1
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Mack NR, Bouras NN, Gao WJ. Prefrontal Regulation of Social Behavior and Related Deficits: Insights From Rodent Studies. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 96:85-94. [PMID: 38490368 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.03.008] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is well known as the executive center of the brain, combining internal states and goals to execute purposeful behavior, including social actions. With the advancement of tools for monitoring and manipulating neural activity in rodents, substantial progress has been made in understanding the specific cell types and neural circuits within the PFC that are essential for processing social cues and influencing social behaviors. Furthermore, combining these tools with translationally relevant behavioral paradigms has also provided novel insights into the PFC neural mechanisms that may contribute to social deficits in various psychiatric disorders. This review highlights findings from the past decade that have shed light on the PFC cell types and neural circuits that support social information processing and distinct aspects of social behavior, including social interactions, social memory, and social dominance. We also explore how the PFC contributes to social deficits in rodents induced by social isolation, social fear conditioning, and social status loss. These studies provide evidence that the PFC uses both overlapping and unique neural mechanisms to support distinct components of social cognition. Furthermore, specific PFC neural mechanisms drive social deficits induced by different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy R Mack
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Nadia N Bouras
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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2
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Li F, Zheng X, Wang H, Meng L, Chen M, Hui Y, Liu D, Li Y, Xie K, Zhang J, Guo G. Mediodorsal thalamus projection to medial prefrontal cortical mediates social defeat stress-induced depression-like behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1318-1329. [PMID: 38438592 PMCID: PMC11224337 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01829-y] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Clinical studies have shown that the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) may play an important role in the development of depression. However, the molecular and circuit mechanisms by which the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) participates in the pathological processes of depression remain unclear. Here, we show that in male chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mice, the calcium signaling activity of glutamatergic neurons in MD is reduced. By combining conventional neurotracer and transneuronal virus tracing techniques, we identify a synaptic circuit connecting MD and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the mouse. Brain slice electrophysiology and fiber optic recordings reveal that the reduced activity of MD glutamatergic neurons leads to an excitatory-inhibitory imbalance of pyramidal neurons in mPFC. Furthermore, activation of MD glutamatergic neurons restores the electrophysiological properties abnormal in mPFC. Optogenetic activation of the MD-mPFC circuit ameliorates anxiety and depression-like behaviors in CSDS mice. Taken together, these data support the critical role of MD-mPFC circuit on CSDS-induced depression-like behavior and provide a potential mechanistic explanation for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xuefeng Zheng
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Hanjie Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Lianghui Meng
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Meiying Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yuqing Hui
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Danlei Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yifei Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Keman Xie
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Guoqing Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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3
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Hughes DN, Klein MH, Walder-Christensen KK, Thomas GE, Grossman Y, Waters D, Matthews AE, Carson WE, Filali Y, Tsyglakova M, Fink A, Gallagher NM, Perez-Balaguer M, McClung CA, Zarate JM, Hultman RC, Mague SD, Carlson DE, Dzirasa K. A widespread electrical brain network encodes anxiety in health and depressive states. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.26.600900. [PMID: 38979139 PMCID: PMC11230447 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.26.600900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
In rodents, anxiety is charactered by heightened vigilance during low-threat and uncertain situations. Though activity in the frontal cortex and limbic system are fundamental to supporting this internal state, the underlying network architecture that integrates activity across brain regions to encode anxiety across animals and paradigms remains unclear. Here, we utilize parallel electrical recordings in freely behaving mice, translational paradigms known to induce anxiety, and machine learning to discover a multi-region network that encodes the anxious brain-state. The network is composed of circuits widely implicated in anxiety behavior, it generalizes across many behavioral contexts that induce anxiety, and it fails to encode multiple behavioral contexts that do not. Strikingly, the activity of this network is also principally altered in two mouse models of depression. Thus, we establish a network-level process whereby the brain encodes anxiety in health and disease.
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Ward C, Nasrallah K, Tran D, Sabri E, Vazquez A, Sjulson L, Castillo PE, Batista-Brito R. Developmental Disruption of Mef2c in Medial Ganglionic Eminence-derived cortical inhibitory interneurons impairs cellular and circuit function. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01360-X. [PMID: 38848814 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MEF2C is strongly linked to various neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) including autism, intellectual disability, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity. Mice constitutively lacking one copy of Mef2c, or selectively lacking both copies of Mef2c in cortical excitatory neurons, display a variety of behavioral phenotypes associated with NDDs. The MEF2C protein is a transcription factor necessary for cellular development and synaptic modulation of excitatory neurons. MEF2C is also expressed in a subset of cortical GABAergic inhibitory neurons, but its function in those cell types remains largely unknown. METHODS Using conditional deletions of the Mef2c gene in mice, we investigated the role of MEF2C in Parvalbumin-expressing Interneurons (PV-INs), the largest subpopulation of cortical GABAergic cells, at two developmental timepoints. We performed slice electrophysiology, in vivo recordings, and behavior assays to test how embryonic and late postnatal loss of MEF2C from GABAergic interneurons impacts their survival and maturation, and alters brain function and behavior. RESULTS Loss of MEF2C from PV-INs during embryonic, but not late postnatal, development resulted in reduced PV-IN number and failure of PV-INs to molecularly and synaptically mature. In association with these deficits, early loss of MEF2C in GABAergic interneurons lead to abnormal cortical network activity, hyperactive and stereotypic behavior, and impaired cognitive and social behavior. CONCLUSIONS MEF2C expression is critical for the development of cortical GABAergic interneurons, particularly PV-INs. Embryonic loss of function of MEF2C mediates dysfunction of GABAergic interneurons, leading to altered in vivo patterns of cortical activity and behavioral phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Ward
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Kaoutsar Nasrallah
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461; Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Road, Bronx, NY 10458
| | - Duy Tran
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Ehsan Sabri
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Arenski Vazquez
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Lucas Sjulson
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Pablo E Castillo
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461
| | - Renata Batista-Brito
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461; Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461.
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5
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Ward C, Nasrallah K, Tran D, Sabri E, Vazquez A, Sjulson L, Castillo PE, Batista-Brito R. Developmental disruption of Mef2c in Medial Ganglionic Eminence-derived cortical inhibitory interneurons impairs cellular and circuit function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.01.592084. [PMID: 38746148 PMCID: PMC11092645 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.01.592084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
MEF2C is strongly linked to various neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) including autism, intellectual disability, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity. Mice constitutively lacking one copy of Mef2c , or selectively lacking both copies of Mef2c in cortical excitatory neurons, display a variety of behavioral phenotypes associated with NDDs. The MEF2C protein is a transcription factor necessary for cellular development and synaptic modulation of excitatory neurons. MEF2C is also expressed in a subset of cortical GABAergic inhibitory neurons, but its function in those cell types remains largely unknown. Using conditional deletions of the Mef2c gene in mice, we investigated the role of MEF2C in Parvalbumin-expressing Interneurons (PV-INs), the largest subpopulation of cortical GABAergic cells, at two developmental timepoints. We performed slice electrophysiology, in vivo recordings, and behavior assays to test how embryonic and late postnatal loss of MEF2C from GABAergic interneurons impacts their survival and maturation, and alters brain function and behavior. We found that loss of MEF2C from PV-INs during embryonic, but not late postnatal, development resulted in reduced PV-IN number and failure of PV-INs to molecularly and synaptically mature. In association with these deficits, early loss of MEF2C in GABAergic interneurons lead to abnormal cortical network activity, hyperactive and stereotypic behavior, and impaired cognitive and social behavior. Our findings indicate that MEF2C expression is critical for the development of cortical GABAergic interneurons, particularly PV-INs. Embryonic loss of function of MEF2C mediates dysfunction of GABAergic interneurons, leading to altered in vivo patterns of cortical activity and behavioral phenotypes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Fournier LA, Phadke RA, Salgado M, Brack A, Nocon JC, Bolshakova S, Grant JR, Padró Luna NM, Sen K, Cruz-Martín A. Overexpression of the schizophrenia risk gene C4 in PV cells drives sex-dependent behavioral deficits and circuit dysfunction. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.27.575409. [PMID: 38328248 PMCID: PMC10849664 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.27.575409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Fast-spiking parvalbumin (PV)-positive cells are key players in orchestrating pyramidal neuron activity, and their dysfunction is consistently observed in myriad brain diseases. To understand how immune complement dysregulation - a prevalent locus of brain disease etiology - in PV cells may drive disease pathogenesis, we have developed a transgenic mouse line that permits cell-type specific overexpression of the schizophrenia-associated complement component 4 (C4) gene. We found that overexpression of mouse C4 (mC4) in PV cells causes sex-specific behavioral alterations and concomitant deficits in synaptic connectivity and excitability of PV cells of the prefrontal cortex. Using a computational network, we demonstrated that these microcircuit deficits led to hyperactivity and disrupted neural communication. Finally, pan-neuronal overexpression of mC4 failed to evoke the same deficits in behavior as PV-specific mC4 overexpression, suggesting that C4 perturbations in fast-spiking neurons are more harmful to brain function than pan-neuronal alterations. Together, these results provide a causative link between C4 and the vulnerability of PV cells in brain disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Fournier
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rhushikesh A. Phadke
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Maria Salgado
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alison Brack
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jian Carlo Nocon
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Hearing Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Sonia Bolshakova
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Bioinformatics MS Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jaylyn R. Grant
- Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, IL, United States
- The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, Boston University, Boston, United States
| | - Nicole M. Padró Luna
- The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, Boston University, Boston, United States
- Biology Department, College of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Kamal Sen
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Hearing Research Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Alberto Cruz-Martín
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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7
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Jackson AD, Cohen JL, Phensy AJ, Chang EF, Dawes HE, Sohal VS. Amygdala-hippocampus somatostatin interneuron beta-synchrony underlies a cross-species biomarker of emotional state. Neuron 2024; 112:1182-1195.e5. [PMID: 38266646 PMCID: PMC10994747 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.12.017] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Emotional responses arise from limbic circuits including the hippocampus and amygdala. In the human brain, beta-frequency communication between these structures correlates with self-reported mood and anxiety. However, both the mechanism and significance of this biomarker as a readout vs. driver of emotional state remain unknown. Here, we show that beta-frequency communication between ventral hippocampus and basolateral amygdala also predicts anxiety-related behavior in mice, both on long timescales (∼30 min) and immediately preceding behavioral choices. Genetically encoded voltage indicators reveal that this biomarker reflects synchronization between somatostatin interneurons across both structures. Indeed, synchrony between these neurons dynamically predicts approach-avoidance decisions, and optogenetically shifting the phase of synchronization by just 25 ms is sufficient to bidirectionally modulate anxiety-related behaviors. Thus, back-translation establishes a human biomarker as a causal determinant (not just predictor) of emotional state, revealing a novel mechanism whereby interregional synchronization that is frequency, phase, and cell type specific controls emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Jackson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA
| | - Joshua L Cohen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA
| | - Aarron J Phensy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA
| | - Edward F Chang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA
| | - Heather E Dawes
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA
| | - Vikaas S Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Center for Integrative Neuroscience and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0444, USA.
