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Enokida T, Hattori K, Okabe K, Noda T, Ota M, Sato N, Ogawa S, Tatsumi M, Hoshino M, Kunugi H, Nakagome K. Possible association of elevated CSF IL-6 levels with anxiety and frustration in psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39317977 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.13743] [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: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
AIM Neuroinflammation is an important causal factor for a variety of psychiatric disorders. We previously reported increased cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 levels in patients with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. The present study aimed to examine the possible association of interleukin-6 levels with anxiety and frustration, negative valence symptoms shared in various psychiatric disorders. METHODS We included 129 patients with psychiatric disorders and 70 controls. CSF and plasma interleukin-6 levels were measured by immunoassay kits, and psychological symptoms were assessed with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale. To examine regional cerebral blood flow, patients underwent arterial spin labeling analysis using magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 levels were significantly correlated with State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-trait anxiety (r = 0.25, P = 0.046) and Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale-autonomy frustration scores (r = 0.29, P = 0.018). Patients with abnormally high cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 levels (defined >97.5 percentile of the controls) had higher scores for trait anxiety (P = 0.035) and autonomy frustration (P = 0.026), and significantly increased regional cerebral blood flow in the left superior temporal gyrus, bilateral nucleus accumbens, and cerebellum than the remaining patients. CONCLUSION Patients with elevated cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 constitute a subpopulation of psychiatric disorders associated with anxiety and autonomy frustration, which may be related to altered functions in specific brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takako Enokida
- Department of Bioresources, Medical Genome Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Cognitive and Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kotaro Hattori
- Department of Bioresources, Medical Genome Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaori Okabe
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takamasa Noda
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Miho Ota
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Noriko Sato
- Department of Radiology, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shintaro Ogawa
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Megumi Tatsumi
- Department of Bioresources, Medical Genome Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikio Hoshino
- Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Cognitive and Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kunugi
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Nakagome
- Department of Psychiatry, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan
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Nadal-Gratacós N, Pazos MD, Pubill D, Camarasa J, Escubedo E, Berzosa X, López-Arnau R. Structure-Activity Relationship of Synthetic Cathinones: An Updated Review. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:2588-2603. [PMID: 39296271 PMCID: PMC11406692 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.4c00299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024]
Abstract
The escalating prevalence of new psychoactive substances (NPSs) poses a significant public health challenge, evidenced by the vast chemical diversity, with over 500 substances reported annually to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime-Early Warning Advisory (UNODC-EWA) in the past five years. Among NPSs, synthetic cathinones are gaining a lot of popularity among users. Notably, synthetic cathinones accounted for approximately 50% of the total quantity of NPSs reported as seized by EU Member States in 2021. Preliminary data from UNODC indicates that a total of 209 synthetic cathinones have been reported to date. As their popularity grows, studying the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of synthetic cathinones is essential. SAR studies elucidate how structural features impact biological effects, aiding in toxicity prediction, regulatory compliance, and forensic identification. Additionally, SAR studies play a pivotal role in guiding drug policies, aiding authorities in categorizing and regulating newly emerging synthetic cathinones, mitigate public health risks and offer valuable insights into potential therapeutic applications. Thus, our Review consolidates recent findings on the effects of different substitutions in the chemical scaffold of synthetic cathinones on their mechanism of action as well as pharmacological and toxicological effects of synthetic cathinones, thus enhancing understanding of the SAR of synthetic cathinones' pharmacology and potential implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Nadal-Gratacós
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Chemical Reactions for Innovative Solutions (CRISOL), IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martalu D Pazos
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Pubill
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Camarasa
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Escubedo
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Berzosa
- Chemical Reactions for Innovative Solutions (CRISOL), IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raúl López-Arnau
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Kim YB, Lee YH, Park SJ, Choi HJ. A unified theoretical framework underlying the regulation of motivated behavior. Bioessays 2024:e2400016. [PMID: 39221529 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
To orchestrate behaviors for survival, multiple psychological components have evolved. The current theories do not clearly distinguish the distinct components. In this article, we provide a unified theoretical framework. To optimize survival, there should be four components; (1) "need", an alarm based on a predicted deficiency. (2) "motivation", a direct behavior driver. (3) "pleasure", a teacher based on immediate outcomes. (4) "utility", a teacher based on final delayed outcomes. For behavior stability, need should be accumulated into motivation to drive behavior. Based on the immediate outcome of the behavior, the pleasure should teach whether to continue the current behavior. Based on the final delay outcome, the utility should teach whether to increase future behavior by reshaping the other three components. We provide several neural substrate candidates in the food context. The proposed theoretical framework, in combination with appropriate experiments, will unravel the neural components responsible for each theoretical component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Been Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Hee Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Shee-June Park
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung Jin Choi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
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Alonso-Caraballo Y, Li Y, Constantino NJ, Neal MA, Driscoll GS, Mavrikaki M, Bolshakov VY, Chartoff EH. Sex-specific behavioral and thalamo-accumbal circuit adaptations after oxycodone abstinence. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.01.605459. [PMID: 39149276 PMCID: PMC11326127 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.01.605459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Opioid use disorder is marked by a progressive change in the motivation to administer the drug even in the presence of negative consequences. After long periods of abstinence, the urge to return to taking the drug intensifies over time, known as incubation of craving. Conditioned responses to drug-related stimuli, can acquire motivational properties and exert control over motivated behaviors leading to relapse. Although, preclinical data suggest that the behavioral expression of opioid use is similar between male and female rodents, we do not have conclusive results on sex differences on craving and relapse across abstinence periods. Here, we investigated the effects of abstinence from oxycodone self-administration on neurotransmission in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) to nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) pathway in male and female rats. Using optogenetics and ex vivo electrophysiology, we assessed synaptic strength and glutamate release probability in this pathway, as well as NAcSh medium spiny neurons (MSN) intrinsic excitability, in slices from rats which were subjected to either 1 (acute) or 14 (prolonged) days of forced abstinence after self-administration. Our results revealed no sex differences in oxycodone self-administration or somatic withdrawal symptoms following acute abstinence. However, we found a sex-specific enhancement in cue-induced relapse after prolonged, but not acute, abstinence from oxycodone self-administration, with females exhibiting higher relapse rates. Notably, prolonged abstinence led to similar increases in synaptic strength at PVT-NAcSh inputs compared to saline controls in both sexes, which was not observed after acute abstinence. Thus, prolonged abstinence results in a time-dependent increase in PVT-NAcSh synaptic strength and sex-specific effects on cue-induced relapse rates. These findings suggest that prolonged abstinence leads to significant synaptic changes, contributing to heightened relapse vulnerability, highlighting the need for targeted therapeutic strategies in opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Alonso-Caraballo
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Y Li
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - N J Constantino
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - M A Neal
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - G S Driscoll
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - M Mavrikaki
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - V Y Bolshakov
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - E H Chartoff
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, USA
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McDougall SJ, Ong ZY, Heller R, Horton A, Thek KK, Choi EA, McNally GP, Lawrence AJ. Viscerosensory signalling to the nucleus accumbens via the solitary tract nucleus. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 39032068 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) receives direct viscerosensory vagal afferent input that drives autonomic reflexes, neuroendocrine function and modulates behaviour. A subpopulation of NTS neurons project to the nucleus accumbens (NAc); however, the function of this NTS-NAc pathway remains unknown. A combination of neuroanatomical tracing, slice electrophysiology and fibre photometry was used in mice and/or rats to determine how NTS-NAc neurons fit within the viscerosensory network. NTS-NAc projection neurons are predominantly located in the medial and caudal portions of the NTS with 54 ± 7% (mice) and 65 ± 3% (rat) being TH-positive, representing the A2 NTS cell group. In horizontal brainstem slices, solitary tract (ST) stimulation evoked excitatory post-synaptic currents (EPSCs) in NTS-NAc projection neurons. The majority (75%) received low-jitter, zero-failure EPSCs characteristic of monosynaptic ST afferent input that identifies them as second order to primary sensory neurons. We then examined whether NTS-NAc neurons respond to cholecystokinin (CCK, 20 μg/kg ip) in vivo in both mice and rats. Surprisingly, there was no difference in the number of activated NTS-NAc cells between CCK and saline-treated mice. In rats, just 6% of NTS-NAc cells were recruited by CCK. As NTS TH neurons are the primary source for NAc noradrenaline, we measured noradrenaline release in the NAc and showed that NAc noradrenaline levels declined in response to cue-induced reward retrieval but not foot shock. Combined, these findings suggest that high-fidelity afferent information from viscerosensory afferents reaches the NAc. These signals are likely unrelated to CCK-sensitive vagal afferents but could interact with other sensory and higher order inputs to modulate learned appetitive behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart J McDougall
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhi Yi Ong
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rosa Heller
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anna Horton
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kimberly K Thek
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Eun A Choi
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gavan P McNally
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Dejoie JM, Senia N, Konova A, Smith D, Fareri D. Common and Distinct Drug Cue Reactivity Patterns Associated with Cocaine and Heroin: An fMRI Meta-Analysis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2024:2023.10.19.23297268. [PMID: 37905133 PMCID: PMC10615011 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.19.23297268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Substance use and substance use disorders represent ongoing major public health crises. Specifically, the use of substances such as cocaine and heroin are responsible for over 50,000 drug related deaths combined annually. We used a comparative meta-analysis procedure to contrast activation patterns associated with cocaine and heroin cue reactivity, which may reflect substance use risk for these substances. PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for studies with within-subject whole brain analyses comparing drug to neutral cues for users of cocaine and heroin published between 1995 and 2022. A total of 18 studies were included, 9 in each subgroup. Voxel-based meta-analyses were performed using seed-based d mapping with permuted subject images (SDM-PSI) for subgroup mean analyses and a contrast meta-regression comparing the two substances. Results from our mean analysis indicated that users of heroin showed more widespread activation in the nucleus accumbens, right inferior and left middle temporal gyrus, right thalamus, and right cerebellum. Cocaine use was associated with recruitment of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during cue reactivity. Direct comparison of cue reactivity studies in heroin relative to cocaine users revealed greater activation in dopaminergic targets for users of heroin compared to users of cocaine. Differential activation patterns between substances may underlie differences in the clinical characteristics observed in users of cocaine and heroin, including seeking emotional blunting in users of heroin. More consistent research methodology is needed to provide adequate studies for stringent meta-analyses examining common and distinct neural activation patterns across substances and moderation by clinically relevant factors.
