pyramidal neurons. Behav Brain Res 2022; 435:114048. [PMID: 35952779 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is an important factor in programing the brain for future response to stress, and resilience or vulnerability to stress-induced emotional disorders. The hippocampal formation, with essential roles in both regulating the stress circuitry and emotionality, contributes to this adaptive programing. Here, we examined the effects of early handling (EH) and maternal deprivation (MD) as mild and intense postnatal stressors, respectively, on the behavioural responses to social defeat stress in young adulthood. We also evaluated the interaction of mild and intense ELS with later social defeat (SD) stress on the morphology and dendritic spine density of Golgi-cox-stained CA3 hippocampal neurons. SD stress in adult rats, as expected, increased anxiety and depressive-like behaviours in the open field, elevated plus-maze and forced swimming test. These effects were associated with reduction of dendritic spines and soma size of CA3 neurons. Both behavioural and structural alterations were significantly ameliorated in socially defeated rats that experienced early handling (EH-SD). Basal dendrites of CA3 neurons in EH-SD rats also showed longer dendrites and more intersections with Sholl circles in the distal portion, compared to both control and SD rats. On the other hand, in socially defeated rats with maternal deprivation experience (MD-SD) the stress-induced behavioural and structural alterations were generally intensified compared to SD rats. In MD-SD rats, apical dendrites of CA3 neurons demonstrated remarkable retraction; an effect that was not detected in SD rats. The reduction of dendritic spines density on the apical dendrites of CA3 neurons was also more pronounced in MD-SD rats compared to SD rats. Dendritic arbors and spines comprise the major neuronal substrate for the circuit connectivity, and cell region-specific alterations of dendrites and spines in CA3 neurons reveal plausible mechanisms that can underlie the impact of different ELSs on risk for affective disorders in response to social stress in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jafar Vatanparast
- Department of Biology, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
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13
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Gołyszny M, Zieliński M, Paul-Samojedny M, Pałasz A, Obuchowicz E. Chronic treatment with escitalopram and venlafaxine affects the neuropeptide S pathway differently in adult Wistar rats exposed to maternal separation. AIMS Neurosci 2022; 9:395-422. [PMID: 36329901 PMCID: PMC9581731 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2022022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide S (NPS), which is a peptide that is involved in the regulation of the stress response, seems to be relevant to the mechanism of action of antidepressants that have anxiolytic properties. However, to date, there have been no reports regarding the effect of long-term treatment with escitalopram or venlafaxine on the NPS system under stress conditions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the above-mentioned antidepressants on the NPS system in adult male Wistar rats that were exposed to neonatal maternal separation (MS). Animals were exposed to MS for 360 min. on postnatal days (PNDs) 2-15. MS causes long-lasting behavioral, endocrine and neurochemical consequences that mimic anxiety- and depression-related features. MS and non-stressed rats were given escitalopram or venlafaxine (10mg/kg) IP from PND 69 to 89. The NPS system was analyzed in the brainstem, hypothalamus, amygdala and anterior olfactory nucleus using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical methods. The NPS system was vulnerable to MS in the brainstem and amygdala. In the brainstem, escitalopram down-regulated NPS and NPS mRNA in the MS rats and induced a tendency to reduce the number of NPS-positive cells in the peri-locus coeruleus. In the MS rats, venlafaxine insignificantly decreased the NPSR mRNA levels in the amygdala and a number of NPSR cells in the basolateral amygdala, and increased the NPS mRNA levels in the hypothalamus. Our data show that the studied antidepressants affect the NPS system differently and preliminarily suggest that the NPS system might partially mediate the pharmacological effects that are induced by these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miłosz Gołyszny
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
| | - Michał Zieliński
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
| | - Monika Paul-Samojedny
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, Jedności 8, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
| | - Artur Pałasz
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
| | - Ewa Obuchowicz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 18, 40-752 Katowice, Poland
