1
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Paniccia JE, Vollmer KM, Green LM, Grant RI, Winston KT, Buchmaier S, Westphal AM, Clarke RE, Doncheck EM, Bordieanu B, Manusky LM, Martino MR, Ward AL, Rinker JA, McGinty JF, Scofield MD, Otis JM. Restoration of a paraventricular thalamo-accumbal behavioral suppression circuit prevents reinstatement of heroin seeking. Neuron 2024; 112:772-785.e9. [PMID: 38141605 PMCID: PMC10939883 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Lack of behavioral suppression typifies substance use disorders, yet the neural circuit underpinnings of drug-induced behavioral disinhibition remain unclear. Here, we employ deep-brain two-photon calcium imaging in heroin self-administering mice, longitudinally tracking adaptations within a paraventricular thalamus to nucleus accumbens behavioral inhibition circuit from the onset of heroin use to reinstatement. We find that select thalamo-accumbal neuronal ensembles become profoundly hypoactive across the development of heroin seeking and use. Electrophysiological experiments further reveal persistent adaptations at thalamo-accumbal parvalbumin interneuronal synapses, whereas functional rescue of these synapses prevents multiple triggers from initiating reinstatement of heroin seeking. Finally, we find an enrichment of μ-opioid receptors in output- and cell-type-specific paraventricular thalamic neurons, which provide a mechanism for heroin-induced synaptic plasticity and behavioral disinhibition. These findings reveal key circuit adaptations that underlie behavioral disinhibition in opioid dependence and further suggest that recovery of this system would reduce relapse susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E Paniccia
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Kelsey M Vollmer
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Lisa M Green
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Roger I Grant
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Kion T Winston
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Sophie Buchmaier
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Annaka M Westphal
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Rachel E Clarke
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Bogdan Bordieanu
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Logan M Manusky
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Michael R Martino
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Amy L Ward
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Jennifer A Rinker
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Jacqueline F McGinty
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Michael D Scofield
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - James M Otis
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Ralph Johnson Veterans Administration, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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2
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Hou G, Jiang S, Chen G, Deng X, Li F, Xu H, Chen B, Zhu Y. Opioid Receptors Modulate Firing and Synaptic Transmission in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:2682-2695. [PMID: 36898836 PMCID: PMC10089236 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1766-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is involved in drug addiction-related behaviors, and morphine is a widely used opioid for the relief of severe pain. Morphine acts via opioid receptors, but the function of opioid receptors in the PVT has not been fully elucidated. Here, we used in vitro electrophysiology to study neuronal activity and synaptic transmission in the PVT of male and female mice. Activation of opioid receptors suppresses the firing and inhibitory synaptic transmission of PVT neurons in brain slices. On the other hand, the involvement of opioid modulation is reduced after chronic morphine exposure, probably because of desensitization and internalization of opioid receptors in the PVT. Overall, the opioid system is essential for the modulation of PVT activities.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Opioid receptors modulate the activities and synaptic transmission in the PVT by suppressing the firing rate and inhibitory synaptic inputs. These modulations were largely diminished after chronic morphine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Hou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Shaolei Jiang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Gaowei Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fengling Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hua Xu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Bo Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yingjie Zhu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, Shenzhen Neher Neural Plasticity Laboratory, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
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3
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Gao C, Gohel CA, Leng Y, Ma J, Goldman D, Levine AJ, Penzo MA. Molecular and spatial profiling of the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. eLife 2023; 12:81818. [PMID: 36867023 PMCID: PMC10014079 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is known to regulate various cognitive and behavioral processes. However, while functional diversity among PVT circuits has often been linked to cellular differences, the molecular identity and spatial distribution of PVT cell types remain unclear. To address this gap, here we used single nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and identified five molecularly distinct PVT neuronal subtypes in the mouse brain. Additionally, multiplex fluorescent in situ hybridization of top marker genes revealed that PVT subtypes are organized by a combination of previously unidentified molecular gradients. Lastly, comparing our dataset with a recently published single-cell sequencing atlas of the thalamus yielded novel insight into the PVT's connectivity with the cortex, including unexpected innervation of auditory and visual areas. This comparison also revealed that our data contains a largely non-overlapping transcriptomic map of multiple midline thalamic nuclei. Collectively, our findings uncover previously unknown features of the molecular diversity and anatomical organization of the PVT and provide a valuable resource for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Gao