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Xu P, Park G, Sun X, Ge Q, Jin Z, Lai CH, Liu X, Liu Q, Simha R, Zeng C, Du J, Lu H. Different emotional states engage distinct descending pathways from the prefrontal cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.28.596238. [PMID: 38853906 PMCID: PMC11160632 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.28.596238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Emotion regulation, essential for adaptive behavior, depends on the brain's capacity to process a range of emotions. Current research has largely focused on individual emotional circuits without fully exploring how their interaction influences physiological responses or understanding the neural mechanisms that differentiate emotional valence. Using in vivo calcium imaging, electrophysiology, and optogenetics, we examined neural circuit dynamics in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), targeting two key areas: the basal lateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Our results demonstrate distinct activation patterns in the mPFC→BLA and mPFC→NAc pathways in response to social stimuli, indicating a mechanism for discriminating emotions: increased mPFC→BLA activity signals anxiety, while heightened mPFC→NAc responses are linked to exploration. Additionally, chronic emotional states amplify activity in these pathways-positivity enhances mPFC→NAc, while negativity boosts mPFC→BLA. This study sheds light on the nuanced neural circuitry involved in emotion regulation, revealing the pivotal roles of mPFC projections in emotional processing. Identifying these specific circuits engaged by varied emotional states advances our understanding of emotional regulation's biological underpinnings and highlights potential targets for addressing emotional dysregulation in psychiatric conditions. Significance statement While existing circuitry studies have underscored the significance of emotional circuits, the majority of research has concentrated on individual circuits. The assessment of whether and how the balance among multiple circuits influences overall physiological outcomes is often overlooked. This study delves into the neural underpinnings of emotion regulation, focusing on how positive and negative valences are discriminated and managed. By examining the specific pathways from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to key emotional centers-the basal lateral amygdala (BLA) for negative valence and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) for positive one-we uncovered a novel dual-balanced neural circuit mechanism that enables this essential aspect of human cognition.
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Peng X, Connolly DJ, Sutton F, Robinson J, Baker-Vogel B, Short EB, Badran BW. Non-invasive suppression of the human nucleus accumbens (NAc) with transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) modulates the reward network: a pilot study. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1359396. [PMID: 38628972 PMCID: PMC11018963 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1359396] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key node of the brain reward circuit driving reward-related behavior. Dysregulation of NAc has been demonstrated to contribute to pathological markers of addiction in substance use disorder (SUD) making it a potential therapeutic target for brain stimulation. Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is an emerging non-invasive brain stimulation approach that can modulate deep brain regions with a high spatial resolution. However, there is currently no evidence showing how the brain activity of NAc and brain functional connectivity within the reward network neuromodulated by tFUS on the NAc. Methods In this pilot study, we carried out a single-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the underlying mechanism of tFUS neuromodulating the reward network through NAc in ten healthy adults. Specifically, the experiment consists of a 20-min concurrent tFUS/fMRI scan and two 24-min resting-state fMRI before and after the tFUS session. Results Firstly, our results demonstrated the feasibility and safety of 20-min tFUS on NAc. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that bilateral NAc was inhibited during tFUS on the left NAc compared to sham. Lastly, increased functional connectivity between the NAc and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was observed after tFUS on the left NAc, but no changes for the sham group. Conclusion Delivering tFUS to the NAc can modulate brain activations and functional connectivity within the reward network. These preliminary findings suggest that tFUS could be potentially a promising neuromodulation tool for the direct and non-invasive management of the NAc and shed new light on the treatment for SUD and other brain diseases that involve reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolong Peng
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neuro-X Lab, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Assari S, Sheikhattari P. Sex Differences in the Relationship Between Nucleus Accumbens Volume and Youth Tobacco or Marijuana Use Following Stressful Life Events. JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH & CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 8:1-13. [PMID: 38751734 PMCID: PMC11095827 DOI: 10.29245/2578-2959/2024/2.1305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Background Exposure to stressful life events (SLEs) can upset balance and affect the healthy brain development of children and youths. These events may influence substance use by altering brain reward systems, especially the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which plays a key role in motivated behaviors and reward processing. The interaction between sensitization to SLEs, depression, and substance use might vary between male and female youths, potentially due to differences in how each sex responds to SLEs. Aims This study aims to examine the effect of sex on the relationship between SLEs, Nucleus Accumbens activity, and substance use in a nationwide sample of young individuals. Methods We utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study (ABCD), a longitudinal study of pre-adolescents aged 9-10 years, comprising 11,795 participants tracked over 36 months. Structured interviews measuring SLEs were conducted using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS). Initial linear regression analyses explored if SLEs could predict volumes of the right and left NAc. Subsequently, Cox regression models were used to investigate how SLEs and NAc volume might predict the initiation of tobacco and marijuana use, with the analysis stratified by sex to address potential sex differences. Results Our findings reveal that SLEs significantly predicted marijuana use in males but not in females, and tobacco use was influenced by SLEs in both sexes. A higher number of SLEs was linked with decreased left NAc volume in males, a trend not seen in females. The right NAc volume did not predict substance use in either sex. However, volumes of both the right and left NAc were significant predictors of future tobacco use, with varying relationships across sexes. In females, an inverse relationship was observed between both NAc volumes and the risk of tobacco use. In contrast, a positive correlation existed between the left NAc volume and tobacco and marijuana use in males, with no such relationship for females. Conclusion This study underscores that the associations between SLEs, NAc volume, and subsequent substance use are influenced by a nuanced interplay of sex, brain hemisphere, and substance type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shervin Assari
- Department of Internal Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Urban Public Health, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Zachry JE, Kutlu MG, Yoon HJ, Leonard MZ, Chevée M, Patel DD, Gaidici A, Kondev V, Thibeault KC, Bethi R, Tat J, Melugin PR, Isiktas AU, Joffe ME, Cai DJ, Conn PJ, Grueter BA, Calipari ES. D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens core have distinct and valence-independent roles in learning. Neuron 2024; 112:835-849.e7. [PMID: 38134921 PMCID: PMC10939818 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.023] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
At the core of value-based learning is the nucleus accumbens (NAc). D1- and D2-receptor-containing medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the NAc core are hypothesized to have opposing valence-based roles in behavior. Using optical imaging and manipulation approaches in mice, we show that neither D1 nor D2 MSNs signal valence. D1 MSN responses were evoked by stimuli regardless of valence or contingency. D2 MSNs were evoked by both cues and outcomes, were dynamically changed with learning, and tracked valence-free prediction error at the population and individual neuron level. Finally, D2 MSN responses to cues were necessary for associative learning. Thus, D1 and D2 MSNs work in tandem, rather than in opposition, by signaling specific properties of stimuli to control learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Zachry
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Munir Gunes Kutlu
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Hye Jean Yoon
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Michael Z Leonard
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Maxime Chevée
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Dev D Patel
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Anthony Gaidici
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Veronika Kondev
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Kimberly C Thibeault
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Rishik Bethi
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Jennifer Tat
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Patrick R Melugin
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Atagun U Isiktas
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Max E Joffe
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, USA
| | - Denise J Cai
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - P Jeffrey Conn
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Brad A Grueter
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Erin S Calipari
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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11
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Kirk‐Provencher KT, Hakimi RH, Andereas K, Penner AE, Gowin JL. Neural response to threat and reward among young adults at risk for alcohol use disorder. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13378. [PMID: 38334006 PMCID: PMC10898840 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13378] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is heritable. Thus, young adults with positive family histories represent an at-risk group relative to those without a family history, and if studied at a time when both groups have similar levels of alcohol use, it provides an opportunity to identify neural processing patterns associated with risk for AUD. Previous studies have shown that diminished response to potential reward is associated with genetic risk for AUD, but it is unclear how threat may modulate this response. We used a modified Monetary Incentive Delay task during fMRI to examine neural correlates of the interaction between threat and reward anticipation in a sample of young adults with (n = 31) and without (n = 44) family histories of harmful alcohol use. We found an interaction (p = 0.048) between cue and group in the right nucleus accumbens where the family history positive group showed less differentiation to the anticipation of gaining $5 and losing $5 relative to gaining $0. The family history-positive group also reported less excitement for trials to gain $5 relative to gaining $0 (p < 0.001). Family history-positive individuals showed less activation in the left insula during both safe and threat blocks compared to family history-negative individuals (p = 0.005), but the groups did not differ as a function of threat (p > 0.70). Young adults with, relative to without, enriched risk for AUD may have diminished reward processing via both neural and behavioural markers to potential rewarding and negative consequences. Neural response to threat may not be a contributing factor to risk at this stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn T. Kirk‐Provencher
- Department of Radiology, School of MedicineUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Rosa H. Hakimi
- Department of Radiology, School of MedicineUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Keinada Andereas
- Department of Radiology, School of MedicineUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Anne E. Penner
- Department of Psychiatry, School of MedicineUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
| | - Joshua L. Gowin
- Department of Radiology, School of MedicineUniversity of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAuroraColoradoUSA
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12
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Shih CW, Chang CH. Anatomical analyses of collateral prefrontal cortex projections to the basolateral amygdala and the nucleus accumbens core in rats. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:97-114. [PMID: 37910300 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02722-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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) share some similar behavioral functions, such as associative learning, Pavlovian to instrumental transfer, and choice behavior. However, their prefrontal anatomical inputs have not been well characterized before, especially the collateral projections. In this study, we analyzed the distribution and collateralization of projections to the BLA and the NAcc from the prefrontal cortices (PFC), including the prelimbic (PL) and the infralimbic (IL) divisions of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the subregions of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), such as the medial OFC (MO), the lateral OFC (LO), and the ventral OFC (VO). Double retrograde tracing approach was used, in which Cholera toxin subunit B conjugated with the Alexa Fluor 488 (CTB-AF488) or Alexa Fluor 594 (CTB-AF594) were unilaterally injected into the BLA and the NAcc, respectively, in male Long-Evans rats (n = 6). Among the sampled neurons, prefrontal projection to the BLA or the NAcc is more robust on the ipsilateral side, and more robust from the PL, the IL, and the MO compared to from the LO and the VO. The majority of the projections from the PFC to the BLA and/or the NAcc are confined in deep layer. In addition, for each of the prefrontal areas, about 15-25% BLA-projecting neurons send collateral projections to the NAcc, and vice versa. In conclusion, our data suggested that prefrontal control over the BLA and the NAcc is not entirely independent. The functional importance of the collateral projections awaits further examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Wei Shih
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Kuang-fu Rd, Sec 2, No 101, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Kuang-fu Rd, Sec 2, No 101, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hui Chang
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, National Tsing Hua University, Kuang-fu Rd, Sec 2, No 101, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
- Brain Research Center, National Tsing Hua University, Kuang-fu Rd, Sec 2, No 101, Hsinchu, 30013, Taiwan.
