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Vidal C, Reinert M, Nguyen T, Jun HJ. Chronic stress and lack of social support: Role in adolescent depression and suicide-related behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. J Affect Disord 2024:S0165-0327(24)01312-0. [PMID: 39159787 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.090] [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: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine acute and chronic stressors, and perceived lack social support, and their associations with depression and suicidal ideation in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Deidentified data from (N = 270,153) U.S. adolescents aged 11 to 17 who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item tool (PHQ-9) in the years 2020 and 2021 were sourced from a collection of online screening tools that are free, confidential, anonymous, and scientifically validated. In addition to depression, the survey included questions about suicidality, past/chronic stressful events, and contributors to mental health problems and sociodemographic variables. SPSS software version 28 for descriptive analyses, and Mplus version 7.31 for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), were respectively used. RESULTS Participants were predominantly female, White, and heterosexual, and exhibited a high prevalence of severe depression and a significant frequency of suicidal thoughts. Significant associations were found between past/chronic stressful events, and lack of social support, with suicidality and depression. Mental health stress due to Coronavirus itself presented no significant associations with depression and suicidality and was weakly and negatively associated with lack of social support and past/chronic stressors. DISCUSSION These findings reinforce the notion that prior traumatic events can create vulnerabilities in the face of acute stressors, while social support can enhance resilience in adolescents. Factors that increase resilience, such as preventing traumatic events, reducing social stressors, and increasing social support, can serve as valuable guidelines for clinical and public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Vidal
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
| | | | | | - Hyun-Jin Jun
- University of Maryland, Baltimore, United States of America
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Shephard AM, Lagon SR, Ledón-Rettig CC. Early life nutrient restriction affects hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis gene expression in a diet type-specific manner. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 352:114490. [PMID: 38460737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Stressful experiences in early life can alter phenotypic expression later in life. For instance, in vertebrates, early life nutrient restriction can modify later life activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal axis (the HPI in amphibians), including the up- and downstream regulatory components of glucocorticoid signaling. Early life nutrient restriction can also influence later life behavior and metabolism (e.g., fat accumulation). Yet, less is known about whether nutrient stress-induced carryover effects on HPA/HPI axis regulation can vary across environmental contexts, such as the type of diet on which nutrient restriction occurs. Here, we experimentally address this question using the plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons), whose larvae develop in ephemeral habitats that impose intense competition over access to two qualitatively distinct diet types: detritus and live shrimp prey. Consistent with diet type-specific carryover effects of early life nutrient restriction on later life HPI axis regulation, we found that temporary nutrient restriction at the larval stage reduced juvenile (i.e., post-metamorphic) brain gene expression of an upstream glucocorticoid regulator (corticotropin-releasing hormone) and two downstream regulators (glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors) only on the shrimp diet. These patterns are consistent with known diet type-specific effects of larval nutrient restriction on juvenile corticosterone and behavior. Additionally, larval nutrient restriction increased juvenile body fat levels. Our study indicates that HPA/HPI axis regulatory responses to nutrient restriction can vary remarkably across diet types. Such diet type-specific regulation of the HPA/HPI axis might provide a basis for developmental or evolutionary decoupling of stress-induced carryover effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M Shephard
- Department of Biology, Indiana University at Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA; Department of Biology, Indiana University at Bloomington, 915 East 3(rd) Street, Myers Hall, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Sarah R Lagon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University at Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
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Shephard AM, Lagon SR, Jacobsen S, Millar K, Ledón-Rettig CC. Corticosterone Contributes to Diet-Induced Reprogramming of Post-Metamorphic Behavior in Spadefoot Toads. Integr Org Biol 2024; 6:obae012. [PMID: 38707679 PMCID: PMC11067961 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obae012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Stressful experiences in early life can have phenotypic effects that persist into, or manifest during, adulthood. In vertebrates, such carryover effects can be driven by stress-induced secretion of glucocorticoid hormones, such as corticosterone, which can lead to developmental reprogramming of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal/interrenal axis activity and behavior. Nutritional stress in the form of early life nutrient restriction is well known to modify later life behaviors and stress activity through corticosterone-related mechanisms. However, it is not known whether corticosterone is also mechanistically involved in carryover effects induced by a different form of nutritional variation: the use of alternate or entirely novel types of dietary resources. The plains spadefoot (Spea bombifrons) presents an excellent system for testing this question, since larvae of this species have evolved to use 2 alternate diet types: an ancestral detritus-based diet and a more novel diet of live shrimp. While previous work has shown that feeding on the novel shrimp diet influences juvenile (i.e., post-metamorphic) behavior and corticosterone levels, it is unclear whether these diet-induced carryover effects are mediated by diet-induced corticosterone itself. To test for the mechanistic role of corticosterone in diet-induced carryover effects, we experimentally treated S. bombifrons larvae with exogenous corticosterone and measured subsequent effects on juvenile behavior and corticosterone levels. We found that while shrimp-fed larvae had elevated corticosterone levels, treatment of larvae with corticosterone itself had effects on juvenile behavior that partially resembled those carryover effects induced by the shrimp diet, such as altered food seeking and higher locomotor activity. However, unlike carryover effects caused by the shrimp diet, larval corticosterone exposure did not affect juvenile corticosterone levels. Overall, our study shows that corticosterone-related mechanisms are likely involved in carryover effects induced by a novel diet, yet such diet-induced carryover effects are not driven by corticosterone alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Shephard
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Myers Hall, 915 East 3rd Street, Bloomington IN 47405, USA
| | - S R Lagon
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Myers Hall, 915 East 3rd Street, Bloomington IN 47405, USA
| | - S Jacobsen
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Myers Hall, 915 East 3rd Street, Bloomington IN 47405, USA
| | - K Millar
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Myers Hall, 915 East 3rd Street, Bloomington IN 47405, USA
| | - C C Ledón-Rettig
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Bloomington, Myers Hall, 915 East 3rd Street, Bloomington IN 47405, USA
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Al Shuraiqi A, Abed RMM, Al-Habsi A, Barry MJ. Personality Affects Zebrafish Response to Sertraline. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2024; 43:132-146. [PMID: 37861374 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Sertraline is widely prescribed to treat anxiety and depression. Sertraline acts by blocking serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporters systems and has been detected in surface waters globally, where it may impact fish behavior. We classified zebrafish personality on three behavioral axes, boldness, anxiety, and sociability, assigning fish as either high or low in each category. The fish were exposed to nominal concentrations of 0, 5, 50, 500, or 5000 ng/L sertraline (measured concentrations: <10, 21.3, 370, and 2200 ng/L, respectively) to assess changes in boldness, anxiety, and sociability after 7 and 28 days. We also measured shoaling behavior and response to an alarm cue, and determined the gut microbiome of a subset of fish. After 7 days there was no overall effect of sertraline on boldness, but there was an interaction between initial personality and sex, with a stronger impact on females classified as low-boldness personality. Sertraline reduced sociability in all treatments compared with the control, but there was again an interaction between sertraline and initial personality. Fish that were classified as low-sociability responded more strongly to sertraline. After 7 days, fish exposed to a nominal concentration of 5000 ng/L (2200 ng/L measured) showed higher anxiety than controls, with the overall pattern of initial behavior retained. After 28 days, similar patterns were observed, but with higher variation. There was only a weak association between the gut microbiome and personality. Overall, the study highlights the importance of considering initial behavior, which can affect response to pollutants. Our results may also be applicable to human studies and provide a mechanism to explain why different individuals respond differently to the drug. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:132-146. © 2023 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raeid M M Abed
- Biology Department, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
| | - Aziz Al-Habsi
- Biology Department, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman
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Hubená P, Horký P, Grabic R, Grabicová K, Douda K, Slavík O, Randák T. Aggression repeatability in stressed fish in response to an environmental concentration of sertraline and lunar cycle as evidenced by brain metabolomics. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 264:106707. [PMID: 37806025 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Sertraline is an environmental pollutant which received magnified scientific attention due to its global presence in waters. Adverse effects on feeding, reproduction and other traits were observed mostly in unstressed aquatic organisms. Chronic stress, however, induces significant physiological changes, and the effects of sertraline in stressed fish may differ from those observed in non-stressed individuals. The current laboratory study addresses this gap by repeatedly monitoring the individual aggression of chronically stressed juvenile chub (Squalius cephalus L.) using the non-reversing mirror test at an environmental sertraline concentration of 0.022 g/L every three to four days for a period of 39 days. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the level and repeatability of aggressiveness would be (i) correlated with the concentration of sertraline/norsertraline in the fish brain; (ii) linked to the individual brain metabolomic profile described by LC-HRMS analyses; (iii) related to the lunar cycle. Sertraline led to an increase in fish aggression and more repeatable/consistent behaviour compared to control fish. While the level of sertraline in the brain did not correlate with aggressiveness, aggressive responses increased with higher norsertraline concentration. The observed aggressive behaviour also varied depending on the individual metabolomic profile of the brain. The behavioural outcome and metabolic change in fish brain may indicate that sertraline has demonstrated neuroprotective effects by reducing cortisol release. It is possible that fish exposed to sertraline could suffer a blunted stress response under the chronic stressors in the wild. Aggressiveness of both treatments evolved in time, revealing a sinusoid-like pattern corresponding to a lunar cycle with a peak of the aggressiveness during the new moon. There is a need for future studies to focus on this relationship to reveal its details and general validity. Our results emphasize that long-term behavioural variability should generally be taken into account in laboratory behavioural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Hubená
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic; Uppsala University, Uppsala Biomedical Centre, Department of Medical Cell Biology, Husargatan 3, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Pavel Horký
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Grabic
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Grabicová
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Douda
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Slavík
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Randák
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