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8
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Myers-Joseph D, Wilmes KA, Fernandez-Otero M, Clopath C, Khan AG. Disinhibition by VIP interneurons is orthogonal to cross-modal attentional modulation in primary visual cortex. Neuron 2024; 112:628-645.e7. [PMID: 38070500 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.006] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Attentional modulation of sensory processing is a key feature of cognition; however, its neural circuit basis is poorly understood. A candidate mechanism is the disinhibition of pyramidal cells through vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and somatostatin (SOM)-positive interneurons. However, the interaction of attentional modulation and VIP-SOM disinhibition has never been directly tested. We used all-optical methods to bi-directionally manipulate VIP interneuron activity as mice performed a cross-modal attention-switching task. We measured the activities of VIP, SOM, and parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons and pyramidal neurons identified in the same tissue and found that although activity in all cell classes was modulated by both attention and VIP manipulation, their effects were orthogonal. Attention and VIP-SOM disinhibition relied on distinct patterns of changes in activity and reorganization of interactions between inhibitory and excitatory cells. Circuit modeling revealed a precise network architecture consistent with multiplexing strong yet non-interacting modulations in the same neural population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Myers-Joseph
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | | | | | - Claudia Clopath
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Adil G Khan
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK.
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9
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Sohn J. Synaptic configuration and reconfiguration in the neocortex are spatiotemporally selective. Anat Sci Int 2024; 99:17-33. [PMID: 37837522 PMCID: PMC10771605 DOI: 10.1007/s12565-023-00743-5] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Brain computation relies on the neural networks. Neurons extend the neurites such as dendrites and axons, and the contacts of these neurites that form chemical synapses are the biological basis of signal transmissions in the central nervous system. Individual neuronal outputs can influence the other neurons within the range of the axonal spread, while the activities of single neurons can be affected by the afferents in their somatodendritic fields. The morphological profile, therefore, binds the functional role each neuron can play. In addition, synaptic connectivity among neurons displays preference based on the characteristics of presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons. Here, the author reviews the "spatial" and "temporal" connection selectivity in the neocortex. The histological description of the neocortical circuitry depends primarily on the classification of cell types, and the development of gene engineering techniques allows the cell type-specific visualization of dendrites and axons as well as somata. Using genetic labeling of particular cell populations combined with immunohistochemistry and imaging at a subcellular spatial resolution, we revealed the "spatial selectivity" of cortical wirings in which synapses are non-uniformly distributed on the subcellular somatodendritic domains in a presynaptic cell type-specific manner. In addition, cortical synaptic dynamics in learning exhibit presynaptic cell type-dependent "temporal selectivity": corticocortical synapses appear only transiently during the learning phase, while learning-induced new thalamocortical synapses persist, indicating that distinct circuits may supervise learning-specific ephemeral synapse and memory-specific immortal synapse formation. The selectivity of spatial configuration and temporal reconfiguration in the neural circuitry may govern diverse functions in the neocortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaerin Sohn
- Department of Systematic Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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10
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Li B, Ma C, Huang YA, Ding X, Silverman D, Chen C, Darmohray D, Lu L, Liu S, Montaldo G, Urban A, Dan Y. Circuit mechanism for suppression of frontal cortical ignition during NREM sleep. Cell 2023; 186:5739-5750.e17. [PMID: 38070510 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.11.012] [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: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Conscious perception is greatly diminished during sleep, but the underlying circuit mechanism is poorly understood. We show that cortical ignition-a brain process shown to be associated with conscious awareness in humans and non-human primates-is strongly suppressed during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep in mice due to reduced cholinergic modulation and rapid inhibition of cortical responses. Brain-wide functional ultrasound imaging and cell-type-specific calcium imaging combined with optogenetics showed that activity propagation from visual to frontal cortex is markedly reduced during NREM sleep due to strong inhibition of frontal pyramidal neurons. Chemogenetic activation and inactivation of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons powerfully increased and decreased visual-to-frontal activity propagation, respectively. Furthermore, although multiple subtypes of dendrite-targeting GABAergic interneurons in the frontal cortex are more active during wakefulness, soma-targeting parvalbumin-expressing interneurons are more active during sleep. Chemogenetic manipulation of parvalbumin interneurons showed that sleep/wake-dependent cortical ignition is strongly modulated by perisomatic inhibition of pyramidal neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Li
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Chenyan Ma
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Yun-An Huang
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Xinlu Ding
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Daniel Silverman
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Changwan Chen
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dana Darmohray
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Lihui Lu
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Siqi Liu
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Gabriel Montaldo
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alan Urban
- Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders, VIB, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, imec, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yang Dan
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
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11
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Thompson SM, Fabian CB, Ferranti AS, Joffe ME. Acute alcohol and chronic drinking bidirectionally regulate the excitability of prefrontal cortex vasoactive intestinal peptide interneurons. Neuropharmacology 2023; 238:109638. [PMID: 37482180 PMCID: PMC10529784 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109638] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates drinking behaviors and affective changes following chronic alcohol use. PFC activity is dynamically modulated by local inhibitory interneurons (INs), which can be divided into non-overlapping groups with distinct functional roles. Within deeper layers of neocortex, INs that express either parvalbumin or somatostatin directly inhibit pyramidal cells. By contrast, the plurality of all remaining INs express vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), reside within superficial layers, and preferentially target other types of INs. While recent studies have described adaptations to PFC parvalbumin-INs and somatostatin-INs in alcohol use models, whether ethanol or drinking affect the physiology of PFC VIP-INs has not been reported. To address this gap, we used genetically engineered female and male mice to target VIP-INs in layers 1-3 of prelimbic PFC for whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. We found that ethanol (20 mM, ∼0.09 BEC/90 mg/dL) application to PFC brain slices enhances VIP-IN excitability. We next examined effects following chronic drinking by providing mice with 4 weeks of intermittent access (IA) ethanol two-bottle choice in the home cage. In these studies, VIP-INs from female and male IA ethanol mice displayed reduced excitability relative to cells from water-only controls. Finally, we assessed whether these effects continue into abstinence. After 7-13 days without ethanol, the hypo-excitability of VIP-INs from male IA ethanol mice persisted, whereas cells from female IA ethanol mice were not different from their controls. Together, these findings illustrate that acute ethanol enhances VIP-IN excitability and suggest these cells undergo pronounced homeostatic changes following long-term drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Carly B Fabian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Anthony S Ferranti
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Max E Joffe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15219, USA; Translational Neuroscience Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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12
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Frost NA, Donohue KC, Sohal V. Context-invariant socioemotional encoding by prefrontal ensembles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.19.563015. [PMID: 37961143 PMCID: PMC10634670 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.19.563015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex plays a key role in social interactions, anxiety-related avoidance, and flexible context- dependent behaviors, raising the question: how do prefrontal neurons represent socioemotional information across different environments? Are contextual and socioemotional representations segregated or intermixed, and does this cause socioemotional encoding to remap or generalize across environments? To address this, we imaged neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice engaged in social interactions or anxiety-related avoidance within different environments. Neuronal ensembles representing context and social interaction overlapped more than expected while remaining orthogonal. Anxiety-related representations similarly generalized across environments while remaining orthogonal to contextual information. This shows how prefrontal cortex multiplexes parallel information streams using the same neurons, rather than distinct subcircuits, achieving context-invariant encoding despite context-specific reorganization of population-level activity.