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13
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Johnson CS, Chapp AD, Lind EB, Thomas MJ, Mermelstein PG. Sex differences in mouse infralimbic cortex projections to the nucleus accumbens shell. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:87. [PMID: 38082417 PMCID: PMC10712109 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00570-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an important region in motivation and reward. Glutamatergic inputs from the infralimbic cortex (ILC) to the shell region of the NAc (NAcSh) have been implicated in driving the motivation to seek reward through repeated action-based behavior. While this has primarily been studied in males, observed sex differences in motivational circuitry and behavior suggest that females may be more sensitive to rewarding stimuli. These differences have been implicated for the observed vulnerability in women to substance use disorders. METHODS We used an optogenetic self-stimulation task in addition to ex vivo electrophysiological recordings of NAcSh neurons in mouse brain slices to investigate potential sex differences in ILC-NAcSh circuitry in reward-seeking behavior. Glutamatergic neurons in the ILC were infected with an AAV delivering DNA encoding for channelrhodopsin. Entering the designated active corner of an open field arena resulted in photostimulation of the ILC terminals in the NAcSh. Self-stimulation occurred during two consecutive days of testing over three consecutive weeks: first for 10 Hz, then 20 Hz, then 30 Hz. Whole-cell recordings of medium spiny neurons in the NAcSh assessed both optogenetically evoked local field potentials and intrinsic excitability. RESULTS Although both sexes learned to seek the active zone, within the first day, females entered the zone more than males, resulting in a greater amount of photostimulation. Increasing the frequency of optogenetic stimulation amplified female reward-seeking behavior. Males were less sensitive to ILC stimulation, with higher frequencies and repeated days required to increase male reward-seeking behavior. Unexpectedly, ex vivo optogenetic local field potentials in the NAcSh were greater in slices from male animals. In contrast, female medium-spiny neurons (MSNs) displayed significantly greater intrinsic neuronal excitability. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data indicate that there are sex differences in the motivated behavior driven by glutamate within the ILC-NAcSh circuit. Though glutamatergic signaling was greater in males, heightened intrinsic excitability in females appears to drive this sex difference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline S Johnson
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Andrew D Chapp
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Erin B Lind
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Mark J Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Paul G Mermelstein
- Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, 4-140 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota, 3-432 McGuire Translational Research Facility, 2001 6th St SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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14
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Kim J, Nam S, Kim DH, Lee SK, Jung HW, Kim CH, Chang JG, Roh D. Frontal EEG response to alcohol craving elicited by individually tailored video cues. Alcohol 2023; 112:1-7. [PMID: 37225110 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most findings on the pathophysiology of alcoholism are based on studies using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG). There are few studies on cue-induced craving and on its utility as an electrophysiological index. We examined quantitative EEG (qEEG) activities in alcoholics and social drinkers exposed to video cues and compared their association with subjective alcohol craving and other related psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety and depression. METHODS This is a between-subjects design. Adult male alcoholics (n = 34) and healthy social drinkers (n = 33) participated. In a laboratory, EEGs were recorded while the participants were presented with craving-inducing video stimuli. Measures used were the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for subjective alcohol craving, Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ), Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test (MAST), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. RESULTS One-way analysis of covariance with age showed that alcoholics had significantly increased beta activity in the right DLPFC region (F4) (F = 4.029, p = 0.049), compared to social drinkers when craving-inducing stimuli were presented. Beta activity at the F4 electrode was positively correlated with AUQ (r = .284, p = 0.021), BAI (r = .398, p = 0.001), BDI (r = .291, p = 0.018), and changes in VAS (r = .292, p = 0.017) scores in both alcoholics and social drinkers. In alcoholics, beta activity was significantly correlated with BAI (r = .392, p = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS These findings imply functional importance of hyperarousal and negative emotions upon exposure to craving-inducing cues. Frontal EEG indices with beta power could serve as an objective electrophysiological index of craving induced by individually tailored video cues in alcohol consumption behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiheon Kim
- Mind-neuromodulation Laboratory, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangkyu Nam
- Mind-neuromodulation Laboratory, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Do Hoon Kim
- Mind-neuromodulation Laboratory, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Kyu Lee
- Mind-neuromodulation Laboratory, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Han Wool Jung
- Mind-neuromodulation Laboratory, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan-Hyung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Behavioural Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jhin Goo Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, Myongi Hospital, Hanyang University College of Medicine, Goyang, South Korea
| | - Daeyoung Roh
- Mind-neuromodulation Laboratory, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
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15
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Parise LF, Iñiguez SD, Warren BL, Parise EM, Bachtell RK, Dietz D, Nestler EJ, Bolaños-Guzmán CA. Viral-mediated expression of Erk2 in the nucleus accumbens regulates responses to rewarding and aversive stimuli. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.03.560689. [PMID: 37873069 PMCID: PMC10592906 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.03.560689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Second-messenger signaling within the mesolimbic reward circuit is involved in both the long-lived effects of stress and in the underlying mechanisms that promote drug abuse liability. To determine the direct role of kinase signaling within the nucleus accumbens, specifically mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (ERK2), in mood- and drug-related behavior, we used a herpes-simplex virus to up- or down-regulate ERK2 in adult male rats. We then exposed rats to a battery of behavioral tasks including the elevated plus-maze, open field test, forced-swim test, conditioned place preference, and finally cocaine self-administration. Herein, we show that viral overexpression or knockdown of ERK2 in the nucleus accumbens induces distinct behavioral phenotypes. Specifically, over expression of ERK2 facilitated depression- and anxiety-like behavior while also increasing sensitivity to cocaine. Conversely, down-regulation of ERK2 attenuated behavioral deficits, while blunting sensitivity to cocaine. Taken together, these data implicate ERK2 signaling, within the nucleus accumbens, in the regulation of affective behaviors and modulating sensitivity to the rewarding properties of cocaine.
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16
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Kaushik S, Ahmad F, Choudhary S, Mathkor DM, Mishra BN, Singh V, Haque S. Critical appraisal and systematic review of genes linked with cocaine addiction, depression and anxiety. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105270. [PMID: 37271299 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent lifestyle changes have resulted in tremendous peer pressure and mental stress, and increased the incidences of chronic psychological disorders; like addiction, depression and anxiety (ADA). In this context, the stress-tolerance levels vary amongst individuals and genetic factors play prominent roles. Vulnerable individuals may often be drawn towards drug-addiction to combat stress. This systematic review critically appraises the relationship of various genetic factors linked with the incidences of ADA development. For coherence, we focused solely on cocaine as a substance of abuse in this study. Online scholarly databases were used to screen pertinent literature using apt keywords; and the final retrieval included 42 primary-research articles. The major conclusion drawn from this systematic analysis states that there are 51 genes linked with the development of ADA; and 3 (BDNF, PERIOD2 and SLC6A4) of them are common to all the three aspects of ADA. Further, inter-connectivity analyses of the 51 genes further endorsed the central presence of BDNF and SLC6A4 genes in the development of ADA disorders. The conclusions derived from this systematic study pave the way for future studies for the identification of diagnostic biomarkers and drug targets; and for the development of novel and effective therapeutic regimens against ADA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shradhha Kaushik
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow 226021, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Faraz Ahmad
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio-Sciences and Technology (SBST), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India
| | - Sunita Choudhary
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow 226021, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Darin Mansor Mathkor
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bhartendu Nath Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow 226021, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Vineeta Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Engineering and Technology, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University, Lucknow 226021, Uttar Pradesh, India.
| | - Shafiul Haque
- Research and Scientific Studies Unit, College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia; Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, Lebanon; Centre of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, the United Arab Emirates.
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17
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Kondev V, Najeed M, Loomba N, Brown J, Winder DG, Grueter BA, Patel S. Synaptic and cellular endocannabinoid signaling mechanisms regulate stress-induced plasticity of nucleus accumbens somatostatin neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2300585120. [PMID: 37590414 PMCID: PMC10450650 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2300585120] [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: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Interneuron populations within the nucleus accumbens (NAc) orchestrate excitatory-inhibitory balance, undergo experience-dependent plasticity, and gate-motivated behavior, all biobehavioral processes heavily modulated by endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) signaling. While eCBs are well known to regulate synaptic plasticity onto NAc medium spiny neurons and modulate NAc function at the behavioral level, how eCBs regulate NAc interneuron function is less well understood. Here, we show that eCB signaling differentially regulates glutamatergic and feedforward GABAergic transmission onto NAc somatostatin-expressing interneurons (NAcSOM+) in an input-specific manner, while simultaneously increasing postsynaptic excitability of NAcSOM+ neurons, ultimately biasing toward vHPC (ventral hippocampal), and away from BLA (basolateral amygdalalar), activation of NAcSOM+ neurons. We further demonstrate that NAcSOM+ are activated by stress in vivo and undergo stress-dependent plasticity, evident as a global increase in intrinsic excitability and an increase in excitation-inhibition balance specifically at vHPC, but not BLA, inputs onto NAcSOM+ neurons. Importantly, both forms of stress-induced plasticity are dependent on eCB signaling at cannabinoid type 1 receptors. These findings reveal eCB-dependent mechanisms that sculpt afferent input and excitability of NAcSOM+ neurons and demonstrate a key role for eCB signaling in stress-induced plasticity of NAcSOM+-associated circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Kondev
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
| | | | - Niharika Loomba
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
| | - Jordan Brown
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
| | - Danny G. Winder
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37232
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN27323
| | - Brad A. Grueter
- Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN27323
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN37232
| | - Sachin Patel
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL60611
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18
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Guillaumin MCC, Viskaitis P, Bracey E, Burdakov D, Peleg-Raibstein D. Disentangling the role of NAc D1 and D2 cells in hedonic eating. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3531-3547. [PMID: 37402855 PMCID: PMC10618099 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02131-x] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Overeating is driven by both the hedonic component ('liking') of food, and the motivation ('wanting') to eat it. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key brain center implicated in these processes, but how distinct NAc cell populations encode 'liking' and 'wanting' to shape overconsumption remains unclear. Here, we probed the roles of NAc D1 and D2 cells in these processes using cell-specific recording and optogenetic manipulation in diverse behavioral paradigms that disentangle reward traits of 'liking' and 'wanting' related to food choice and overeating in healthy mice. Medial NAc shell D2 cells encoded experience-dependent development of 'liking', while D1 cells encoded innate 'liking' during the first food taste. Optogenetic control confirmed causal links of D1 and D2 cells to these aspects of 'liking'. In relation to 'wanting', D1 and D2 cells encoded and promoted distinct aspects of food approach: D1 cells interpreted food cues while D2 cells also sustained food-visit-length that facilitates consumption. Finally, at the level of food choice, D1, but not D2, cell activity was sufficient to switch food preference, programming subsequent long-lasting overconsumption. By revealing complementary roles of D1 and D2 cells in consumption, these findings assign neural bases to 'liking' and 'wanting' in a unifying framework of D1 and D2 cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde C C Guillaumin
- Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Paulius Viskaitis
- Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Eva Bracey
- Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Denis Burdakov
- Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland
| | - Daria Peleg-Raibstein
- Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, 8603, Schwerzenbach, Switzerland.