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Teckchandani TA, Neary JP, Andrews KL, Maguire KQ, Jamshidi L, Nisbet J, Shields RE, Afifi TO, Sauer-Zavala S, Lix LM, Krakauer RL, Asmundson GJG, Krätzig GP, Carleton RN. Cardioautonomic lability assessed by heart rate variability changes in Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets during the cadet training program. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1144783. [PMID: 37829079 PMCID: PMC10565660 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1144783] [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: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective The current study examined variations in cardioautonomic lability during the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Cadet Training Program (CTP) between cadets starting their training who did or did not screen positive for one or more mental health disorders (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD], major depressive disorder [MDD], social anxiety disorder [SAD], generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], panic disorder [PD], alcohol use disorder [AUD]). Methods Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals integrated into Hexoskin garments were used to record ECG and heart rate Over the 26-week CTP. There were 31 heart rate variability (HRV) parameters calculated using Kubios Premium HRV analysis software. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to perform groupwise comparisons of participant raw values and HRV during the CTP. Results A total of 157 cadets (79% male) were screened for any mental disorder using self-report surveys and then grouped by positive and negative screening. Analyses indicated a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in low frequency (LF): High Frequency (HF) variability during CTP, but only for cadets who endorsed clinically significant anxiety symptoms on the GAD-7 at the start of their training. There were no other statistically significant groupwise differences. Conclusion The results indicate the participants have excellent cardiac health overall and suggest potentially important differences between groups, such that cadets who endorsed clinically significant anxiety symptoms on the GAD-7 showed less variability in the LF:HF ratio over the course of the CTP. The relatively lower variability suggests decreased parasympathetic tone in those without clinically significant anxiety symptoms. The results also have important implications for future investigations of cardioautonomic dysfunction and chronic hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis deviations in policing populations with anxiety disorders; specifically, cardioautonomic inflexibility related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In any case, the current results provide an important baseline for future cardiac research with cadets and serving officers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor A. Teckchandani
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - J. Patrick Neary
- Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Katie L. Andrews
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Kirby Q. Maguire
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Laleh Jamshidi
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Jolan Nisbet
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Robyn E. Shields
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Tracie O. Afifi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | | | - Lisa M. Lix
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Rachel L. Krakauer
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Gordon J. G. Asmundson
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | - R. Nicholas Carleton
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de Recherche et de Traitement en Sécurité Publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
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Islas-Preciado D, López-Rubalcava C, Estrada-Camarena E, de Gortari P, Castro-García M. Effect of chronic unpredictable stress in female Wistar-Kyoto rats subjected to progesterone withdrawal: Relevance for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder neurobiology. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 155:106331. [PMID: 37437420 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106331] [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: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is related to an abrupt drop in progesterone and impairments in the HPA axis that cause anxiety. Suffering persons report higher daily-life stress and anxiety proneness that may contribute to developing PMDD, considered a chronic stress-related disorder. Here, we explored the effect of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) in rats subjected to progesterone withdrawal (PW) and evaluated gene expression of HPA axis activation in the stress-vulnerable Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat strain that is prone to anxiety. Ovariectomized WKY rats were randomly assigned to CUS or Standard-housed conditions (SHC) for 30 days. To induce PW, animals received 2 mg/kg of progesterone on day 25th for 5 days; 24 h later, they were tested using the anxiety-like burying behavior test (BBT). After behavioral completion, rats were euthanized, and brains were extracted to measure Crh (PVN) and Nr3c1 (hippocampus) mRNA. Blood corticosterone and vasopressin levels were determined. Results showed that PW exacerbated anxiety-like behaviors through passive coping in CUS-WKY. PW decreased Crh-PVN mRNA and the Nr3c1-hippocampal mRNA expression in SHC. CUS decreased Crh-PVN mRNA compared to SHC, and no further changes were observed by PW or BBT exposure. CUS reduced Nr3c1-hippocampal gene expression compared to SHC animals, and lower Nr3c1 mRNA was detected due to BBT. The PW increased corticosterone in SHC and CUS rats; however, CUS blunted corticosterone when combined with PW+BBT and similarly occurred in vasopressin concentrations. Chronic stress blunts the response of components of the HPA axis regulation when PW and BBT (systemic and psychogenic stressors, respectively) are presented. This response may facilitate less adaptive behaviors through passive coping in stress-vulnerable subjects in a preclinical model of premenstrual anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Islas-Preciado
- Lab. de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico
| | - C López-Rubalcava
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados IPN (Cinvestav-IPN), Mexico
| | - E Estrada-Camarena
- Lab. de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico.
| | - P de Gortari
- Lab. de Neurofisiología Molecular, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico
| | - M Castro-García
- Lab de Etología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico
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Molina P, Andero R, Armario A. Restraint or immobilization: a comparison of methodologies for restricting free movement in rodents and their potential impact on physiology and behavior. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 151:105224. [PMID: 37156310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105224] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Restriction of free movement has historically been used as a model for inducing acute and chronic stress in laboratory animals. This paradigm is one of the most widely employed experimental procedures for basic research studies of stress-related disorders. It is easy to implement, and it rarely involves any physical harm to the animal. Many different restraint methods have been developed with variations in the apparatuses used and the degree of limitation of movement. Unfortunately, very few studies directly compare the differential impact of the distinct protocols. Additionally, restraint and immobilization terms are not differentiated and are sometimes used interchangeably in the literature. This review offers evidence of great physiological differences in the impact of distinct restraint procedures in rats and mice and emphasizes the need for a standardized language on this topic. Moreover, it illustrates the necessity of additional systematic studies that compare the effects of the distinct restraint methodologies, which would help to decide better which procedure should be used depending on the objectives of each particular study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Molina
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Animal Physiology Unit, School of Biosciences, Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raül Andero
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Deparment of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí I3PT, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Armario
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Animal Physiology Unit, School of Biosciences, Department of Cellular Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Unitat de Neurociència Traslacional, Parc Taulí Hospital Universitari, Institut d'Investigació i Innovació Parc Taulí I3PT, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
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Castillo LY, Ríos-Carrillo J, González-Orozco JC, Camacho-Arroyo I, Morin JP, Zepeda RC, Roldán-Roldán G. Juvenile Exposure to BPA Alters the Estrous Cycle and Differentially Increases Anxiety-like Behavior and Brain Gene Expression in Adult Male and Female Rats. TOXICS 2022; 10:513. [PMID: 36136478 PMCID: PMC9505797 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10090513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Perinatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) in murine models has been reported to affect social behavior and increase anxiety. However, there is little information about the effects of BPA exposure during puberty, a period in which sex hormones influence the maturation and differentiation of the brain. In this work, we evaluated the effect of BPA administration during the juvenile stage (PND 21-50) on anxiety in male and female rats. Newly weaned Wistar rats were treated with BPA (0, 50, or 500 µg/kg/day) for 30 days. To compare the intra- and inter-sex behavioral profiles, rats were evaluated using four different anxiety models: the Open field test (OFT), the Elevated plus maze (EPM), the Light-dark box test (LDBT), and the Defensive burying test (DBT). Males exhibited a clear-cut anxious profile at both doses in all four tests, while no clear behavioral effect of BPA exposure was observed in female rats. The latter showed an altered estrous cycle that initiated earlier in life and had a shorter duration, with the estrous phase predominating. Moreover, the expression of ESR1, ESR2, GABRA1, GRIN1, GR, MR, and AR genes increased in the hippocampus and hypothalamus of male rats treated with 50 µg/kg, but not in females. Our results indicate that BPA consistently induces a higher anxiety profile in male than in female rats, as evidenced predominantly by an increase in passive-coping behaviors and changes in brain gene expression, highlighting the importance of sex in peripubertal behavioral toxicology studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Yesenia Castillo
- Behavioral Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
- Comprehensive Biomedicine and Health Laboratory, Biomedical Research Center, Veracruzana University, Xalapa 91190, Mexico
| | - Jorge Ríos-Carrillo
- Behavioral Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Juan Carlos González-Orozco
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Ignacio Camacho-Arroyo
- Unidad de Investigación en Reproducción Humana, Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, CDMX, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Jean-Pascal Morin
- Behavioral Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Rossana C. Zepeda
- Comprehensive Biomedicine and Health Laboratory, Biomedical Research Center, Veracruzana University, Xalapa 91190, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Roldán-Roldán
- Behavioral Neurobiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
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Ramdas DL, Sbrilli MD, Laurent HK. Impact of maternal trauma-related psychopathology and life stress on HPA axis stress response. Arch Womens Ment Health 2022; 25:121-128. [PMID: 34365527 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-021-01169-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To understand and curb intergenerational transmission of stress-related disorder, it is important to identify how trauma-related psychopathology in mothers impacts their psychophysiological stress regulation, particularly in the context of parenting their infants. In this study we investigated associations between mothers' trauma-related psychopathology and life stress and HPA axis response to a personally relevant stressor (infant separation stress) in a non-clinical sample followed longitudinally postpartum. A community sample of low-income mothers (n = 73) and their infants completed laboratory sessions at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months postnatal, and salivary cortisol samples collected before and after dyadic stress tasks at the latter three sessions. These tasks were used to assess HPA function. A three-level hierarchical linear model of repeated cortisol measures nested within sessions within mother-infant dyads did not reveal significant main effects of trauma-related psychopathology on maternal cortisol response, but there was evidence that both a clinical interviewer-rated diagnosis of PTSD and ongoing self-reported trauma symptoms blunted effects of life events on cortisol reactivity. Region of significance analyses indicated that current life stress predicted more pronounced cortisol reactivity only among mothers without trauma-related psychopathology; for those with trauma-related psychopathology, life stress did not relate to cortisol response. Effects held when controlling for childhood trauma and previous (prenatal) maternal distress symptoms, suggesting they did not reflect ongoing impacts of past trauma exposure and/or psychopathology. Blunting effects of trauma-related psychopathology on maternal life stress responsiveness may help clarify how stress sensitivities and mental health are transmitted from parent to child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn L Ramdas
- Psychiatry Department, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | - Marissa D Sbrilli
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Heidemarie K Laurent
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.,Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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11
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Rudenstine S, Schulder T, Ettman C, Galea S. Perceived coping mitigates anxiety symptoms in the context of COVID-19 stress in an urban university student sample. Psychol Rep 2022:332941221074038. [PMID: 35084273 PMCID: PMC8894909 DOI: 10.1177/00332941221074038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Perceived coping and its two subprocesses, trauma-focused coping (finding meaning in the details and memory of a potential trauma or stressor) and forward-focused coping (focusing on planning for the future) have been shown to be important in the context of potentially traumatic events. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated stressors have negatively impacted population mental health, and preliminary investigations have demonstrated the importance of perceived abilities to cope during the pandemic. The current study sought to examine the potentially moderating role of each subprocess on the relationship between stress and anxiety symptoms in a low-income student sample during COVID-19 (N = 2364). We computed two hierarchical multiple linear regressions to assess for significant interactions between stress and perceived coping subprocess scores on anxiety outcomes. Our results demonstrated that both trauma-focused coping and forward-focused coping served as effect modifiers in the relationship between COVID-19related stress and anxiety. Such findings highlight the importance of interventions that incorporate both forms of coping for low-income students during a chronic stressor.