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14
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Kanarik M, Grimm O, Mota NR, Reif A, Harro J. ADHD co-morbidities: A review of implication of gene × environment effects with dopamine-related genes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 139:104757. [PMID: 35777579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
ADHD is a major burden in adulthood, where co-morbid conditions such as depression, substance use disorder and obesity often dominate the clinical picture. ADHD has substantial shared heritability with other mental disorders, contributing to comorbidity. However, environmental risk factors exist but their interaction with genetic makeup, especially in relation to comorbid disorders, remains elusive. This review for the first time summarizes present knowledge on gene x environment (GxE) interactions regarding the dopamine system. Hitherto, mainly candidate (GxE) studies were performed, focusing on the genes DRD4, DAT1 and MAOA. Some evidence suggest that the variable number tandem repeats in DRD4 and MAOA may mediate GxE interactions in ADHD generally, and comorbid conditions specifically. Nevertheless, even for these genes, common variants are bound to suggest risk only in the context of gender and specific environments. For other polymorphisms, evidence is contradictory and less convincing. Particularly lacking are longitudinal studies testing the interaction of well-defined environmental with polygenic risk scores reflecting the dopamine system in its entirety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margus Kanarik
- Chair of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Ravila 14A Chemicum, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Oliver Grimm
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Nina Roth Mota
- Department of Human Genetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Andreas Reif
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jaanus Harro
- Chair of Neuropsychopharmacology, Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Ravila 14A Chemicum, 50411 Tartu, Estonia; Psychiatry Clinic, North Estonia Medical Centre, Paldiski Road 52, 10614 Tallinn, Estonia.
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15
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Ou-Yang B, Hu Y, Fei XY, Cheng ST, Hang Y, Yang C, Cheng L. A meta-analytic study of the effects of early maternal separation on cognitive flexibility in rodent offspring. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2022; 56:101126. [PMID: 35751993 PMCID: PMC9243050 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse early life experiences, such as maternal separation, are associated with an increased risk for several mental health problems. Symptoms induced by maternal separation that mirror clinically relevant aspects of mental problems, such as cognitive inflexibility, open the possibility of testing putative therapeutics prior to clinical development. Although several animal (e.g., rodent) studies have evaluated the effects of early maternal separation on cognitive flexibility, no consistent conclusions have been drawn. To clarify this issue, in this study, a meta-analysis method was used to systematically explore the relationship between early maternal separation and cognitive flexibility in rodent offspring. Results indicate that early maternal separation could significantly impair cognitive flexibility in rodent offspring. Moderator analyses further showed that the relationship between early maternal separation and cognitive flexibility was not consistent in any case, but was moderated by variations in the experimental procedures, such as the deprivation levels, task characteristics, and rodent strains. These clarify the inconsistent effects of maternal separation on cognitive flexibility in rodents and help us better understand the association between early life adversity and cognitive development. Meta-analysis method was used to discuss the inconsistent effects of maternal separation on cognitive flexibility in rodent. Maternal separation was found to necessarily impair the cognitive flexibility in rodent. Variations in the experimental procedures moderated the relationship between maternal separation and cognitive flexibility. Further studies on environment-cognition associations in rodents should take experimental procedural factors into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Ou-Yang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Yue Hu
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Xin-Yuan Fei
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Sha-Te Cheng
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Ying Hang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Chen Yang
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Liang Cheng
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China.