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19
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Koyun AH, Stock AK, Beste C. Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the differential effect of reward prospect on response selection and inhibition. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10903. [PMID: 37407656 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37524-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Reward and cognitive control play crucial roles in shaping goal-directed behavior. Yet, the behavioral and neural underpinnings of interactive effects of both processes in driving our actions towards a particular goal have remained rather unclear. Given the importance of inhibitory control, we investigated the effect of reward prospect on the modulatory influence of automatic versus controlled processes during response inhibition. For this, a performance-contingent monetary reward for both correct response selection and response inhibition was added to a Simon NoGo task, which manipulates the relationship of automatic and controlled processes in Go and NoGo trials. A neurophysiological approach was used by combining EEG temporal signal decomposition and source localization methods. Compared to a non-rewarded control group, rewarded participants showed faster response execution, as well as overall lower response selection and inhibition accuracy (shifted speed-accuracy tradeoff). Interestingly, the reward group displayed a larger interference of the interactive effects of automatic versus controlled processes during response inhibition (i.e., a larger Simon NoGo effect), but not during response selection. The reward-specific behavioral effect was mirrored by the P3 amplitude, underlining the importance of stimulus-response association processes in explaining variability in response inhibition performance. The selective reward-induced neurophysiological modulation was associated with lower activation differences in relevant structures spanning the inferior frontal and parietal cortex, as well as higher activation differences in the somatosensory cortex. Taken together, this study highlights relevant neuroanatomical structures underlying selective reward effects on response inhibition and extends previous reports on the possible detrimental effect of reward-triggered performance trade-offs on cognitive control processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Helin Koyun
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany.
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- Biopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, School of Science, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Schubertstrasse 42, 01309, Dresden, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University Neuropsychology Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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20
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Monroe SC, Radke AK. Opioid withdrawal: role in addiction and neural mechanisms. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:1417-1433. [PMID: 37162529 PMCID: PMC11166123 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06370-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Withdrawal from opioids involves a negative affective state that promotes maintenance of drug-seeking behavior and relapse. As such, understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying withdrawal from opioid drugs is critical as scientists and clinicians seek to develop new treatments and therapies. In this review, we focus on the neural systems known to mediate the affective and somatic signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal, including the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, basolateral amygdala, extended amygdala, and brain and hormonal stress systems. Evidence from preclinical studies suggests that these systems are altered following opioid exposure and that these changes mediate behavioral signs of negative affect such as aversion and anxiety during withdrawal. Adaptations in these systems also parallel the behavioral and psychological features of opioid use disorder (OUD), highlighting the important role of withdrawal in the development of addictive behavior. Implications for relapse and treatment are discussed as well as promising avenues for future research, with the hope of promoting continued progress toward characterizing neural contributors to opioid withdrawal and compulsive opioid use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean C Monroe
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, USA
| | - Anna K Radke
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, Miami University, 90 N Patterson Ave, Oxford, OH, USA.
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21
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Godino A, Salery M, Durand-de Cuttoli R, Estill MS, Holt LM, Futamura R, Browne CJ, Mews P, Hamilton PJ, Neve RL, Shen L, Russo SJ, Nestler EJ. Transcriptional control of nucleus accumbens neuronal excitability by retinoid X receptor alpha tunes sensitivity to drug rewards. Neuron 2023; 111:1453-1467.e7. [PMID: 36889314 PMCID: PMC10164098 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
The complex nature of the transcriptional networks underlying addictive behaviors suggests intricate cooperation between diverse gene regulation mechanisms that go beyond canonical activity-dependent pathways. Here, we implicate in this process a nuclear receptor transcription factor, retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRα), which we initially identified bioinformatically as associated with addiction-like behaviors. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of male and female mice, we show that although its own expression remains unaltered after cocaine exposure, RXRα controls plasticity- and addiction-relevant transcriptional programs in both dopamine receptor D1- and D2-expressing medium spiny neurons, which in turn modulate intrinsic excitability and synaptic activity of these NAc cell types. Behaviorally, bidirectional viral and pharmacological manipulation of RXRα regulates drug reward sensitivity in both non-operant and operant paradigms. Together, this study demonstrates a key role for NAc RXRα in promoting drug addiction and paves the way for future studies of rexinoid signaling in psychiatric disease states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur Godino
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Marine Salery
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Romain Durand-de Cuttoli
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Molly S Estill
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Leanne M Holt
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Rita Futamura
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Caleb J Browne
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Philipp Mews
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Peter J Hamilton
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Scott J Russo
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
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22
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Brancato A, Castelli V, Cannizzaro C, Tringali G. Adolescent binge-like alcohol exposure dysregulates NPY and CGRP in rats: Behavioural and immunochemical evidence. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2023; 123:110699. [PMID: 36565980 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol binge drinking during adolescence impacts affective behaviour, possibly impinging on developing neural substrates processing affective states, including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Here, we modelled binge-like alcohol exposure in adolescence, by administering 3.5 g/kg alcohol per os, within 1 h, to male adolescent rats every other day, from postnatal day 35 to 54. The effects on positive and negative affective behaviour during abstinence were explored including: consummatory behaviour and weight gain; social behaviour in the modified social interaction test; thermal nociception in the tail-flick test; psychosocial stress coping in the resident-intruder paradigm. Moreover, CGRP and NPY levels were evaluated in functionally relevant brain regions. Our data shows that binge-like intermittent alcohol administration during adolescence decreased weight gain, social preference and motivation, nociception, and active psychosocial stress coping during abstinence. In addition, intermittent alcohol-exposed rats displayed increased expression of CGRP and NPY in the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens; decreased NPY levels in the amygdala; opposite changes in CGRP levels in the hypothalamus and brainstem. Overall, our data shows that adolescent binge-like alcohol exposure, through the allostatic load of alternate intoxication and withdrawal, produces long-term consequences in sensory and affective processes and dysregulated complementary neuropeptidergic systems. Thus, neuropeptide-targeted interventions hold promising potential for addressing negative affect during prolonged withdrawal in young subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Brancato
- University of Palermo, Dept. of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence "G. D'Alessandro", piazza delle Cliniche 2, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
| | - Valentina Castelli
- University of Palermo, Dept. of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, via del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Carla Cannizzaro
- University of Palermo, Dept. of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, via del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Tringali
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Health Care Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, 00168 Rome, Italy
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23
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He ZX, Xi K, Liu KJ, Yue MH, Wang Y, Yin YY, Liu L, He XX, Yu HL, Xing ZK, Zhu XJ. A Nucleus Accumbens Tac1 Neural Circuit Regulates Avoidance Responses to Aversive Stimuli. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054346. [PMID: 36901777 PMCID: PMC10001899 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural circuits that control aversion are essential for motivational regulation and survival in animals. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays an important role in predicting aversive events and translating motivations into actions. However, the NAc circuits that mediate aversive behaviors remain elusive. Here, we report that tachykinin precursor 1 (Tac1) neurons in the NAc medial shell regulate avoidance responses to aversive stimuli. We show that NAcTac1 neurons project to the lateral hypothalamic area (LH) and that the NAcTac1→LH pathway contributes to avoidance responses. Moreover, the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) sends excitatory inputs to the NAc, and this circuit is involved in the regulation of avoidance responses to aversive stimuli. Overall, our study reveals a discrete NAc Tac1 circuit that senses aversive stimuli and drives avoidance behaviors.
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24
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Russman Block S, Norman LJ, Zhang X, Mannella KA, Yang H, Angstadt M, Abelson JL, Himle JA, Taylor SF, Fitzgerald KD. Resting-State Connectivity and Response to Psychotherapy Treatment in Adolescents and Adults With OCD: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Am J Psychiatry 2023; 180:89-99. [PMID: 36475374 PMCID: PMC10956516 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.21111173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cortical-subcortical hyperconnectivity related to affective-behavioral integration and cortical network hypoconnectivity related to cognitive control have been demonstrated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); the study objective was to examine whether these connectivity patterns predict treatment response. METHODS Adolescents (ages 12-17) and adults (ages 24-45) were randomly assigned to 12 sessions of exposure and response prevention (ERP) or stress management therapy (SMT), an active control. Before treatment, resting-state connectivity of ventromedial prefrontal cortical (vmPFC), cingulo-opercular, frontoparietal, and subcortical regions was assessed with functional MRI. OCD severity was assessed with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale before, during, and after treatment. Usable fMRI and longitudinal symptom data were obtained from 116 patients (68 female; 54 adolescents; 60 medicated). RESULTS ERP produced greater decreases in symptom scores than SMT. ERP was selectively associated with less vmPFC-subcortical (caudate and thalamus) connectivity in both age groups and primarily in unmedicated participants. Greater symptom improvement with both ERP and SMT was associated with greater cognitive-control (cingulo-opercular and frontoparietal) and subcortical (putamen) connectivity across age groups. Developmental specificity was observed across ERP and SMT treatments, such that greater improvements with ERP than SMT were associated with greater frontoparietal-subcortical (nucleus accumbens) connectivity in adolescents but greater connectivity between frontoparietal regions in adults. Comparison of response-predictive connections revealed no significant differences compared with a matched healthy control group. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that less vmPFC-subcortical connectivity related to affect-influenced behavior may be important for ERP engagement, whereas greater cognitive-control and motor circuit connectivity may generally facilitate response to psychotherapy. Finally, neural predictors of treatment response may differ by age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Russman Block
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Luke J Norman
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Xiaoxi Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Kristin A Mannella
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Huan Yang
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Mike Angstadt
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - James L Abelson
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Joseph A Himle
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Stephan F Taylor
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
| | - Kate D Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry (Russman Block, Norman, Zhang, Mannella, Angstadt, Abelson, Himle, Taylor, Fitzgerald) and School of Social Work (Himle), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Changzhi Medical College, Changzhi, China (Zhang); Department of Psychiatry, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (Yang); Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York (Fitzgerald)
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25
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Williams AV, Peña CJ, Ramos-Maciel S, Laman-Maharg A, Ordoñez-Sanchez E, Britton M, Durbin-Johnson B, Settles M, Hao R, Yokoyama S, Xu C, Luo PX, Dwyer T, Bhela S, Black AM, Labonté B, Serafini RA, Ruiz A, Neve RL, Zachariou V, Nestler EJ, Trainor BC. Comparative Transcriptional Analyses in the Nucleus Accumbens Identifies RGS2 as a Key Mediator of Depression-Related Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 92:942-951. [PMID: 36075764 PMCID: PMC9794384 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses worldwide, with a higher prevalence in women than in men. Although currently available pharmacological therapeutics help many individuals, they are not effective for most. Animal models have been important for the discovery of molecular alterations in stress and depression, but difficulties in adapting animal models of depression for females has impeded progress in developing novel therapeutic treatments that may be more efficacious for women. METHODS Using the California mouse social defeat model, we took a multidisciplinary approach to identify stress-sensitive molecular targets that have translational relevance for women. We determined the impact of stress on transcriptional profiles in male and female California mouse nucleus accumbens (NAc) and compared these results with data from postmortem samples of the NAc from men and women diagnosed with major depressive disorder. RESULTS Our cross-species computational analyses identified Rgs2 (regulator of G protein signaling 2) as a transcript downregulated by social defeat stress in female California mice and in women with major depressive disorder. RGS2 plays a key role in signal regulation of neuropeptide and neurotransmitter receptors. Viral vector-mediated overexpression of Rgs2 in the NAc restored social approach and sucrose preference in stressed female California mice. CONCLUSIONS These studies show that Rgs2 acting in the NAc has functional properties that translate to changes in anxiety- and depression-related behavior. Future studies should investigate whether targeting Rgs2 represents a novel target for treatment-resistant depression in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Catherine J Peña
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton, New Jersey
| | | | | | - Evelyn Ordoñez-Sanchez
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California; Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Monica Britton
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | | | - Matt Settles
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, UC Davis Genome Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Rebecca Hao
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Sae Yokoyama
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Christine Xu
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Pei X Luo
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Tjien Dwyer
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Shanu Bhela
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Alexis M Black
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California
| | - Benoit Labonté
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York; Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Laval University, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Randal Alex Serafini
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Anne Ruiz
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Rachael L Neve
- Gene Delivery Technology Core, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Venetia Zachariou
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California.
