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Park EH, Jo YS, Kim EJ, Park EH, Lee KJ, Rhyu IJ, Kim HT, Choi JS. Heterogenous effect of early adulthood stress on cognitive aging and synaptic function in the dentate gyrus. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1344141. [PMID: 38638601 PMCID: PMC11024304 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1344141] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive aging widely varies among individuals due to different stress experiences throughout the lifespan and vulnerability of neurocognitive mechanisms. To understand the heterogeneity of cognitive aging, we investigated the effect of early adulthood stress (EAS) on three different hippocampus-dependent memory tasks: the novel object recognition test (assessing recognition memory: RM), the paired association test (assessing episodic-like memory: EM), and trace fear conditioning (assessing trace memory: TM). Two-month-old rats were exposed to chronic mild stress for 6 weeks and underwent behavioral testing either 2 weeks or 20 months later. The results show that stress and aging impaired different types of memory tasks to varying degrees. RM is affected by combined effect of stress and aging. EM became less precise in EAS animals. TM, especially the contextual memory, showed impairment in aging although EAS attenuated the aging effect, perhaps due to its engagement in emotional memory systems. To further explore the neural underpinnings of these multi-faceted effects, we measured long-term potentiation (LTP), neural density, and synaptic density in the dentate gyrus (DG). Both stress and aging reduced LTP. Additionally, the synaptic density per neuron showed a further reduction in the stress aged group. In summary, EAS modulates different forms of memory functions perhaps due to their substantial or partial dependence on the functional integrity of the hippocampus. The current results suggest that lasting alterations in hippocampal circuits following EAS could potentially generate remote effects on individual variability in cognitive aging, as demonstrated by performance in multiple types of memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Hye Park
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Yong Sang Jo
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Joo Kim
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Eui Ho Park
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kea Joo Lee
- Department of Structure and Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Im Joo Rhyu
- Department of Anatomy, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Taek Kim
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - June-Seek Choi
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Rearing in an Enriched Environment Ameliorates the ADHD-like Behaviors of Lister Hooded Rats While Suppressing Neuronal Activities in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223649. [PMID: 36429076 PMCID: PMC9688563 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223649] [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: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to genetic factors, environmental factors play a role in the pathogenesis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study used Lister hooded rats (LHRs) as ADHD model animals to evaluate the effects of environmental factors. Male LHR pups were kept in four rearing conditions from postnatal day 23 (4 rats in a standard cage; 12 rats in a large flat cage; and 4 or 12 rats in an enriched environment [EE]) until 9 weeks of age. EE rearing but not rearing in a large flat cage decreased the activity of LHRs in the open field test that was conducted for 7 consecutive days. In the drop test, most rats reared in an EE remained on a disk at a height, whereas most rats reared in a standard cage fell off. RNA sequencing revealed that the immediate-early gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex of LHRs reared in an EE was reduced. cFos-expressing neurons were reduced in number in LHRs reared in an EE. These results suggest that growing in an EE improves ADHD-like behaviors and that said improvement is due to the suppression of neuronal activity in the mPFC.
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Age-Related Individual Behavioural Characteristics of Adult Wistar Rats. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11082282. [PMID: 34438740 PMCID: PMC8388463 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Rats are considered adults from 2 to 5 months. During this period, they are used for experimentation in physiology and pharmacology. Adult rats, depending on their age, can be in a different physiological state, which can influence the results of experiments carried out on them. Despite this, age-related changes in adult rats have not yet been examined. Our results showed that as male and female rats progressed from 2 to 5 months of age there was a decrease in the level of motor and exploratory activities, and an increase in the level of anxiety-like behaviour. Age-related changes were dependent upon initial individual characteristics of behaviour. For example, animals that demonstrated high motor activity at 2 months become significantly less active by 5 months, and animals that showed a low level of anxiety at 2 months become more anxious by 5 months. Low-activity and high-anxiety rats did not show any significant age-related changes from 2 to 5 months of age. The results of this work should be taken into account when choosing the age of rats for conducting behavioural experiments. Abstract The aim of this work was to study age-related changes in the behaviour of adult Wistar rats using the open field (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests. Behavioural changes related to motor activity and anxiety were of particular interest. Results showed that as male and female rats progressed from 2 to 5 months of age, there was a decrease in the level of motor and exploratory activities and an increase in their level of anxiety. Age-related changes were dependent upon initial individual characteristics of behaviour. For example, animals that demonstrated high motor activity at 2 months become significantly less active by 5 months, and animals that showed a low level of anxiety at 2 months become more anxious by 5 months. Low-activity and high-anxiety rats did not show any significant age-related changes in OF and EPM tests from 2 to 5 months of age, except for a decrease in the number of rearings in the EPM. Thus, the behaviour of the same adult rat at 2 and 5 months of age is significantly different, which may lead to differences in the experimental results of physiological and pharmacological studies using adult animals of different ages.