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16
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Levis SC, Baram TZ, Mahler SV. Neurodevelopmental origins of substance use disorders: Evidence from animal models of early-life adversity and addiction. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 55:2170-2195. [PMID: 33825217 PMCID: PMC8494863 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder with devastating personal, societal, and economic consequences. In humans, early-life adversity (ELA) such as trauma, neglect, and resource scarcity are linked with increased risk of later-life addiction, but the brain mechanisms underlying this link are still poorly understood. Here, we focus on data from rodent models of ELA and addiction, in which causal effects of ELA on later-life responses to drugs and the neurodevelopmental mechanisms by which ELA increases vulnerability to addiction can be determined. We first summarize evidence for a link between ELA and addiction in humans, then describe how ELA is commonly modeled in rodents. Since addiction is a heterogeneous disease with many individually varying behavioral aspects that may be impacted by ELA, we next discuss common rodent assays of addiction-like behaviors. We then summarize the specific addiction-relevant behavioral phenotypes caused by ELA in male and female rodents and discuss some of the underlying changes in brain reward and stress circuits that are likely responsible. By better understanding the behavioral and neural mechanisms by which ELA promotes addiction vulnerability, we hope to facilitate development of new approaches for preventing or treating addiction in those with a history of ELA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia C. Levis
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Tallie Z. Baram
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
| | - Stephen V. Mahler
- Department of Neurobiology & Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA
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17
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Birnie MT, Levis SC, Mahler SV, Baram TZ. Developmental Trajectories of Anhedonia in Preclinical Models. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 58:23-41. [PMID: 35156184 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This chapter discusses how the complex concept of anhedonia can be operationalized and studied in preclinical models. It provides information about the development of anhedonia in the context of early-life adversity, and the power of preclinical models to tease out the diverse molecular, epigenetic, and network mechanisms that are responsible for anhedonia-like behaviors.Specifically, we first discuss the term anhedonia, reviewing the conceptual components underlying reward-related behaviors and distinguish anhedonia pertaining to deficits in motivational versus consummatory behaviors. We then describe the repertoire of experimental approaches employed to study anhedonia-like behaviors in preclinical models, and the progressive refinement over the past decade of both experimental instruments (e.g., chemogenetics, optogenetics) and conceptual constructs (salience, valence, conflict). We follow with an overview of the state of current knowledge of brain circuits, nodes, and projections that execute distinct aspects of hedonic-like behaviors, as well as neurotransmitters, modulators, and receptors involved in the generation of anhedonia-like behaviors. Finally, we discuss the special case of anhedonia that arises following early-life adversity as an eloquent example enabling the study of causality, mechanisms, and sex dependence of anhedonia.Together, this chapter highlights the power, potential, and limitations of using preclinical models to advance our understanding of the origin and mechanisms of anhedonia and to discover potential targets for its prevention and mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T Birnie
- Departments of Anatomy/Neurobiology and Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Sophia C Levis
- Departments of Anatomy/Neurobiology and Neurobiology/Behavior, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Stephen V Mahler
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Departments of Anatomy/Neurobiology and Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
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18
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Seraphin SB, Sanchez MM, Whitten PL, Winslow JT. The behavioral neuroendocrinology of dopamine systems in differently reared juvenile male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Horm Behav 2022; 137:105078. [PMID: 34823146 PMCID: PMC11302405 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) is a critical neuromodulator of behavior. With propensities for addiction, hyper-activity, cognitive impairment, aggression, and social subordinance, monkeys enduring early maternal deprivation evoke human disorders involving dopaminergic dysfunction. To examine whether DA system alterations shape the behavioral correlates of adverse rearing, male monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were either mother-reared (MR: N = 6), or separated from their mothers at birth and nursery-reared (NR: N = 6). Behavior was assessed during 20-minute observations of subjects interacting with same- or differently-reared peers. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biogenic amines, and serum testosterone (T), cortisol (CORT), and prolactin (PRL) were collected before and after pharmacologic challenge with saline or the DA receptor-2 (DRD2) antagonist Raclopride (RAC). Neuropeptide correlations observed in MR were non-existent in NR monkeys. Compared to MR, NR showed reduced DA tone; higher basal serum T; and lower CSF serotonin (5-HT). RAC increased PRL, T and CORT, but the magnitude of responses varied as a function of rearing. Levels of PRL significantly increased following RAC in MR, but not NR. Elevations in T following RAC were only significant among MR. Contrastingly, the net change (RAC CORT - saline CORT) in CORT was greater in NR than MR. Finally, observations conducted during the juvenile phase in a novel play-arena revealed more aggressive, self-injurious, and repetitive behaviors, which negatively correlated with indexes of dopaminergic tone in NR monkeys. In conclusion, early maternal deprivation alters brain DA systems, and thus may be associated with characteristic cognitive, social, and addiction outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally B Seraphin
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, 207 Anthropology Building, 1557 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322-1003, United States; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30322-0001, United States.
