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Licheri V, Chandrasekaran J, Kenton JA, Bird CW, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Optogenetic stimulation of corticostriatal circuits improves behavioral flexibility in mice with prenatal alcohol exposure. Neuropharmacology 2024; 247:109860. [PMID: 38336243 PMCID: PMC10901293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common preventable form of developmental and neurobehavioral disability. Animal models have demonstrated that even low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is sufficient to impair behavioral flexibility in multiple domains. Previously, utilizing a moderate limited access drinking in the dark paradigm, we have shown that PAE 1) impairs touchscreen pairwise visual reversal in male adult offspring 2) leads to small but significant decreases in orbitofrontal (OFC) firing rates 3) significantly increases dorsal striatum (dS) activity and 4) aberrantly sustains OFC-dS synchrony across early reversal. In the current study, we examined whether optogenetic stimulation of OFC-dS projection neurons would be sufficient to rescue the behavioral inflexibility induced by PAE in male C57BL/6J mice. Following discrimination learning, we targeted OFC-dS projections using a retrograde adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivered to the dS which expressed channel rhodopsin (ChR2). During the first four sessions of reversal learning, we delivered high frequency optogenetic stimulation to the OFC via optic fibers immediately following correct choice responses. Our results show that optogenetic stimulation significantly reduced the number of sessions, incorrect responses, and correction errors required to move past the early perseverative phase for both PAE and control mice. In addition, OFC-dS stimulation during early reversal learning reduced the increased sessions, correct and incorrect responding seen in PAE mice during the later learning phase of reversal but did not significantly alter later performance in control ChR2 mice. Taken together these results suggest that stimulation of OFC-dS projections can improve early reversal learning in PAE and control mice, and these improvements can persist even into later stages of the task days later. These studies provide an important foundation for future clinical approaches to improve executive control in those with FASD. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | | | - Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Clark W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Licheri V, Jacquez BJ, Castillo VK, Sainz DB, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Long-term effects of low prenatal alcohol exposure on GABAergic interneurons of the murine posterior parietal cortex. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:2248-2261. [PMID: 38151788 PMCID: PMC10760801 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are characterized by a wide range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral impairments that occur throughout the lifespan. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to adult impairments in cognitive control behaviors mediated by the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The PPC plays a fundamental role in the performance of response tasks in both primates and rodents, specifically when choices between similar target and nontarget stimuli are required. Furthermore, the PPC is reciprocally connected with other cortical areas. Despite the extensive literature investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying PAE impairments in cognitive functions mediated by cortical areas, little is known regarding the long-term effects of PAE on PPC development and function. Here, we examined changes in the cellular organization of GABAergic interneurons and their function in PPC using behaviorally naïve control and PAE mice. METHODS We used a limited access model of PAE in which C57BL/6J females were exposed to a solution of 10% (w/v) ethanol and 0.066% (w/V) saccharin for 4 h/day throughout gestation. Using high-throughput fluorescent microscopy, we quantified the levels of GABAergic interneurons in the PPC of adult PAE and control offspring. In a separate cohort, we recorded spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) using whole-cell patch clamp recordings from PPC layer 5 pyramidal neurons. RESULTS PAE led to a significant overall reduction of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons in PAE mice regardless of sex. Somatostatin- and calretinin-expressing GABAergic interneurons were not affected. Interestingly, PAE did not modulate sIPSC amplitude or frequency. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that impairments in cognitive control observed in FASD may be due to the significant reduction of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons in the PPC. PAE animals may show compensatory changes in GABAergic function following developmental reduction of these interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Belkis J. Jacquez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Victoria K. Castillo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Dylan B. Sainz
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - C. Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