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Ekstrand B, Scheers N, Rasmussen MK, Young JF, Ross AB, Landberg R. Brain foods - the role of diet in brain performance and health. Nutr Rev 2020; 79:693-708. [PMID: 32989449 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The performance of the human brain is based on an interplay between the inherited genotype and external environmental factors, including diet. Food and nutrition, essential in maintenance of brain performance, also aid in prevention and treatment of mental disorders. Both the overall composition of the human diet and specific dietary components have been shown to have an impact on brain function in various experimental models and epidemiological studies. This narrative review provides an overview of the role of diet in 5 key areas of brain function related to mental health and performance, including: (1) brain development, (2) signaling networks and neurotransmitters in the brain, (3) cognition and memory, (4) the balance between protein formation and degradation, and (5) deteriorative effects due to chronic inflammatory processes. Finally, the role of diet in epigenetic regulation of brain physiology is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Ekstrand
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Scheers
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | | | - Alastair B Ross
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.,AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Rikard Landberg
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Huzard D, Vouros A, Monari S, Astori S, Vasilaki E, Sandi C. Constitutive differences in glucocorticoid responsiveness are related to divergent spatial information processing abilities. Stress 2020; 23:37-49. [PMID: 31187686 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1625885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The stress response facilitates survival through adaptation and is intimately related to cognitive processes. The Morris water maze task probes spatial learning and memory in rodents and glucocorticoids (i.e. corticosterone (CORT) in rats) have been suggested to elicit a facilitating action on memory formation. Moreover, the early aging period (around 16-18 months of age) is susceptible to stress- and glucocorticoid-mediated acceleration of cognitive decline. In this study, we tested three lines of rats selectively bred according to their individual differences in CORT responsiveness to repeated stress exposure during juvenility. We investigated whether endogenous differences in glucocorticoid responses influenced spatial learning, long-term memory, and reversal learning abilities in a Morris water maze task at early aging. Additionally, we assessed the quality of the different swimming strategies of the rats. Our results indicate that rats with differential CORT responsiveness exhibit similar spatial learning abilities but different long-term memory retention and reversal learning. Specifically, the high CORT responding line had a better long-term spatial memory, while the low CORT responding line was impaired for both long-term retention and reversal learning. Our modeling analysis of performance strategies revealed further important line-related differences. Therefore, our findings support the view that individuals with high CORT responsiveness would form stronger long-term memories to navigate in stressful environments. Conversely, individuals with low CORT responsiveness would be impaired at different phases of spatial learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Huzard
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Silvia Monari
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Simone Astori
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Eleni Vasilaki
- Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Suchecki D. Maternal regulation of the infant's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis stress response: Seymour 'Gig' Levine's legacy to neuroendocrinology. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30:e12610. [PMID: 29774962 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Revised: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Thirty years ago, Seymour 'Gig' Levine published a serendipitous, yet, seminal finding with respect to the regulatory role of maternal presence on the corticosterone stress response of neonatal rats during the developmental period known as the stress hyporesponsive period. At the same time, his group of students also investigated the stress response of infant monkeys with respect to maternal separation, as a means of understanding the stress to the primary caregiver resulting from disruptions of attachment. Gig and his group of students and collaborators, mainly in the USA and the Netherlands, investigated how initial social relationships buffer the stress response of nonhuman primates and rodent infants. His work in rodents involved determining how prolonged deprivation of maternal care disinhibits the stress response of neonates and how maternal behaviours regulate specific aspects of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Maternal deprivation for 24 hours was useful for determining the importance of nutrition in suppressing the corticosterone stress response, whereas anogenital licking and grooming inhibited stress-induced adrenocortoctrophic hormone release, with the combination of both behaviours preventing the effects of maternal deprivation on the central hypothalamic stress response. Levine's group also studied the consequences of maternal deprivation on basal and stress-induced activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in juveniles and the persistent effects of the replacement of maternal behaviours on these parameters. Gig's legacy allowed many groups around the world to use the 24-hour maternal deprivation paradigm as an animal model of vulnerability and resilience to stress-related psychiatric disorders, as well as in studies of the neurobiological underpinnings of disruption of the mother-infant relationship and loss of parental care, a highly prevalent condition in humans. This review pays homage to a great scientist and mentor, whose discoveries paved the way for the understanding of how early social relationsships build resilience or lead to susceptibility to emotional disorders later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Suchecki
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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7
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de Kloet ER, Meijer OC, de Nicola AF, de Rijk RH, Joëls M. Importance of the brain corticosteroid receptor balance in metaplasticity, cognitive performance and neuro-inflammation. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 49:124-145. [PMID: 29428549 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Bruce McEwen's discovery of receptors for corticosterone in the rat hippocampus introduced higher brain circuits in the neuroendocrinology of stress. Subsequently, these receptors were identified as mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) that are involved in appraisal processes, choice of coping style, encoding and retrieval. The MR-mediated actions on cognition are complemented by slower actions via glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) on contextualization, rationalization and memory storage of the experience. These sequential phases in cognitive performance depend on synaptic metaplasticity that is regulated by coordinate MR- and GR activation. The receptor activation includes recruitment of coregulators and transcription factors as determinants of context-dependent specificity in steroid action; they can be modulated by genetic variation and (early) experience. Interestingly, inflammatory responses to damage seem to be governed by a similarly balanced MR:GR-mediated action as the initiating, terminating and priming mechanisms involved in stress-adaptation. We conclude with five questions challenging the MR:GR balance hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R de Kloet
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - O C Meijer
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - A F de Nicola
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrine Biochemistry, Instituto de Biologia y Medicina Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - R H de Rijk