| | - Mar M Sanchez
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30322-0001, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322-1003, United States
| | - Patricia L Whitten
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, 207 Anthropology Building, 1557 Dickey Drive, Atlanta, GA 30322-1003, United States; Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30322-0001, United States
| | - James T Winslow
- NIMH IRP Neurobiology Primate Core, NIHAC Bldg. 110, National Institutes of Health (NIH), 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892-0001, United States
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19
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Hanson JL, Williams AV, Bangasser DA, Peña CJ. Impact of Early Life Stress on Reward Circuit Function and Regulation. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:744690. [PMID: 34744836 PMCID: PMC8563782 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.744690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress - including experience of child maltreatment, neglect, separation from or loss of a parent, and other forms of adversity - increases lifetime risk of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders. A major component of this risk may be early life stress-induced alterations in motivation and reward processing, mediated by changes in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Here, we review evidence of the impact of early life stress on reward circuit structure and function from human and animal models, with a focus on the NAc. We then connect these results to emerging theoretical models about the indirect and direct impacts of early life stress on reward circuit development. Through this review and synthesis, we aim to highlight open research questions and suggest avenues of future study in service of basic science, as well as applied insights. Understanding how early life stress alters reward circuit development, function, and motivated behaviors is a critical first step toward developing the ability to predict, prevent, and treat stress-related psychopathology spanning mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie L. Hanson
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alexia V. Williams
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Debra A. Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Catherine J. Peña
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
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20
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Oswald LM, Dunn KE, Seminowicz DA, Storr CL. Early Life Stress and Risks for Opioid Misuse: Review of Data Supporting Neurobiological Underpinnings. J Pers Med 2021; 11:315. [PMID: 33921642 PMCID: PMC8072718 DOI: 10.3390/jpm11040315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A robust body of research has shown that traumatic experiences occurring during critical developmental periods of childhood when neuronal plasticity is high increase risks for a spectrum of physical and mental health problems in adulthood, including substance use disorders. However, until recently, relatively few studies had specifically examined the relationships between early life stress (ELS) and opioid use disorder (OUD). Associations with opioid use initiation, injection drug use, overdose, and poor treatment outcome have now been demonstrated. In rodents, ELS has also been shown to increase the euphoric and decrease antinociceptive effects of opioids, but little is known about these processes in humans or about the neurobiological mechanisms that may underlie these relationships. This review aims to establish a theoretical model that highlights the mechanisms by which ELS may alter opioid sensitivity, thereby contributing to future risks for OUD. Alterations induced by ELS in mesocorticolimbic brain circuits, and endogenous opioid and dopamine neurotransmitter systems are described. The limited but provocative evidence linking these alterations with opioid sensitivity and risks for OUD is presented. Overall, the findings suggest that better understanding of these mechanisms holds promise for reducing vulnerability, improving prevention strategies, and prescribing guidelines for high-risk individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn M. Oswald
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
| | - Kelly E. Dunn
- Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21230, USA;
| | - David A. Seminowicz
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Carla L. Storr
- Department of Family and Community Health, University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA;
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21