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Chandrasekaran J, Jacquez B, Wilson J, Brigman JL. Reinforcer value moderates the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on learning and reversal. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1147536. [PMID: 37179543 PMCID: PMC10166816 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1147536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are the leading cause of preventable developmental disability and are commonly characterized by alterations in executive function. Reversal learning tasks are reliable, cross-species methods for testing a frequently impaired aspect of executive control, behavioral flexibility. Pre-clinical studies commonly require the use of reinforcers to motivate animals to learn and perform the task. While there are several reinforcers available, the most commonly employed are solid (food pellets) and liquid (sweetened milk) rewards. Previous studies have examined the effects of different solid rewards or liquid dietary content on learning in instrumental responding and found that rodents on liquid reward with higher caloric content performed better with increased response and task acquisition rate. The influence of reinforcer type on reversal learning and how this interacts with developmental insults such as prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has not been explored. Methods We tested whether reinforcer type during learning or reversal would impact an established deficit in PAE mice. Results We found that all male and female mice on liquid reward, regardless of prenatal exposure were better motivated to learn task behaviors during pre-training. Consistent with previous findings, both male and female PAE mice and Saccharine control mice were able to learn the initial stimulus reward associations irrespective of the reinforcer type. During the initial reversal phase, male PAE mice that received pellet rewards exhibited maladaptive perseverative responding whereas male mice that received liquid rewards performed comparable to their control counterparts. Female PAE mice that received either reinforcer types did not exhibit any deficits on behavioral flexibility. Female saccharine control mice that received liquid, but not pellet, rewards showed increased perseverative responding during the early reversal phase. Discussion These data suggest that reinforcer type can have a major impact on motivation, and therefore performance, during reversal learning. Highly motivating rewards may mask behavioral deficits seen with more moderately sought rewards and gestational exposure to the non-caloric sweetener, saccharine, can impact behavior motivated by those reinforcers in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayapriya Chandrasekaran
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Belkis Jacquez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jennifer Wilson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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Papageorgiou G, Amoah SK, Pierotti C, Otero M, Eckel S, Coffey K, Allan AM, Caldwell KK, Mellios N. Prenatal alcohol exposure results in brain region- and sex-specific changes in circHomer1 expression in adult mouse brain. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1087950. [PMID: 36875647 PMCID: PMC9983553 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1087950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel category of covalently-closed non-coding RNAs mainly derived from the back-splicing of exons or introns of protein-coding genes. In addition to their inherent high overall stability, circRNAs, have been shown to have strong functional effects on gene expression via a multitude of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Furthermore, circRNAs, appear to be particularly enriched in the brain and able to influence both prenatal development and postnatal brain function. However, little is known about the potential involvement of circRNAs in the long term influence of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in the brain and their relevance for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Using circRNA-specific quantification, we have found that circHomer1, an activity-dependent circRNA derived from Homer protein homolog 1 (Homer1) and enriched in postnatal brain, is significantly down-regulated in the male frontal cortex and hippocampus of mice subjected to modest PAE. Our data further suggest that the expression of H19, an imprinted embryonic brain-enriched long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), is significantly up-regulated in the frontal cortex of male PAE mice. Furthermore, we show opposing changes in the developmental- and brain region specific- expression of circHomer1 and H19. Lastly, we show that knockdown of H19 results in robust increases in circHomer1 but not linear HOMER1 mRNA expression in human glioblastoma cell lines. Taken together, our work uncovers notable sex- and brain region-specific alterations in circRNA and lncRNA expression following PAE and introduces novel mechanistic insights with potential relevance to FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grigorios Papageorgiou
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Stephen K. Amoah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Caroline Pierotti
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Madison Otero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Sophie Eckel
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Kacie Coffey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Andrea M. Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Kevin K. Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nikolaos Mellios