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands & Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
| | - M Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
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8
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Wheelan N, Kenyon CJ, Harris AP, Cairns C, Al Dujaili E, Seckl JR, Yau JL. Midlife stress alters memory and mood-related behaviors in old age: Role of locally activated glucocorticoids. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 89:13-22. [PMID: 29306773 PMCID: PMC5890827 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to stress during midlife associates with subsequent age-related cognitive decline and may increase the vulnerability to develop psychiatric conditions. Increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity has been implicated in pathogenesis though any causative role for glucocorticoids is unestablished. This study investigated the contribution of local glucocorticoid regeneration by the intracellular enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), in persisting midlife stress-induced behavioral effects in mice. Middle-aged (10 months old) 11β-HSD1-deficient mice and wild-type congenic controls were randomly assigned to 28 days of chronic unpredictable stress or left undisturbed (non-stressed). All mice underwent behavioral testing at the end of the stress/non-stress period and again 6-7 months later. Chronic stress impaired spatial memory in middle-aged wild-type mice. The effects, involving a wide spectrum of behavioral modalities, persisted for 6-7 months after cessation of stress into early senescence. Enduring effects after midlife stress included impaired spatial memory, enhanced contextual fear memory, impaired fear extinction, heightened anxiety, depressive-like behavior, as well as reduced hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression. In contrast, 11β-HSD1 deficient mice resisted both immediate and enduring effects of chronic stress, despite similar stress-induced increases in systemic glucocorticoid activity during midlife stress. In conclusion, chronic stress in midlife exerts persisting effects leading to cognitive and affective dysfunction in old age via mechanisms that depend, at least in part, on brain glucocorticoids generated locally by 11β-HSD1. This finding supports selective 11β-HSD1 inhibition as a novel therapeutic target to ameliorate the long-term consequences of stress-related psychiatric disorders in midlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Wheelan
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Kenyon
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Anjanette P. Harris
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Carolynn Cairns
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Emad Al Dujaili
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R. Seckl
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Joyce L.W. Yau
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom,Corresponding author at: Queen’s Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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9
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Joëls M, de Kloet ER. 30 YEARS OF THE MINERALOCORTICOID RECEPTOR: The brain mineralocorticoid receptor: a saga in three episodes. J Endocrinol 2017. [PMID: 28634266 DOI: 10.1530/joe-16-0660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
In 1968, Bruce McEwen discovered that 3H-corticosterone administered to adrenalectomised rats is retained in neurons of hippocampus rather than those of hypothalamus. This discovery signalled the expansion of endocrinology into the science of higher brain regions. With this in mind, our contribution highlights the saga of the brain mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) in three episodes. First, the precloning era dominated by the conundrum of two types of corticosterone-binding receptors in the brain, which led to the identification of the high-affinity corticosterone receptor as the 'promiscuous' MR cloned in 1987 by Jeff Arriza and Ron Evans in addition to the classical glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Then, the post-cloning period aimed to disentangle the function of the brain MR from that of the closely related GR on different levels of biological complexity. Finally, the synthesis section that highlights the two faces of brain MR: Salt and Stress. 'Salt' refers to the regulation of salt appetite, and reciprocal arousal, motivation and reward, by a network of aldosterone-selective MR-expressing neurons projecting from nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and circumventricular organs. 'Stress' is about the limbic-forebrain nuclear and membrane MRs, which act as a switch in the selection of the best response to cope with a stressor. For this purpose, activation of the limbic MR promotes selective attention, memory retrieval and the appraisal process, while driving emotional expressions of fear and aggression. Subsequently, rising glucocorticoid concentrations activate GRs in limbic-forebrain circuitry underlying executive functions and memory storage, which contribute in balance with MR-mediated actions to homeostasis, excitability and behavioural adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational NeuroscienceBrain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- University of GroningenUniversity Medical Center, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - E Ronald de Kloet
- Division of EndocrinologyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Moreira PS, Almeida PR, Leite-Almeida H, Sousa N, Costa P. Impact of Chronic Stress Protocols in Learning and Memory in Rodents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0163245. [PMID: 27662580 PMCID: PMC5035061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The idea that maladaptive stress impairs cognitive function has been a cornerstone of decades in basic and clinical research. However, disparate findings have reinforced the need to aggregate results from multiple sources in order to confirm the validity of such statement. In this work, a systematic review and meta-analyses were performed to aggregate results from rodent studies investigating the impact of chronic stress on learning and memory. Results obtained from the included studies revealed a significant effect of stress on global cognitive performance. In addition, stressed rodents presented worse consolidation of learned memories, although no significantly differences between groups at the acquisition phase were found. Despite the methodological heterogeneity across studies, these effects were independent of the type of stress, animals’ strains or age. However, our findings suggest that stress yields a more detrimental effect on spatial navigation tests’ performance. Surprisingly, the vast majority of the selected studies in this field did not report appropriate statistics and were excluded from the quantitative analysis. We have therefore purposed a set of guidelines termed PROBE (Preferred Reporting Orientations for Behavioral Experiments) to promote an adequate reporting of behavioral experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Silva Moreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center–Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Pedro R Almeida
- School of Criminology, Faculty of Law, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo Leite-Almeida
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center–Braga, Braga, Portugal
- * E-mail:
| | - Patrício Costa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s, PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center–Braga, Braga, Portugal