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26
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The Sleep-Reward-Pain Pathway Model: an Integrative Review. CURRENT SLEEP MEDICINE REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40675-022-00232-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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27
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Chen Y, Zhang L, Ding Z, Wu X, Wang G, Shi J. Effects of 3-methylmethcathinone on conditioned place preference and anxiety-like behavior: Comparison with methamphetamine. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:975820. [PMID: 35935336 PMCID: PMC9354685 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.975820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), a drug belonging to synthetic cathinones family, raised public attention due to its harmful health effects and abuse potential. Although it has similar properties to other cathinone derivatives, the behavioral effects of 3-MMC remain largely unknown. In the present research, we evaluated the rewarding effect of 3-MMC using conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm and its effect on anxiety-like behavior using elevated plus maze (EPM) and compared with methamphetamine (METH). Then, we performed a whole-brain c-Fos mapping to identify the specific brain regions in response to 3-MMC exposure and explored the changes of synaptic transmission in nucleus accumbens (NAc) using patch-clamp recording after chronic 3-MMC and METH exposure. 3-MMC induced CPP at higher doses of 3 or 10 mg/kg in rats and acute exposure of 3 mg/kg 3-MMC to rats produced anxiolytic-like effect, while anxiety-like behavior was increased after 7 days of injection with 3-MMC. Whole-brain immunostaining revealed increased c-Fos expression in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), NAc and ventral tegmental area (VTA) after chronic 3-MMC injection compared with saline, which was similar to METH. Especially, 3-MMC induced more neural activation of VTA compared with METH. Finally, we found that amplitude of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in NAc was decreased after chronic 3-MMC injection, while frequency of sIPSCs and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) were not affected. Taken together, our results revealed the addictive potential of 3-MMC and its effect on anxiety-like behavior, which warn the risks of 3-MMC abuse and justify the control of synthetic cathinones. And 3-MMC selectively inhibit inhibitory but not excitatory transmission onto neurons in NAc, which may contribute to its effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Chen
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Libo Zhang
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Shenzhen Public Service Platform for Clinical Application of Medical Imaging, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Drug Addiction and Medication Safety, Department of Ultrasound, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zengbo Ding
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xianwen Wu
- Department of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Peking University Health Sciences Center, Beijing, China
| | - Guibin Wang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Guibin Wang,
| | - Jie Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
- The State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China
- The Key Laboratory for Neuroscience of the Ministry of Education and Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Jie Shi,
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28
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Anti-obesity weight loss medications: Short-term and long-term use. Life Sci 2022; 306:120825. [PMID: 35870619 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
As obesity prevalence increases, more and more drugs that assist with weight loss have been developed. Numerous weight loss drugs had been approved, but many have also been withdrawn based on their lack of efficacy as well as safety concerns. Initial approaches in developing weight loss drugs was by increasing physiological energy expenditure and suppressing the appetite. Subsequently, as more physiological mechanisms for weight gain has been unearthed, drugs targeting newly discovered receptors and/or enzymes have been introduced with improved safety profiles and fewer psychological adverse events. Additionally, drugs targeting hunger or satiety signaling have been actively studied, and have shown increased adoption by physicians. Studies have also evaluated drugs that target metabolic tissues-such as adipose tissue or muscle-to promote weight loss, however to-date nothing has carried on into clinical practice. Starting with a brief history of early obesity treatments, this review evaluates current weight loss pharmaceutical options based on their duration of therapy status.
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29
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Mair RG, Francoeur MJ, Krell EM, Gibson BM. Where Actions Meet Outcomes: Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Central Thalamus, and the Basal Ganglia. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:928610. [PMID: 35864847 PMCID: PMC9294389 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.928610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) interacts with distributed networks that give rise to goal-directed behavior through afferent and efferent connections with multiple thalamic nuclei and recurrent basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits. Recent studies have revealed individual roles for different thalamic nuclei: mediodorsal (MD) regulation of signaling properties in mPFC neurons, intralaminar control of cortico-basal ganglia networks, ventral medial facilitation of integrative motor function, and hippocampal functions supported by ventral midline and anterior nuclei. Large scale mapping studies have identified functionally distinct cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical subnetworks that provide a structural basis for understanding information processing and functional heterogeneity within the basal ganglia. Behavioral analyses comparing functional deficits produced by lesions or inactivation of specific thalamic nuclei or subregions of mPFC or the basal ganglia have elucidated the interdependent roles of these areas in adaptive goal-directed behavior. Electrophysiological recordings of mPFC neurons in rats performing delayed non-matching-to position (DNMTP) and other complex decision making tasks have revealed populations of neurons with activity related to actions and outcomes that underlie these behaviors. These include responses related to motor preparation, instrumental actions, movement, anticipation and delivery of action outcomes, memory delay, and spatial context. Comparison of results for mPFC, MD, and ventral pallidum (VP) suggest critical roles for mPFC in prospective processes that precede actions, MD for reinforcing task-relevant responses in mPFC, and VP for providing feedback about action outcomes. Synthesis of electrophysiological and behavioral results indicates that different networks connecting mPFC with thalamus and the basal ganglia are organized to support distinct functions that allow organisms to act efficiently to obtain intended outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert G. Mair
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Miranda J. Francoeur
- Neural Engineering and Translation Labs, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Erin M. Krell
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Brett M. Gibson
- Department of Psychology, The University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
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30
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Liu Y, Zhang H. RNA m6A Modification Changes in Postmortem Nucleus Accumbens of Subjects with Alcohol Use Disorder: A Pilot Study. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:958. [PMID: 35741720 PMCID: PMC9222907 DOI: 10.3390/genes13060958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a key brain structure mediating the rewarding effect of alcohol and drug abuse. Chronic alcohol consumption may alter RNA methylome (or epitranscriptome) in the NAc, leading to altered gene expression and thus behavioral neuroadaptation to alcohol. METHODS This pilot study profiled the epitranscriptomes of mRNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs) in postmortem NAc of three male Caucasian subjects with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and three matched male Caucasian control subjects using Arraystar's m6A-mRNA&lncRNA Epitranscriptomic Microarray assay. Differentially methylated (DM) RNAs and the function of DM RNAs were analyzed by biostatistics and bioinformatics programs. RESULTS 26 mRNAs were hypermethylated and three mRNAs were hypomethylated in the NAc of AUD subjects (≥2-fold changes and p ≤ 0.05). Most of these 29 DM mRNAs are involved in immune-related pathways (e.g., IL-17 signaling). Moreover, four lncRNAs were hypermethylated and one lncRNA was hypomethylated in the NAc of AUD subjects (≥2-fold changes and p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, three miRNAs were hypermethylated in the NAc of AUD subjects (≥2-fold changes and p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study revealed RNA methylomic changes in the NAc of AUD subjects, suggesting that chronic alcohol consumption may lead to AUD through epitranscriptomic RNA modifications. Our findings need to be replicated in a larger sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Huiping Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA;
- Department of Medicine (Biomedical Genetics), Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
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Hamel L, Cavdaroglu B, Yeates D, Nguyen D, Riaz S, Patterson D, Khan N, Kirolos N, Roper K, Ha QA, Ito R. Cortico-Striatal Control over Adaptive Goal-Directed Responding Elicited by Cues Signaling Sucrose Reward or Punishment. J Neurosci 2022; 42:3811-3822. [PMID: 35351827 PMCID: PMC9087743 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2175-21.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been associated with the expression of adaptive and maladaptive behavior elicited by fear-related and drug-associated cues. However, reported effects of mPFC manipulations on cue-elicited natural reward-seeking and inhibition thereof have been varied, with few studies examining cortico-striatal contributions in tasks that require adaptive responding to cues signaling reward and punishment within the same session. The current study aimed to better elucidate the role of mPFC and NAc subdivisions, and their functional connectivity in cue-elicited adaptive responding using a novel discriminative cue responding task. Male Long-Evans rats learned to lever-press on a VR5 schedule for a discriminative cue signaling reward, and to avoid pressing the same lever in the presence of another cue signaling punishment. Postacquisition, prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) areas of the mPFC, NAc core, shell, PL-core, or IL-shell circuits were pharmacologically or chemogenetically inhibited while animals performed under (1) nonreinforced (extinction) conditions, where the appetitive and aversive cues were presented in alternating trials alone or as a compound stimulus; and (2) reinforced conditions, whereby cued responding was accompanied by associated outcomes. PL and IL inactivation attenuated nonreinforced and reinforced goal-directed cue responding, whereas NAc core and shell inactivation impaired nonreinforced responding for the appetitive, but not aversive cue. Furthermore, PL-core and IL-shell inhibition disinhibited nonreinforced but not reinforced cue responding. Our findings implicate the mPFC as a site of confluence of motivationally significant cues and outcomes, and in the regulation of nonreinforced cue responding via downstream NAc targets.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to discriminate and respond appropriately to environmental cues that signal availability of reward or punishment is essential for survival. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) have been implicated in adaptive and maladaptive behavior elicited by fear-related and drug-associated cues. However, less is known about the role they play in orchestrating adaptive responses to natural reward and punishment cues within the same behavioral task. Here, using a novel discriminative cue responding task combined with pharmacological or chemogenetic inhibition of mPFC, NAc and mPFC-NAc circuits, we report that mPFC is critically involved in responding to changing cued response-outcomes, both when the responses are reinforced, and nonreinforced. Furthermore, the mPFC coordinates nonreinforced discriminative cue responding by suppressing inappropriate responding via downstream NAc targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Hamel
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Bilgehan Cavdaroglu
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Dylan Yeates
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - David Nguyen
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Sadia Riaz
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Dylan Patterson
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5 Canada
| | - Nisma Khan
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Nardin Kirolos
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Katherine Roper
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Quynh An Ha
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Rutsuko Ito
- Department of Psychology (Scarborough), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G5 Canada
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Maya-Romero AM, Dodd GE, Landin JD, Zaremba HK, Allen OF, Bilbow MA, Hammaker RD, Santerre-Anderson JL. Adolescent high-fructose corn syrup consumption leads to dysfunction in adult affective behaviors and mesolimbic proteins in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 419:113687. [PMID: 34838930 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a critical period of development, during which the brain undergoes rapid maturation. Problematically, adolescents are the top consumers of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) sweetened beverages and snacks, which may have neurodevelopmental consequences. While HFCS consumption has been linked to an increased likelihood of obesity and other physical health impairments, the link between HFCS and persistent behavioral changes is not yet fully established. The present study aimed to assess whether adolescent HFCS consumption could lead to alterations in adult behaviors and protein expression, following cessation. Adolescent HFCS-exposure contributed to deficits in learning and motivation on an effort-related T-Maze procedure, as well as increased immobility time in the forced swim paradigm during adulthood. Molecularly, protracted decreases in accumbal dopamine D1 and D2 receptors and protein kinase G (PKG), as well as increases in tyrosine hydroxylase and GluA2 receptor subunits, were observed following HFCS-exposure. Taken together, these data suggest that adolescent HFCS-consumption leads to protracted dysfunction in affective behaviors and alterations in accumbal proteins which persist following cessation of HFCS-consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex M Maya-Romero
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - Gina E Dodd
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - Justine D Landin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Helen K Zaremba
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - Omar F Allen
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - Mackenzie A Bilbow
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - Rhyce D Hammaker
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
| | - Jessica L Santerre-Anderson
- Department of Psychology, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, King's College, Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA.