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Autophagy, Inflammation, and Metabolism (AIM) Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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Meombe Mbolle A, Thapa S, Bukiya AN, Jiang H. High-resolution imaging in studies of alcohol effect on prenatal development. ADVANCES IN DRUG AND ALCOHOL RESEARCH 2023; 3:10790. [PMID: 37593366 PMCID: PMC10433240 DOI: 10.3389/adar.2023.10790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol syndrome represents the leading known preventable cause of mental retardation. FAS is on the most severe side of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders that stem from the deleterious effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Affecting as many as 1 to 5 out of 100 children, FASD most often results in brain abnormalities that extend to structure, function, and cerebral hemodynamics. The present review provides an analysis of high-resolution imaging techniques that are used in animals and human subjects to characterize PAE-driven changes in the developing brain. Variants of magnetic resonance imaging such as magnetic resonance microscopy, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, along with positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, and photoacoustic imaging, are modalities that are used to study the influence of PAE on brain structure and function. This review briefly describes the aforementioned imaging modalities, the main findings that were obtained using each modality, and touches upon the advantages/disadvantages of each imaging approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustine Meombe Mbolle
- Department Medical Engineering, College of Engineering and Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Shiwani Thapa
- Department Pharmacology, Addiction Science and Toxicology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Anna N. Bukiya
- Department Pharmacology, Addiction Science and Toxicology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Huabei Jiang
- Department Medical Engineering, College of Engineering and Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
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Robinson S, Winer JL, Kitase Y, Brigman JL, Jantzie LL. Neonatal administration of erythropoietin attenuates cognitive deficits in adult rats following placental insufficiency. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:2112-2126. [PMID: 33611820 PMCID: PMC10097461 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Preterm birth is a principal cause of neurological disability later in life, including cognitive and behavioral deficits. Notably, cognitive impairment has greater impact on quality of life than physical disability. Survivors of preterm birth commonly have deficits of executive function. Difficulties with tasks and planning complexity correlate positively with increasing disability. To overcome these barriers for children born preterm, preclinical and clinical studies have emphasized the importance of neurorestoration. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a endogenous cytokine with multiple beneficial mechanisms of action following perinatal brain injury. While most preclinical investigations have focused on pathology and molecular mechanisms, translational studies of repair using clinically viable biobehavioral biomarkers are still lacking. Here, using an established model of encephalopathy of prematurity secondary to placental insufficiency, we tested the hypothesis that administration of EPO in the neonatal period would attenuate deficits in recognition memory and cognitive flexibility in adult rats of both sexes. We assessed cognition and executive function in two ways. First, using the classic test of novel object recognition and second, using a touchscreen platform. Touchscreen testing allows for rigorous testing of cognition and executive function in preclinical and clinical scenarios. Data show that adult rats exhibit deficits in recognition memory and cognitive flexibility following in utero placental insufficiency. Notably, neonatal treatment of EPO attenuates these deficits in adulthood and facilitates functional repair. Together, these data validate EPO neurorestoration using a clinically relevant outcome measure and support the concept that postnatal treatment following in utero injury can improve cognition and executive function through adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenandoah Robinson
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jesse L Winer
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Yuma Kitase
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Muthukumar S, Mehrotra K, Fouda M, Hamimi S, Jantzie LL, Robinson S. Prenatal and postnatal insults differentially contribute to executive function and cognition: Utilizing touchscreen technology for perinatal brain injury research. Exp Neurol 2022; 354:114104. [PMID: 35525306 PMCID: PMC10085749 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The use of touchscreen technology to evaluate cognitive deficits in animal models has grown tremendously over the past 20 years. The touchscreen apparatus encompasses many advantages, namely a high level of standardization and translational capability. Improvements in technology in recent years have expanded the versatility of the touchscreen platform, as it is able to test distinct cognitive modalities including working memory, attention, discrimination, and association. Importantly, touchscreen technology has allowed researchers to explore deficits in multiple pillars of cognition in a wide variety of perinatal disorders with neurological sequelae across critical developmental windows. The touchscreen platform has been used to dissect deficits in antenatal CNS injury including fetal alcohol syndrome, prenatal opioid exposure, and chorioamnionitis, to peripartum insults such as term hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, to early postnatal insults including infantile traumatic brain injury. Most importantly, touchscreen technology offers the sensitivity necessary to detect subtle injury and treatment-induced changes in cognition and executive function beyond those offered by more rudimentary tests of rodent cognition. Understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders in rodents is paramount to addressing these deficits in human infants and dissecting the neural circuitry essential to perinatal brain injury pathophysiology and responsiveness to novel therapeutics. Touchscreen testing provides an effective, facile, sophisticated technique to accelerate the goal of improving cognitive and behavioral outcomes of children who suffer perinatal brain injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sankar Muthukumar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Karnika Mehrotra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mohammed Fouda