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown UniversityProvidenceUnited States
| | - Chiraag A Gohel
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismRockvilleUnited States
| | - Yan Leng
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Jun Ma
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - David Goldman
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholismRockvilleUnited States
| | - Ariel J Levine
- National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaUnited States
| | - Mario A Penzo
- National Institute of Mental HealthBethesdaUnited States
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4
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Vollmer KM, Green LM, Grant RI, Winston KT, Doncheck EM, Bowen CW, Paniccia JE, Clarke RE, Tiller A, Siegler PN, Bordieanu B, Siemsen BM, Denton AR, Westphal AM, Jhou TC, Rinker JA, McGinty JF, Scofield MD, Otis JM. An opioid-gated thalamoaccumbal circuit for the suppression of reward seeking in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6865. [PMID: 36369508 PMCID: PMC9652456 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34517-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Suppression of dangerous or inappropriate reward-motivated behaviors is critical for survival, whereas therapeutic or recreational opioid use can unleash detrimental behavioral actions and addiction. Nevertheless, the neuronal systems that suppress maladaptive motivated behaviors remain unclear, and whether opioids disengage those systems is unknown. In a mouse model using two-photon calcium imaging in vivo, we identify paraventricular thalamostriatal neuronal ensembles that are inhibited upon sucrose self-administration and seeking, yet these neurons are tonically active when behavior is suppressed by a fear-provoking predator odor, a pharmacological stressor, or inhibitory learning. Electrophysiological, optogenetic, and chemogenetic experiments reveal that thalamostriatal neurons innervate accumbal parvalbumin interneurons through synapses enriched with calcium permeable AMPA receptors, and activity within this circuit is necessary and sufficient for the suppression of sucrose seeking regardless of the behavioral suppressor administered. Furthermore, systemic or intra-accumbal opioid injections rapidly dysregulate thalamostriatal ensemble dynamics, weaken thalamostriatal synaptic innervation of downstream neurons, and unleash reward-seeking behaviors in a manner that is reversed by genetic deletion of thalamic µ-opioid receptors. Overall, our findings reveal a thalamostriatal to parvalbumin interneuron circuit that is both required for the suppression of reward seeking and rapidly disengaged by opioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey M Vollmer
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Lisa M Green
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Roger I Grant
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Kion T Winston
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Christopher W Bowen
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Jacqueline E Paniccia
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Rachel E Clarke
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Annika Tiller
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Preston N Siegler
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Bogdan Bordieanu
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Benjamin M Siemsen
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Adam R Denton
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Annaka M Westphal
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Thomas C Jhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Jennifer A Rinker
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Jacqueline F McGinty
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Michael D Scofield
- Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - James M Otis
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
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5
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Limoges A, Yarur HE, Tejeda HA. Dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor system regulation on amygdaloid circuitry: Implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:963691. [PMID: 36276608 PMCID: PMC9579273 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.963691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdaloid circuits are involved in a variety of emotional and motivation-related behaviors and are impacted by stress. The amygdala expresses several neuromodulatory systems, including opioid peptides and their receptors. The Dynorphin (Dyn)/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system has been implicated in the processing of emotional and stress-related information and is expressed in brain areas involved in stress and motivation. Dysregulation of the Dyn/KOR system has also been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is limited information about the role of the Dyn/KOR system in regulating amygdala circuitry. Here, we review the literature on the (1) basic anatomy of the amygdala, (2) functional regulation of synaptic transmission by the Dyn/KOR system, (3) anatomical architecture and function of the Dyn/KOR system in the amygdala, (4) regulation of amygdala-dependent behaviors by the Dyn/KOR system, and (5) future directions for the field. Future work investigating how the Dyn/KOR system shapes a wide range of amygdala-related behaviors will be required to increase our understanding of underlying circuitry modulation by the Dyn/KOR system. We anticipate that continued focus on the amygdala Dyn/KOR system will also elucidate novel ways to target the Dyn/KOR system to treat neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Limoges