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A non-canonical GABAergic pathway to the VTA promotes unconditioned freezing. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:4905-4917. [PMID: 36127430 PMCID: PMC9763111 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01765-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Freezing is a conserved defensive behaviour that constitutes a major stress-coping mechanism. Decades of research have demonstrated a role of the amygdala, periaqueductal grey and hypothalamus as core actuators of the control of fear responses, including freezing. However, the role that other modulatory sites provide to this hardwired scaffold is not known. Here, we show that freezing elicited by exposure to electrical foot shocks activates laterodorsal tegmentum (LDTg) GABAergic neurons projecting to the VTA, without altering the excitability of cholinergic and glutamatergic LDTg neurons. Selective chemogenetic silencing of this inhibitory projection, but not other LDTg neuronal subtypes, dampens freezing responses but does not prevent the formation of conditioned fear memories. Conversely, optogenetic-activation of LDTg GABA terminals within the VTA drives freezing responses and elicits bradycardia, a common hallmark of freezing. Notably, this aversive information is subsequently conveyed from the VTA to the amygdala via a discrete GABAergic pathway. Hence, we unveiled a circuit mechanism linking LDTg-VTA-amygdala regions, which holds potential translational relevance for pathological freezing states such as post-traumatic stress disorders, panic attacks and social phobias.
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Trofimova IN, Gaykalova AA. Emotionality vs. Other Biobehavioural Traits: A Look at Neurochemical Biomarkers for Their Differentiation. Front Psychol 2021; 12:781631. [PMID: 34987450 PMCID: PMC8720768 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.781631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This review highlights the differential contributions of multiple neurochemical systems to temperament traits related and those that are unrelated to emotionality, even though these systems have a significant overlap. The difference in neurochemical biomarkers of these traits is analysed from the perspective of the neurochemical model, Functional Ensemble of Temperament (FET) that uses multi-marker and constructivism principles. Special attention is given to a differential contribution of hypothalamic-pituitary hormones and opioid neuropeptides implicated in both emotional and non-emotional regulation. The review highlights the role of the mu-opioid receptor system in dispositional emotional valence and the role of the kappa-opioid system in dispositional perceptual and behavioural alertness. These opioid receptor (OR) systems, microbiota and cytokines are produced in three neuroanatomically distinct complexes in the brain and the body, which all together integrate dispositional emotionality. In contrast, hormones could be seen as neurochemical biomarkers of non-emotional aspects of behavioural regulation related to the construction of behaviour in fast-changing and current situations. As examples of the role of hormones, the review summarised their contribution to temperament traits of Sensation Seeking (SS) and Empathy (EMP), which FET considers as non-emotionality traits related to behavioural orientation. SS is presented here as based on (higher) testosterone (fluctuating), adrenaline and (low) cortisol systems, and EMP, as based on (higher) oxytocin, reciprocally coupled with vasopressin and (lower) testosterone. Due to the involvement of gonadal hormones, there are sex and age differences in these traits that could be explained by evolutionary theory. There are, therefore, specific neurochemical biomarkers differentiating (OR-based) dispositional emotionality and (hormones-based) body's regulation in fast-changing events. Here we propose to consider dispositional emotionality associated with OR systems as emotionality in a true sense, whereas to consider hormonal ensembles regulating SS and EMP as systems of behavioural orientation and not emotionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina N. Trofimova
- Laboratory of Collective Intelligence, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Reduction of DNMT3a and RORA in the nucleus accumbens plays a causal role in post-traumatic stress disorder-like behavior: reversal by combinatorial epigenetic therapy. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7481-7497. [PMID: 34253866 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01178-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an incapacitating trauma-related disorder, with no reliable therapy. Although PTSD has been associated with epigenetic alterations in peripheral white blood cells, it is unknown where such changes occur in the brain, and whether they play a causal role in PTSD. Using an animal PTSD model, we show distinct DNA methylation profiles of PTSD susceptibility in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Data analysis revealed overall hypomethylation of different genomic CG sites in susceptible animals. This was correlated with the reduction in expression levels of the DNA methyltransferase, DNMT3a. Since epigenetic changes in diseases involve different gene pathways, rather than single candidate genes, we next searched for pathways that may be involved in PTSD. Analysis of differentially methylated sites identified enrichment in the RAR activation and LXR/RXR activation pathways that regulate Retinoic Acid Receptor (RAR) Related Orphan Receptor A (RORA) activation. Intra-NAc injection of a lentiviral vector expressing either RORA or DNMT3a reversed PTSD-like behaviors while knockdown of RORA and DNMT3a increased PTSD-like behaviors. To translate our results into a potential pharmacological therapeutic strategy, we tested the effect of systemic treatment with the global methyl donor S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), for supplementing DNA methylation, or retinoic acid, for activating RORA downstream pathways. We found that combined treatment with the methyl donor SAM and retinoic acid reversed PTSD-like behaviors. Thus, our data point to a novel approach to the treatment of PTSD, which is potentially translatable to humans.
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36
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Functional Connectivity of Nucleus Accumbens Is Associated with Lifelong Premature Ejaculation in Male Adults : A Resting-state fMRI Study. Clin Neuroradiol 2021; 32:655-663. [PMID: 34714363 DOI: 10.1007/s00062-021-01105-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Ejaculation represents a crucial component of sexual behavior in men, which is involved in reward functions of certain brain areas including the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). Lifelong premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most prevalent sexual dysfunctions in men. It is suggested to be related to abnormal brain function. This study aimed to explore changes of the functional connectivity patterns of NAcc and possible correlations of the neuroimaging abnormalities with clinical features in lifelong PE patients. METHODS The sample consisted with 42 lifelong PE patients and 30 healthy controls. All participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging scans and clinical symptoms. The functional connectivity (FC) approach was applied to investigate differences of NAcc-seed intrinsic connectivity between two groups and correlation analysis was used to access possible relationships between the imaging findings and clinical features, such as premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT) or intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT). RESULTS Results showed that lifelong PE patients had decreased FC between the NAcc and thalamus, superior temporal pole, superior temporal cortex (STC), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), orbitofrontal cortex, caudate and putamen. A significantly negative correlation between the PEDT score and NAcc-STC connectivity (r = -0.46) was found in lifelong PE patients, while IELT score positively correlated with the NAcc-IFG connectivity (r = 0.48) and NAcc-thalamus connectivity (r = 0.46). CONCLUSION The findings may facilitate a more sophisticated understanding of neural mechanisms of lifelong PE, particularly associated with the NAcc-related intrinsic connectivity during the resting state.
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37
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Vadakkan KI. Framework for internal sensation of pleasure using constraints from disparate findings in nucleus accumbens. World J Psychiatry 2021; 11:681-695. [PMID: 34733636 PMCID: PMC8546768 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v11.i10.681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
It is necessary to find a mechanism that generates first-person inner sensation of pleasure to understand what causes addiction and associated behaviour by drugs of abuse. The actual mechanism is expected to explain several disparate findings in nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region associated with pleasure, in an interconnected manner. Previously, it was possible to derive a mechanism for natural learning and explain: (1) Generation of inner sensation of memory using changes generated by learning; and (2) Long-term potentiation as an experimental delayed scaled-up change by the same mechanism that occur during natural learning. By extending these findings and by using disparate third person observations in NAc from several studies, present work provides a framework of a mechanism that generates internal sensation of pleasure that can provide interconnected explanations for: (1) Ability to induce robust long-term depression (LTD) in NAc from naïve animals; (2) Impaired ability to induce LTD in “addicted” state; (3) Attenuation of postsynaptic potentials by cocaine; and (4) Reduced firing of medium spiny neurons in response to cocaine or dopamine. Findings made by this work are testable.
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38
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Dynamics of Dendritic Spines in Dorsal Striatum after Retrieval of Moderate and Strong Inhibitory Avoidance Learning. Neuroscience 2021; 497:134-145. [PMID: 34648867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In marked contrast to the ample literature showing that the dorsal striatum is engaged in memory consolidation, little is known about its involvement in memory retrieval. Recent findings demonstrated significant increments in dendritic spine density and mushroom spine counts in dorsal striatum after memory consolidation of moderate inhibitory avoidance (IA) training; further increments were found after strong training. Here, we provide evidence that in this region spine counts were also increased as a consequence of retrieval of moderate IA training, and even higher mushroom spine counts after retrieval of strong training; by contrast, there were fewer thin spines after retrieval. Similar changes in mushroom and thin spine populations were found in the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens), but they were related to the aversive stimulation and not to memory retrieval. These results suggest that memory retrieval is a dynamic process which produces neuronal structural plasticity that might be necessary for maintaining or strengthening assemblies that encode stored information.