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Duclot F, Perez-Taboada I, Wright KN, Kabbaj M. Prediction of individual differences in fear response by novelty seeking, and disruption of contextual fear memory reconsolidation by ketamine. Neuropharmacology 2016; 109:293-305. [PMID: 27343386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Only a portion of the population exposed to trauma will develop persistent emotional alterations characteristic of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which illustrates the necessity for identifying vulnerability factors and novel pharmacotherapeutic alternatives. Interestingly, clinical evidence suggests that novelty seeking is a good predictor for vulnerability to the development of excessive and persistent fear. Here, we first tested this hypothesis by analyzing contextual and cued fear responses of rats selected for their high (high responders, HR) or low (low responders, LR) exploration of a novel environment, indicator of novelty seeking. While HR and LR rats exhibited similar sensitivity to the shock and cued fear memory retention, fewer extinction sessions were required in HR than LR animals to reach extinction, indicating faster contextual and cued memory extinction. In a second part, we found an effective disruption of contextual fear reconsolidation by the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine, associated with a down-regulation of early growth response 1 (Egr1) in the hippocampal CA1 area, and up-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) mRNA levels in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices. Altogether, these data demonstrate a link between novelty seeking and conditioned fear extinction, and highlight a promising novel role of ketamine in affecting established fear memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Duclot
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Iara Perez-Taboada
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Katherine N Wright
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Mohamed Kabbaj
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States; Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
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12
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Cognitive Adaptation under Stress: A Case for the Mineralocorticoid Receptor. Trends Cogn Sci 2016; 20:192-203. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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13
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Overexpression of Mineralocorticoid Receptors Partially Prevents Chronic Stress-Induced Reductions in Hippocampal Memory and Structural Plasticity. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142012. [PMID: 26600250 PMCID: PMC4658081 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to chronic stress is a risk factor for cognitive decline and psychopathology in genetically predisposed individuals. Preliminary evidence in humans suggests that mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) may confer resilience to these stress-related changes. We specifically tested this idea using a well-controlled mouse model for chronic stress in combination with transgenic MR overexpression in the forebrain. Exposure to unpredictable stressors for 21 days in adulthood reduced learning and memory formation in a low arousing hippocampus-dependent contextual learning task, but enhanced stressful contextual fear learning. We found support for a moderating effect of MR background on chronic stress only for contextual memory formation under low arousing conditions. In an attempt to understand potentially contributing factors, we studied structural plasticity. Chronic stress altered dendritic morphology in the hippocampal CA3 area and reduced the total number of doublecortin-positive immature neurons in the infrapyramidal blade of the dentate gyrus. The latter reduction was absent in MR overexpressing mice. We therefore provide partial support for the idea that overexpression of MRs may confer resilience to the effects of chronic stress on hippocampus-dependent function and structural plasticity.
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14
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Scheinert RB, Asokan A, Rani A, Kumar A, Foster TC, Ormerod BK. Some hormone, cytokine and chemokine levels that change across lifespan vary by cognitive status in male Fischer 344 rats. Brain Behav Immun 2015; 49:216-32. [PMID: 26093306 PMCID: PMC4567443 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We trained and tested young (6-8months; n=13), middle-aged (12-14months; n=41), and aged (22-24months; n=24) male Fischer 344 rats in a rapid acquisition water maze task and then quantified 27 stress hormones, cytokines and chemokines in their serum, hippocampi and frontal cortices using bead assay kits and xMAP technology. Middle-aged and aged rats learned the location of the hidden platform over training trials more slowly than their young counterparts. After training, young rats outperformed middle-aged and aged rats on both immediate and 24h retention probe trials and about half of the middle-aged and aged (aging) rats exhibited impaired performances when tested on the retention probe trial 24h later. The concentrations of many serum, hippocampal and cortical analytes changed with age often in networks that may represent age-sensitive signaling pathways and the concentrations of some of these analytes correlated with water maze learning and/or memory scores. Serum GRO/KC and RANTES levels, hippocampal GM-CSF levels and cortical IL-9 and RANTES levels were significantly higher in rats categorized as memory-impaired versus elite agers based upon their 24h probe trial performances. Our data add to the emerging picture of how age-related changes in immune and neuroimmune system signaling impacts cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel B Scheinert
- National Institute of Mental Health, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA; J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Aditya Asokan
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Asha Rani
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Brandi K Ormerod
- J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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Singh R, Manchanda S, Kaur T, Kumar S, Lakhanpal D, Lakhman SS, Kaur G. Middle age onset short-term intermittent fasting dietary restriction prevents brain function impairments in male Wistar rats. Biogerontology 2015; 16:775-88. [DOI: 10.1007/s10522-015-9603-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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16
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Jauregui-Huerta F, Zhang L, Yañez-Delgadillo G, Hernandez-Carrillo P, García-Estrada J, Luquín S. Hippocampal cytogenesis and spatial learning in senile rats exposed to chronic variable stress: effects of previous early life exposure to mild stress. Front Aging Neurosci 2015; 7:159. [PMID: 26347648 PMCID: PMC4539520 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2015.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we exposed adult rats to chronic variable stress (CVS) and tested the hypothesis that previous early-life exposure to stress changes the manner in which older subjects respond to aversive conditions. To this end, we analyzed the cytogenic changes in the hippocampus and hippocampal-dependent spatial learning performance. The experiments were performed on 18-month-old male rats divided into four groups as follows: Control (old rats under standard laboratory conditions), Early-life stress (ELS; old rats who were exposed to environmental noise from postnatal days, PNDs 21–35), CVS + ELS (old rats exposed to a chronic stress protocol who were previously exposed to the early-life noise stress) and CVS (old rats who were exposed only to the chronic stress protocol). The Morris Water Maze (MWM) was employed to evaluate the spatial learning abilities of the rats at the end of the experiment. Immunohistochemistry against 5′Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP) was also conducted in the DG, CA1, CA2 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus. We confocally analyzed the cytogenic (BrdU-labeled cells) and astrogenic (BrdU + GFAP-labeled cells) changes produced by these conditions. Using this procedure, we found that stress diminished the total number of BrdU+ cells over the main proliferative area of the hippocampus (i.e., the dentate gyrus, DG) but increased the astrocyte phenotypes (GFAP + BrdU). The depleted BrdU+ cells were restored when the senile rats also experienced stress at the early stages of life. The MWM assessment demonstrated that stress also impairs the ability of the rats to learn the task. This impairment was not present when the stressful experience was preceded by the early-life exposure. Thus, our results support the idea that previous exposure to mild stressing agents may have beneficial effects on aged subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Jauregui-Huerta