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13
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Brockway DF, Griffith KR, Aloimonos CM, Clarity TT, Moyer JB, Smith GC, Dao NC, Hossain MS, Drew PJ, Gordon JA, Kupferschmidt DA, Crowley NA. Somatostatin peptide signaling dampens cortical circuits and promotes exploratory behavior. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112976. [PMID: 37590138 PMCID: PMC10542913 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
We sought to characterize the unique role of somatostatin (SST) in the prelimbic (PL) cortex in mice. We performed slice electrophysiology in pyramidal and GABAergic neurons to characterize the pharmacological mechanism of SST signaling and fiber photometry of GCaMP6f fluorescent calcium signals from SST neurons to characterize the activity profile of SST neurons during exploration of an elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field test (OFT). We used local delivery of a broad SST receptor (SSTR) agonist and antagonist to test causal effects of SST signaling. SSTR activation hyperpolarizes layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons, an effect that is recapitulated with optogenetic stimulation of SST neurons. SST neurons in PL are activated during EPM and OFT exploration, and SSTR agonist administration directly into the PL enhances open arm exploration in the EPM. This work describes a broad ability for SST peptide signaling to modulate microcircuits within the prefrontal cortex and related exploratory behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota F Brockway
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Keith R Griffith
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Chloe M Aloimonos
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Thomas T Clarity
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - J Brody Moyer
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Grace C Smith
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Nigel C Dao
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Md Shakhawat Hossain
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Neural Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Patrick J Drew
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Neural Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Departments of Engineering Science and Mechanics and Neurosurgery, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Joshua A Gordon
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Office of the Director, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - David A Kupferschmidt
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Center for Neural Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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14
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Li Y, Zhi W, Qi B, Wang L, Hu X. Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1216524. [PMID: 37600761 PMCID: PMC10433239 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear refers to an adaptive response in the face of danger, and the formed fear memory acts as a warning when the individual faces a dangerous situation again, which is of great significance to the survival of humans and animals. Excessive fear response caused by abnormal fear memory can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Fear memory has been studied for a long time, which is of a certain guiding effect on the treatment of fear-related disorders. With continuous technological innovations, the study of fear has gradually shifted from the level of brain regions to deeper neural (micro) circuits between brain regions and even within single brain regions, as well as molecular mechanisms. This article briefly outlines the basic knowledge of fear memory and reviews the neurobiological mechanisms of fear extinction and relapse, which aims to provide new insights for future basic research on fear emotions and new ideas for treating trauma and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Qi
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
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15
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Shi HJ, Wang S, Wang XP, Zhang RX, Zhu LJ. Hippocampus: Molecular, Cellular, and Circuit Features in Anxiety. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:1009-1026. [PMID: 36680709 PMCID: PMC10264315 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-023-01020-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are currently a major psychiatric and social problem, the mechanisms of which have been only partially elucidated. The hippocampus serves as a major target of stress mediators and is closely related to anxiety modulation. Yet so far, its complex anatomy has been a challenge for research on the mechanisms of anxiety regulation. Recent advances in imaging, virus tracking, and optogenetics/chemogenetics have permitted elucidation of the activity, connectivity, and function of specific cell types within the hippocampus and its connected brain regions, providing mechanistic insights into the elaborate organization of the hippocampal circuitry underlying anxiety. Studies of hippocampal neurotransmitter systems, including glutamatergic, GABAergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems, have contributed to the interpretation of the underlying neural mechanisms of anxiety. Neuropeptides and neuroinflammatory factors are also involved in anxiety modulation. This review comprehensively summarizes the hippocampal mechanisms associated with anxiety modulation, based on molecular, cellular, and circuit properties, to provide tailored targets for future anxiety treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu-Jiang Shi
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xin-Ping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rui-Xin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Li-Juan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, MOE, Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201108, China.
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16
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Thompson SM, Ferranti AS, Joffe ME. Acute alcohol and chronic drinking bidirectionally regulate the excitability of prefrontal cortex vasoactive intestinal peptide interneurons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.07.531614. [PMID: 36945582 PMCID: PMC10028880 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.07.531614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates drinking behaviors and affective changes following chronic alcohol use. PFC activity is dynamically modulated by local inhibitory interneurons (INs), which can be divided into non-overlapping groups with distinct functional roles. Within deeper layers of neocortex, INs that express either parvalbumin or somatostatin directly inhibit pyramidal cells. By contrast, the plurality of all remaining INs express vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), reside within superficial layers, and preferentially target other types of INs. While recent studies have described adaptations to PFC parvalbumin-INs and somatostatin-INs in alcohol use models, whether ethanol or drinking affect the physiology of PFC VIP-INs has not been reported. To address this gap, we used genetically engineered female and male mice to target VIP-INs in layers 1-3 of prelimbic PFC for whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology. We found that ethanol (20 mM, ∼0.09 BEC) application to PFC brain slices enhances VIP-IN excitability. We next examined effects following chronic drinking by providing mice with 4 weeks of intermittent access (IA) ethanol two-bottle choice in the home cage. In these studies, VIP-INs from female and male IA ethanol mice displayed reduced excitability relative to cells from water-only controls. Finally, we assessed whether these effects continue into abstinence. After 7-11 days without ethanol, the hypo-excitability of VIP-INs from male IA ethanol mice persisted, whereas cells from female IA ethanol mice were not different from their controls. Together, these findings illustrate that acute ethanol enhances VIP-IN excitability and suggest these cells undergo pronounced homeostatic changes following long-term drinking.
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17
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Aussel A, Fiebelkorn IC, Kastner S, Kopell NJ, Pittman-Polletta BR. Interacting rhythms enhance sensitivity of target detection in a fronto-parietal computational model of visual attention. eLife 2023; 12:e67684. [PMID: 36718998 PMCID: PMC10129332 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67684] [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: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Even during sustained attention, enhanced processing of attended stimuli waxes and wanes rhythmically, with periods of enhanced and relatively diminished visual processing (and subsequent target detection) alternating at 4 or 8 Hz in a sustained visual attention task. These alternating attentional states occur alongside alternating dynamical states, in which lateral intraparietal cortex (LIP), the frontal eye field (FEF), and the mediodorsal pulvinar (mdPul) exhibit different activity and functional connectivity at α, β, and γ frequencies-rhythms associated with visual processing, working memory, and motor suppression. To assess whether and how these multiple interacting rhythms contribute to periodicity in attention, we propose a detailed computational model of FEF and LIP. When driven by θ-rhythmic inputs simulating experimentally-observed mdPul activity, this model reproduced the rhythmic dynamics and behavioral consequences of observed attentional states, revealing that the frequencies and mechanisms of the observed rhythms allow for peak sensitivity in visual target detection while maintaining functional flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Aussel
- Cognitive Rhythms Collaborative, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston UniversityRochesterUnited States
| | - Ian C Fiebelkorn
- Department of Neuroscience and Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience, University of Rochester Medical Center, University of RochesterRochesterUnited States
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Sabine Kastner
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Psychology, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Nancy J Kopell
- Cognitive Rhythms Collaborative, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston UniversityRochesterUnited States
| | - Benjamin Rafael Pittman-Polletta
- Cognitive Rhythms Collaborative, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Boston UniversityRochesterUnited States
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18
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Kupferschmidt DA, Gordon JA. Shaping long-range functional connectivity through prefrontal interneuron plasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:240-242. [PMID: 35915229 PMCID: PMC9700678 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01395-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David A Kupferschmidt
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Joshua A Gordon
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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19
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Mineur YS, Mose TN, Maibom KL, Pittenger ST, Soares AR, Wu H, Taylor SR, Huang Y, Picciotto MR. ACh signaling modulates activity of the GABAergic signaling network in the basolateral amygdala and behavior in stress-relevant paradigms. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4918-4927. [PMID: 36050437 PMCID: PMC10718266 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01749-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The balance between excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) signaling is important for maintaining homeostatic function in the brain. Indeed, dysregulation of inhibitory GABA interneurons in the amygdala has been implicated in human mood disorders. We hypothesized that acetylcholine (ACh) signaling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) might alter E/I balance resulting in changes in stress-sensitive behaviors. We therefore measured ACh release as well as activity of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CAMKII)-, parvalbumin (PV)-, somatostatin (SOM)- and vasoactive intestinal protein (VIP)-expressing neurons in the BLA of awake, behaving male mice. ACh levels and activity of both excitatory and inhibitory BLA neurons increased when animals were actively coping, and decreased during passive coping, in the light-dark box, tail suspension and social defeat. Changes in neuronal activity preceded behavioral state transitions, suggesting that BLA activity may drive the shift in coping strategy. In contrast to exposure to escapable stressors, prolonging ACh signaling with a cholinesterase antagonist changed the balance of activity among BLA cell types, significantly increasing activity of VIP neurons and decreasing activity of SOM cells, with little effect on CaMKII or PV neurons. Knockdown of α7 or β2-containing nAChR subtypes in PV and SOM, but not CaMKII or VIP, BLA neurons altered behavioral responses to stressors, suggesting that ACh signaling through nAChRs on GABA neuron subtypes contributes to stress-induced changes in behavior. These studies show that ACh modulates the GABAergic signaling network in the BLA, shifting the balance between SOM, PV, VIP and CaMKII neurons, which are normally activated coordinately during active coping in response to stress. Thus, prolonging ACh signaling, as occurs in response to chronic stress, may contribute to maladaptive behaviors by shifting the balance of inhibitory signaling in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann S Mineur
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Tenna N Mose
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Kathrine Lefoli Maibom
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Steven T Pittenger
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Alexa R Soares
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Seth R Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yaqing Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
- Experimental Pathology Graduate Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA
| | - Marina R Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA.
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park Street, 3rd Floor Research, New Haven, CT, 06508, USA.