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Hamimi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shenandoah Robinson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Licheri V, Brigman JL. Altering Cell-Cell Interaction in Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Models: Insight on Cell-Adhesion Molecules During Brain Development. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:753537. [PMID: 34975396 PMCID: PMC8715949 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.753537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy disrupts the development of the brain and produces long lasting behavioral and cognitive impairments collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). FASDs are characterized by alterations in learning, working memory, social behavior and executive function. A large body of literature using preclinical prenatal alcohol exposure models reports alcohol-induced changes in architecture and activity in specific brain regions affecting cognition. While multiple putative mechanisms of alcohol’s long-lasting effects on morphology and behavior have been investigated, an area that has received less attention is the effect of alcohol on cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). The embryo/fetal development represents a crucial period for Central Nervous System (CNS) development during which the cell-cell interaction plays an important role. CAMs play a critical role in neuronal migration and differentiation, synaptic organization and function which may be disrupted by alcohol. In this review, we summarize the physiological structure and role of CAMs involved in brain development, review the current literature on prenatal alcohol exposure effects on CAM function in different experimental models and pinpoint areas needed for future study to better understand how CAMs may mediate the morphological, sensory and behavioral outcomes in FASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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Bariselli S, Lovinger DM. Corticostriatal Circuit Models of Cognitive Impairments Induced by Fetal Exposure to Alcohol. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:516-528. [PMID: 34281711 PMCID: PMC8463431 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorder includes a group of diseases caused by fetal alcohol exposure (FAE). Patients with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder display heterogeneous socioemotional and cognitive deficits, particularly in the domain of executive function, that share symptoms with other neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite the availability of several preclinical models, the developmental brain defects causally linked to behavioral deficits induced by FAE remain poorly understood. Here, we first review the effects of FAE on corticostriatal development and its impact on both corticostriatal pathway function and cognitive abilities. We propose three non-mutually exclusive circuit models of corticostriatal dysfunctions to account for some of the FAE-induced cognitive deficits. One model posits that associative-sensorimotor imbalance causes hyper goal-directed behavior, and a second model implies that alteration of prefrontal-striatal behavioral suppression circuits results in loss of behavioral inhibition. A third model suggests that local striatal circuit deficits affect striatal neuronal ensemble function to impair action selection and performance. Finally, we discuss how preclinical approaches applied to these circuit models could offer potential rescue strategies for executive function deficits in patients with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastiano Bariselli
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 5625 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD (20892-941),Center on Compulsive Behaviors, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - David M. Lovinger
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), 5625 Fishers Lane, Bethesda, MD (20892-941),Corresponding author:
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Licheri V, Chandrasekaran J, Bird CW, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Sex-specific effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor function in orbitofrontal cortex pyramidal neurons of mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1994-2005. [PMID: 34523139 PMCID: PMC8602746 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can produce behavioral and cognitive deficits that persist into adulthood. These include impairments in executive functions, learning, planning, and cognitive flexibility. We have previously shown that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) significantly impairs reversal learning, a measure of flexibility mediated across species by different brain areas that include the orbital frontal cortex (OFC). Reversal learning is likewise impaired by genetic or pharmacological inactivation of GluN2B subunit-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that moderate PAE persistently alters the number and function of GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs in OFC pyramidal neurons of adult mice. METHODS We used a rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and left offspring undisturbed until adulthood. Using whole-cell, patch-clamp recordings, we assessed NMDAR function in slices from 90- to 100-day-old male and female PAE and control mice. Pharmacologically isolated NMDA receptor-mediated evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (NMDA-eEPSCs) were recorded in the absence and presence of the GluN2B antagonist, Ro25-6981(1 µM). In a subset of littermates, we evaluated the level of GluN2B protein expression in the synaptic fraction using Western blotting technique. RESULTS Our results indicate that PAE females show significantly larger (~23%) NMDA-eEPSC amplitudes than controls, while PAE induced a significant decrease (~17%) in NMDA-eEPSC current density of pyramidal neurons recorded in slices from male mice. NMDA-eEPSC decay time was not affected in PAE-exposed mice from either sex. The contribution of GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs to the eEPSCs was not significantly altered by PAE. Moreover, there were no significant changes in protein expression in the synaptic fraction of either PAE males or females. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that low-to-moderate PAE modulates NMDAR function in pyramidal neurons in a sex-specific manner, although we did not find evidence that the effect is mediated by dysfunction of synaptic GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | | | - Clark W. Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - C. Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences
Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences
Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
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11
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Dannenhoffer CA, Robertson MM, Macht VA, Mooney SM, Boettiger CA, Robinson DL. Chronic alcohol exposure during critical developmental periods differentially impacts persistence of deficits in cognitive flexibility and related circuitry. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 160:117-173. [PMID: 34696872 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility in decision making depends on prefrontal cortical function and is used by individuals to adapt to environmental changes in circumstances. Cognitive flexibility can be measured in the laboratory using a variety of discrete, translational tasks, including those that involve reversal learning and/or set-shifting ability. Distinct components of flexible behavior rely upon overlapping brain circuits, including different prefrontal substructures that have separable impacts on decision making. Cognitive flexibility is impaired after chronic alcohol exposure, particularly during development when the brain undergoes rapid maturation. This review examines how cognitive flexibility, as indexed by reversal and set-shifting tasks, is impacted by chronic alcohol exposure in adulthood, adolescent, and prenatal periods in humans and animal models. We also discuss areas for future study, including mechanisms that may contribute to the persistence of cognitive deficits after developmental alcohol exposure and the compacting consequences from exposure across multiple critical periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- C A Dannenhoffer
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - M M Robertson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Victoria A Macht
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - S M Mooney
- Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - C A Boettiger
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Donita L Robinson
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Neuroscience Curriculum, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
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12
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Kangas BD, Iturra-Mena AM, Robble MA, Luc OT, Potter D, Nickels S, Bergman J, Carlezon WA, Pizzagalli DA. Concurrent electrophysiological recording and cognitive testing in a rodent touchscreen environment. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11665. [PMID: 34083596 PMCID: PMC8175731 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91091-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Challenges in therapeutics development for neuropsychiatric disorders can be attributed, in part, to a paucity of translational models capable of capturing relevant phenotypes across clinical populations and laboratory animals. Touch-sensitive procedures are increasingly used to develop innovative animal models that better align with testing conditions used in human participants. In addition, advances in electrophysiological techniques have identified neurophysiological signatures associated with characteristics of neuropsychiatric illness. The present studies integrated these methodologies by developing a rat flanker task with electrophysiological recordings based on reverse-translated protocols used in human electroencephalogram (EEG) studies of cognitive control. Various touchscreen-based stimuli were evaluated for their ability to efficiently gain stimulus control and advance to flanker test sessions. Optimized stimuli were then examined for their elicitation of prototypical visual evoked potentials (VEPs) across local field potential (LFP) wires and EEG skull screws. Of the stimuli evaluated, purple and green photographic stimuli were associated with efficient training and expected flanker interference effects. Orderly stimulus-locked outcomes were also observed in VEPs across LFP and EEG recordings. These studies along with others verify the feasibility of concurrent electrophysiological recordings and rodent touchscreen-based cognitive testing and encourage future use of this integrated approach in therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D. Kangas
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Ann M. Iturra-Mena
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Mykel A. Robble
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Oanh T. Luc
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - David Potter
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Stefanie Nickels
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Jack Bergman
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - William A. Carlezon
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