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12
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Taylor-Cavelier SJ, Micol VJ, Roberts AG, Geiss EG, Lopez-Duran N. DHEA Moderates the Impact of Childhood Trauma on the HPA Axis in Adolescence. Neuropsychobiology 2022; 80:299-312. [PMID: 33472214 DOI: 10.1159/000511629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trauma can lead to long-term downregulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. However, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) has neuroprotective effects that may reduce the need for downregulation of the axis in response to stress. Furthermore, high DHEA/cortisol ratios are often conceptualized as better markers of DHEA's availability than DHEA alone, as ratios account for the coupling of DHEA and cortisol in response to stress. OBJECTIVES In this study, we explored if DHEA and DHEA/cortisol ratios moderated the association between childhood maltreatment and the HPA axis stress response. METHODS The sample consisted of 101 adolescents (ages 12-16) who completed the Child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) and the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Cortisol was modeled using saliva samples at 8 time points throughout the TSST. Cortisol and DHEA ratios were examined at baseline and 35 min after stress initiation. RESULTS Childhood maltreatment was associated with less steep cortisol activation slope and peak cortisol levels, but DHEA and DHEA/cortisol ratios moderated this effect. At high levels of DHEA, the impact of childhood maltreatment on cortisol peak levels was no longer significant. In contrast, high DHEA/cortisol ratios were associated with an intensification of the impact of childhood maltreatment on peak levels. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that DHEA can limit the blunting of the HPA axis in response to childhood maltreatment. However, this protective effect was not reflected in high DHEA/cortisol ratios as predicted. Therefore, high DHEA and high DHEA/cortisol ratios may reflect different, and potentially opposite, processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valerie J Micol
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Andrea G Roberts
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elisa G Geiss
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Nestor Lopez-Duran
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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13
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Roy N, Parhar I. Habenula orphan G-protein coupled receptors in the pathophysiology of fear and anxiety. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:870-883. [PMID: 34801259 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.008] [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: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The phasic emotion, fear, and the tonic emotion, anxiety, have been conventionally inspected in clinical frameworks to epitomize memory acquisition, storage, and retrieval. However, inappropriate expression of learned fear in a safe environment and its resistance to suppression is a cardinal feature of various fear-related disorders. A significant body of literature suggests the involvement of extra-amygdala circuitry in fear disorders. Consistent with this view, the present review underlies incentives for the association between the habenula and fear memory. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important to understand the molecular mechanisms central to fear learning due to their neuromodulatory role. The efficacy of a pharmacological strategy aimed at exploiting habenular-GPCR desensitization machinery can serve as a therapeutic target combating the pathophysiology of fear disorders. Originating from this milieu, the conserved nature of orphan GPCRs in the brain, with some having the highest expression in the habenula can lead to recent endeavors in understanding its functionality in fear circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisa Roy
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Ishwar Parhar
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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14
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Petrie GN, Nastase AS, Aukema RJ, Hill MN. Endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and the regulation of anxiety. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108626. [PMID: 34116110 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis has been used for hundreds of years, with its ability to dampen feelings of anxiety often reported as a primary reason for use. Only recently has the specific role cannabinoids play in anxiety been thoroughly investigated. Here we discuss the body of evidence describing how endocannabinoids and exogenous cannabinoids are capable of regulating the generation and termination of anxiety states. Disruption of the endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system following genetic manipulation, pharmacological intervention or stress exposure reliably leads to the generation of an anxiety state. On the other hand, upregulation of eCB signaling is capable of alleviating anxiety-like behaviors in multiple paradigms. When considering exogenous cannabinoid administration, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonists have a biphasic, dose-dependent effect on anxiety such that low doses are anxiolytic while high doses are anxiogenic, a phenomenon that is evident in both rodent models and humans. Translational studies investigating a loss of function mutation in the gene for fatty acid amide hydrolase, the enzyme responsible for metabolizing AEA, have also shown that AEA signaling regulates anxiety in humans. Taken together, evidence reviewed here has outlined a convincing argument for cannabinoids being powerful regulators of both the manifestation and amelioration of anxiety symptoms, and highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting the eCB system for the development of novel classes of anxiolytics. This article is part of the special issue on 'Cannabinoids'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin N Petrie
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andrei S Nastase
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Robert J Aukema
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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15
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Zou HW, Li ZL, Jing XY, Wang Y, Liu YJ, Li LF. The GABA(B1) receptor within the infralimbic cortex is implicated in stress resilience and vulnerability in mice. Behav Brain Res 2021; 406:113240. [PMID: 33727046 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Resilience is the capacity to maintain normal psychological and physical functions in the face of stress and adversity. Understanding how one can develop and enhance resilience is of great relevance to not only promoting coping mechanisms but also mitigating maladaptive stress responses in psychiatric illnesses such as depression. Preclinical studies suggest that GABA(B) receptors (GABA(B1) and GABA(B2)) are potential targets for the treatment of major depression. In this study, we assessed the functional role of GABA(B) receptors in stress resilience and vulnerability by using a chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model in mice. As the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a key role in the top-down modulation of stress responses, we focused our study on this brain structure. Our results showed that only approximately 41.9% of subjects exhibited anxiety- or despair-like behaviors after exposure to CUS. The vulnerable mice showed higher c-Fos expression in the infralimbic cortex (IL) subregion of the mPFC when exposed to a social stressor. Moreover, the expression of GABA(B1) but not GABA(B2) receptors was significantly downregulated in IL subregion of susceptible mice. Finally, we found that intra-IL administration of baclofen, a GABA(B) receptor agonist, rapidly relieved the social avoidance symptoms of the "stress-susceptible" mice. Taken together, our results show that the GABA(B1) receptor within the IL may play an important role in stress resilience and vulnerability, and thus open an avenue to develop novel, personalized approaches to promote stress resilience and treat stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Wei Zou
- College of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Zi-Lin Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Xiao-Yuan Jing
- College of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Yan Wang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China
| | - Ying-Juan Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China.
| | - Lai-Fu Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang, 473061, China.
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16
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Luskin AT, Bhatti DL, Mulvey B, Pedersen CE, Girven KS, Oden-Brunson H, Kimbell K, Blackburn T, Sawyer A, Gereau RW, Dougherty JD, Bruchas MR. Extended amygdala-parabrachial circuits alter threat assessment and regulate feeding. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabd3666. [PMID: 33637526 PMCID: PMC7909877 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd3666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
An animal's evolutionary success depends on the ability to seek and consume foods while avoiding environmental threats. However, how evolutionarily conserved threat detection circuits modulate feeding is unknown. In mammals, feeding and threat assessment are strongly influenced by the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), a structure that responds to threats and inhibits feeding. Here, we report that the PBN receives dense inputs from two discrete neuronal populations in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), an extended amygdala structure that encodes affective information. Using a series of complementary approaches, we identify opposing BNST-PBN circuits that modulate neuropeptide-expressing PBN neurons to control feeding and affective states. These previously unrecognized neural circuits thus serve as potential nodes of neural circuitry critical for the integration of threat information with the intrinsic drive to feed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Luskin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Dionnet L Bhatti
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Bernard Mulvey
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Christian E Pedersen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Kasey S Girven
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hannah Oden-Brunson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kate Kimbell
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Taylor Blackburn
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Abbie Sawyer
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Robert W Gereau
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Joseph D Dougherty
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
- Washington University Pain Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Center for Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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17
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Zerbinati L, Murri MB, Caruso R, Nanni MG, Lam W, De Padova S, Sabato S, Bertelli T, Schillani G, Giraldi T, Fielding R, Grassi L. Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms and Serotonin Transporter (5-HTTLPR) Polymorphism in Breast Cancer Patients. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:632596. [PMID: 33967853 PMCID: PMC8097040 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.632596] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Post-traumatic Symptoms (PTSS) and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have been reported to affect a quite significant proportion of cancer patients. No study has examined the relationship between serotonin transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and cancer, including Gene-Environment interactions between this polymorphism and specific causes of distress, such as cancer related problems (CRP) or life stressful events (SLE). Methods: One hundred and forty five breast cancer outpatients participated in the study and were assessed using the Impact of Event Scale (IES), the Problem List (PL) developed by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Distress Management Guidelines and the Paykel's Life Events Interview to evaluate the exposure to SLE during the year before the cancer diagnosis. Each patient was genotyped for 5-HTTLPR polymorphism by analyzing genomic DNA obtained from whole blood cells. Gene-Environment interactions were tested through moderation analysis. Results: Twenty-six patients (17.7%) were classified as PTSS cases using the IES. Genotype and phenotype distributions did not differ across individuals with/without PTSS (genotype: χ2 = 1.5; df = 2; p = 0.3; phenotype χ2 = 0.9; df = 1; p = 0.2). For both the genotype and phenotype model, using CRP as a predictor showed significant gene-environment interactions with IES total score (p = 0.020 and p = 0.004, respectively), with individuals carrying the l/l allele showing a greater probability of experiencing PTSS. No interaction was found in relationship to SLE (p = 0.750). Conclusion: This study showed a significant GEI between CRP and PTSS in breast cancer patients, with carriers of the l/l allele showing indicators consistent with greater sensitivity to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Zerbinati
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Martino Belvederi Murri
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health and Addictive Behavior, University S. Anna Hospital and Health Trust, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Rosangela Caruso
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health and Addictive Behavior, University S. Anna Hospital and Health Trust, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maria Giulia Nanni
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health and Addictive Behavior, University S. Anna Hospital and Health Trust, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Wendy Lam
- Centre for Psycho-Oncological Research and Training, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Silvia De Padova
- Psycho-Oncology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Meldola, Italy
| | - Silvana Sabato
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Tatiana Bertelli
- Psycho-Oncology Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Meldola, Italy
| | - Giulia Schillani
- Child Onco-Hematology Unit, Maternal and Child Health, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCSS) Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Tullio Giraldi
- Section of Pharmacology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Richard Fielding
- University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health and Addictive Behavior, University S. Anna Hospital and Health Trust, Ferrara, Italy.,Centre for Psycho-Oncological Research and Training, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Luigi Grassi
- Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.,University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health and Addictive Behavior, University S. Anna Hospital and Health Trust, Ferrara, Italy