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20
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Goral RO, Harper KM, Bernstein BJ, Fry SA, Lamb PW, Moy SS, Cushman JD, Yakel JL. Loss of GABA co-transmission from cholinergic neurons impairs behaviors related to hippocampal, striatal, and medial prefrontal cortex functions. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1067409. [PMID: 36505727 PMCID: PMC9730538 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1067409] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Altered signaling or function of acetylcholine (ACh) has been reported in various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Tourette syndrome, epilepsy among others. Many neurons that release ACh also co-transmit the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyrate (GABA) at synapses in the hippocampus, striatum, substantia nigra, and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Although ACh transmission is crucial for higher brain functions such as learning and memory, the role of co-transmitted GABA from ACh neurons in brain function remains unknown. Thus, the overarching goal of this study was to investigate how a systemic loss of GABA co-transmission from ACh neurons affected the behavioral performance of mice. Methods: To do this, we used a conditional knock-out mouse of the vesicular GABA transporter (vGAT) crossed with the ChAT-Cre driver line to selectively ablate GABA co-transmission at ACh synapses. In a comprehensive series of standardized behavioral assays, we compared Cre-negative control mice with Cre-positive vGAT knock-out mice of both sexes. Results: Loss of GABA co-transmission from ACh neurons did not disrupt the animal's sociability, motor skills or sensation. However, in the absence of GABA co-transmission, we found significant alterations in social, spatial and fear memory as well as a reduced reliance on striatum-dependent response strategies in a T-maze. In addition, male conditional knockout (CKO) mice showed increased locomotion. Discussion: Taken together, the loss of GABA co-transmission leads to deficits in higher brain functions and behaviors. Therefore, we propose that ACh/GABA co-transmission modulates neural circuitry involved in the affected behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Oliver Goral
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Center on Compulsive Behaviors, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kathryn M. Harper
- Department of Psychiatry and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Briana J. Bernstein
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sydney A. Fry
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Patricia W. Lamb
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Sheryl S. Moy
- Department of Psychiatry and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Jesse D. Cushman
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,Department of Health and Human Services, Neurobehavioral Core, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Jerrel L. Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Durham, NC, United States,*Correspondence: Jerrel L. Yakel
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21
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Kupferschmidt DA, Cummings KA, Joffe ME, MacAskill A, Malik R, Sánchez-Bellot C, Tejeda HA, Yarur Castillo H. Prefrontal Interneurons: Populations, Pathways, and Plasticity Supporting Typical and Disordered Cognition in Rodent Models. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8468-8476. [PMID: 36351822 PMCID: PMC9665918 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1136-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) inhibitory microcircuits regulate the gain and timing of pyramidal neuron firing, coordinate neural ensemble interactions, and gate local and long-range neural communication to support adaptive cognition and contextually tuned behavior. Accordingly, perturbations of PFC inhibitory microcircuits are thought to underlie dysregulated cognition and behavior in numerous psychiatric diseases and relevant animal models. This review, based on a Mini-Symposium presented at the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Meeting, highlights recent studies providing novel insights into: (1) discrete medial PFC (mPFC) interneuron populations in the mouse brain; (2) mPFC interneuron connections with, and regulation of, long-range mPFC afferents; and (3) circuit-specific plasticity of mPFC interneurons. The contributions of such populations, pathways, and plasticity to rodent cognition are discussed in the context of stress, reward, motivational conflict, and genetic mutations relevant to psychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Kupferschmidt
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Kirstie A Cummings
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, 35233
| | - Max E Joffe
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213
| | - Andrew MacAskill
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom, WC1E 6BT
| | - Ruchi Malik
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158
| | - Candela Sánchez-Bellot
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, United Kingdom, WC1E 6BT
- Laboratorio de Circuitos Neuronales, Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain, 28002
| | - Hugo A Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
| | - Hector Yarur Castillo
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892
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22
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Jia X, Chen S, Li X, Tao S, Lai J, Liu H, Huang K, Tian Y, Wei P, Yang F, Lu Z, Chen Z, Liu XA, Xu F, Wang L. Divergent neurocircuitry dissociates two components of the stress response: glucose mobilization and anxiety-like behavior. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111586. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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23
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Activation of VIP interneurons in the prefrontal cortex ameliorates neuropathic pain aversiveness. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111333. [PMID: 36103825 PMCID: PMC9520588 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
While dysfunction of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in chronic pain, the underlying neural circuits and the contribution of specific cellular populations remain unclear. Using in vivo Ca2+ imaging, we report that in both male and female mice, peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain causes a marked reduction of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP)-expressing interneuron activity in the prelimbic area of the mPFC, which contributes to decreased prefrontal cortical outputs. Moreover, prelimbic glutamatergic projections to GABAergic interneurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are diminished, leading to loss of cortical-cortical inhibition and increased pyramidal neuron activity in the ACC. Chemogenetic activation of prelimbic VIP interneurons restores neuronal responses in the mPFC-ACC pathway and attenuates pain-like behaviors in mice. Furthermore, restoration of prelimbic outputs to the ACC reverses nerve injury-induced ACC hyperactivation. These findings reveal mPFC circuit changes associated with neuropathic pain and highlight VIP interneurons as potential therapeutic targets for pain treatment.
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24
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Neuwirth LS, Verrengia MT, Harikinish-Murrary ZI, Orens JE, Lopez OE. Under or Absent Reporting of Light Stimuli in Testing of Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Rodents: The Need for Standardization. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:912146. [PMID: 36061362 PMCID: PMC9428565 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.912146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral neuroscience tests such as the Light/Dark Test, the Open Field Test, the Elevated Plus Maze Test, and the Three Chamber Social Interaction Test have become both essential and widely used behavioral tests for transgenic and pre-clinical models for drug screening and testing. However, as fast as the field has evolved and the contemporaneous involvement of technology, little assessment of the literature has been done to ensure that these behavioral neuroscience tests that are crucial to pre-clinical testing have well-controlled ethological motivation by the use of lighting (i.e., Lux). In the present review paper, N = 420 manuscripts were examined from 2015 to 2019 as a sample set (i.e., n = ~20–22 publications per year) and it was found that only a meager n = 50 publications (i.e., 11.9% of the publications sampled) met the criteria for proper anxiogenic and anxiolytic Lux reported. These findings illustrate a serious concern that behavioral neuroscience papers are not being vetted properly at the journal review level and are being released into the literature and public domain making it difficult to assess the quality of the science being reported. This creates a real need for standardizing the use of Lux in all publications on behavioral neuroscience techniques within the field to ensure that contributions are meaningful, avoid unnecessary duplication, and ultimately would serve to create a more efficient process within the pre-clinical screening/testing for drugs that serve as anxiolytic compounds that would prove more useful than what prior decades of work have produced. It is suggested that improving the standardization of the use and reporting of Lux in behavioral neuroscience tests and the standardization of peer-review processes overseeing the proper documentation of these methodological approaches in manuscripts could serve to advance pre-clinical testing for effective anxiolytic drugs. This report serves to highlight this concern and proposes strategies to proactively remedy them as the field moves forward for decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenz S. Neuwirth
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Lorenz S. Neuwirth
| | - Michael T. Verrengia
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
| | - Zachary I. Harikinish-Murrary
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
| | - Jessica E. Orens
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
| | - Oscar E. Lopez
- Department of Psychology, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
- SUNY Neuroscience Research Institute, SUNY Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY, United States
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25
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Casello SM, Flores RJ, Yarur HE, Wang H, Awanyai M, Arenivar MA, Jaime-Lara RB, Bravo-Rivera H, Tejeda HA. Neuropeptide System Regulation of Prefrontal Cortex Circuitry: Implications for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:796443. [PMID: 35800635 PMCID: PMC9255232 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.796443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides, a diverse class of signaling molecules in the nervous system, modulate various biological effects including membrane excitability, synaptic transmission and synaptogenesis, gene expression, and glial cell architecture and function. To date, most of what is known about neuropeptide action is limited to subcortical brain structures and tissue outside of the central nervous system. Thus, there is a knowledge gap in our understanding of neuropeptide function within cortical circuits. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of various families of neuropeptides and their cognate receptors that are expressed in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Specifically, we highlight dynorphin, enkephalin, corticotropin-releasing factor, cholecystokinin, somatostatin, neuropeptide Y, and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Further, we review the implication of neuropeptide signaling in prefrontal cortical circuit function and use as potential therapeutic targets. Together, this review summarizes established knowledge and highlights unknowns of neuropeptide modulation of neural function underlying various biological effects while offering insights for future research. An increased emphasis in this area of study is necessary to elucidate basic principles of the diverse signaling molecules used in cortical circuits beyond fast excitatory and inhibitory transmitters as well as consider components of neuropeptide action in the PFC as a potential therapeutic target for neurological disorders. Therefore, this review not only sheds light on the importance of cortical neuropeptide studies, but also provides a comprehensive overview of neuropeptide action in the PFC to serve as a roadmap for future studies in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne M. Casello
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rodolfo J. Flores
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Huikun Wang
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Monique Awanyai
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Miguel A. Arenivar
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Rosario B. Jaime-Lara
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hector Bravo-Rivera
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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26
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Flores-Ramirez FJ, Matzeu A, Sánchez-Marín L, Martin-Fardon R. Blockade of corticotropin-releasing factor-1 receptors in the infralimbic cortex prevents stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking in male Wistar rats: Evidence of interaction between CRF 1 and orexin receptor signaling. Neuropharmacology 2022; 210:109046. [PMID: 35341789 PMCID: PMC9176217 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109046] [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: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use dysregulates responsivity to stress, which is mediated by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). With repeated cycles of alcohol use, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis becomes hyporesponsive, rendering individuals vulnerable to the reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior during stressful episodes. Orexin (Orx; also called hypocretin) plays a well-established role in regulating diverse physiological processes, including stress, and interacts with CRF. The infralimbic cortex (IL) is a CRF-rich region. Anatomical evidence suggests that CRF and Orx interact in this area. To test the behavioral implication of CRF and Orx transmission in the IL during the stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior, male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer 10% alcohol for 3 weeks. The rats then underwent two weeks of extinction training (identical to the alcohol self-administration sessions, but alcohol was withheld). The day after the last extinction session, the rats received a bilateral intra-IL injection of the CRF1 receptor antagonist CP154,526 (0.6 μg/0.5 μl/side), the dual Orx receptor antagonist TCS1102 (15 μg/0.5 μl/side), or their combination and then were tested for the footshock stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior. CP154,526 significantly prevented reinstatement, but TCS1102 did not produce such an effect. Interestingly, the co-administration of TCS1102 and CP154,526 reversed the effect of CP154,526 alone, and footshock stress induced a significant increase in Crhr1 and Hcrtr2 mRNA expression in the IL. These results demonstrate a functional interaction between Orx receptor and CRF1 receptor signaling and suggest that CRF1 receptor antagonism may ameliorate stress-induced alcohol-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alessandra Matzeu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Laura Sánchez-Marín
- Unidad Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga/Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Rémi Martin-Fardon
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
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27
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Enkephalin release from VIP interneurons in the hippocampal CA2/3a region mediates heterosynaptic plasticity and social memory. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2879-2900. [PMID: 33990774 PMCID: PMC8590711 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01124-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus contains a diverse array of inhibitory interneurons that gate information flow through local cortico-hippocampal circuits to regulate memory storage. Although most studies of interneurons have focused on their role in fast synaptic inhibition mediated by GABA release, different classes of interneurons express unique sets of neuropeptides, many of which have been shown to exert powerful effects on neuronal function and memory when applied pharmacologically. However, relatively little is known about whether and how release of endogenous neuropeptides from inhibitory cells contributes to their behavioral role in regulating memory formation. Here we report that vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing interneurons participate in social memory storage by enhancing information transfer from hippocampal CA3 pyramidal neurons to CA2 pyramidal neurons. Notably, this action depends on release of the neuropeptide enkephalin from VIP neurons, causing long-term depression of feedforward inhibition onto CA2 pyramidal cells. Moreover, VIP neuron activity in the CA2 region is increased selectively during exploration of a novel conspecific. Our findings, thus, enhance our appreciation of how GABAergic neurons can regulate synaptic plasticity and mnemonic behavior by demonstrating that such actions can be mediated by release of a specific neuropeptide, rather than through classic fast inhibitory transmission.