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- NIH-Columbia University Individual Graduate Partnership Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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6
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Reeves KC, Shah N, Muñoz B, Atwood BK. Opioid Receptor-Mediated Regulation of Neurotransmission in the Brain. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:919773. [PMID: 35782382 PMCID: PMC9242007 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.919773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids mediate their effects via opioid receptors: mu, delta, and kappa. At the neuronal level, opioid receptors are generally inhibitory, presynaptically reducing neurotransmitter release and postsynaptically hyperpolarizing neurons. However, opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neuronal function and synaptic transmission is not uniform in expression pattern and mechanism across the brain. The localization of receptors within specific cell types and neurocircuits determine the effects that endogenous and exogenous opioids have on brain function. In this review we will explore the similarities and differences in opioid receptor-mediated regulation of neurotransmission across different brain regions. We discuss how future studies can consider potential cell-type, regional, and neural pathway-specific effects of opioid receptors in order to better understand how opioid receptors modulate brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin C. Reeves
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Charleston Alcohol Research Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Nikhil Shah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Braulio Muñoz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
| | - Brady K. Atwood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States
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7
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Rullo L, Posa L, Caputi FF, Stamatakos S, Formaggio F, Caprini M, Liguori R, Candeletti S, Romualdi P. Nociceptive behavior and central neuropeptidergic dysregulations in male and female mice of a Fabry disease animal model. Brain Res Bull 2021; 175:158-167. [PMID: 34339779 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked inherited disorder characterized by glycosphingolipid accumulation due to deficiency of α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) enzyme. Chronic pain and mood disorders frequently coexist in FD clinical setting, however underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms are still unclear. Here we investigated the mechanical and thermal sensitivity in α-Gal A (-/0) hemizygous male and the α-Gal A (-/-) homozygous female mice. We also characterized the gene expression of dynorphinergic, nociceptinergic and CRFergic systems, known to be involved in pain control and mood disorders, in the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and thalamus of α-Gal A (-/0) hemizygous male and the α-Gal A (-/-) homozygous female mice. Moreover, KOP receptor protein levels were evaluated in the same areas. Fabry knock-out male, but not female, mice displayed a decreased pain threshold in both mechanical and thermal tests compared to their wild type littermates. In the amygdala and prefrontal cortex, we observed a decrease of pDYN mRNA levels in males, whereas an increase was assessed in females, thus suggesting sex-related dysregulation of stress coping and pain mechanisms. Elevated mRNA levels for pDYN/KOP and CRF/CRFR1 systems were observed in male and female thalamus, a critical crossroad for both painful signals and cognitive/emotional processes. KOP receptor protein level changes assessed in the investigated areas, appeared mostly in agreement with KOP gene expression alterations. Our data suggest that α-Gal A enzyme deficiency in male and female mice is associated with distinct neuropeptide gene and protein expression dysregulations of investigated systems, possibly related to the neuroplasticity underlying the neurological features of FD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Rullo
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy
| | - Luca Posa
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy; Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Francesca Felicia Caputi
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy
| | - Serena Stamatakos
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy
| | - Francesco Formaggio
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy
| | - Marco Caprini
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy
| | - Rocco Liguori
- IRCCS Institute of Neurological Sciences, Bologna, Italy; Dept. of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DiBiNeM), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Altura 3, Bologna, 40139, Italy
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romualdi
- Dept. of Pharmacy and Biotechnology (FaBiT), Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 48, Bologna, 40126, Italy.