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18
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He Y, Fan J, Yang J. An efficient acute stress response in Chinese individuals with high interdependent self-construal. ANXIETY STRESS AND COPING 2020; 34:335-348. [PMID: 33190521 DOI: 10.1080/10615806.2020.1846724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE An efficient stress response comprises both quick reactivity and rapid recovery. Studies have found an enhanced stress response in Chinese people with high interdependent self-construal (ISC). ISC is a personality trait that is well-matched with Chinese collectivistic culture, and whether they exhibit an efficient stress response has not been exclusively examined. DESIGN We conducted a novel experiment to examine the stress response change rate in Chinese participants with varying levels of ISC,then performed a validation analysis against previous data to examine the reliability of current results. METHODS In our experiment, 84 healthy (42 high-ISC and 42 low-ISC), young, native Chinese were randomly assigned to either the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), or the control condition. In the published study, 46 native Chinese participants (23 high-ISC and 23 low-ISC) had undergone the TSST. Data were collected throughout the two experiments. RESULTS Compared to low-ISC participants, cortisol and subjective stress levels in high-ISC participants peaked sooner and declined rapidly, suggesting quick stress reactivity and rapid recovery. This finding was supported by the previous study. CONCLUSIONS High-ISC individuals display an efficient stress response pattern, manifested by fast reactivity and rapid recovery, which may be adaptive in Chinese collectivistic culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang He
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Junjie Fan
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
| | - Juan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.,Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, People's Republic of China
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19
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Pavlova I, Zikrach D, Mosler D, Ortenburger D, Góra T, Wąsik J. Determinants of anxiety levels among young males in a threat of experiencing military conflict-Applying a machine-learning algorithm in a psychosociological study. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0239749. [PMID: 33027278 PMCID: PMC7540846 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anxiety could be felt even in objectively peaceful situations, but a vision of conflict could result in increased stress levels. In this article, we aimed to identify hidden patterns of mental conditions and create male profiles to illustrate the different subgroups as well as determinants of anxiety levels among them in accordance with proximity to a possibility of direct exposure to military action. Methods A sample of Ukrainian males, in duty as conscripts to military service (n = 392, M±SD = 22.1±5.3) participated in a survey. We used the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. In addition to psychological indices, social-demographic data were collected. To discover the number of clusters, the k-means algorithm was used, the optimal number of clusters was found by the elbow algorithm. For validation of the model and its use for further prediction, the random forest machine-learning algorithm, was used. Results By performing k-means cluster analyses, 3 subgroups were identified. High values of psychological indices dominated in Subgroup 2, while lowest values dominated in Subgroup 3. Subgroup 1 showed a more even distribution among the indices. The strength of the relevance and main determinants of the prediction of the presented model mostly consisted of mental qualities, while socio-demographic data were slightly significant. Conclusions There is no clear relevance between proximity or even the experience of military actions and anxiety levels. Other factors, mostly subjective feelings about mental conditions, are crucial determinants of feeling anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iuliia Pavlova
- Theory and Methods of Physical Culture Department, Lviv State University of Physical Culture, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Dmytro Zikrach
- SoftServe, Lviv, Ukraine
- AiNanoLab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Dariusz Mosler
- Department of Health Sciences, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Dorota Ortenburger
- Department of Health Sciences, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
| | - Tomasz Góra
- Department of Health Sciences, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
| | - Jacek Wąsik
- Department of Health Sciences, Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, Częstochowa, Poland
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20
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Jiang N, Wang H, Lv J, Wang Q, Lu C, Li Y, Liu X. Dammarane sapogenins attenuates stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors by upregulating ERK/CREB/BDNF pathways. Phytother Res 2020; 34:2721-2729. [PMID: 32431006 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dammarane sapogenins (DS), an extract derived from ginseng by alkaline hydrolysis of total ginsenosides, possesses high pharmacological activity and higher bioavailability than ginsenosides. The present study was designed to investigate the anxiolytic-like effects of DS in a mouse model of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). DS (40 and 80 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated social avoidance and anxiety-like behavior in four test models of CSDS, showing increased time in the interaction zone in the social interaction test and in the center of the field in the open field test, an increased percentage of entries and open arm time in the elevated plus maze, and reduced latency to eat in the novelty-suppressed feeding test. Biochemical analyses showed that DS significantly reduced serum corticosterone levels and increased brain concentration of neurotransmitter 5-HT and noradrenaline in CSDS mice. Treatment with DS significantly upregulated BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), p-CREB/CREB and p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 protein expression in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of CSDS mice. Collectively, these results suggest that DS exerts anxiolytic-like effects in CSDS model mice and the action is mediated, at least in part, by modulating the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis and monoamine neurotransmitter levels, and via ERK/CREB/BDNF signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Jiang
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Haixia Wang
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwei Lv
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Affiliated TCM Hospital/School of Pharmacy/Sino-Portugal TCM International Cooperation Center, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Cong Lu
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Yujiao Li
- Affiliated TCM Hospital/School of Pharmacy/Sino-Portugal TCM International Cooperation Center, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xinmin Liu
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development (IMPLAD), Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Nikbakhtzadeh M, Borzadaran FM, Zamani E, Shabani M. Protagonist Role of Opioidergic System on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Associated Pain. Psychiatry Investig 2020; 17:506-516. [PMID: 32492768 PMCID: PMC7324730 DOI: 10.30773/pi.2020.0002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain often co-occur. Studies have shown an interaction between pain and PTSD. In this narrative review, we aim to support conducting comprehensive studies by describing PTSD, pain and determining whether opioidergic system, its agonist and antagonist manipulation could positively or negatively affect PTSD symptoms and concurrent pain. METHODS Term searches was done in Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and PubMed databases as well as hand searching in key resource journals from 1979-2019. RESULTS There are a lot of contradictions and disputes when endogenous opioidergic system and opioidergic antagonist system are studied in PTSD patients. Exogenous morphine administration in PTSD patients can decrease the symptoms of PTSD but it doesn't have a pain reduction effect to an acceptable level. Beta-endorphin as an endogenous opioid is effective in pain reduction in the moment of events but after minutes to hours, the endorphins withdrawal syndrome leads to exaggerated intrusive thoughts and flashbacks of PTSD, which exacerbate the pain. It has also been shown that naloxone, as an opioidergic antagonist, can reduce or increase the PTSD symptoms and its associated pain. CONCLUSION Data suggest different roles of opioidergic system and their antagonist in pain control and mood in PTSD. However, further investigations need to be done in order to reveal the role of endogenous opioidergic system and opioidergic antagonist system as a mediator in PTSD patients suffering from acute or chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjan Nikbakhtzadeh
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mohtashami Borzadaran
- Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Elham Zamani
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Shabani
- Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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22
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Eidson LN, deSousa Rodrigues ME, Johnson MA, Barnum CJ, Duke BJ, Yang Y, Chang J, Kelly SD, Wildner M, Tesi RJ, Tansey MG. Chronic psychological stress during adolescence induces sex-dependent adulthood inflammation, increased adiposity, and abnormal behaviors that are ameliorated by selective inhibition of soluble tumor necrosis factor with XPro1595. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 81:305-316. [PMID: 31251975 PMCID: PMC8597195 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.06.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical and psychosocial maltreatment experienced before the age of 18, termed early life adversity (ELA), affects an estimated 39% of the world's population, and has long-term detrimental health and psychological outcomes. While adult phenotypes vary following ELA, inflammation and altered stress responsivity are pervasive. Cytokines, most notably tumor necrosis factor (TNF), are elevated in adults with a history of ELA. While soluble TNF (solTNF) drives chronic inflammatory disease, transmembrane TNF facilitates innate immunity. Here, we test whether solTNF mediates the behavioral and molecular outcomes of adolescent psychological stress by administering a brain permeable, selective inhibitor of solTNF, XPro1595. Male and female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to an aggressive rat through a perforated translucent ball ('predatory stress') or transported to an empty room for 30 min for 30 days starting on postnatal day 34. Mice were given XPro1595 or vehicle treatment across the last 15 days. Social interaction, sucrose preference, and plasma inflammation were measured at 2 and 4 weeks, and open field behavior, adiposity, and neuroinflammation were measured at 4 weeks. Chronic adolescent stress resulted in increased peripheral inflammation and dysregulated neuroinflammation in adulthood in a sex-specific manner. Abnormal social and open field behavior, fat pad weight, and fecal boli deposition were noted after 30 days; solTNF antagonism ameliorated the effects of stress. Together, these data support our hypothesis, and suggest that targeting solTNF with XPro1595 may improve quality of life for individuals with a history of adolescent stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori N Eidson
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Michelle A Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Billie Jeanne Duke
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yuan Yang
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Jianjun Chang
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Sean D Kelly
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Mary Wildner
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | - Malú G Tansey
- Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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Comparison of the effects of repeated exposures to predictable or unpredictable stress on the behavioural expression of fear in a discriminative fear conditioning to context task. Physiol Behav 2019; 208:112556. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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24
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Vargas T, Zou DS, Conley RE, Mittal VA. Assessing Developmental Environmental Risk Factor Exposure in Clinical High Risk for Psychosis Individuals: Preliminary Results Using the Individual and Structural Exposure to Stress in Psychosis-Risk States Scale. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8070994. [PMID: 31323940 PMCID: PMC6678455 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8070994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Exposure to cumulative environmental risk factors across development has been linked to a host of adverse health/functional outcomes. This perspective incorporating information regarding exposure at differing developmental periods is lacking in research surrounding individuals at Clinical High Risk (CHR) for developing a psychotic disorder. METHODS CHR individuals (n = 35) and healthy volunteers (n = 28) completed structured clinical interviews as well as our group's newly developed Individual and Structural Exposure to Stress in Psychosis-risk-states (ISESP) interview. Lifetime cumulative scores were calculated, and severity of stress was reported for multiple developmental periods/ages. Group differences were tested, and associations with current symptom domains were examined. RESULTS Significant group differences were not observed for lifetime cumulative events, though CHR trended toward endorsing more events and greater stress severity. For stress severity across development, there were trending group differences for the 11-13 age range, and significant group differences for the 14-18 age range; notably, comparisons for earlier time points did not approach statistical significance. Associations between negative symptoms and cumulative severity of exposure were observed. DISCUSSION Results suggest exploring exposure to cumulative environmental risk factors/stressors and stress severity across developmental periods is generally informative and possibly specifically so for predictive models and diathesis-stress psychosis risk conceptualizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Vargas
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
| | - Denise S Zou
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Rachel E Conley
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Vijay A Mittal
- Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Institute for Innovations in Developmental Sciences, Institute for Policy Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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25