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Kotowicz K, Frydecka D, Gawęda Ł, Prochwicz K, Kłosowska J, Rymaszewska J, Samochowiec A, Samochowiec J, Szczygieł K, Pawlak-Adamska E, Szmida E, Cechnicki A, Misiak B. Effects of traumatic life events, cognitive biases and variation in dopaminergic genes on psychosis proneness. Early Interv Psychiatry 2021; 15:248-255. [PMID: 31889426 DOI: 10.1111/eip.12925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Recent studies have provided evidence that interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes and stressful experiences might impact risk of psychosis. However, it remains unknown whether these interactions impact the development of subclinical symptoms, including psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). In this study, we aimed to test the effects of interactions between variation in dopaminergic genes and traumatic life events (TLEs) on a severity of PLEs. METHODS We assessed TLEs, cognitive biases, PLEs as well as the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) rs4680 and the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) rs6277 gene polymorphisms in 445 university students at three urban areas. RESULTS There was a significant effect of the interaction between the COMT rs4680 and a history of any type of TLEs on a severity of PLEs. Among the COMT rs4680 Met allele carriers, a severity of PLEs was higher in individuals with a history of any type of TLEs. Further stratification of the sample revealed that this effect appears only in the group of participants with a high level of cognitive biases. The DRD2 rs6277 C allele was independently associated with a higher level of PLEs. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that decreased dopamine catabolism related to the COMT gene polymorphism might increase psychosis proneness in individuals with a history of TLEs and high levels of cognitive biases. Variation in the DRD2 gene might exert independent effects on psychosis proneness. These findings imply that there are various levels of complexity in the models of interactions between genetic and environmental factors explaining the mechanisms underlying psychosis proneness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Kotowicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Dorota Frydecka
- Department of Psychiatry, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Łukasz Gawęda
- Experimental Psychopathology Lab, Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Joanna Kłosowska
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | | | - Agnieszka Samochowiec
- Institute of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jerzy Samochowiec
- Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
| | | | - Edyta Pawlak-Adamska
- Department of Experimental Therapy, Laboratory of Immunopathology, Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Szmida
- Department of Genetics, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Cechnicki
- Department of Community Psychiatry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Cracow, Poland
| | - Błażej Misiak
- Department of Genetics, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland
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22
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Increasing the statistical power of animal experiments with historical control data. Nat Neurosci 2021; 24:470-477. [PMID: 33603229 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00792-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Low statistical power reduces the reliability of animal research; yet, increasing sample sizes to increase statistical power is problematic for both ethical and practical reasons. We present an alternative solution using Bayesian priors based on historical control data, which capitalizes on the observation that control groups in general are expected to be similar to each other. In a simulation study, we show that including data from control groups of previous studies could halve the minimum sample size required to reach the canonical 80% power or increase power when using the same number of animals. We validated the approach on a dataset based on seven independent rodent studies on the cognitive effects of early-life adversity. We present an open-source tool, RePAIR, that can be widely used to apply this approach and increase statistical power, thereby improving the reliability of animal experiments.
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23
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al'Absi M, Ginty AT, Lovallo WR. Neurobiological mechanisms of early life adversity, blunted stress reactivity and risk for addiction. Neuropharmacology 2021; 188:108519. [PMID: 33711348 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Blunted stress reactivity resulting from early exposure to stress during childhood and adolescence may increase vulnerability to addiction. Early life adversity (ELA) affects brain structure and function and results in blunted stress axis reactivity. In this review, we focus on the underlying neurobiological mechanisms associated with a blunted response to stress, ELA, and risk for addictive disorders. ELA and blunted reactivity are accompanied by unstable mood regulation, impulsive behaviors, and reduced cognitive function. Neuroimaging studies reveal cortical and subcortical changes in persons exposed to ELA and those who have a genetic disposition for addiction. We propose a model in which blunted stress reactivity may be a marker of risk for addiction through an altered motivational and behavioral reactivity to stress that contribute to disinhibited behavioral reactivity and impulsivity leading in turn to increased vulnerability for substance use. Evidence supporting this hypothesis in the context of substance use initiation, maintenance, and risk for relapse is presented. The effects of ELA on persons at risk for addiction may lead to early experimentation with drugs of abuse. Early adoption of drug intake may alter neuroregulation in such vulnerable persons leading to a permanent dysregulation of motivational responses consistent with dependence. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa al'Absi
- Family Medicine and Biobehavioral Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth, MN, USA.