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Kong J, Gao S, He X, Zhang N, Huang J, Ji P, Yao S, Ren X, Wang Y, Gong Y, Guo F. GABAergic neurons in the nucleus accumbens regulate hedonic food intake via orexin-A expression in the lateral hypothalamus. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BASIC MEDICAL SCIENCES 2021; 24:1272-1278. [PMID: 35083015 PMCID: PMC8751738 DOI: 10.22038/ijbms.2021.58140.12923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the regulatory effects of the nucleus accumbens (NAcSh)-lateral hypothalamus (LHA) GABAergic neural pathway on palatable food (PF) intake via orexin-A expression in diet-induced obesity (DIO) rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS NAcSh-LHA GABAergic pathways were observed by fluorogold retrograde tracing combined with fluorescence immunohistochemistry, and the regulatory effects of this neural pathway on PF intake were detected after 1) microinjection of GABA-A receptor agonist muscimol (MUS) or antagonist bicuculine (BIC) into LHA, 2) electrical stimulation NAcSh, and 3) blocking the orexin-A receptor by icv SB334867. RESULTS Compared with rats on a normal diet (ND), NAcSh-LHA GABAergic neurons in the DIO rats were significantly decreased, and orexin-A expression in LHA significantly increased (P<0.05). Microinjection of MUS into LHA significantly decreased the PF intake in both ND and DIO rats (P<0.05), and BIC could markedly increase the PF intake in the ND rats (P<0.05), but not the DIO rats (P>0.05). After NAcSh electrical stimulation or SB334867 ICV injection, the PF intake was significantly decreased in the DIO rats (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference after preadministration of BIC into LHA (P>0.05). CONCLUSION This GABAergic pathway could regulate the expression of orexin-A in LHA and PF intake. Orexin-A neurons in LHA of DIO rats might be less sensitive to GABAergic signals and may consequently lead to more hedonic food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jieting Kong
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shengli Gao
- Department of Special Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoman He
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Nana Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jinfang Huang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Pengfei Ji
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Shouheng Yao
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiang Ren
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yiru Wang
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanling Gong
- Department of Pharmacy, College of Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Feifei Guo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China,Corresponding author: Feifei Guo. Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China. Tel: +86-532-82991713,
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40
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Chen Y. Neural Representation of Costs and Rewards in Decision Making. Brain Sci 2021; 11:1096. [PMID: 34439715 PMCID: PMC8391424 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11081096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Decision making is crucial for animal survival because the choices they make based on their current situation could influence their future rewards and could have potential costs. This review summarises recent developments in decision making, discusses how rewards and costs could be encoded in the brain, and how different options are compared such that the most optimal one is chosen. The reward and cost are mainly encoded by the forebrain structures (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex, orbitofrontal cortex), and their value is updated through learning. The recent development on dopamine and the lateral habenula's role in reporting prediction errors and instructing learning will be emphasised. The importance of dopamine in powering the choice and accounting for the internal state will also be discussed. While the orbitofrontal cortex is the place where the state values are stored, the anterior cingulate cortex is more important when the environment is volatile. All of these structures compare different attributes of the task simultaneously, and the local competition of different neuronal networks allows for the selection of the most appropriate one. Therefore, the total value of the task is not encoded as a scalar quantity in the brain but, instead, as an emergent phenomenon, arising from the computation at different brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixuan Chen
- Queens' College, University of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB3 9ET, UK
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41
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Hjorth OR, Frick A, Gingnell M, Hoppe JM, Faria V, Hultberg S, Alaie I, Månsson KNT, Wahlstedt K, Jonasson M, Lubberink M, Antoni G, Fredrikson M, Furmark T. Expression and co-expression of serotonin and dopamine transporters in social anxiety disorder: a multitracer positron emission tomography study. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3970-3979. [PMID: 31822819 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin and dopamine are putatively involved in the etiology and treatment of anxiety disorders, but positron emission tomography (PET) studies probing the two neurotransmitters in the same individuals are lacking. The aim of this multitracer PET study was to evaluate the regional expression and co-expression of the transporter proteins for serotonin (SERT) and dopamine (DAT) in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Voxel-wise binding potentials (BPND) for SERT and DAT were determined in 27 patients with SAD and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, using the radioligands [11C]DASB (3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile) and [11C]PE2I (N-(3-iodopro-2E-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methylphenyl)nortropane). Results showed that, within transmitter systems, SAD patients exhibited higher SERT binding in the nucleus accumbens while DAT availability in the amygdala, hippocampus, and putamen correlated positively with symptom severity. At a more lenient statistical threshold, SERT and DAT BPND were also higher in other striatal and limbic regions in patients, and correlated with symptom severity, whereas no brain region showed higher binding in healthy controls. Moreover, SERT/DAT co-expression was significantly higher in SAD patients in the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen, and posterior ventral thalamus, while lower co-expression was noted in the dorsomedial thalamus. Follow-up logistic regression analysis confirmed that SAD diagnosis was significantly predicted by the statistical interaction between SERT and DAT availability, in the amygdala, putamen, and dorsomedial thalamus. Thus, SAD was associated with mainly increased expression and co-expression of the transporters for serotonin and dopamine in fear and reward-related brain regions. Resultant monoamine dysregulation may underlie SAD symptomatology and constitute a target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof R Hjorth
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,The Beijer Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Malin Gingnell
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johanna M Hoppe
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vanda Faria
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Department of Anesthesiology Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sara Hultberg
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Iman Alaie
- Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristoffer N T Månsson
- Centre for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kurt Wahlstedt
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - My Jonasson
- Department of Surgical Sciences-Nuclear medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mark Lubberink
- Department of Surgical Sciences-Nuclear medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Antoni
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Fredrikson
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Furmark
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Smagin DA, Babenko VN, Redina OE, Kovalenko IL, Galyamina AG, Kudryavtseva NN. Reduced Expression of Slc Genes in the VTA and NAcc of Male Mice with Positive Fighting Experience. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12071099. [PMID: 34356115 PMCID: PMC8306410 DOI: 10.3390/genes12071099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A range of several psychiatric medications targeting the activity of solute carrier (SLC) transporters have proved effective for treatment. Therefore, further research is needed to elucidate the expression profiles of the Slc genes, which may serve as markers of altered brain metabolic processes and neurotransmitter activities in psychoneurological disorders. We studied the Slc differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using transcriptomic profiles in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of control and aggressive male mice with psychosis-like behavior induced by repeated experience of aggression accompanied with wins in daily agonistic interactions. The majority of the Slc DEGs were shown to have brain region-specific expression profiles. Most of these genes in the VTA and NAcc (12 of 17 and 25 of 26, respectively) were downregulated, which was not the case in the PFC (6 and 5, up- and downregulated, respectively). In the VTA and NAcc, altered expression was observed for the genes encoding the transporters of neurotransmitters as well as inorganic and organic ions, amino acids, metals, glucose, etc. This indicates an alteration in transport functions for many substrates, which can lead to the downregulation or even disruption of cellular and neurotransmitter processes in the VTA and NAcc, which are attributable to chronic stimulation of the reward systems induced by positive fighting experience. There is not a single Slc DEG common to all three brain regions. Our findings show that in male mice with repeated experience of aggression, altered activity of neurotransmitter systems leads to a restructuring of metabolic and neurotransmitter processes in a way specific for each brain region. We assume that the scoring of Slc DEGs by the largest instances of significant expression co-variation with other genes may outline a candidate for new prognostic drug targets. Thus, we propose that the Slc genes set may be treated as a sensitive genes marker scaffold in brain RNA-Seq studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry A. Smagin
- Neuropathology Modeling Laboratory, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (D.A.S.); (V.N.B.); (O.E.R.); (I.L.K.); (A.G.G.)
- Neurogenetics of Social Behavior Sector, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Vladimir N. Babenko
- Neuropathology Modeling Laboratory, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (D.A.S.); (V.N.B.); (O.E.R.); (I.L.K.); (A.G.G.)
| | - Olga E. Redina
- Neuropathology Modeling Laboratory, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (D.A.S.); (V.N.B.); (O.E.R.); (I.L.K.); (A.G.G.)
| | - Irina L. Kovalenko
- Neuropathology Modeling Laboratory, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (D.A.S.); (V.N.B.); (O.E.R.); (I.L.K.); (A.G.G.)
- Neurogenetics of Social Behavior Sector, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Anna G. Galyamina
- Neuropathology Modeling Laboratory, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (D.A.S.); (V.N.B.); (O.E.R.); (I.L.K.); (A.G.G.)
- Neurogenetics of Social Behavior Sector, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Natalia N. Kudryavtseva
- Neuropathology Modeling Laboratory, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (D.A.S.); (V.N.B.); (O.E.R.); (I.L.K.); (A.G.G.)
- Neurogenetics of Social Behavior Sector, The FRC Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia
- Correspondence:
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McCullough KM, Missig G, Robbie MA, Foilb AR, Wells AM, Hartmann J, Anderson KJ, Neve RL, Nestler EJ, Ressler KJ, Carlezon WA. Nucleus Accumbens Medium Spiny Neuron Subtypes Differentially Regulate Stress-Associated Alterations in Sleep Architecture. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:1138-1149. [PMID: 33715826 PMCID: PMC8178228 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. These conditions share core features, including motivational deficits, heighted anxiety, and sleep dysregulation. Chronic stress produces these same features in rodents, with some individuals being susceptible or resilient, as seen in humans. While stress-induced neuroadaptations within the nucleus accumbens are implicated in susceptibility-related dysregulation of motivational and emotional behaviors, their effects on sleep are unclear. METHODS We used chemogenetics (DREADDs [designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs]) to examine the effects of selective alterations in activity of nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons expressing dopamine D1 receptors (D1-MSNs) or dopamine D2 receptors (D2-MSNs) on sleep-related end points. Mice were implanted with wireless transmitters enabling continuous collection of data to quantify vigilance states over a 20-day test period. Parallel cohorts were examined in behavioral tests assessing stress susceptibility. RESULTS D1- and D2-MSNs play dissociable roles in sleep regulation. Stimulation of inhibitory or excitatory DREADDs expressed in D1-MSNs exclusively affects rapid eye movement sleep, whereas targeting D2-MSNs affects slow wave sleep. The combined effects of D1-MSN inhibition and D2-MSN activation on sleep resemble those of chronic social defeat stress. Alterations in D1-MSN function also affect stress susceptibility in social behavior tests. Elevation of CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein) within D1-MSNs is sufficient to produce stress-like effects on rapid eye movement sleep. CONCLUSIONS In addition to regulation of motivational and emotional behaviors, the nucleus accumbens also influences sleep, an end point with high translational relevance. These findings provide a neural basis for comorbidity in key features of stress-related illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth M. McCullough
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Galen Missig
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Mykel A. Robbie
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Allison R. Foilb
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Audrey M. Wells
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Jakob Hartmann
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Kasey J. Anderson
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - Rachael L. Neve
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Eric J. Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Kerry J. Ressler
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - William A. Carlezon
- Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Corresponding Author: William A. Carlezon, Jr., Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, USA,
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A pilot study on the association between the blood oxygen level-dependent signal in the reward system and dopamine transporter availability in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. CNS Spectr 2021; 26:299-306. [PMID: 32308185 DOI: 10.1017/s1092852920001133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is well-known that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with changes in the dopaminergic system. However, the relationship between central dopaminergic tone and the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal during receipt of rewards and penalties in the corticostriatal pathway in adults with ADHD is unclear. METHODS Single-photon emission computed tomography with [99mTC]TRODAT-1 was used to assess striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) availability. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted on subjects performing the Iowa Gambling Test. RESULT DAT availability was found to be associated with the BOLD response, which was a covariate of monetary loss, in the medial prefrontal cortex (r = 0.55, P = .03), right ventral striatum (r = 0.69, P = .003), and right orbital frontal cortex (r = 0.53, P = .03) in adults with ADHD. However, a similar correlation was not found in the controls. CONCLUSIONS The results confirmed that dopaminergic tone may play a different role in the penalty-elicited response of adults with ADHD. It is plausible that a lower neuro-threshold accompanied by insensitivity to punishment could be exacerbated by the hypodopaminergic tone in ADHD.