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Hu X, Wang Y, Pruessner JC, Yang J. Interdependent self-construal, social evaluative threat and subjective, cardiovascular and neuroendocrine stress response in Chinese. Horm Behav 2018; 106:112-121. [PMID: 30336123 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Revised: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 10/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Interdependent self-construal (ISC) is a concept positing that people define their self through social roles and relationships with others. We investigated in two independent studies whether ISC had an effect on psychological and endocrine stress responses. Study 1 collected data of 295 healthy young Chinese participants' subjective report of ISC using the self-construal scale, and daily levels of stress using the daily stress inventory. Correlational analyses showed that individuals with higher ISC perceived higher levels of stress in daily life. Study 2 added biological measures of stress by analyzing both basal cortisol levels and reactive cortisol level of high/low ISC individuals (23 high and 23 low ISC healthy young Chinese participants recruited from a total of 440 participants), in response to the Trier Social Stress test. Participants with high ISC showed higher cortisol stress responses, higher heart rate measurements, and higher subjective stress reports when compared to low ISC participants. Further analyses suggested that participants' perception of social evaluative threat mediated the association between ISC and the cortisol stress response. Taken together, these findings suggest a significant role of ISC in regulating the biological and psychological stress response. These findings are discussed in the context of other personality factors known to affect the stress response, and the cultural-related self-construal literature. We also discuss the possible application of the ISC personality factor for future stress studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Hu
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jens C Pruessner
- Department of Psychology, University of Constance, Constance, Germany
| | - Juan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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26
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Berger AL, Henricks AM, Lugo JM, Wright HR, Warrick CR, Sticht MA, Morena M, Bonilla I, Laredo SA, Craft RM, Parsons LH, Grandes PR, Hillard CJ, Hill MN, McLaughlin RJ. The Lateral Habenula Directs Coping Styles Under Conditions of Stress via Recruitment of the Endocannabinoid System. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 84:611-623. [PMID: 29887035 PMCID: PMC6162143 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ability to effectively cope with stress is a critical determinant of disease susceptibility. The lateral habenula (LHb) and the endocannabinoid (ECB) system have independently been shown to be involved in the selection of stress coping strategies, yet the role of ECB signaling in the LHb remains unknown. METHODS Using a battery of complementary techniques in rats, we examined the localization of type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs) and assessed the behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of intra-LHb CB1R manipulations. We further tested the extent to which the ECB system in the LHb is impacted following chronic unpredictable stress or social defeat stress, and whether manipulation of LHb CB1Rs can bias coping strategies in rats with a history of chronic stress. RESULTS Electron microscopy studies revealed CB1R expression on presynaptic axon terminals, postsynaptic membranes, mitochondria, and glial processes in the rat LHb. In vivo microdialysis experiments indicated that acute stress increased the amount of 2-arachidonoylglycerol in the LHb, while intra-LHb CB1R blockade increased basal corticosterone, augmented proactive coping strategies, and reduced anxiety-like behavior. Basal LHb 2-arachidonoylglycerol content was similarly elevated in rats that were subjected to chronic unpredictable stress or social defeat stress and positively correlated with adrenal weight. Finally, intra-LHb CB1R blockade increased proactive behaviors in response to a novel conspecific, increasing approach behaviors irrespective of stress history and decreasing the latency to be attacked during an agonistic encounter. CONCLUSIONS Alterations in LHb ECB signaling may be relevant for development of stress-related pathologies in which LHb dysfunction and stress-coping impairments are hallmark symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L Berger
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Angela M Henricks
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Janelle M Lugo
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Hayden R Wright
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Collin R Warrick
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Martin A Sticht
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Maria Morena
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Itziar Bonilla
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Leioa, Spain
| | - Sarah A Laredo
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Rebecca M Craft
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Loren H Parsons
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Pedro R Grandes
- Department of Neurosciences, University of the Basque Country, Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Leioa, Spain; Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Science Park of the Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea, Leioa, Spain; Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ryan J McLaughlin
- Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington; Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.
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Lee B, Shim I, Lee H, Hahm DH. Tetramethylpyrazine reverses anxiety-like behaviors in a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2018; 22:525-538. [PMID: 30181699 PMCID: PMC6115350 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2018.22.5.525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-induced psychiatric disorder characterized by impaired fear extermination, hyperarousal, and anxiety that may involve the release of monoamines in the fear circuit. The reported pharmacological properties of tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) include anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-atherosclerotic, and neuropsychiatric activities. However, the anxiolytic-like effects of TMP and its mechanism of action in PTSD are unclear. This study measured several anxiety-related behavioral responses to examine the effects of TMP on symptoms of anxiety in rats after single prolonged stress (SPS) exposure by reversing the serotonin (5-HT) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Rats were given TMP (10, 20, or 40 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days after SPS exposure. Administration of TMP significantly reduced grooming behavior, increased the time spent and number of visits to the open arm in the elevated plus maze test, and significantly increased the number of central zone crossings in the open field test. TMP administration significantly reduced the freezing response to contextual fear conditioning and significantly restored the neurochemical abnormalities and the SPS-induced decrease in 5-HT tissue levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The increased 5-HT concentration during TMP treatment might be partially attribute to the tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid mRNA level expression in the hippocampus of rats with PTSD. These findings support a role for reducing the altered serotonergic transmission in rats with PTSD. TMP simultaneously attenuated the HPA axis dysfunction. Therefore, TMP may be useful for developing an agent for treating psychiatric disorders, such those observed in patients with PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bombi Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.,Center for Converging Humanities, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Insop Shim
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Hyejung Lee
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Dae-Hyun Hahm
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
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28
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Yin C, Wang G, Gao S, Huang Y, Zhao R, Yang X. Maternal restraint stress during pregnancy negatively affects behaviors and antioxidant capacity of offspring rats ( Rattus norvegicus). CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of maternal restraint stress during the gestation period on behaviors, biochemical parameters, and antioxidant capacities of offspring rats (Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout,1769)) at weaning age. Behaviors, plasma biochemical indices, and antioxidant ability of the liver, soleus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle of mother and (or) offspring rats were analyzed. Significant increases were found in the immobility and swinging behavior frequencies of offspring male rats; no difference was found in behaviors of female rats. The antioxidant indices including superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide synthase, and total antioxidant capacity in the soleus muscle of offspring male rats were significantly decreased in the restraint group. Female offspring rats showed significant lower glutathione and higher malondialdehyde levels in the gastrocnemius muscle and liver, respectively. No difference was found in the productive performance and plasma biochemical indices of maternal rats, nor in the biochemical parameters of the two groups of weaning rats. The results suggested that maternal chronic stresses negatively affected the behaviors and antioxidant abilities of offspring rats, and that these effects possibly have a greater impact on offspring male rats than on female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Yin
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
| | - Guofu Wang
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shixing Gao
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanping Huang
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ruqian Zhao
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People’s Republic of China
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29
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Algamal M, Ojo JO, Lungmus CP, Muza P, Cammarata C, Owens MJ, Mouzon BC, Diamond DM, Mullan M, Crawford F. Chronic Hippocampal Abnormalities and Blunted HPA Axis in an Animal Model of Repeated Unpredictable Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:150. [PMID: 30079015 PMCID: PMC6062757 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ranges from 3 to 30% in individuals exposed to traumatic events, with the highest prevalence in groups exposed to combat, torture, or rape. To date, only a few FDA approved drugs are available to treat PTSD, which only offer symptomatic relief and variable efficacy. There is, therefore, an urgent need to explore new concepts regarding the biological responses causing PTSD. Animal models are an appropriate platform for conducting such studies. Herein, we examined the chronic behavioral and neurobiological effects of repeated unpredictable stress (RUS) in a mouse model. 12 weeks-old C57BL/6J male mice were exposed to a 21-day RUS paradigm consisting of exposures to a predator odor (TMT) whilst under restraint, unstable social housing, inescapable footshocks and social isolation. Validity of the model was assessed by comprehensive examination of behavioral outcomes at an acute timepoint, 3 and 6 months post-RUS; and molecular profiling was also conducted on brain and plasma samples at the acute and 6 months timepoints. Stressed mice demonstrated recall of traumatic memories, passive stress coping behavior, acute anxiety, and weight gain deficits when compared to control mice. Immunoblotting of amygdala lysates showed a dysregulation in the p75NTR/ProBDNF, and glutamatergic signaling in stressed mice at the acute timepoint. At 6 months after RUS, stressed mice had lower plasma corticosterone, reduced hippocampal CA1 volume and reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. In addition, glucocorticoid regulatory protein FKBP5 was downregulated in the hypothalamus of stressed mice at the same timepoint, together implicating an impaired hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis. Our model demonstrates chronic behavioral and neurobiological outcomes consistent with those reported in human PTSD cases and thus presents a platform through which to understand the neurobiology of stress and explore new therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa Algamal
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph O. Ojo
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Carlyn P. Lungmus
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | | | - Benoit C. Mouzon
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - David M. Diamond
- Departments of Psychology and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Michael Mullan
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Crawford
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
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30
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Anteroventral bed nuclei of the stria terminalis neurocircuitry: Towards an integration of HPA axis modulation with coping behaviors - Curt Richter Award Paper 2017. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 89:239-249. [PMID: 29395488 PMCID: PMC5878723 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 11/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
A network of interconnected cell groups in the limbic forebrain regulates hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and behavioral responses to emotionally stressful experiences, and chronic disruption of these systems chronically is implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric illnesses. A significant challenge has been to unravel the circuitry and mechanisms providing for regulation of HPA activity, as these limbic forebrain regions do not provide any direct innervation of HPA effector cell groups in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH). Moreover, information regarding how endocrine and behavioral responses are integrated has remained obscure. Here we summarize work from our laboratory showing that anteroventral (av) bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) acts as a point of convergence between the limbic forebrain and PVH, receiving and coordinating upstream influences, and restraining HPA axis output in response to inescapable stressors. Recent studies highlight a more expansive modulatory role for avBST as one that coordinates HPA-inhibitory influences while concurrently suppressing passive behavioral responses via divergent pathways. avBST is uniquely positioned to convey endocrine and behavioral alterations resulting from chronic stress exposure, such as HPA axis hyperactivity and increased passive coping strategies, that may result from synaptic reorganization in upstream limbic cortical regions. We discuss how these studies give new insights into understanding the systems-level organization of stress response circuitry, the neurobiology of coping styles, and BST circuit dysfunction in stress-related psychiatric disorders.