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Limei Zhang
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México México, Mexico
| | - Griselda Yañez-Delgadillo
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Pamela Hernandez-Carrillo
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Joaquín García-Estrada
- División de Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Occidente (CIBO), Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social Guadalajara, Mexico
| | - Sonia Luquín
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
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Solas M, Aisa B, Tordera RM, Mugueta MC, Ramírez MJ. Stress contributes to the development of central insulin resistance during aging: Implications for Alzheimer’s disease. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2013; 1832:2332-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2013.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/19/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Svarnik OE, Bulava AI, Alexandrov YI. Expression of c-Fos in the rat retrosplenial cortex during instrumental re-learning of appetitive bar-pressing depends on the number of stages of previous training. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:78. [PMID: 23847484 PMCID: PMC3701253 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2013] [Accepted: 06/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning is known to be accompanied by induction of c-Fos expression in cortical neurons. However, not all neurons are involved in this process. What the c-Fos expression pattern depends on is still unknown. In the present work we studied whether and to what degree previous animal experience about Task 1 (the first phase of an instrumental learning) influenced neuronal c-Fos expression in the retrosplenial cortex during acquisition of Task 2 (the second phase of an instrumental learning). Animals were progressively shaped across days to bar-press for food at the left side of the experimental chamber (Task 1). This appetitive bar-pressing behavior was shaped by nine stages (“9 stages” group), five stages (“5 stages” group) or one intermediate stage (“1 stage” group). After all animals acquired the first skill and practiced it for five days, the bar and feeder on the left, familiar side of the chamber were inactivated, and the animals were allowed to learn a similar instrumental task at the opposite side of the chamber using another pair of a bar and a feeder (Task 2). The highest number of c-Fos positive neurons was found in the retrosplenial cortex of “1 stage” animals as compared to the other groups. The number of c-Fos positive neurons in “5 stages” group animals was significantly lower than in “1 stage” animals and significantly higher than in “9 stages” animals. The number of c-Fos positive neurons in the cortex of “9 stages” animals was significantly higher than in home caged control animals. At the same time, there were no significant differences between groups in such behavioral variables as the number of entrees into the feeder or bar zones during Task 2 learning. Our results suggest that c-Fos expression in the retrosplenial cortex during Task 2 acquisition was influenced by the previous learning history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga E Svarnik
- V.B. Shvyrkov Laboratory of Neural Bases of Mind, Institute of Psychology of Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia ; Laboratory of Systems Neurophysiology and Neuronal Interfaces, Neuroscience Department, Kurchatov NBICS-Center Moscow, Russia
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Bisaz R, Boadas-Vaello P, Genoux D, Sandi C. Age-related cognitive impairments in mice with a conditional ablation of the neural cell adhesion molecule. Learn Mem 2013; 20:183-93. [PMID: 23504516 DOI: 10.1101/lm.030064.112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Most of the mechanisms involved in neural plasticity support cognition, and aging has a considerable effect on some of these processes. The neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) of the immunoglobulin superfamily plays a pivotal role in structural and functional plasticity and is required to modulate cognitive and emotional behaviors. However, whether aging is associated with NCAM alterations that might contribute to age-related cognitive decline is not currently known. In this study, we determined whether conditional NCAM-deficient mice display increased vulnerability to age-related cognitive and emotional alterations. We assessed the NCAM expression levels in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and characterized the performance of adult and aged conditional NCAM-deficient mice and their age-matched wild-type littermates in a delayed matching-to-place test in the Morris water maze and a delayed reinforced alternation test in the T-maze. Although aging in wild-type mice is associated with an isoform-specific reduction of NCAM expression levels in the hippocampus and mPFC, these mice exhibited only mild impairments in working/episodic-like memory performance. However, aged conditional NCAM-deficient mice displayed pronounced impairments in both the delayed matching-to-place and the delayed reinforced alternation tests. Importantly, the deficits of aged NCAM-deficient mice in these working/episodic-like memory tasks could not be attributed to increased anxiety-like behaviors or to differences in locomotor activity. Taken together, these data indicate that reduced NCAM expression in the forebrain might be a critical factor for the occurrence of cognitive impairments during aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reto Bisaz
- Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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20
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Omega-3 fatty acids and brain resistance to ageing and stress: body of evidence and possible mechanisms. Ageing Res Rev 2013; 12:579-94. [PMID: 23395782 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2013.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2012] [Revised: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/28/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The increasing life expectancy in the populations of rich countries raises the pressing question of how the elderly can maintain their cognitive function. Cognitive decline is characterised by the loss of short-term memory due to a progressive impairment of the underlying brain cell processes. Age-related brain damage has many causes, some of which may be influenced by diet. An optimal diet may therefore be a practical way of delaying the onset of age-related cognitive decline. Nutritional investigations indicate that the ω-3 poyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of western diets is too low to provide the brain with an optimal supply of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the main ω-3 PUFA in cell membranes. Insufficient brain DHA has been associated with memory impairment, emotional disturbances and altered brain processes in rodents. Human studies suggest that an adequate dietary intake of ω-3 PUFA can slow the age-related cognitive decline and may also protect against the risk of senile dementia. However, despite the many studies in this domain, the beneficial impact of ω-3 PUFA on brain function has only recently been linked to specific mechanisms. This review examines the hypothesis that an optimal brain DHA status, conferred by an adequate ω-3 PUFA intake, limits age-related brain damage by optimizing endogenous brain repair mechanisms. Our analysis of the abundant literature indicates that an adequate amount of DHA in the brain may limit the impact of stress, an important age-aggravating factor, and influences the neuronal and astroglial functions that govern and protect synaptic transmission. This transmission, particularly glutamatergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus, underlies memory formation. The brain DHA status also influences neurogenesis, nested in the hippocampus, which helps maintain cognitive function throughout life. Although there are still gaps in our knowledge of the way ω-3 PUFA act, the mechanistic studies reviewed here indicate that ω-3 PUFA may be a promising tool for preventing age-related brain deterioration.