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28
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Ramos-Prats A, Paradiso E, Castaldi F, Sadeghi M, Mir MY, Hörtnagl H, Göbel G, Ferraguti F. VIP-expressing interneurons in the anterior insular cortex contribute to sensory processing to regulate adaptive behavior. Cell Rep 2022; 39:110893. [PMID: 35649348 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.110893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive behavior critically depends on the detection of behaviorally relevant stimuli. The anterior insular cortex (aIC) has long been proposed as a key player in the representation and integration of sensory stimuli, and implicated in a wide variety of cognitive and emotional functions. However, to date, little is known about the contribution of aIC interneurons to sensory processing. By using a combination of whole-brain connectivity tracing, imaging of neural calcium dynamics, and optogenetic modulation in freely moving mice across different experimental paradigms, such as fear conditioning and social preference, we describe here a role for aIC vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing (VIP+) interneurons in mediating adaptive behaviors. Our findings enlighten the contribution of aIC VIP+ interneurons to sensory processing, showing that they are anatomically connected to a wide range of sensory-related brain areas and critically respond to behaviorally relevant stimuli independent of task and modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Ramos-Prats
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Enrica Paradiso
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Federico Castaldi
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Maryam Sadeghi
- Department for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Mohd Yaqub Mir
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neuroscience, Semmelweis University, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Heide Hörtnagl
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Georg Göbel
- Department for Medical Statistics, Informatics and Health Economics, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Francesco Ferraguti
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
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29
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Wilke SA, Lavi K, Byeon S, Donohue KC, Sohal VS. Convergence of Clinically Relevant Manipulations on Dopamine-Regulated Prefrontal Activity Underlying Stress Coping Responses. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:810-820. [PMID: 35090617 PMCID: PMC11182612 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.11.008] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression is pleiotropic and influenced by diverse genetic, environmental, and pharmacological factors. Identifying patterns of circuit activity on which many of these factors converge would be important, because studying these patterns could reveal underlying pathophysiological processes and/or novel therapies. Depression is commonly assumed to involve changes within prefrontal circuits, and dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) agonists are increasingly used as adjunctive antidepressants. Nevertheless, how D2Rs influence disease-relevant patterns of prefrontal circuit activity remains unknown. METHODS We used brain slice calcium imaging to measure how patterns of prefrontal activity are modulated by D2Rs, antidepressants, and manipulations that increase depression susceptibility. To validate the idea that prefrontal D2Rs might contribute to antidepressant responses, we used optogenetic and genetic manipulations to test how dopamine, D2Rs, and D2R+ neurons contribute to stress-coping behavior. RESULTS Patterns of positively correlated activity in prefrontal microcircuits are specifically enhanced by D2R stimulation as well as by two mechanistically distinct antidepressants, ketamine and fluoxetine. Conversely, this D2R-driven effect was disrupted in two etiologically distinct depression models, a genetic susceptibility model and mice that are susceptible to chronic social defeat. Phasic stimulation of dopaminergic afferents to the prefrontal cortex and closed-loop stimulation of D2R+ neurons increased effortful responses to tail suspension stress, whereas prefrontal D2R deletion reduced the duration of individual struggling episodes. CONCLUSIONS Correlated prefrontal microcircuit activity represents a point of convergence for multiple depression-related manipulations. Prefrontal D2Rs enhance this activity. Through this mechanism, prefrontal D2Rs may promote network states associated with antidepressant actions and effortful responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Wilke
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Karen Lavi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Sujin Byeon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Kevin C Donohue
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Vikaas S Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
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30
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Johnson C, Kretsge LN, Yen WW, Sriram B, O'Connor A, Liu RS, Jimenez JC, Phadke RA, Wingfield KK, Yeung C, Jinadasa TJ, Nguyen TPH, Cho ES, Fuchs E, Spevack ED, Velasco BE, Hausmann FS, Fournier LA, Brack A, Melzer S, Cruz-Martín A. Highly unstable heterogeneous representations in VIP interneurons of the anterior cingulate cortex. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:2602-2618. [PMID: 35246635 PMCID: PMC11128891 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01485-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A hallmark of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is its functional heterogeneity. Functional and imaging studies revealed its importance in the encoding of anxiety-related and social stimuli, but it is unknown how microcircuits within the ACC encode these distinct stimuli. One type of inhibitory interneuron, which is positive for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), is known to modulate the activity of pyramidal cells in local microcircuits, but it is unknown whether VIP cells in the ACC (VIPACC) are engaged by particular contexts or stimuli. Additionally, recent studies demonstrated that neuronal representations in other cortical areas can change over time at the level of the individual neuron. However, it is not known whether stimulus representations in the ACC remain stable over time. Using in vivo Ca2+ imaging and miniscopes in freely behaving mice to monitor neuronal activity with cellular resolution, we identified individual VIPACC that preferentially activated to distinct stimuli across diverse tasks. Importantly, although the population-level activity of the VIPACC remained stable across trials, the stimulus-selectivity of individual interneurons changed rapidly. These findings demonstrate marked functional heterogeneity and instability within interneuron populations in the ACC. This work contributes to our understanding of how the cortex encodes information across diverse contexts and provides insight into the complexity of neural processes involved in anxiety and social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor Johnson
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa N Kretsge
- The Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William W Yen
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Alexandra O'Connor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ruichen Sky Liu
- MS in Statistical Practice Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica C Jimenez
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rhushikesh A Phadke
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kelly K Wingfield
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charlotte Yeung
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tushare J Jinadasa
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thanh P H Nguyen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eun Seon Cho
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Erelle Fuchs
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eli D Spevack
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Berta Escude Velasco
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Frances S Hausmann
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Luke A Fournier
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alison Brack
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Melzer
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alberto Cruz-Martín
- Neurobiology Section in the Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry Program, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
- The Center for Network Systems Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.