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Anderson E, McWaters M, McFadden L, Matuszewich L. Defensive burying as an ethological approach to studying anxiety: Influence of juvenile methamphetamine on adult defensive burying behavior in rats. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Fucich EA, Morilak DA. Shock-probe Defensive Burying Test to Measure Active versus Passive Coping Style in Response to an Aversive Stimulus in Rats. Bio Protoc 2018; 8:e2998. [PMID: 30271815 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.2998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Maladaptive avoidance behaviors are seen in many stress-related psychiatric illnesses. Patients with these illnesses favor passive, avoidant coping strategies rather than adaptive, active coping strategies. Preclinically, coping strategy can be measured in rats using the shock-probe defensive burying test, wherein rats receive a shock from an electrified probe inserted into a test cage that mimics their home cage environment, and behavioral output (immobility or burying) is recorded for 15 min following the shock. Immobility in response to the perceived threat of the shock-probe, associated with elevated stress hormone levels, is regarded as a passive, maladaptive coping strategy. In opposition, burying the probe is associated with lower stress hormone levels and is considered an active, adaptive coping style. In rats, chronic stress induces a shift from active to passive coping in this test (i.e., proportionally less burying and more immobility), modeling the avoidant symptoms presented across many stress-related psychiatric illnesses. The stress-induced shifts in coping style and overall behavioral reactivity to the shock-probe provide a unique and well-validated measure of not only an anxiety-like behavioral response but also coping strategy selection in rat models of psychiatric illness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Fucich
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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Liu Y, Liu D, Xu J, Jiang H, Pan F. Early adolescent stress-induced changes in prefrontal cortex miRNA-135a and hippocampal miRNA-16 in male rats. Dev Psychobiol 2017; 59:958-969. [PMID: 28944448 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Early-life stress increases susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), in which the dysfunction of 5-hydroxytryptamine plays an important role. miRNA-135a in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and miRNA-16 in the hippocampus (HIP) are closely related to the 5-HT neurotransmitter system. Here, we investigated behavior, miRNA-135a in the PFC, miRNA-16 in the HIP, and 5-HT1AR expression in both brain regions in adolescent and adult rats that were exposed to inescapable stress during their adolescence. Paroxetine hydrochloride and corticotropin-releasing factor antagonist (CP-154,526) were used as intervening measures. Our study demonstrated that early adolescent stress induced anxiety-like behaviors and spatial memory damage, a reduction in miRNA-135a expression was associated with increased 5-HT1AR expression in PFC, and increased miRNA-16 expression in the HIP of stressed rats. Drug treatments alleviated behaviors and reversed the miRNA-135a, miRNA-16, and 5-HT1AR expression in stressed rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Department of Medical Psychology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Dexiang Liu
- Department of Medical Psychology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Jingjing Xu
- Department of Medical Psychology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Medical Psychology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Fang Pan
- Department of Medical Psychology, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, P. R. China
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Blasco-Serra A, González-Soler EM, Cervera-Ferri A, Teruel-Martí V, Valverde-Navarro AA. A standardization of the Novelty-Suppressed Feeding Test protocol in rats. Neurosci Lett 2017; 658:73-78. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Monteiro C, Cardoso-Cruz H, Matos M, Dourado M, Lima D, Galhardo V. Increased fronto-hippocampal connectivity in the Prrxl1 knockout mouse model of congenital hypoalgesia. Pain 2017; 157:2045-2056. [PMID: 27168359 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite the large number of studies addressing how prolonged painful stimulation affects brain functioning, there are only a handful of studies aimed at uncovering if persistent conditions of reduced pain perception would also result in brain plasticity. Permanent hypoalgesia induced by neonatal injection of capsaicin or carrageenan has already been shown to affect learning and memory and to induce alterations in brain gene expression. In this study, we used the Prrxl1 model of congenital mild hypoalgesia to conduct a detailed study of the neurophysiological and behavioral consequences of reduced pain experience. Prrxl1 knockout animals are characterized by selective depletion of small diameter primary afferents and abnormal development of the superficial dorsal laminae of the spinal cord, resulting in diminished pain perception but normal tactile and motor behaviour. Behavioral testing of Prrxl1 mice revealed that these animals have reduced anxiety levels, enhanced memory performance, and improved fear extinction. Neurophysiological recordings from awake behaving Prrxl1 mice show enhanced altered fronto-hippocampal connectivity in the theta- and gamma-bands. Importantly, although inflammatory pain by Complete Freund Adjuvant injection caused a decrease in fronto-hippocampal connectivity in the wild-type animals, Prrxl1 mice maintained the baseline levels. The onset of inflammatory pain also reverted the differences in forebrain expression of stress- and monoamine-related genes in Prrxl1 mice. Altogether our results suggest that congenital hypoalgesia may have an effect on brain plasticity that is the inverse of what is usually observed in animal models of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Monteiro
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular-IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Helder Cardoso-Cruz
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular-IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Matos
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular-IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarida Dourado
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular-IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Deolinda Lima
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular-IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vasco Galhardo
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular-IBMC, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde-i3S, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Hatherall L, Sánchez C, Morilak DA. Chronic Vortioxetine Treatment Reduces Exaggerated Expression of Conditioned Fear Memory and Restores Active Coping Behavior in Chronically Stressed Rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 20:316-323. [PMID: 27927740 PMCID: PMC5409129 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyw105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stress is a risk factor for depression and anxiety disorders, disrupting neuronal processes leading to exaggerated fear and compromised coping behaviors. Current antidepressants are only partially effective. Vortioxetine, a novel multimodal antidepressant, is a serotonin transporter inhibitor; 5-HT3, 5-HT7, and 5-HT1D receptor antagonist; 5-HT1B partial agonist; and 5-HT1A agonist. We have shown that chronic dietary vortioxetine administration reversed stress-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility. In the present studies, we investigated the generality of vortioxetine's effects on other stress-related behavioral changes after different types of chronic stress. METHODS In experiment 1, rats were fear-conditioned by pairing a tone with footshock, then exposed to chronic plus acute prolonged stress. In experiment 2, rats were exposed to chronic unpredictable stress. In both experiments, beginning on day 4 of chronic stress, vortioxetine was given in the diet (24 mg/kg/d). In experiment 1, effects of vortioxetine were tested on stress-induced changes in retention and extinction of cue-conditioned fear, and in experiment 2, on coping behavior on the shock probe defensive burying test after chronic stress. RESULTS Chronic stress exaggerated the expression of conditioned fear memory. Vortioxetine restored fear memory to control levels and rendered extinction in stressed rats comparable with that in controls. In experiment 2, chronic unpredictable stress caused a shift from active to passive coping behavior, and vortioxetine restored active coping. CONCLUSIONS Vortioxetine reduced exaggerated expression of conditioned fear and restored adaptive coping behavior following 2 different types of chronic stress, adding to the evidence of its therapeutic potential in the management of depression and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Hatherall
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (Ms Hatherall and Dr Morilak); Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Dr Sánchez)
| | - Connie Sánchez
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (Ms Hatherall and Dr Morilak); Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Dr Sánchez)
| | - David A. Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (Ms Hatherall and Dr Morilak); Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark (Dr Sánchez)
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Therapeutic Effects of Extinction Learning as a Model of Exposure Therapy in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:3092-3102. [PMID: 27417516 PMCID: PMC5101557 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Current treatments for stress-related psychiatric disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are inadequate. Cognitive behavioral psychotherapies, including exposure therapy, are an alternative to pharmacotherapy, but the neurobiological mechanisms are unknown. Preclinical models demonstrating therapeutic effects of behavioral interventions are required to investigate such mechanisms. Exposure therapy bears similarity to extinction learning. Thus, we investigated the therapeutic effects of extinction learning as a behavioral intervention to model exposure therapy in rats, testing its effectiveness in reversing chronic stress-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility and coping behavior that resemble dimensions of depression and PTSD. Rats were fear-conditioned by pairing a tone with footshock, and then exposed to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) that induces deficits in cognitive set-shifting and active coping behavior. They then received an extinction learning session as a therapeutic intervention by repeated exposure to the tone with no shock. Effects on cognitive flexibility and coping behavior were assessed 24 h later on the attentional set-shifting test or shock-probe defensive burying test, respectively. Extinction reversed the CUS-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility and coping behavior, and increased phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of stress-compromised rats, suggesting a role for activity-dependent protein synthesis in the therapeutic effect. Inhibiting protein synthesis by microinjecting anisomycin into mPFC blocked the therapeutic effect of extinction on cognitive flexibility. These results demonstrate the utility of extinction as a model by which to study mechanisms underlying exposure therapy, and suggest these mechanisms involve protein synthesis in the mPFC, the further study of which may identify novel therapeutic targets.