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21
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Willette AA, Coe CL, Colman RJ, Bendlin BB, Kastman EK, Field AS, Alexander AL, Allison DB, Weindruch RH, Johnson SC. Calorie restriction reduces psychological stress reactivity and its association with brain volume and microstructure in aged rhesus monkeys. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:903-16. [PMID: 22119476 PMCID: PMC3311744 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2011] [Revised: 10/18/2011] [Accepted: 10/19/2011] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heightened stress reactivity is associated with hippocampal atrophy, age-related cognitive deficits, and increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. This temperament predisposition may aggravate age-associated brain pathology or be reflective of it. This association may be mediated through repeated activation of the stress hormone axis over time. Dietary interventions, such as calorie restriction (CR), affect stress biology and may moderate the pathogenic relationship between stress reactivity and brain in limbic and prefrontal regions. METHODS Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) aged 19-31 years consumed either a standard diet (N=18) or were maintained on 30% CR relative to baseline intake (N=26) for 13-19 years. Behavior was rated in both normative and aversive contexts. Urinary cortisol was collected. Animals underwent magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to acquire volumetric and tissue microstructure data respectively. Voxel-wise statistics regressed a global stress reactivity factor, cortisol, and their interaction on brain indices across and between dietary groups. RESULTS CR significantly reduced stress reactivity during aversive contexts without affecting activity, orientation, or attention behavior. Stress reactivity was associated with less volume and tissue density in areas important for emotional regulation and the endocrine axis including prefrontal cortices, hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. CR reduced these relationships. A Cortisol by Stress Reactivity voxel-wise interaction indicated that only monkeys with high stress reactivity and high basal cortisol demonstrated lower brain volume and tissue density in prefrontal cortices, hippocampus, and amygdala. CONCLUSIONS High stress reactivity predicted lower volume and microstructural tissue density in regions involved in emotional processing and modulation. A CR diet reduced stress reactivity and regional associations with neural modalities. High levels of cortisol appear to mediate some of these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Auriel A. Willette
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Wisconsin Alheimer s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53705 USA,Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705 USA
| | - Christopher L. Coe
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705 USA,Harlow Primate Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
| | - Ricki J. Colman
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI, 53715 USA
| | - Barbara B Bendlin
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Wisconsin Alheimer s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53705 USA
| | - Erik K Kastman
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Wisconsin Alheimer s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53705 USA
| | - Aaron S. Field
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53792 USA
| | - Andrew L. Alexander
- Waisman Laboratory for Brain Imaging and Behavior, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705 USA
| | - David B. Allison
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 USA
| | - Richard H. Weindruch
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI, 53715 USA
| | - Sterling C. Johnson
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Wm. S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705, USA,Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, Madison, WI, 53715 USA,Wisconsin Alheimer s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53705 USA,Send Correspondence to: Sterling C. Johnson, Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, D-4225 Veterans Administration Hospital, 2500 Overlook Terrace, Madison, WI 53705, USA, Telephone Number: (608) 256-1901, Facsimile Number: (608) 265-3091
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Abstract
Previous studies in rodents showed that chronic stress induces structural and functional alterations in several brain regions, including shrinkage of the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, which are accompanied by cognitive and emotional disturbances. Reduced expression of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) following chronic stress has been proposed to be crucially involved in neuronal retraction and behavioral alterations. Since NCAM gene polymorphisms and altered expression of alternatively spliced NCAM isoforms have been associated with bipolar depression and schizophrenia in humans, we hypothesized that reduced expression of NCAM renders individuals more vulnerable to the deleterious effects of stress on behavior. Here, we specifically questioned whether mice in which the NCAM gene is inactivated in the forebrain by cre-recombinase under the control of the calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase II promoter (conditional NCAM-deficient mice), display increased vulnerability to stress. We assessed the evolving of depressive-like behaviors and spatial learning and memory impairments following a subchronic stress protocol (2 weeks) that does not result in behavioral dysfunction, nor in altered NCAM expression, in wild-type mice. Indeed, while no behavioral alterations were detected in wild-type littermates after subchronic stress, conditional NCAM-deficient mice showed increased immobility in the tail suspension test and deficits in reversal spatial learning in the water maze. These findings indicate that diminished NCAM expression might be a critical vulnerability factor for the development of behavioral alterations by stress and further support a functional involvement of NCAM in stress-induced cognitive and emotional disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reto Bisaz
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de LausanneCH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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Cognitive and neural correlates of depression-like behaviour in socially defeated mice: an animal model of depression with cognitive dysfunction. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2011; 14:303-17. [PMID: 20735879 PMCID: PMC3432579 DOI: 10.1017/s1461145710000945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Human depression is associated with cognitive deficits. It is critical to have valid animal models in order to investigate mechanisms and treatment strategies for these associated conditions. The goal of this study was to determine the association of cognitive dysfunction with depression-like behaviour in an animal model of depression and investigate the neural circuits underlying the behaviour. Mice that were exposed to social defeat for 14 d developed depression-like behaviour, i.e. anhedonia and social avoidance as indicated by reduced sucrose preference and decreased social interaction. The assessment of cognitive performance of defeated mice demonstrated impaired working memory in the T-maze continuous alternation task and enhanced fear memory in the contextual and cued fear-conditioning tests. In contrast, reference learning and memory in the Morris water maze test were intact in defeated mice. Neuronal activation following chronic social defeat was investigated by c-fosin-situ hybridization. Defeated mice exhibited preferential neural activity in the prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, hippocampal formation, septum, amygdala, and hypothalamic nuclei. Taken together, our results suggest that the chronic social defeat mouse model could serve as a valid animal model to study depression with cognitive impairments. The patterns of neuronal activation provide a neural basis for social defeat-induced changes in behaviour.