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8
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Zhou K, Zhu L, Hou G, Chen X, Chen B, Yang C, Zhu Y. The Contribution of Thalamic Nuclei in Salience Processing. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:634618. [PMID: 33664657 PMCID: PMC7920982 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.634618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain continuously receives diverse information about the external environment and changes in the homeostatic state. The attribution of salience determines which stimuli capture attention and, therefore, plays an essential role in regulating emotions and guiding behaviors. Although the thalamus is included in the salience network, the neural mechanism of how the thalamus contributes to salience processing remains elusive. In this mini-review, we will focus on recent advances in understanding the specific roles of distinct thalamic nuclei in salience processing. We will summarize the functional connections between thalamus nuclei and other key nodes in the salience network. We will highlight the convergence of neural circuits involved in reward and pain processing, arousal, and attention control in thalamic structures. We will discuss how thalamic activities represent salience information in associative learning and how thalamic neurons modulate adaptive behaviors. Lastly, we will review recent studies which investigate the contribution of thalamic dysfunction to aberrant salience processing in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as drug addiction, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia. Based on emerging evidence from both human and rodent research, we propose that the thalamus, different from previous studies that as an information relay, has a broader role in coordinating the cognitive process and regulating emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuikui Zhou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Zhu
- Department of Neonatology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guoqiang Hou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xueyu Chen
- Department of Neonatology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bo Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chuanzhong Yang
- Department of Neonatology, Shenzhen Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yingjie Zhu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Drug Addiction, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute (BCBDI), Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science-Shenzhen Fundamental Research Institutions, Shenzhen, China
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9
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McGinty JF, Otis JM. Heterogeneity in the Paraventricular Thalamus: The Traffic Light of Motivated Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:590528. [PMID: 33177999 PMCID: PMC7596164 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.590528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) is highly interconnected with brain areas that control reward-seeking behavior. Despite this known connectivity, broad manipulations of PVT often lead to mixed, and even opposing, behavioral effects, clouding our understanding of how PVT precisely contributes to reward processing. Although the function of PVT in influencing reward-seeking is poorly understood, recent studies show that forebrain and hypothalamic inputs to, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) and amygdalar outputs from, PVT are strongly implicated in PVT responses to conditioned and appetitive or aversive stimuli that determine whether an animal will approach or avoid specific rewards. These studies, which have used an array of chemogenetic, optogenetic, and calcium imaging technologies, have shown that activity in PVT input and output circuits is highly heterogeneous, with mixed activity patterns that contribute to behavior in highly distinct manners. Thus, it is important to perform experiments in precisely defined cell types to elucidate how the PVT network contributes to reward-seeking behaviors. In this review, we describe the complex heterogeneity within PVT circuitry that appears to influence the decision to seek or avoid a reward and point out gaps in our understanding that should be investigated in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline F. McGinty
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
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Varlinskaya EI, Johnson JM, Przybysz KR, Deak T, Diaz MR. Adolescent forced swim stress increases social anxiety-like behaviors and alters kappa opioid receptor function in the basolateral amygdala of male rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 98:109812. [PMID: 31707090 PMCID: PMC6920550 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a developmental period marked by robust neural alterations and heightened vulnerability to stress, a factor that is highly associated with increased risk for emotional processing deficits, such as anxiety. Stress-induced upregulation of the dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor (DYN/KOP) system is thought to, in part, underlie the negative affect associated with stress. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a key structure involved in anxiety, and neuromodulatory systems, such as the DYN/KOP system, can 1) regulate BLA neural activity in an age-dependent manner in stress-naïve animals and 2) underlie stress-induced anxiety in adults. However, the role of the DYN/KOP system in modulating stress-induced anxiety in adolescents is unknown. To test this, we examined the impact of an acute, 2-day forced swim stress (FSS - 10 min each day) on adolescent (~postnatal day (P) 35) and adult Sprague-Dawley rats (~P70), followed by behavioral, molecular and electrophysiological assessment 24 h following FSS. Adolescent males, but not adult males or females of either age, demonstrated social anxiety-like behavioral alterations indexed via significantly reduced social investigation and preference when tested 24 h following FSS. Conversely, adult males exhibited increased social preference. While there were no FSS-induced changes in expression of genes related to the DYN/KOP system in the BLA, these behavioral alterations were associated with alterations in BLA KOP function. Specifically, while GABA transmission in BLA pyramidal neurons from non-stressed adolescent males responded variably (potentiated, suppressed, or was unchanged) to the KOP agonist, U69593, U69593 significantly inhibited BLA GABA transmission in the majority of neurons from stressed adolescent males, consistent with the observed anxiogenic phenotype in stressed adolescent males. This is the first study to demonstrate stress-induced alterations in BLA KOP function that may contribute to stress-induced social anxiety in adolescent males. Importantly, these findings provide evidence for potential KOP-dependent mechanisms that may contribute to pathophysiological interactions with subsequent stress challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- E I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - J M Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - K R Przybysz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - T Deak
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - M R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States.