| | - Annie T Ginty
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA
| | - William R Lovallo
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
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24
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Levis SC, Mahler SV, Baram TZ. The Developmental Origins of Opioid Use Disorder and Its Comorbidities. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:601905. [PMID: 33643011 PMCID: PMC7904686 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.601905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) rarely presents as a unitary psychiatric condition, and the comorbid symptoms likely depend upon the diverse risk factors and mechanisms by which OUD can arise. These factors are heterogeneous and include genetic predisposition, exposure to prescription opioids, and environmental risks. Crucially, one key environmental risk factor for OUD is early life adversity (ELA). OUD and other substance use disorders are widely considered to derive in part from abnormal reward circuit function, which is likely also implicated in comorbid mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. ELA may disrupt reward circuit development and function in a manner predisposing to these disorders. Here, we describe new findings addressing the effects of ELA on reward circuitry that lead to OUD and comorbid disorders, potentially via shared neural mechanisms. We discuss some of these OUD-related problems in both humans and animals. We also highlight the increasingly apparent, crucial contribution of biological sex in mediating the range of ELA-induced disruptions of reward circuitry which may confer risk for the development of OUD and comorbid neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia C. Levis
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Stephen V. Mahler
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Tallie Z. Baram
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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25
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Zhou X, Meng Y, Schmitt HS, Montag C, Kendrick KM, Becker B. Cognitive flexibility mediates the association between early life stress and habitual behavior. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.110231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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26
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Lin CC, Chen TY, Cheng PY, Liu YP. Early life social experience affects adulthood fear extinction deficit and associated dopamine profile abnormalities in a rat model of PTSD. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 101:109914. [PMID: 32165120 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Individuals may develop fear extinction deficits after life-threatening traumatic events; such deficits indicate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because the occurrence of this disorder differs among people who have experienced trauma, hidden underlying factors should be determined. Increasing evidence suggests the involvement of neuronal dysregulation of information processes or cognitive function during development. This neuronal dysregulation is caused by disturbances in dopamine (DA) transmission within the fear circuit, which comprises the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala, and hippocampus. Single prolonged stress (SPS) combined with an isolation rearing (IR) paradigm was used to randomly assign rats to four groups [social rearing-no SPS (SR-NS), SR-SPS, IR-NS, and IR-SPS], and their performance in prepulse inhibition (PPI) and on Pavlovian fear conditioning tests was assessed. Tissue DA levels and the expression of DA receptors (D1R and D2R) in the fear circuit were measured at the end of the experiment. Our results indicated that PPI deficits and fear extinction problems were specific to rats subjected to IR and SPS, respectively. Furthermore, IR-induced PPI deficits were not influenced by SPS, but SPS-induced fear extinction retrieval impairment could be adjusted according to previous IR experiences. Neurochemically, tissue DA levels and D1R expression in the mPFC and amygdala were nonspecifically reduced by IR and SPS, whereas D2R expression in the mPFC and amygdala was higher in IR-SPS than in SR-SPS rats. These findings suggest that early life experiences may influence fear responses in adulthood through a change in DA profiles within the fear circuit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Cheng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 11220, Taiwan; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
| | - Tzung-Yan Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 11220, Taiwan; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan
| | - Pao-Yun Cheng
- Department of Physiology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
| | - Yia-Ping Liu
- Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 11220, Taiwan; Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Department of Physiology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 11490, Taiwan.