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31
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Cao Y, Sun C, Huang J, Sun P, Wang L, He S, Liao J, Lu Z, Lu Y, Zhong C. Dysfunction of the Hippocampal-Lateral Septal Circuit Impairs Risk Assessment in Epileptic Mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:828891. [PMID: 35571372 PMCID: PMC9103201 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.828891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Temporal lobe epilepsy, a chronic disease of the brain characterized by degeneration of the hippocampus, has impaired risk assessment. Risk assessment is vital for survival in complex environments with potential threats. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. The intricate balance of gene regulation and expression across different brain regions is related to the structure and function of specific neuron subtypes. In particular, excitation/inhibition imbalance caused by hyperexcitability of glutamatergic neurons and/or dysfunction of GABAergic neurons, have been implicated in epilepsy. First, we estimated the risk assessment (RA) by evaluating the behavior of mice in the center of the elevated plus maze, and found that the kainic acid-induced temporal lobe epilepsy mice were specifically impaired their RA. This experiment evaluated approach-RA, with a forthcoming approach to the open arm, and avoid-RA, with forthcoming avoidance of the open arm. Next, results from free-moving electrophysiological recordings showed that in the hippocampus, ∼7% of putative glutamatergic neurons and ∼15% of putative GABAergic neurons were preferentially responsive to either approach-risk assessment or avoid-risk assessment, respectively. In addition, ∼12% and ∼8% of dorsal lateral septum GABAergic neurons were preferentially responsive to approach-risk assessment and avoid-risk assessment, respectively. Notably, during the impaired approach-risk assessment, the favorably activated dorsal dentate gyrus and CA3 glutamatergic neurons increased (∼9%) and dorsal dentate gyrus and CA3 GABAergic neurons decreased (∼7%) in the temporal lobe epilepsy mice. Then, we used RNA sequencing and immunohistochemical staining to investigate which subtype of GABAergic neuron loss may contribute to excitation/inhibition imbalance. The results show that temporal lobe epilepsy mice exhibit significant neuronal loss and reorganization of neural networks. In particular, the dorsal dentate gyrus and CA3 somatostatin-positive neurons and dorsal lateral septum cholecystokinin-positive neurons are selectively vulnerable to damage after temporal lobe epilepsy. Optogenetic activation of the hippocampal glutamatergic neurons or chemogenetic inhibition of the hippocampal somatostatin neurons directly disrupts RA, suggesting that an excitation/inhibition imbalance in the dHPC dorsal lateral septum circuit results in the impairment of RA behavior. Taken together, this study provides insight into epilepsy and its comorbidity at different levels, including molecular, cell, neural circuit, and behavior, which are expected to decrease injury and premature mortality in patients with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Cao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Chongyang Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianyu Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Peng Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
- College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lulu Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shuyu He
- Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, China Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianxiang Liao
- Epilepsy Center, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhonghua Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
- Yi Lu,
| | - Cheng Zhong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Cheng Zhong,
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Malik R, Li Y, Schamiloglu S, Sohal VS. Top-down control of hippocampal signal-to-noise by prefrontal long-range inhibition. Cell 2022; 185:1602-1617.e17. [PMID: 35487191 PMCID: PMC10027400 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) is postulated to exert "top-down control" on information processing throughout the brain to promote specific behaviors. However, pathways mediating top-down control remain poorly understood. In particular, knowledge about direct prefrontal connections that might facilitate top-down control of hippocampal information processing remains sparse. Here we describe monosynaptic long-range GABAergic projections from PFC to hippocampus. These preferentially inhibit vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-expressing interneurons, which are known to disinhibit hippocampal microcircuits. Indeed, stimulating prefrontal-hippocampal GABAergic projections increases hippocampal feedforward inhibition and reduces hippocampal activity in vivo. The net effect of these actions is to specifically enhance the signal-to-noise ratio for hippocampal encoding of object locations and augment object-induced increases in spatial information. Correspondingly, activating or inhibiting these projections promotes or suppresses object exploration, respectively. Together, these results elucidate a top-down prefrontal pathway in which long-range GABAergic projections target disinhibitory microcircuits, thereby enhancing signals and network dynamics underlying exploratory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Malik
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Selin Schamiloglu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Vikaas S Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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Malwade S, Gasthaus J, Bellardita C, Andelic M, Moric B, Korshunova I, Kiehn O, Vasistha NA, Khodosevich K. Identification of Vulnerable Interneuron Subtypes in 15q13.3 Microdeletion Syndrome Using Single-Cell Transcriptomics. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:727-739. [PMID: 34838304 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of rare copy number variants (CNVs) have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. However, because CNVs encompass many genes, it is often difficult to identify the mechanisms that lead to developmental perturbations. METHODS We used 15q13.3 microdeletion to propose and validate a novel strategy to predict the impact of CNV genes on brain development that could further guide functional studies. We analyzed single-cell transcriptomics datasets containing cortical interneurons to identify their developmental vulnerability to 15q13.3 microdeletion, which was validated in mouse models. RESULTS We found that Klf13-but not other 15q13.3 genes-is expressed by precursors and neuroblasts in the medial and caudal ganglionic eminences during development, with a peak of expression at embryonic day (E)13.5 and E18.5, respectively. In contrast, in the adult mouse brain, Klf13 expression is negligible. Using Df(h15q13.3)/+ and Klf13+/- embryos, we observed a precursor subtype-specific impairment in proliferation in the medial ganglionic eminence and caudal ganglionic eminence at E13.5 and E17.5, respectively, corresponding to vulnerability predicted by Klf13 expression patterns. Finally, Klf13+/- mice showed a layer-specific decrease in parvalbumin and somatostatin cortical interneurons accompanied by changes in locomotor and anxiety-related behavior. CONCLUSIONS We show that the impact of 15q13.3 microdeletion on precursor proliferation is grounded in a reduction in Klf13 expression. The lack of Klf13 in Df(h15q13.3)/+ cortex might be the major reason for perturbed density of cortical interneurons. Thus, the behavioral defects seen in 15q13.3 microdeletion could stem from a developmental perturbation owing to selective vulnerability of cortical interneurons during sensitive stages of their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susmita Malwade
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Janina Gasthaus
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carmelo Bellardita
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Matej Andelic
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Borna Moric
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Irina Korshunova
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Kiehn
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Navneet A Vasistha
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Konstantin Khodosevich
- Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), Copenhagen Biocenter, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Sohal VS. Transforming Discoveries About Cortical Microcircuits and Gamma Oscillations Into New Treatments for Cognitive Deficits in Schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry 2022; 179:267-276. [PMID: 35360913 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The major cause of disability in schizophrenia is cognitive impairment, which remains largely refractory to existing treatments. This reflects the fact that antipsychotics and other therapies have not been designed to address specific brain abnormalities that cause cognitive impairment. This overview proposes that understanding how specific cellular and synaptic loci within cortical microcircuits contribute to cortical gamma oscillations may reveal treatments for cognitive impairment. Gamma oscillations are rhythmic patterns of high frequency (∼30-100 Hz) neuronal activity that are synchronized within and across brain regions, generated by a class of inhibitory interneurons that express parvalbumin, and recruited during a variety of cognitive tasks. In schizophrenia, both parvalbumin interneuron function and task-evoked gamma oscillations are deficient. While it has long been controversial whether gamma oscillations are merely a biomarker of circuit function or actually contribute to information processing by neuronal networks, recent neurobiological studies in mice have shown that disrupting or enhancing synchronized gamma oscillations can reproduce or ameliorate cognitive deficits resembling those seen in schizophrenia. In fact, transiently enhancing the synchrony of parvalbumin interneuron-generated gamma oscillations can lead to long-lasting improvements in cognition in mice that model aspects of schizophrenia. Gamma oscillations emerge from specific patterns of connections between a variety of cell types within cortical microcircuits. Thus, a critical next step is to understand how specific cell types and synapses generate gamma oscillations, mediate the effects of gamma oscillations on information processing, and/or undergo plasticity following the induction of gamma oscillations. Modulating these circuit loci, potentially in combination with other approaches such as cognitive training and brain stimulation, may yield potent and selective interventions for enhancing cognition in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikaas S Sohal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco
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35
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Apicella AJ, Marchionni I. VIP-Expressing GABAergic Neurons: Disinhibitory vs. Inhibitory Motif and Its Role in Communication Across Neocortical Areas. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:811484. [PMID: 35221922 PMCID: PMC8867699 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.811484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic neurons play a crucial role in shaping cortical activity. Even though GABAergic neurons constitute a small fraction of cortical neurons, their peculiar morphology and functional properties make them an intriguing and challenging task to study. Here, we review the basic anatomical features, the circuit properties, and the possible role in the relevant behavioral task of a subclass of GABAergic neurons that express vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). These studies were performed using transgenic mice in which the VIP-expressing neurons can be recognized using fluorescent proteins and optogenetic manipulation to control (or regulate) their electrical activity. Cortical VIP-expressing neurons are more abundant in superficial cortical layers than other cortical layers, where they are mainly studied. Optogenetic and paired recordings performed in ex vivo cortical preparations show that VIP-expressing neurons mainly exert their inhibitory effect onto somatostatin-expressing (SOM) inhibitory neurons, leading to a disinhibitory effect onto excitatory pyramidal neurons. However, this subclass of GABAergic neurons also releases neurotransmitters onto other GABAergic and non-GABAergic neurons, suggesting other possible circuit roles than a disinhibitory effect. The heterogeneity of VIP-expressing neurons also suggests their involvement and recruitment during different functions via the inhibition/disinhibition of GABAergic and non-GABAergic neurons locally and distally, depending on the specific local circuit in which they are embedded, with potential effects on the behavioral states of the animal. Although VIP-expressing neurons represent only a tiny fraction of GABAergic inhibitory neurons in the cortex, these neurons’ selective activation/inactivation could produce a relevant behavioral effect in the animal. Regardless of the increasing finding and discoveries on this subclass of GABAergic neurons, there is still a lot of missing information, and more studies should be done to unveil their role at the circuit and behavior level in different cortical layers and across different neocortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Junior Apicella
- Department of Biology, Neurosciences Institute, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Ivan Marchionni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy.,Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, Padua, Italy
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36