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Karkhanis AN, Al-Hasani R. Dynorphin and its role in alcohol use disorder. Brain Res 2020; 1735:146742. [PMID: 32114059 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The dynorphin / kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system has been implicated in many aspects that influence neuropsychiatric disorders. Namely, this system modulates neural circuits that primarily regulate reward seeking, motivation processing, stress responsivity, and pain sensitivity, thus affecting the development of substance and alcohol use disorder (AUD). The effects of this system are often bidirectional and depend on projection targets. To date, a majority of the studies focusing on this system have examined the KOR function using agonists and antagonists. Indeed, there are studies that have examined prodynorphin and dynorphin levels by measuring mRNA and tissue content levels; however, static levels of the neuropeptide and its precursor do not explain complete and online function of the peptide as would be explained by measuring dynorphin transmission in real time. New and exciting methods using optogenetics, chemogenetics, genetic sensors, fast scan cyclic voltammetry are now being developed to detect various neuropeptides with a focus on opioid peptides, including dynorphin. In this review we discuss studies that examine dynorphin projections in areas involved in AUD, its functional involvement in AUD and vulnerability to develop AUD at various ages. Moreover, we discuss dynorphin's role in promoting AUD by dysregulation motivation circuits and how advancements in opioid peptide detection will further our understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anushree N Karkhanis
- Department of Psychology, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Center for Developmental and Behavioral Neuroscience, Binghamton University - SUNY, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | - Ream Al-Hasani
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Department of Anesthesiology Washington University in St. Louis, Center for Clinical Pharmacology, Washington University School of Medicine & St. Louis College of Pharmacy 660 S.Euclid, Box 8054, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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12
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Przybysz KR, Varlinskaya EI, Diaz MR. Age and sex regulate kappa opioid receptor-mediated anxiety-like behavior in rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 379:112379. [PMID: 31765725 PMCID: PMC10466214 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety occurs across ontogeny, but there is evidence that its etiology may vary across the lifespan. The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system mediates some of the anxiogenic effects of stress and drug exposure, and is involved in aversive responses to environmental stimuli. However, much of this work has been conducted in adult males. Work assessing the effects of KOR activation in younger males has demonstrated that this system produces an anxiolytic/no response, indicating that that this system may be developmentally regulated. Despite these discrepancies, a direct comparison of KOR-induced anxiety in stress-naïve adolescents and adults has not been done. Additionally, the effects of KOR activation in females are poorly understood. Therefore, we assessed the impact of KOR activation on anxiety-like behavior in adolescent and adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were given an i.p. injection of the KOR agonist U69593 (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 mg/kg or vehicle) and were tested using the elevated plus maze. U69593 decreased open arm time in adult males, indicating increased anxiety-like behavior. Adolescents exhibited decreased stretch attend postures when collapsed across sex, suggesting reduced anxiety-like behavior. Adult females were not affected by U69593 administration. These data support studies that have identified age-dependent changes in the KOR system in males, and provide novel evidence that females may not exhibit this ontogenetic change. Given the prevalence of stress and drug exposure during the adolescent period, differences in how the KOR system may mediate the effects of these exposures across age and sex should be explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn R Przybysz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States
| | - Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, United States; Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY 13902, United States.