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27
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Knop J, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Joëls M, van der Veen R. Maternal care of heterozygous dopamine receptor D4 knockout mice: Differential susceptibility to early-life rearing conditions. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12655. [PMID: 32306548 PMCID: PMC7540036 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The differential susceptibility hypothesis proposes that individuals who are more susceptible to the negative effects of adverse rearing conditions may also benefit more from enriched environments. Evidence derived from human experiments suggests the lower efficacy dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) 7‐repeat as a main factor in exhibiting these for better and for worse characteristics. However, human studies lack the genetic and environmental control offered by animal experiments, complicating assessment of causal relations. To study differential susceptibility in an animal model, we exposed Drd4+/− mice and control litter mates to a limited nesting/bedding (LN), standard nesting (SN) or communal nesting (CN) rearing environment from postnatal day (P) 2‐14. Puberty onset was examined from P24 to P36 and adult females were assessed on maternal care towards their own offspring. In both males and females, LN reared mice showed a delay in puberty onset that was partly mediated by a reduction in body weight at weaning, irrespective of Drd4 genotype. During adulthood, LN reared females exhibited characteristics of poor maternal care, whereas dams reared in CN environments showed lower rates of unpredictability towards their own offspring. Differential susceptibility was observed only for licking/grooming levels of female offspring towards their litter; LN reared Drd4+/− mice exhibited the lowest and CN reared Drd4+/− mice the highest levels of licking/grooming. These results indicate that both genetic and early‐environmental factors play an important role in shaping maternal care of the offspring for better and for worse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelle Knop
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rixt van der Veen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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28
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Tractenberg SG, Orso R, Creutzberg KC, Malcon LMC, Lumertz FS, Wearick-Silva LE, Viola TW, Riva MA, Grassi-Oliveira R. Vulnerable and resilient cognitive performance related to early life stress: The potential mediating role of dopaminergic receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex of adult mice. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:13-27. [PMID: 31907967 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Exposure to early life stress (ELS) is known to have pronounced effects on the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, not all individuals exposed to ELS manifest the same neurobiological and cognitive phenotypes when adults. Dopamine signaling could be a key factor in understanding the effects of stress on PFC-related cognitive function. OBJECTIVES We aimed to investigate the differential effects of ELS on cognitive performance of adult mice and the dopaminergic receptors expression in the PFC. METHODS BALB/c males were exposed to the maternal separation (MS) procedure and their cognitive performance on the eight-arm radial maze (8-RAM) were assessed during adulthood. For molecular-level assessments, we performed mRNA expression analyses for dopamine receptors-DRD1, DRD2, DRD3-and Hers1 expression in the medial PFC. RESULTS While MS produced an overall impairment on 8-RAM, the stressed animals could be divided in two groups based on their performance: those with impaired cognitive performance (vulnerable to maternal separation, V-MS) and those without any impairment (resilient to maternal separation, R-MS). V-MS animals showed increased DRD1 and DRD2 expression in comparison with other groups. Errors on 8-RAM were also positively correlated with DRD1 and DRD2 mRNA expression. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a potential role of the dopaminergic system in the programming mechanisms of cognitive vulnerability and resilience related to ELS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saulo G Tractenberg
- Graduate Program in Psychology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Orso
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Kerstin C Creutzberg
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luiza M C Malcon
- Graduate Program in Psychology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Francisco S Lumertz
- Graduate Program in Psychology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Luis Eduardo Wearick-Silva
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Thiago W Viola
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Rodrigo Grassi-Oliveira
- Graduate Program in Psychology, School of Health and Life Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Brain Institute (InsCer), Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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29