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Marin MF, Lord C, Andrews J, Juster RP, Sindi S, Arsenault-Lapierre G, Fiocco AJ, Lupien SJ. Chronic stress, cognitive functioning and mental health. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2011; 96:583-95. [PMID: 21376129 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2011.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 307] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2010] [Revised: 02/05/2011] [Accepted: 02/22/2011] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
This review aims to discuss the evidence supporting the link between chronic stress, cognitive function and mental health. Over the years, the associations between these concepts have been investigated in different populations. This review summarizes the findings that have emerged from older populations as well as from populations suffering from pathological aging, namely Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. Although older adults are an interesting population to study in terms of chronic stress, other stress-related diseases can occur throughout the lifespan. The second section covers some of these stress-related diseases that have recently received a great deal of attention, namely burnout, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Given that chronic stress contributes to the development of certain pathologies by accelerating and/or exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities that vary from one individual to the other, the final section summarizes data obtained on potential variables contributing to the association between chronic stress and cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-France Marin
- Center for Studies on Human Stress, Fernand-Seguin Research Center, Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, Canada
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Bisaz R, Schachner M, Sandi C. Causal evidence for the involvement of the neural cell adhesion molecule, NCAM, in chronic stress-induced cognitive impairments. Hippocampus 2010; 21:56-71. [DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Bisaz R, Sandi C. The role of NCAM in auditory fear conditioning and its modulation by stress: a focus on the amygdala. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2010; 9:353-64. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00563.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Impact of the Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal/gonadal Axes on Trajectory of Age-Related Cognitive Decline. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2010; 182:31-76. [DOI: 10.1016/s0079-6123(10)82002-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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28
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Conboy L, Bisaz R, Markram K, Sandi C. Role of NCAM in Emotion and Learning. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2010; 663:271-96. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-1170-4_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Bell J, Livesey P, Meyer J. Environmental enrichment influences survival rate and enhances exploration and learning but produces variable responses to the radial maze in old rats. Dev Psychobiol 2009; 51:564-78. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.20394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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Pardon MC, Rattray I. What do we know about the long-term consequences of stress on ageing and the progression of age-related neurodegenerative disorders? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2008; 32:1103-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2008.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2007] [Revised: 02/18/2008] [Accepted: 02/20/2008] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Yates MA, Markham JA, Anderson SE, Morris JR, Juraska JM. Regional variability in age-related loss of neurons from the primary visual cortex and medial prefrontal cortex of male and female rats. Brain Res 2008; 1218:1-12. [PMID: 18513705 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2008.04.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2007] [Revised: 11/16/2007] [Accepted: 04/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
During aging, changes in the structure of the cerebral cortex of the rat have been seen, but potential changes in neuron number remain largely unexplored. In the present study, stereological methods were used to examine neuron number in the medial prefrontal cortex and primary visual cortex of young adult (85-90 days of age) and aged (19-22 months old) male and female rats in order to investigate any age-related losses. Possible sex differences in aging were also examined since sexually dimorphic patterns of aging have been seen in other measures. An age-related loss of neurons (18-20%), which was mirrored in volume losses, was found to occur in the primary visual cortex in both sexes in all layers except IV. Males, but not females, also lost neurons (15%) from layer V/VI of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and showed an overall decrease in volume of this region. In contrast, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex showed no age-related changes. The effects of aging clearly differ among regions of the rat brain and to some degree, between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A Yates
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
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Chronic stress in adulthood followed by intermittent stress impairs spatial memory and the survival of newborn hippocampal cells in aging animals: prevention by FGL, a peptide mimetic of neural cell adhesion molecule. Behav Pharmacol 2008; 19:41-9. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0b013e3282f3fca9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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Pardon MC. Stress and ageing interactions: A paradox in the context of shared etiological and physiopathological processes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 54:251-73. [PMID: 17408561 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2007.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2007] [Revised: 02/15/2007] [Accepted: 02/22/2007] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Gerontology has made considerable progress in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the ageing process and age-related neurodegenerative disorders. However, ways to improve quality of life in the elderly remain to be elucidated. It is now clear that stress and the ageing process share a number of underlying mechanisms bound in a very close, if not indissociable, relationship. The ageing process is regulated by the factors underlying the ability to adjust to stress, whilst stress has an influence on the life span and the quality of ageing. In addition, the ability to cope with stress in adulthood predicts life expectancy and quality of life at senescence. The ageing process and stress also share several common mechanisms, particularly in relation to the energy factor. Stress consumes energy and ageing may be considered as a cost of the energy expended to deal with the stressors to which the body is exposed throughout its lifetime. This suggests that the ageing process is associated with and/or a consequence of a long-lasting activation of the major stress responsive systems. However, despite common features, the interaction between stress and the ageing process gives rise to some paradoxes. Stress can either diminish or exacerbate the ageing process just as the ageing process can worsen or counter the effects of stress. There has been little attempt to understand how ageing and stress might interact to promote "successful" or pathological ageing. A key factor in this respect is the individual's ability to adapt to stress. Viewed from this angle, the quality of life of aged subjects may be improved through therapy designed to improve the tolerance to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Christine Pardon