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µ-opioid receptor-mediated downregulation of midline thalamic pathways to basal and central amygdala. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17837. [PMID: 31780740 PMCID: PMC6882837 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54128-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain µ-opioid receptors (MOR) mediate reward and help coping with pain, social rejection, anxiety and depression. The dorsal midline thalamus (dMT) integrates visceral/emotional signals and biases behavior towards aversive or defensive states through projections to the amygdala. While a dense MOR expression in the dMT has been described, the exact cellular and synaptic mechanisms of µ-opioidergic modulation in the dMT-amygdala circuitry remain unresolved. Here, we hypothesized that MORs are important negative modulators of dMT-amygdala excitatory networks. Using retrograde tracers and targeted channelrhodopsin expression in combination with patch-clamp electrophysiology, we found that projections of dMT neurons onto both basal amygdala principal neurons (BA PN) and central amygdala (CeL) neurons are attenuated by stimulation of somatic or synaptic MORs. Importantly, dMT efferents to the amygdala drive feedforward excitation of centromedial amygdala neurons (CeM), which is dampened by MOR activation. This downregulation of excitatory activity in dMT-amygdala networks puts the µ-opioid system in a position to ameliorate aversive or defensive behavioral states associated with stress, withdrawal, physical pain or social rejection.
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Zhou K, Zhu Y. The paraventricular thalamic nucleus: A key hub of neural circuits underlying drug addiction. Pharmacol Res 2019; 142:70-76. [PMID: 30772461 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive, out-of-control drug use and the appearance of negative somatic and emotional consequences when drug access is prevented. The limited efficacy of treatment urges researchers toward a deeper understanding of the neural mechanism of drug addiction. Brain circuits that regulate reward and motivation are considered to be the neural substrate of drug addiction. An increasing body of literature indicates that the paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) could serve as a key node in the neurocircuits that control goal-directed behaviors. In this review, we summarize the anatomical and functional evidence that the PVT regulates drug-related behaviors. The PVT receives extensive inputs from the brainstem and hypothalamus, and is reciprocally connected with the limbic system. Neurons in the PVT are recruited by drug exposure as well as cues and context associated with drug taking. Pathway-specific perturbation studies have begun to decipher the precise role of PVT circuits in drug-related behaviors. We also highlight recent findings about the involvement of neural plasticity of the PVT pathways in drug addiction and provide perspectives on future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuikui Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Yingjie Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
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Age as a factor in stress and alcohol interactions: A critical role for the kappa opioid system. Alcohol 2018; 72:9-18. [PMID: 30322483 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The endogenous kappa opioid system has primarily been shown to be involved with a state of dysphoria and aversion. Stress and exposure to drugs of abuse, particularly alcohol, can produce similar states of unease and anxiety, implicating the kappa opioid system as a target of stress and alcohol. Numerous behavioral studies have demonstrated reduced sensitivity to manipulations of the kappa opioid system in early life relative to adulthood, and recent reports have shown that the kappa opioid system is functionally different across ontogeny. Given the global rise in early-life stress and alcohol consumption, understanding how the kappa opioid system responds and adapts to stress and/or alcohol exposure differently in early life and adulthood is imperative. Therefore, the objective of this review is to highlight and discuss studies examining the impact of early-life stress and/or alcohol on the kappa opioid system, with focus on the documented neuroadaptations that may contribute to future vulnerability to stress and/or increase the risk of relapse. We first provide a brief summary of the importance of studying the effects of stress and alcohol during early life (prenatal, neonatal/juvenile, and adolescence). We then discuss the literature on the effects of stress or alcohol during early life and adulthood on the kappa opioid system. Finally, we discuss the few studies that have shown interactions between stress and alcohol on the kappa opioid system and provide some discussion about the need for studies investigating the development of the kappa opioid system.