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Bonapersona V, Kentrop J, Van Lissa CJ, van der Veen R, Joëls M, Sarabdjitsingh RA. The behavioral phenotype of early life adversity: A 3-level meta-analysis of rodent studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 102:299-307. [PMID: 31047892 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Altered cognitive performance is considered an intermediate phenotype mediating early life adversity (ELA) effects on later-life development of mental disorders, e.g. depression. Whereas most human studies are limited to correlational conclusions, rodent studies can prospectively investigate how ELA alters cognitive performance in several domains. Despite the volume of reports, there is no consensus on i) the behavioral domains being affected by ELA and ii) the extent of these effects. To test how ELA (here: aberrant maternal care) affects specific behavioral domains, we used a 3-level mixed-effect meta-analysis, and thoroughly explored heterogeneity with MetaForest, a novel machine-learning approach. Our results are based on >400 independent experiments, involving ∼8600 animals. Especially in males, ELA promotes memory formation during stressful learning but impairs non-stressful learning. Furthermore, ELA increases anxiety-like and decreases social behavior. The ELA phenotype was strongest when i) combined with other negative experiences ("hits"); ii) in rats; iii) in ELA models of ∼10days duration. All data is easily accessible with MaBapp (https://osf.io/ra947/), allowing researchers to run tailor-made meta-analyses, thereby revealing the optimal choice of experimental protocols and study power.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Bonapersona
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
| | - J Kentrop
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - C J Van Lissa
- Department of Methodology and Statistics, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - R van der Veen
- Centre for Child and Family Studies, Leiden University, the Netherlands
| | - M Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen University, the Netherlands
| | - R A Sarabdjitsingh
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
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30
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Early life stress and the propensity to develop addictive behaviors. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 78:156-169. [PMID: 31255718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a vast literature on effects of early life manipulations in rodents much of which is aimed at investigating the long-term consequences related to emotion and cognition in adulthood. Less is known about how these manipulations affect responses reflective of alcohol (AUD) and substance (SUD) use disorders. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature of studies that employed early life manipulations and assessed behavioral responses to psychoactive substances, specifically alcohol, opiates, and stimulants, in rodents. While the findings with alcohol are more limited and mixed, studies with opiates and stimulants show strong support for the ability of these manipulations to enhance behavioral responsivity to these substances in line with epidemiological data. Some outcomes show sex differences. The mechanisms that influence these enduring changes may reflect epigenetic alterations. Several studies support a role for altered DNA methylation (and other epigenetic mechanisms) as biological responses to early environmental insults. The chemical changes induced by DNA methylation affect transcriptional activity of DNA and thus can have a long-term impact on the individual's phenotype. Such effects are particularly robust when they occur during sensitive periods of brain development (e.g., first postnatal weeks in rodents). We review this emerging literature as it relates to the known neurobiology of AUDs and SUDs and suggest new avenues of research. Such findings will have implications for the treatment and prevention of AUDs and SUDs and could provide insight into factors that support resiliency.
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31
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Preliminary evidence of increased striatal dopamine in a nonhuman primate model of maternal immune activation. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:135. [PMID: 30979867 PMCID: PMC6461624 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0449-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Women exposed to a variety of viral and bacterial infections during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to a child with autism, schizophrenia or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Preclinical maternal immune activation (MIA) models are powerful translational tools to investigate mechanisms underlying epidemiological links between infection during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders. Our previous studies documenting the emergence of aberrant behavior in rhesus monkey offspring born to MIA-treated dams extends the rodent MIA model into a species more closely related to humans. Here we present novel neuroimaging data from these animals to further explore the translational potential of the nonhuman primate MIA model. Nine male MIA-treated offspring and 4 controls from our original cohort underwent in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) scanning at approximately 3.5-years of age using [18F] fluoro-l-m-tyrosine (FMT) to measure presynaptic dopamine levels in the striatum, which are consistently elevated in individuals with schizophrenia. Analysis of [18F]FMT signal in the striatum of these nonhuman primates showed that MIA animals had significantly higher [18F]FMT index of influx compared to control animals. In spite of the modest sample size, this group difference reflects a large effect size (Cohen's d = 0.998). Nonhuman primates born to MIA-treated dams exhibited increased striatal dopamine in late adolescence-a hallmark molecular biomarker of schizophrenia. These results validate the MIA model in a species more closely related to humans and open up new avenues for understanding the neurodevelopmental biology of schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders associated with prenatal immune challenge.
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