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Kumar JR, Rajkumar R, Jayakody T, Marwari S, Hong JM, Ma S, Gundlach AL, Lai MKP, Dawe GS. Relaxin' the brain: a case for targeting the nucleus incertus network and relaxin-3/RXFP3 system in neuropsychiatric disorders. Br J Pharmacol 2016; 174:1061-1076. [PMID: 27597467 PMCID: PMC5406295 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Relaxin‐3 has been proposed to modulate emotional–behavioural functions such as arousal and behavioural activation, appetite regulation, stress responses, anxiety, memory, sleep and circadian rhythm. The nucleus incertus (NI), in the midline tegmentum close to the fourth ventricle, projects widely throughout the brain and is the primary site of relaxin‐3 neurons. Over recent years, a number of preclinical studies have explored the function of the NI and relaxin‐3 signalling, including reports of mRNA or peptide expression changes in the NI in response to behavioural or pharmacological manipulations, effects of lesions or electrical or pharmacological manipulations of the NI, effects of central microinfusions of relaxin‐3 or related agonist or antagonist ligands on physiology and behaviour, and the impact of relaxin‐3 gene deletion or knockdown. Although these individual studies reveal facets of the likely functional relevance of the NI and relaxin‐3 systems for human physiology and behaviour, the differences observed in responses between species (e.g. rat vs. mouse), the clearly identified heterogeneity of NI neurons and procedural differences between laboratories are some of the factors that have prevented a precise understanding of their function. This review aims to draw attention to the current preclinical evidence available that suggests the relevance of the NI/relaxin‐3 system to the pathology and/or symptoms of certain neuropsychiatric disorders and to provide cognizant directions for future research to effectively and efficiently uncover its therapeutic potential. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Recent Progress in the Understanding of Relaxin Family Peptides and their Receptors. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.10/issuetoc
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Affiliation(s)
- Jigna Rajesh Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Singapore.,NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ramamoorthy Rajkumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Singapore
| | - Tharindunee Jayakody
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Singapore
| | - Subhi Marwari
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Singapore
| | - Jia Mei Hong
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Singapore.,NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS), National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sherie Ma
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew L Gundlach
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mitchell K P Lai
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Gavin S Dawe
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Neurobiology and Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore.,Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Singapore.,NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS), National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Islas-Preciado D, López-Rubalcava C, González-Olvera J, Gallardo-Tenorio A, Estrada-Camarena E. Environmental enrichment prevents anxiety-like behavior induced by progesterone withdrawal in two strains of rats. Neuroscience 2016; 336:123-132. [PMID: 27600948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.08.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Revised: 08/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/29/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Stress vulnerability could influence the treatment response to anxiety associated with abrupt hormonal suppression. The present study explored the effects of different treatments on experimental anxiety induced by progesterone withdrawal (PW) in a stress-sensitive rat strain, Wistar Kyoto (WKY), in the burying behavior test (BBT). The following experimental series was conducted using independent groups of Wistar (control strain) and WKY ovariectomized rats: Experiment 1: Rats were treated for 5days with oil, a constant dose of progesterone (0.5mg/rat, s.c) or a combination of progesterone (0.5mg/rat, s.c) plus fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, i.p); on day 6, all rats were subjected to BBT. Experiment 2: Rats received corn oil or decreasing doses of progesterone (0.84, 0.67, 0.5, 0.33 and 0.17mg/rat; one dose daily); on day 6, the rats were subjected to BBT. Experiment 3: Rats were divided into two groups that were subjected to 30days of standard conditions or environmental enrichment (EE); from days 25 to 30, all rats received a fixed dose of progesterone (0.5mg/rat, s.c.) or vehicle. On day 31, the rats were tested with BBT. Results showed that PW increased anxiety in both strains, and fluoxetine prevented anxiety in WKY rats. In contrast, a gradual reduction of progesterone prevents the anxiety in Wistar but not in WKY. EE was preventive against the anxiety induced by PW in both strains of rats. Thus, the results suggest that anxiety induced by PW is prevented by EE while the anxiolytic effect of pharmacological treatments depends on stress vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Islas-Preciado
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, San Lorenzo Huipulco, C.P. 14370 México, D.F., Mexico
| | - C López-Rubalcava
- Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados-IPN, Calzada de los Tenorios 235, Granjas Coapa, C.P. 14330 México, D.F., Mexico
| | - J González-Olvera
- Subdirección de Investigaciones Clínicas, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría "Ramón de la Fuente", Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, San Lorenzo Huipulco, C.P. 14370 México, D.F., Mexico
| | - A Gallardo-Tenorio
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, San Lorenzo Huipulco, C.P. 14370 México, D.F., Mexico
| | - E Estrada-Camarena
- Laboratorio de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, San Lorenzo Huipulco, C.P. 14370 México, D.F., Mexico.
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Baek JH, Kim HJ, Fava M, Mischoulon D, Papakostas GI, Nierenberg A, Heo JY, Jeon HJ. Reduced Venous Blood Basophil Count and Anxious Depression in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Psychiatry Investig 2016; 13:321-6. [PMID: 27247599 PMCID: PMC4878967 DOI: 10.4306/pi.2016.13.3.321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Revised: 08/23/2015] [Accepted: 08/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anxious depression has a distinct neurobiology, clinical course and treatment response from non-anxious depression. Role of inflammation in anxious depression has not been examined. As an exploratory study to characterize the role of inflammation on a development of anxious depression, we aimed to determine the relationship between white blood cell (WBC) subset counts and anxiety in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS A total of 709 patients who were newly diagnosed with MDD were recruited. Anxiety levels of participants were evaluated using the Anxiety/ Somatization subitem of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. The association between WBC subset fraction and anxiety was evaluated. RESULTS Basophil and eosinophil sub-fractions showed significant negative correlations with HAM-D anxiety/somatization factor scores (basophils: r=-0.092, p=0.014 and eosinophils: r=-0.075, p=0.046). When an anxiety score (a sum of somatic and psychic anxiety) was entered as a dependent variable, only basophils showed significant negative association with the anxiety scores after adjusting for all other WBC subset counts and demographic factors (t=-2.57, p=0.010). CONCLUSION This study showed that anxious depression had a decreased basophil subfraction, which might be associated with involvement of inflammation in development of anxious depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hyun Baek
- Department of Psychiatry, Depression Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Bipolar Clinic and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Hee-Jin Kim
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Genetics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Maurizio Fava
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - David Mischoulon
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - George I Papakostas
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Andrew Nierenberg
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Departments of Health Sciences & Technology, Management & Research, Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Yoon Heo
- Department of Psychiatry, Depression Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Jin Jeon
- Department of Psychiatry, Depression Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Departments of Health Sciences & Technology, Management & Research, Clinical Research Design & Evaluation, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences & Technology (SAIHST), Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Shah AP, Carreno FR, Wu H, Chung YA, Frazer A. Role of TrkB in the anxiolytic-like and antidepressant-like effects of vagal nerve stimulation: Comparison with desipramine. Neuroscience 2016; 322:273-86. [PMID: 26899129 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2015] [Revised: 01/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
A current hypothesis regarding the mechanism of antidepressant (AD) action suggests the involvement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Consistent with this hypothesis, the receptor for BDNF (and neurotrophin 4/5 (NT-4/5)), Tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB), is activated in rodents by treatment with classical AD drugs. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS), a therapy for treatment resistant depression (TRD), also activates TrkB in rodents. However, the role of this receptor in the therapeutic effects of VNS is unclear. In the current study, the involvement of TrkB in the effects of VNS was investigated in rats using its inhibitor, K252a. Anxiolytic-like and AD-like effects were analyzed using the novelty suppressed feeding test (NSFT) and forced swim test (FST), respectively. K252a blocked the anxiolytic-like effect of chronic VNS treatment and the AD-like effect of acute VNS treatment. By contrast, blocking TrkB did not prevent either the anxiolytic-like or AD-like effect of chronic treatment with desipramine (DMI), a selective noradrenergic reuptake inhibitor; it did, however, block the acute effect of DMI in the FST. To examine whether the activation of TrkB caused by either VNS or DMI is ligand-dependent, use was made of TrkB-Fc, a molecular scavenger for ligands of TrkB. Intraventricular administration of TrkB-Fc blocked the acute activation of TrkB induced by either treatment, indicating that treatment-induced activation of this receptor is ligand-dependent. The behavioral results highlight differences in the involvement of TrkB in the chronic effects of an AD drug and a stimulation therapy as well as its role in acute versus chronic effects of DMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA.