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Mack NR, Deng SX, Yang SS, Shu YS, Gao WJ. Prefrontal Cortical Control of Anxiety: Recent Advances. Neuroscientist 2022:10738584211069071. [PMID: 35086369 PMCID: PMC9869286 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211069071] [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] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex is commonly implicated in anxiety disorders, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Approach-avoidance conflict tasks have been extensively used in animal research to better understand how changes in neural activity within the prefrontal cortex contribute to avoidance behaviors, which are believed to play a major role in the maintenance of anxiety disorders. In this article, we first review studies utilizing in vivo electrophysiology to reveal the relationship between changes in neural activity and avoidance behavior in rodents. We then review recent studies that take advantage of optical and genetic techniques to test the unique contribution of specific prefrontal cortex circuits and cell types to the control of anxiety-related avoidance behaviors. This new body of work reveals that behavior during approach-avoidance conflict is dynamically modulated by individual cell types, distinct neural pathways, and specific oscillatory frequencies. The integration of these different pathways, particularly as mediated by interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons, represents an exciting opportunity for the future of understanding anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy R. Mack
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129
| | - Sui-Xin Deng
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Sha-Sha Yang
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129
| | - You-Sheng Shu
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China,Corresponding author: You-Sheng Shu, Ph.D., Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, 131 Dong’an Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China, ; Wen-Jun Gao, M.D., Ph.D.,
| | - Wen-Jun Gao
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19129,Corresponding author: You-Sheng Shu, Ph.D., Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Translational Brain Research, Fudan University, 131 Dong’an Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, 200032, China, ; Wen-Jun Gao, M.D., Ph.D.,
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37
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Sánchez-Bellot C, AlSubaie R, Mishchanchuk K, Wee RWS, MacAskill AF. Two opposing hippocampus to prefrontal cortex pathways for the control of approach and avoidance behaviour. Nat Commun 2022; 13:339. [PMID: 35039510 PMCID: PMC8763938 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27977-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The decision to either approach or avoid a potentially threatening environment is thought to rely upon the coordinated activity of heterogeneous neural populations in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, how this circuitry is organized to flexibly promote both approach or avoidance at different times has remained elusive. Here, we show that the hippocampal projection to PFC is composed of two parallel circuits located in the superficial or deep pyramidal layers of the CA1/subiculum border. These circuits have unique upstream and downstream connectivity, and are differentially active during approach and avoidance behaviour. The superficial population is preferentially connected to widespread PFC inhibitory interneurons, and its activation promotes exploration; while the deep circuit is connected to PFC pyramidal neurons and fast spiking interneurons, and its activation promotes avoidance. Together this provides a mechanism for regulation of behaviour during approach avoidance conflict: through two specialized, parallel circuits that allow bidirectional hippocampal control of PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candela Sánchez-Bellot
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rawan AlSubaie
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Karyna Mishchanchuk
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Ryan W S Wee
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Andrew F MacAskill
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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38
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Yan Z, Rein B. Mechanisms of synaptic transmission dysregulation in the prefrontal cortex: pathophysiological implications. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:445-465. [PMID: 33875802 PMCID: PMC8523584 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01092-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 03/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) serves as the chief executive officer of the brain, controlling the highest level cognitive and emotional processes. Its local circuits among glutamatergic principal neurons and GABAergic interneurons, as well as its long-range connections with other brain regions, have been functionally linked to specific behaviors, ranging from working memory to reward seeking. The efficacy of synaptic signaling in the PFC network is profundedly influenced by monoaminergic inputs via the activation of dopamine, adrenergic, or serotonin receptors. Stress hormones and neuropeptides also exert complex effects on the synaptic structure and function of PFC neurons. Dysregulation of PFC synaptic transmission is strongly linked to social deficits, affective disturbance, and memory loss in brain disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer's disease. Critical neural circuits, biological pathways, and molecular players that go awry in these mental illnesses have been revealed by integrated electrophysiological, optogenetic, biochemical, and transcriptomic studies of PFC. Novel epigenetic mechanism-based strategies are proposed as potential avenues of therapeutic intervention for PFC-involved diseases. This review provides an overview of PFC network organization and synaptic modulation, as well as the mechanisms linking PFC dysfunction to the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, and neurodegenerative diseases. Insights from the preclinical studies offer the potential for discovering new medical treatments for human patients with these brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yan
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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39
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Zhang C, Zhu H, Ni Z, Xin Q, Zhou T, Wu R, Gao G, Gao Z, Ma H, Li H, He M, Zhang J, Cheng H, Hu H. Dynamics of a disinhibitory prefrontal microcircuit in controlling social competition. Neuron 2021; 110:516-531.e6. [PMID: 34793692 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.10.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Social competition plays a pivotal role in determining individuals' social status. While the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) is essential in regulating social competition, it remains unclear how information is processed within its local networks. Here, by applying optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations in a dominance tube test, we reveal that, in accordance with pyramidal (PYR) neuron activation, excitation of the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) or inhibition of the parvalbumin (PV) interneurons induces winning. The winning behavior is associated with sequential calcium activities initiated by VIP and followed by PYR and PV neurons. Using miniature two-photon microscopic (MTPM) and optrode recordings in awake mice, we show that VIP stimulation directly leads to a two-phased activity pattern of both PYR and PV neurons-rapid suppression followed by activation. The delayed activation of PV implies an embedded feedback tuning. This disinhibitory VIP-PV-PYR motif forms the core of a dmPFC microcircuit to control social competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyi Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Hong Zhu
- Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China.
| | - Zheyi Ni
- Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Qiuhong Xin
- Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Tingting Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Runlong Wu
- Research Unit of Mitochondria in Brain Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PKU-Nanjing Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing 211500, China
| | - Guangping Gao
- Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Zhihua Gao
- Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Huan Ma
- Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Haohong Li
- Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Miao He
- Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jue Zhang
- Research Unit of Mitochondria in Brain Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PKU-Nanjing Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing 211500, China
| | - Heping Cheng
- Research Unit of Mitochondria in Brain Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, PKU-Nanjing Institute of Translational Medicine, Nanjing 211500, China
| | - Hailan Hu
- Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China; Liangzhu Laboratory, The MOE Frontier Research Center of Brain & Brain-Machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, 1369 West Wenyi Road, Hangzhou 311121, China; Center for Brian Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Guangzhou 510515, China; Research Units of Brain Mechanisms Underlying Emotion and Emotion Disorders, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100730, China; Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Chuanqi Research and Development Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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40
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Dong W, Chen H, Sit T, Han Y, Song F, Vyssotski AL, Gross CT, Si B, Zhan Y. Characterization of exploratory patterns and hippocampal-prefrontal network oscillations during the emergence of free exploration. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2021; 66:2238-2250. [PMID: 36654115 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2021.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
During free exploration, the emergence of patterned and sequential behavioral responses to an unknown environment reflects exploration traits and adaptation. However, the behavioral dynamics and neural substrates underlying the exploratory behavior remain poorly understood. We developed computational tools to quantify the exploratory behavior and performed in vivo electrophysiological recordings in a large arena in which mice made sequential excursions into unknown territory. Occupancy entropy was calculated to characterize the cumulative and moment-to-moment behavioral dynamics in explored and unexplored territories. Local field potential analysis revealed that the theta activity in the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) was highly correlated with the occupancy entropy. Individual dHPC and prefrontal cortex (PFC) oscillatory activities could classify various aspects of free exploration. Initiation of exploration was accompanied by a coordinated decrease and increase in theta activity in PFC and dHPC, respectively. Our results indicate that dHPC and PFC work synergistically in shaping free exploration by modulating exploratory traits during emergence and visits to an unknown environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiu Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hongbiao Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Timothy Sit
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yechao Han
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fei Song
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110169, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Alexei L Vyssotski
- Institute of Neuroinformatics, the University of Zürich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Cornelius T Gross
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Monterotondo 00015, Italy
| | - Bailu Si
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Yang Zhan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Brain Diseases, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Zheng J, Liu N, Xu H. Pathway Matters: Prefrontal Control of Negative Emotions via Distinct Downstream Regions. Neurosci Bull 2021; 38:226-228. [PMID: 34724132 PMCID: PMC8821737 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-021-00793-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Junqiang Zheng
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Na Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Han Xu
- Department of Neurobiology and Department of Neurology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Research and Brain-Machine Integration, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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42
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Wang KY, Wu JW, Cheng JK, Chen CC, Wong WY, Averkin RG, Tamás G, Nakazawa K, Lien CC. Elevation of hilar mossy cell activity suppresses hippocampal excitability and avoidance behavior. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109702. [PMID: 34525354 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Modulation of hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) excitability regulates anxiety. In the DG, glutamatergic mossy cells (MCs) receive the excitatory drive from principal granule cells (GCs) and mediate the feedback excitation and inhibition of GCs. However, the circuit mechanism by which MCs regulate anxiety-related information routing through hippocampal circuits remains unclear. Moreover, the correlation between MC activity and anxiety states is unclear. In this study, we first demonstrate, by means of calcium fiber photometry, that MC activity in the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) of mice increases while they explore anxiogenic environments. Next, juxtacellular recordings reveal that optogenetic activation of MCs preferentially recruits GABAergic neurons, thereby suppressing GCs and ventral CA1 neurons. Finally, chemogenetic excitation of MCs in the vHPC reduces avoidance behaviors in both healthy and anxious mice. These results not only indicate an anxiolytic role of MCs but also suggest that MCs may be a potential therapeutic target for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Yi Wang
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Jei-Wei Wu
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Kun Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei 252, Taiwan; Department of Anesthesiology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan
| | | | - Wai-Yi Wong
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Robert G Averkin
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Gábor Tamás
- ELKH-SZTE Research Group for Cortical Microcircuits, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, Szeged 6726, Hungary
| | - Kazu Nakazawa
- Department of Neuroscience, Southern Research, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA; Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Cheng-Chang Lien
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan.