- Institute of Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
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Yates M, Juraska J. Increases in size and myelination of the rat corpus callosum during adulthood are maintained into old age. Brain Res 2007; 1142:13-8. [PMID: 17300760 PMCID: PMC1876682 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2007.01.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2006] [Revised: 01/09/2007] [Accepted: 01/13/2007] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although there are indications of growth in the size and myelination of the rat corpus callosum during adulthood, it is not known how long this growth continues. In addition, the potential for age-related changes in these measures to affect the sex differences seen in adulthood has not been examined. Here the size of callosal subregions and area occupied by myelin were examined in the genu and splenium of male and female rats in adulthood, middle age and old age. Our findings revealed increases both in size and in the area composed of myelin between adulthood and middle age that were maintained into old age, with no indications of age-related loss in either the genu or splenium of the rat.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.A. Yates
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 61820 USA
| | - J.M. Juraska
- Psychology Department, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 61820 USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 61820 USA
- Corresponding author: Janice M. Juraska, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, 603 E. Daniel St., Champaign, IL 61820, (217) 333-8546, Fax: (217) 244-5876,
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Otte C, Moritz S, Yassouridis A, Koop M, Madrischewski AM, Wiedemann K, Kellner M. Blockade of the mineralocorticoid receptor in healthy men: effects on experimentally induced panic symptoms, stress hormones, and cognition. Neuropsychopharmacology 2007; 32:232-8. [PMID: 17035932 DOI: 10.1038/sj.npp.1301217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Animal studies have shown that blockade of central mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) has anxiolytic effects and impairs several aspects of cognitive function. No study to date assessed the effects of MR blockade on anxiety and cognitive function in humans. In the present study, 16 healthy young men were treated either with placebo or with 300 mg spironolactone, a MR-antagonist, at 1100, 1330, and 1630 hours in a balanced cross-over design with the two study conditions being 1 week apart. At 1500 hours, the panic symptoms provoking compound cholecystokinin-tetrapeptide (CCK-4) was administered i.v. on both occasions and panic symptoms were assessed. We measured plasma ACTH and cortisol between 1300 and 1900 hours and assessed cognitive function between 1800 and 1900 hours. CCK-4 elicited panic symptoms and increased ACTH and cortisol secretion in both conditions. Intensity of panic symptoms after CCK-4 was not different between spironolactone and placebo. Spironolactone significantly impaired selective attention and delayed recall of visuospatial memory, and diminished set shifting/mental flexibility on a trend level. Pretreatment with spironolactone led to higher baseline cortisol levels compared to placebo whereas no differences in stimulated cortisol, baseline ACTH, and stimulated ACTH emerged. Blockade of MR with spironolactone increases baseline cortisol secretion and impairs cognitive function but has no effect on experimentally induced panic symptoms in humans, for the study design and dosage of spironolactone used. The domains of cognitive function that are impaired after blockade of MR in men, that is, selective attention, visuospatial memory, and mental flexibility/set shifting appear to be remarkably similar to those described in animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Otte
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Sandi C, Bisaz R. A model for the involvement of neural cell adhesion molecules in stress-related mood disorders. Neuroendocrinology 2007; 85:158-76. [PMID: 17409734 DOI: 10.1159/000101535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2007] [Accepted: 02/02/2007] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Critical interactions between genetic and environmental factors -- among which stress is one of the most potent non-genomic factors -- are involved in the development of mood disorders. Intensive work during the past decade has led to the proposal of the network hypothesis of depression [Castren E: Nat Rev Neurosci 2005;6:241-246]. In contrast to the earlier chemical hypothesis of depression that emphasized neurochemical imbalance as the cause of depression, the network hypothesis proposes that problems in information processing within relevant neural networks might underlie mood disorders. Clinical and preclinical evidence supporting this hypothesis are mainly based on observations from depressed patients and animal stress models indicating atrophy (with basic research pointing at structural remodeling and decreased neurogenesis as underlying mechanisms) and malfunctioning of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, as well as the ability of antidepressant treatments to have the opposite effects. A great research effort is devoted to identify the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the network effects of depression and antidepressant actions, with a great deal of evidence pointing at a key role of neurotrophins (notably the brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and other growth factors. In this review, we present evidence that implicates alterations in the levels of the neural cell adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin superfamily, NCAM and L1, among the mechanisms contributing to stress-related mood disorders and, potentially, in antidepressant action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Sandi
- Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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