| | - F R Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - H Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Y A Chung
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - A Frazer
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX, USA; South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), Audie L. Murphy Division, San Antonio, TX, USA
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Lauffer A, Vanuytsel T, Vanormelingen C, Vanheel H, Salim Rasoel S, Tóth J, Tack J, Fornari F, Farré R. Subacute stress and chronic stress interact to decrease intestinal barrier function in rats. Stress 2016; 19:225-34. [PMID: 26947111 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2016.1154527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychological stress increases intestinal permeability, potentially leading to low-grade inflammation and symptoms in functional gastrointestinal disorders. We assessed the effect of subacute, chronic and combined stress on intestinal barrier function and mast cell density. Male Wistar rats were allocated to four experimental groups (n = 8/group): 1/sham; 2/subacute stress (isolation and limited movement for 24 h); 3/chronic crowding stress for 14 days and 4/combined subacute and chronic stress. Jejunum and colon were collected to measure: transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER; a measure of epithelial barrier function); gene expression of tight junction molecules; mast cell density. Plasma corticosterone concentration was increased in all three stress conditions versus sham, with highest concentrations in the combined stress condition. TEER in the jejunum was decreased in all stress conditions, but was significantly lower in the combined stress condition than in the other groups. TEER in the jejunum correlated negatively with corticosterone concentration. Increased expression of claudin 1, 5 and 8, occludin and zonula occludens 1 mRNAs was detected after subacute stress in the jejunum. In contrast, colonic TEER was decreased only after combined stress, and the expression of tight junction molecules was unaltered. Increased mast cell density was observed in the chronic and combined stress condition in the colon only. In conclusion, our data show that chronic stress sensitizes the gastrointestinal tract to the effects of subacute stress on intestinal barrier function; different underlying cellular and molecular alterations are indicated in the small intestine versus the colon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Lauffer
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
- b Programa De Pós-Graduação: Ciências Em Gastroenterologia E Hepatologia, Faculdade De Medicina, UFRGS , Porto Alegre , Brazil , and
| | - Tim Vanuytsel
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Christophe Vanormelingen
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Hanne Vanheel
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Shadea Salim Rasoel
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Joran Tóth
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Jan Tack
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
| | - Fernando Fornari
- b Programa De Pós-Graduação: Ciências Em Gastroenterologia E Hepatologia, Faculdade De Medicina, UFRGS , Porto Alegre , Brazil , and
| | - Ricard Farré
- a Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), KU Leuven , Leuven , Belgium
- c Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Enfermedades Hepáticas Y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto De Salud Carlos II , Barcelona , Spain
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Kott J, Mooney-Leber S, Shoubah F, Brummelte S. Effectiveness of different corticosterone administration methods to elevate corticosterone serum levels, induce depressive-like behavior, and affect neurogenesis levels in female rats. Neuroscience 2016; 312:201-14. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Saur L, Baptista PPA, Bagatini PB, Neves LT, de Oliveira RM, Vaz SP, Ferreira K, Machado SA, Mestriner RG, Xavier LL. Experimental Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Decreases Astrocyte Density and Changes Astrocytic Polarity in the CA1 Hippocampus of Male Rats. Neurochem Res 2015; 41:892-904. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-015-1770-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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An Overview of Translationally Informed Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Animal Models of Pavlovian Fear Conditioning to Human Clinical Trials. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:E15-27. [PMID: 26238379 PMCID: PMC4527085 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder manifests after exposure to a traumatic event and is characterized by avoidance/numbing, intrusive symptoms and flashbacks, mood and cognitive disruptions, and hyperarousal/reactivity symptoms. These symptoms reflect dysregulation of the fear system likely caused by poor fear inhibition/extinction, increased generalization, and/or enhanced consolidation or acquisition of fear. These phenotypes can be modeled in animal subjects using Pavlovian fear conditioning, allowing investigation of the underlying neurobiology of normative and pathological fear. Preclinical studies reveal a number of neurotransmitter systems and circuits critical for aversive learning and memory that have informed the development of therapies used in human clinical trials. In this review, we discuss the evidence for a number of established and emerging pharmacotherapies and device-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder that have been developed via a bench to bedside translational model.
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Stress, trauma and PTSD: translational insights into the core synaptic circuitry and its modulation. Brain Struct Funct 2015; 221:2401-26. [PMID: 25985955 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-015-1056-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Evidence is considered as to whether behavioral criteria for diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are applicable to that of traumatized animals and whether the phenomena of acquisition, extinction and reactivation of fear behavior in animals are also successfully applicable to humans. This evidence suggests an affirmative answer in both cases. Furthermore, the deficits in gray matter found in PTSD, determined with magnetic resonance imaging, are also observed in traumatized animals, lending neuropsychological support to the use of animals to probe what has gone awry in PTSD. Such animal experiments indicate that the core synaptic circuitry mediating behavior following trauma consists of the amygdala, ventral-medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, all of which are modulated by the basal ganglia. It is not clear if this is the case in PTSD as the observations using fMRI are equivocal and open to technical objections. Nevertheless, the effects of the basal ganglia in controlling glutamatergic synaptic transmission through dopaminergic and serotonergic synaptic mechanisms in the core synaptic circuitry provides a ready explanation for why modifying these mechanisms delays extinction in animal models and predisposes towards PTSD. In addition, changes of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the core synaptic circuitry have significant effects on acquisition and extinction in animal experiments with single nucleotide polymorphisms in the BDNF gene predisposing to PTSD.
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Abstract
Behçet's syndrome (BS) is a systemic, chronic, relapsing vasculitis, typically characterized by recurrent orogenital ulcers, ocular inflammation and skin manifestations; articular, vascular, gastroenteric and neurological involvement may also occur. Besides the other clinical features of BS, it seems relatively frequent that patients with BS develop a neurobehavioural syndrome, characterized by euphoria, bipolar disorders and paranoid attitudes, loss of insight/disinhibition, and indifference to their disease, defined as 'neuro-psycho-BS'. To date, the pathogenetic mechanism underlying neuro-psycho-BS has not been determined. It may be secondary to organic neurological involvement, or it may be related to poor quality of life and the relapsing course of the disease. Another engaging theory suggests that it could be related to the frequent observation of psychiatric symptoms during relapses or, in some cases, in the phases preceding reactivation of the disease; these elements suggest that psychiatric disorders in BS could represent a crucial element, whether a psychiatric subset or a distinct clinical feature of the disease. Moreover, it has been reported that cognitive impairment in BS can be seen with or without central nervous system involvement. Globally, psychiatric symptoms have been described as being multifaceted, ranging from anxiety disorders to depressive-bipolar disorders or to psychotic ones. In addition, some psychological characteristics of BS patients seem to predispose them to maladaptive stress management, which may lead to stress-related disorders, including anxiety and depression. Therefore, the aims of this review are to explore the epidemiology of neuro-psycho-BS by evaluating the relationship between the stress system and the multifaceted psychiatric manifestations in BS, and to summarize the therapeutic strategy used.
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Schmeltzer SN, Vollmer LL, Rush JE, Weinert M, Dolgas CM, Sah R. History of chronic stress modifies acute stress-evoked fear memory and acoustic startle in male rats. Stress 2015; 18:244-53. [PMID: 25721540 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2015.1016495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronicity of trauma exposure plays an important role in the pathophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Thus, exposure to multiple traumas on a chronic scale leads to worse outcomes than acute events. The rationale for the current study was to investigate the effects of a single adverse event versus the same event on a background of chronic stress. We hypothesized that a history of chronic stress would lead to worse behavioral outcomes than a single event alone. Male rats (n = 14/group) were exposed to either a single traumatic event in the form of electric foot shocks (acute shock, AS), or to footshocks on a background of chronic stress (chronic variable stress-shock, CVS-S). PTSD-relevant behaviors (fear memory and acoustic startle responses) were measured following 7 d recovery. In line with our hypothesis, CVS-S elicited significant increases in fear acquisition and conditioning versus the AS group. Unexpectedly, CVS-S elicited reduced startle reactivity to an acoustic stimulus in comparison with the AS group. Significant increase in FosB/ΔFosB-like immunostaining was observed in the dentate gyrus, basolateral amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex of CVS-S rats. Assessments of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stress-regulatory transmitter associated with chronic PTSD, revealed selective reduction in the hippocampus of CVS-S rats. Collectively, our data show that cumulative stress potentiates delayed fear memory and impacts defensive responding. Altered neuronal activation in forebrain limbic regions and reduced NPY may contribute to these phenomena. Our preclinical studies support clinical findings reporting worse PTSD outcomes stemming from cumulative traumatization in contrast to acute trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Schmeltzer
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati, OH , USA
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Abstract
This study assessed the effects of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menstrual phases on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, sympathetic nervous system axis and psychological responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Thirty-six PMS women (mean age 21.69 ± 2.16 years) and 36 control women (mean age 22.03 ± 2.48 years) participated in the TSST task, either in the follicular phase or in the late luteal phase (each group N = 18). Saliva samples, heart rate and subjective stress levels were collected for seven time points throughout the test (10, 20, 30, 40, 55, 70 and 100 min). The results indicated that in comparison with control women, PMS women displayed blunted cortisol stress responses to the TSST irrespective of the menstrual phases, as indexed by the cortisol levels across time, area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) and peak change scores of cortisol. The results also demonstrated that the measurements indexed by cortisol levels across time, AUCg and peak change scores of heart rate were smaller in women tested during the late luteal phase than during the follicular phase. Correlation results indicated that AUCg was negatively correlated with PMS scores. These results suggest that measures of cortisol, rather than heart rate or subjective responses to stress, may be most closely associated with PMS. Furthermore, hypo-reactivity of the HPA axis may be pathologically relevant to PMS because it predicts heightened PMS severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamei Huang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University , Beijing , China
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Hardaway JA, Crowley NA, Bulik CM, Kash TL. Integrated circuits and molecular components for stress and feeding: implications for eating disorders. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2015; 14:85-97. [PMID: 25366309 PMCID: PMC4465370 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Eating disorders are complex brain disorders that afflict millions of individuals worldwide. The etiology of these diseases is not fully understood, but a growing body of literature suggests that stress and anxiety may play a critical role in their development. As our understanding of the genetic and environmental factors that contribute to disease in clinical populations like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder continue to grow, neuroscientists are using animal models to understand the neurobiology of stress and feeding. We hypothesize that eating disorder clinical phenotypes may result from stress-induced maladaptive alterations in neural circuits that regulate feeding, and that these circuits can be neurochemically isolated using animal model of eating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. A. Hardaway
- Bowles Alcohol Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - N. A. Crowley
- Bowles Alcohol Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - C. M. Bulik
- UNC Eating Disorders Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - T. L. Kash
- Bowles Alcohol Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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