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43
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Nakajima M. Neuronal identity and cognitive control dynamics in the PFC. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2021; 129:14-21. [PMID: 34535385 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2021.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Adaptive behavior is supported by context-dependent cognitive control that enables stable and flexible sensorimotor transformations. Impairments in this type of control are often attributed to dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, the underlying circuit principles of PFC function that support cognitive control have remained elusive. While the complex, diverse responses of PFC neurons to cognitive variables have been studied both from the perspective of individual cell activity and overall population dynamics, these two levels have often been investigated separately. This review discusses two specific cell groups, context/brain state responsive interneuron subtypes and output decoder neurons, that might bridge conceptual frameworks derived from these two research approaches. I highlight the unique properties and functions of these cell groups and discuss how future studies leveraging their features are likely to provide a new understanding of PFC dynamics combining single-neuron and network perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miho Nakajima
- Center for Brain Science, RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
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44
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Kullander K, Topolnik L. Cortical disinhibitory circuits: cell types, connectivity and function. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:643-657. [PMID: 34006387 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The concept of a dynamic excitation/inhibition balance tuned by circuit disinhibition, which can shape information flow during complex behavioral tasks, has arisen as an important and conserved information-processing motif. In cortical circuits, different subtypes of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons are connected to each other, offering an anatomical foundation for disinhibitory processes. Moreover, a subpopulation of GABAergic cells that express vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) preferentially innervates inhibitory interneurons, highlighting their central role in disinhibitory modulation. We discuss inhibitory neuron subtypes involved in disinhibition, with a focus on local circuits and long-range synaptic connections that drive disinhibitory function. We highlight multiple layers of disinhibition across cortical circuits that regulate behavior and serve to maintain an excitation/inhibition balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klas Kullander
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Lisa Topolnik
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Bioinformatics, Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada; Neuroscience Axis, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec (CRCHUQ), Laval University, Québec, QC, Canada.
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45
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Anastasiades PG, Carter AG. Circuit organization of the rodent medial prefrontal cortex. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:550-563. [PMID: 33972100 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) orchestrates higher brain function and becomes disrupted in many mental health disorders. The rodent medial PFC (mPFC) possesses an enormous variety of projection neurons and interneurons. These cells are engaged by long-range inputs from other brain regions involved in cognition, motivation, and emotion. They also communicate in the local network via specific connections between excitatory and inhibitory cells. In this review, we describe the cellular diversity of the rodent mPFC, the impact of long-range afferents, and the specificity of local microcircuits. We highlight similarities with and differences between other cortical areas, illustrating how the circuit organization of the mPFC may give rise to its unique functional roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul G Anastasiades
- Department of Translational Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, Whitson Street, Bristol BS1 3NY, UK
| | - Adam G Carter
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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46
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Le Merre P, Ährlund-Richter S, Carlén M. The mouse prefrontal cortex: Unity in diversity. Neuron 2021; 109:1925-1944. [PMID: 33894133 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is considered to constitute the highest stage of neural integration and to be devoted to representation and production of actions. Studies in primates have laid the foundation for theories regarding the principles of prefrontal function and provided mechanistic insights. The recent surge of studies of the PFC in mice holds promise for evolvement of present theories and development of novel concepts, particularly regarding principles shared across mammals. Here we review recent empirical work on the mouse PFC capitalizing on the experimental toolbox currently privileged to studies in this species. We conclude that this line of research has revealed cellular and structural distinctions of the PFC and neuronal activity with direct relevance to theories regarding the functions of the PFC. We foresee that data-rich mouse studies will be key to shed light on the general prefrontal architecture and mechanisms underlying cognitive aspects of organized actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Le Merre
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Marie Carlén
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 141 83 Huddinge, Sweden.
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47
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Goff KM, Goldberg EM. A Role for Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Interneurons in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:168-180. [PMID: 33794534 PMCID: PMC8440337 DOI: 10.1159/000515264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
GABAergic inhibitory interneurons of the cerebral cortex expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP-INs) are rapidly emerging as important regulators of network dynamics and normal circuit development. Several recent studies have also identified VIP-IN dysfunction in models of genetically determined neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). In this article, we review the known circuit functions of VIP-INs and how they may relate to accumulating evidence implicating VIP-INs in the mechanisms of prominent NDDs. We highlight recurring VIP-IN-mediated circuit motifs that are shared across cerebral cortical areas and how VIP-IN activity can shape sensory input, development, and behavior. Ultimately, we extract a set of themes that inform our understanding of how VIP-INs influence pathogenesis of NDDs. Using publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing data from the Allen Institute, we also identify several underexplored disease-associated genes that are highly expressed in VIP-INs. We survey these genes and their shared related disease phenotypes that may broadly implicate VIP-INs in autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability rather than epileptic encephalopathy. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the relevance of cell type-specific investigations and therapeutics in the age of genomic diagnosis and targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Goff
- Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ethan M Goldberg
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- The Epilepsy NeuroGenetics Initiative, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Departments of Neurology, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Departments of Neuroscience, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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48
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Naskar S, Qi J, Pereira F, Gerfen CR, Lee S. Cell-type-specific recruitment of GABAergic interneurons in the primary somatosensory cortex by long-range inputs. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108774. [PMID: 33626343 PMCID: PMC7995594 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive hierarchical yet highly reciprocal interactions among cortical areas are fundamental for information processing. However, connectivity rules governing the specificity of such corticocortical connections, and top-down feedback projections in particular, are poorly understood. We analyze synaptic strength from functionally relevant brain areas to diverse neuronal types in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1). Long-range projections from different areas preferentially engage specific sets of GABAergic neurons in S1. Projections from other somatosensory cortices strongly recruit parvalbumin (PV)-positive GABAergic neurons and lead to PV neuron-mediated feedforward inhibition of pyramidal neurons in S1. In contrast, inputs from whisker-related primary motor cortex are biased to vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-positive GABAergic neurons and potentially result in VIP neuron-mediated disinhibition. Regardless of the input areas, somatostatin-positive neurons receive relatively weak long-range inputs. Computational analyses suggest that a characteristic combination of synaptic inputs to different GABAergic IN types in S1 represents a specific long-range input area. Naskar et al. show how functionally relevant brain areas interact with neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex, demonstrating that long-range projections from diverse brain areas differentially recruit specific subtypes of GABAergic neurons in S1, and each distinct subtype of GABAergic neurons differentially affects local network activity in S1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shovan Naskar
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jia Qi
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Francisco Pereira
- Machine Learning Team, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Charles R Gerfen
- Section on Neuroanatomy, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Soohyun Lee
- Unit on Functional Neural Circuits, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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49
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Laing BT, Siemian JN, Sarsfield S, Aponte Y. Fluorescence microendoscopy for in vivo deep-brain imaging of neuronal circuits. J Neurosci Methods 2021; 348:109015. [PMID: 33259847 PMCID: PMC8745022 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.109015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Imaging neuronal activity in awake, behaving animals has become a groundbreaking method in neuroscience that has rapidly enhanced our understanding of how the brain works. In vivo microendoscopic imaging has enabled researchers to see inside the brains of experimental animals and thus has emerged as a technology fit to answer many experimental questions. By combining microendoscopy with cutting edge targeting strategies and sophisticated analysis tools, neuronal activity patterns that underlie changes in behavior and physiology can be identified. However, new users may find it challenging to understand the techniques and to leverage this technology to best suit their needs. Here we present a background and overview of the necessary components for performing in vivo optical calcium imaging and offer some detailed guidance for current recommended approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenton T Laing
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224-6823, USA
| | - Justin N Siemian
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224-6823, USA
| | - Sarah Sarsfield
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224-6823, USA
| | - Yeka Aponte
- Neuronal Circuits and Behavior Unit, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224-6823, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
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50
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Ballaz SJ, Bourin M. Cholecystokinin-Mediated Neuromodulation of Anxiety and Schizophrenia: A "Dimmer-Switch" Hypothesis. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 19:925-938. [PMID: 33185164 PMCID: PMC8686311 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x18666201113145143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholecystokinin (CCK), the most abundant brain neuropeptide, is involved in relevant behavioral functions like memory, cognition, and reward through its interactions with the opioid and dopaminergic systems in the limbic system. CCK excites neurons by binding two receptors, CCK1 and CCK2, expressed at low and high levels in the brain, respectively. Historically, CCK2 receptors have been related to the induction of panic attacks in humans. Disturbances in brain CCK expression also underlie the physiopathology of schizophrenia, which is attributed to the modulation by CCK1 receptors of the dopamine flux in the basal striatum. Despite this evidence, neither CCK2 receptor antagonists ameliorate human anxiety nor CCK agonists have consistently shown neuroleptic effects in clinical trials. A neglected aspect of the function of brain CCK is its neuromodulatory role in mental disorders. Interestingly, CCK is expressed in pivotal inhibitory interneurons that sculpt cortical dynamics and the flux of nerve impulses across corticolimbic areas and the excitatory projections to mesolimbic pathways. At the basal striatum, CCK modulates the excitability of glutamate, the release of inhibitory GABA, and the discharge of dopamine. Here we focus on how CCK may reduce rather than trigger anxiety by regulating its cognitive component. Adequate levels of CCK release in the basal striatum may control the interplay between cognition and reward circuitry, which is critical in schizophrenia. Hence, it is proposed that disturbances in the excitatory/ inhibitory interplay modulated by CCK may contribute to the imbalanced interaction between corticolimbic and mesolimbic neural activity found in anxiety and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago J. Ballaz
- Address correspondence to this author at the School of Biological Sciences & Engineering, Yachay Tech University, Hacienda San José s/n, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Ecuador; Tel: 593 (06) 299 9100, ext. 2626; E-mail:
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