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Rodríguez-Rivera C, Pérez-Ortiz JM, Pook E, Conjaerts N, Alguacil LF, González-Martín C. Clusterin overexpression as a potential neuroprotective response to the pathological effects of high fat dieting on the brain reward system. Food Chem Toxicol 2021; 152:112186. [PMID: 33838178 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2021.112186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
High-fat diets (HFDs) can lead to pathological changes in the brain underlying several behavioral disturbances (e.g., reward deficiency). To further increase our knowledge of these associations, we studied the sucrose reward and the brain expression of clusterin, a protein that is overexpressed after several kind of brain damaging conditions. C57BL/6J male mice were differentially fed on an HFD or standard chow for 41 days and underwent 11 sucrose place conditioning sessions followed by 4 extinction sessions to monitor the effects of HFD on sucrose reward by means of free choice tests. We quantified clusterin expression by immunochemistry in the nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum and cingulate cortex. HFD tended to provoke a transient potentiation in the acquisition of sucrose-conditioned place preference, but this effect was followed by a much more consistent reduction in sucrose preference, which spontaneously disappeared after 31 days of an HFD with no need for extinction learning. The HFD mice showed higher clusterin expression in the nucleus accumbens but not in the other brain areas studied. The results confirm that HFDs strongly influence the rewarding properties of palatable foods and suggest a direct connection with neurotoxic alterations in the brain reward system tagged by clusterin overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Rodríguez-Rivera
- Facultad de Farmacia and Instituto de Estudios de las Adicciones, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Campus Montepríncipe, 28925, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Manuel Pérez-Ortiz
- Unidad de Investigación Traslacional, Hospital General Universitario de Ciudad Real, Obispo Rafael Torija s/n, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Pook
- Facultad de Farmacia and Instituto de Estudios de las Adicciones, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Campus Montepríncipe, 28925, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nina Conjaerts
- Facultad de Farmacia and Instituto de Estudios de las Adicciones, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Campus Montepríncipe, 28925, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis F Alguacil
- Facultad de Farmacia and Instituto de Estudios de las Adicciones, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Campus Montepríncipe, 28925, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carmen González-Martín
- Facultad de Farmacia and Instituto de Estudios de las Adicciones, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Campus Montepríncipe, 28925, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
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46
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Jiang X, Zhang JJ, Song S, Li Y, Sui N. The duration of withdrawal affects the muscarinic signaling in the nucleus accumbens after chronic morphine exposure in neonatal rats. J Neurophysiol 2021; 125:2228-2236. [PMID: 33978485 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00441.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The infants experience withdrawal from opiates, and time-dependent adaptations in neuronal activity of nucleus accumbens (NAc) may be crucial for this process. A key adaptation is an increased release of acetylcholine. The present study investigates muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) functions in the NAc at short-term (SWT) and long-term (LWT) withdrawal time following chronic morphine exposure in neonatal rats. The inhibitory role of presynaptic mAChRs activation in spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in medium spiny neurons was decreased at LWT but not at SWT. Whereas, the excitatory role of post/extrasynaptic mAChRs activation in membrane currents was reduced at LWT but enhanced at SWT. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of acute morphine on post/extrasynaptic mAChRs-mediated inward currents was enhanced at SWT but not at LWT. These results suggest that withdrawal from morphine leads to downregulation of presynaptic and post/extrasynaptic mAChRs functions in the NAc, which may coregulate the development of withdrawal in neonates.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We investigated for the first time how the duration of withdrawal affects mAChRs functions in the nucleus accumbens in neonatal rats. Compared with short-term withdrawal time, rats showed downregulation of presynaptic and post/extrasynaptic mAChRs functions during long-term withdrawal time. Our finding introduces a new possible correlation between the mAChRs dysfunction in the nucleus accumbens and the development of withdrawal in neonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Medical Psychology, School of Mental Health and Psychological Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian-Jun Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Sen Song
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonghui Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Nan Sui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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47
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Bracht T, Soravia L, Moggi F, Stein M, Grieder M, Federspiel A, Tschümperlin R, Batschelet HM, Wiest R, Denier N. The role of the orbitofrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens for craving in alcohol use disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:267. [PMID: 33947835 PMCID: PMC8097061 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01384-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate structural and functional alterations of the reward system and the neurobiology of craving in alcohol use disorder (AUD). We hypothesized reduced volume of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), reduced structural connectivity of the segment of the supero-lateral medial forebrain bundle connecting the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) with the NAcc (OFC-NAcc), and reduced resting-state OFC-NAcc functional connectivity (FC). Furthermore, we hypothesized that craving is related to an increase of OFC-NAcc FC. Thirty-nine recently abstinent patients with AUD and 18 healthy controls (HC) underwent structural (T1w-MP2RAGE, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)) and functional (resting-state fMRI) MRI-scans. Gray matter volume of the NAcc, white matter microstructure (fractional anisotropy (FA)) and macrostructure (tract length) of the OFC-NAcc connection and OFC-NAcc FC were compared between AUD and HC using a mixed model MANCOVA controlling for age and gender. Craving was assessed using the thoughts subscale of the obsessive-compulsive drinking scale (OCDS) scale and was correlated with OFC-NAcc FC. There was a significant main effect of group. Results were driven by a volume reduction of bilateral NAcc, reduced FA in the left hemisphere, and reduced tract length of bilateral OFC-NAcc connections in AUD patients. OFC-NAcc FC did not differ between groups. Craving was associated with increased bilateral OFC-NAcc FC. In conclusion, reduced volume of the NAcc and reduced FA and tract length of the OFC-NAcc network suggest structural alterations of the reward network in AUD. Increased OFC-NAcc FC is associated with craving in AUD, and may contribute to situational alcohol-seeking behavior in AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Bracht
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Leila Soravia
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Clinic Suedhang, Kirchlindach, Switzerland
| | - Franz Moggi
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Maria Stein
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Grieder
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Raphaela Tschümperlin
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Hallie M Batschelet
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roland Wiest
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Niklaus Denier
- University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Sanna F, De Luca MA. The potential role of oxytocin in addiction: What is the target process? Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 58:8-20. [PMID: 33845377 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin regulates a variety of centrally-mediated functions, ranging from socio-sexual behavior, maternal care, and affiliation to fear, stress, anxiety. In the past years, both clinical and preclinical studies characterized oxytocin for its modulatory role on reward-related neural substrates mainly involving the interplay with the mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic pathways. This suggests a role of this nonapeptide on the neurobiology of addiction raising the possibility of its therapeutic use. Although far from a precise knowledge of the underlying mechanisms, the putative role of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis as a key structure where oxytocin may rebalance altered neurochemical processes and neuroplasticity involved in dependence and relapse has been highlighted. This view opens new opportunities to address the health problems related to drug misuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Sanna
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari 09042, Italy
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49
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Ruiz CM, Torrens A, Castillo E, Perrone CR, Cevallos J, Inshishian VC, Harder EV, Justeson DN, Huestis MA, Swarup V, Piomelli D, Mahler SV. Pharmacokinetic, behavioral, and brain activity effects of Δ 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in adolescent male and female rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:959-969. [PMID: 32927465 PMCID: PMC8115040 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00839-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the intoxicating constituent of cannabis and is responsible for the drug's reinforcing effects. Retrospective human studies suggest that cannabis use during adolescence is linked to long-term negative psychological outcomes, but in such studies it is difficult to distinguish the effects of THC from those of coexisting factors. Therefore, translationally relevant animal models are required to properly investigate THC effects in adolescents. However, though the relevance of these studies depends upon human-relevant dosing, surprisingly little is known about THC pharmacology and its effects on behavior and brain activity in adolescent rodents-especially in females. Here, we conducted a systematic investigation of THC pharmacokinetics, metabolism and distribution in blood and brain, and of THC effects upon behavior and neural activity in adolescent Long Evans rats of both sexes. We administered THC during an early-middle adolescent window (postnatal days 27-45) in which the brain may be particularly sensitive to developmental perturbation by THC. We determined the pharmacokinetic profile of THC and its main first-pass metabolites (11-hydroxy-THC and 11-nor-9-carboxy-THC) in blood and brain following acute injection (0.5 or 5 mg/kg, intraperitoneal). We also evaluated THC effects on behavioral assays of anxiety, locomotion, and place conditioning, as well as c-Fos expression in 14 brain regions. Confirming previous work, we find marked sex differences in THC metabolism, including a female-specific elevation in the bioactive metabolite 11-hydroxy-THC. Furthermore, we find dose-dependent and sex-dependent effects on behavior, neural activity, and functional connectivity across multiple nodes of brain stress and reward networks. Our findings are relevant for interpreting results of rat adolescent THC exposure studies, and may lend new insights into how THC impacts the brain in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M. Ruiz
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Alexa Torrens
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Erik Castillo
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Christina R. Perrone
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA ,grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Jenny Cevallos
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Victoria C. Inshishian
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA ,grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Eden V. Harder
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Drew N. Justeson
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Marilyn A. Huestis
- grid.265008.90000 0001 2166 5843Institute of Emerging Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107 USA
| | - Vivek Swarup
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. .,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA. .,Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.
| | - Stephen V. Mahler
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
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50
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Wallin CM, Bowen SE, Brummelte S. Opioid use during pregnancy can impair maternal behavior and the Maternal Brain Network: A literature review. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 86:106976. [PMID: 33812002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.106976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a global epidemic also affecting women of reproductive age. A standard form of pharmacological treatment for OUD is Opioid Maintenance Therapy (OMT) and buprenorphine has emerged as the preferred treatment for pregnant women with OUD relative to methadone. However, the consequences of BUP exposure on the developing Maternal Brain Network and mother-infant dyad are not well understood. The maternal-infant bond is dependent on the Maternal Brain Network, which is responsible for the dynamic transition from a "nulliparous brain" to a "maternal brain". The Maternal Brain Network consists of regions implicated in maternal care (e.g., medial preoptic area, nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum, ventral tegmentum area) and maternal defense (e.g., periaqueductal gray). The endogenous opioid system modulates many of the neurochemical changes in these areas during the transition to motherhood. Thus, it is not surprising that exogenous opioid exposure during pregnancy can be disruptive to the Maternal Brain Network. Though less drastic than misused opioids, OMTs may not be without risk of disrupting the neural and molecular structures of the Maternal Brain Network. This review describes the Maternal Brain Network as a framework for understanding how pharmacological differences in exogenous opioid exposure can disrupt the onset and maintenance of the maternal brain and summarizes opioid and OMT (in particular buprenorphine) use in the context of pregnancy and maternal behavior. This review also highlights future directions for evaluating exogenous opioid effects on the Maternal Brain Network in the hopes of raising awareness for the impact of the opioid crisis not only on exposed infants, but also on mothers and subsequent mother-infant bonds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chela M Wallin
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Scott E Bowen
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
| | - Susanne Brummelte
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
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