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Varlinskaya EI, Spear LP, Diaz MR. Stress alters social behavior and sensitivity to pharmacological activation of kappa opioid receptors in an age-specific manner in Sprague Dawley rats. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 9:124-132. [PMID: 30450378 PMCID: PMC6234253 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor (DYN/KOR) system has been identified as a primary target of stress due to behavioral effects, such as dysphoria, aversion, and anxiety-like alterations that result from activation of this system. Numerous adaptations in the DYN/KOR system have also been identified in response to stress. However, whereas most studies examining the function of the DYN/KOR system have been conducted in adult rodents, there is growing evidence suggesting that this system is ontogenetically regulated. Likewise, the outcome of exposure to stress also differs across ontogeny. Based on these developmental similarities, the objective of this study was to systematically test effects of a selective KOR agonist, U-62066, on various aspects of social behavior across ontogeny in non-stressed male and female rats as well as in males and females with a prior history of repeated exposure to restraint (90 min/day, 5 exposures). We found that the social consequences of repeated restraint differed as a function of age: juvenile stress produced substantial increases in play fighting, whereas adolescent and adult stress resulted in decreases in social investigation and social preference. The KOR agonist U-62066 dose-dependently reduced social behaviors in non-stressed adults, producing social avoidance at the highest dose tested, while younger animals displayed reduced sensitivity to this socially suppressing effect of U-62066. Interestingly, in stressed animals, the socially suppressing effects of the KOR agonist were blunted at all ages, with juveniles and adolescents exhibiting increased social preference in response to certain doses of U-62066. Taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that the DYN/KOR system changes with age and differentially responds and adapts to stress across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena I Varlinskaya
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States
| | - Linda Patia Spear
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States
| | - Marvin R Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Center for Development and Behavioral Neuroscience, Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY13902, United States
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Dynorphin Counteracts Orexin in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus: Cellular and Behavioral Evidence. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:1010-1020. [PMID: 29052613 PMCID: PMC5854806 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The orexin (Orx) system plays a critical role in drug addiction and reward-related behaviors. The dynorphin (Dyn) system promotes depressive-like behavior and plays a key role in the aversive effects of stress. Orx and Dyn are co-released and have opposing functions in reward and motivation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Previous studies suggested that OrxA transmission in the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (pPVT) participates in cocaine-seeking behavior. This study determined whether Orx and Dyn interact in the pPVT. Using the brain slice preparation for cellular recordings, superfusion of DynA onto pPVT neurons decreased the frequency of spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (s/mEPSCs). OrxA increased the frequency of sEPSCs but had no effect on mEPSCs, suggesting a network-driven effect of OrxA. The amplitudes of s/mEPSCs were unaffected by the peptides, indicating a presynaptic action on glutamate release. Augmentation of OrxA-induced glutamate release was reversed by DynA. Utilizing a behavioral approach, separate groups of male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer cocaine or sweetened condensed milk (SCM). After extinction, rats received intra-pPVT administration of OrxA±DynA±the κ-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (NorBNI) under extinction conditions. OrxA reinstated cocaine- and SCM-seeking behavior, with a greater effect in cocaine animals. DynA blocked OrxA-induced cocaine seeking but not SCM seeking. NorBNI did not induce or potentiate cocaine-seeking behavior induced by OrxA but reversed DynA effect. This indicates that the κ-opioid system in the pPVT counteracts OrxA-induced cocaine seeking, suggesting a novel therapeutic target to prevent cocaine relapse.
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Age-dependent regulation of GABA transmission by kappa opioid receptors in the basolateral amygdala of Sprague-Dawley rats. Neuropharmacology 2017; 117:124-133. [PMID: 28163104 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are one of the most common and debilitating mental illnesses worldwide. Growing evidence indicates an age-dependent rise in the incidence of anxiety disorders from adolescence through adulthood, suggestive of underlying neurodevelopmental mechanisms. Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) are known to contribute to the development and expression of anxiety; however, the functional role of KORs in the basolateral amygdala (BLA), a brain structure critical in mediating anxiety, particularly across ontogeny, are unknown. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology in acute brain slices from adolescent (postnatal day (P) 30-45) and adult (P60+) male Sprague-Dawley rats, we found that the KOR agonist, U69593, increased the frequency of GABAA-mediated spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in the adolescent BLA, without an effect in the adult BLA or on sIPSC amplitude at either age. The KOR effect was blocked by the KOR antagonist, nor-BNI, which alone did not alter GABA transmission at either age, and the effect of the KOR agonist was TTX-sensitive. Additionally, KOR activation did not alter glutamatergic transmission in the BLA at either age. In contrast, U69593 inhibited sIPSC frequency in the central amygdala (CeA) at both ages, without altering sIPSC amplitude. Western blot analysis of KOR expression indicated that KOR levels were not different between the two ages in either the BLA or CeA. This is the first study to provide compelling evidence for a novel and unique neuromodulatory switch in one of the primary brain regions involved in initiating and mediating anxiety that may contribute to the ontogenic rise in anxiety disorders.
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-eighth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2015 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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