| | - Diego A. Pizzagalli
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XHarvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 USA
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13
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Gursky ZH, Savage LM, Klintsova AY. Executive functioning-specific behavioral impairments in a rat model of human third trimester binge drinking implicate prefrontal-thalamo-hippocampal circuitry in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Behav Brain Res 2021; 405:113208. [PMID: 33640395 PMCID: PMC8005484 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Individuals diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) often display behavioral impairments in executive functioning (EF). Specifically, the domains of working memory, inhibition, and set shifting are frequently impacted by prenatal alcohol exposure. Coordination between prefrontal cortex and hippocampus appear to be essential for these domains of executive functioning. The current study uses a rodent model of human third-trimester binge drinking to identify the extent of persistent executive functioning deficits following developmental alcohol by using a behavioral battery of hippocampus- and prefrontal cortex-dependent behavioral assays in adulthood. Alcohol added to milk formula was administered to Long Evans rat pups on postnatal days 4-9 (5.25 g/kg/day of ethanol; intragastric intubation), a period when rodent brain development undergoes comparable processes to human third-trimester neurodevelopment. Procedural control animals underwent sham intubation, without administration of any liquids (i.e., alcohol, milk solution). In adulthood, male rats were run on a battery of behavioral assays: novel object recognition, object-in-place associative memory, spontaneous alternation, and behavioral flexibility tasks. Alcohol-exposed rats demonstrated behavioral impairment in object-in-place preference and performed worse when the rule was switched on a plus maze task. All rats showed similar levels of novel object recognition, spontaneous alternation, discrimination learning, and reversal learning, suggesting alcohol-induced behavioral alterations are selective to executive functioning domains of spatial working memory and set-shifting in this widely-utilized rodent model. These specific behavioral alterations support the hypothesis that behavioral impairments in EF following prenatal alcohol exposure are caused by distributed damage to the prefrontal-thalamo-hippocampal circuit consisting of the medial prefrontal cortex, thalamic nucleus reuniens, and CA1 of hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z H Gursky
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - L M Savage
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University (State University of New York), Binghamton, NY 13902, USA
| | - A Y Klintsova
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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14
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Hatzipantelis C, Langiu M, Vandekolk TH, Pierce TL, Nithianantharajah J, Stewart GD, Langmead CJ. Translation-Focused Approaches to GPCR Drug Discovery for Cognitive Impairments Associated with Schizophrenia. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2020; 3:1042-1062. [PMID: 33344888 PMCID: PMC7737210 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.0c00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
There are no effective therapeutics for cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (CIAS), which includes deficits in executive functions (working memory and cognitive flexibility) and episodic memory. Compounds that have entered clinical trials are inadequate in terms of efficacy and/or tolerability, highlighting a clear translational bottleneck and a need for a cohesive preclinical drug development strategy. In this review we propose hippocampal-prefrontal-cortical (HPC-PFC) circuitry underlying CIAS-relevant cognitive processes across mammalian species as a target source to guide the translation-focused discovery and development of novel, procognitive agents. We highlight several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) enriched within HPC-PFC circuitry as therapeutic targets of interest, including noncanonical approaches (biased agonism and allosteric modulation) to conventional clinical targets, such as dopamine and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, along with prospective novel targets, including the orphan receptors GPR52 and GPR139. We also describe the translational limitations of popular preclinical cognition tests and suggest touchscreen-based assays that probe cognitive functions reliant on HPC-PFC circuitry and reflect tests used in the clinic, as tests of greater translational relevance. Combining pharmacological and behavioral testing strategies based in HPC-PFC circuit function creates a cohesive, translation-focused approach to preclinical drug development that may improve the translational bottleneck currently hindering the development of treatments for CIAS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra
J. Hatzipantelis
- Drug
Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Monica Langiu
- Drug
Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Teresa H. Vandekolk
- Drug
Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Tracie L. Pierce
- Drug
Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jess Nithianantharajah
- Florey
Institute of Neuroscience
and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Gregory D. Stewart
- Drug
Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Christopher J. Langmead
- Drug
Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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15
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Waddell J, Hill E, Tang S, Jiang L, Xu S, Mooney SM. Choline Plus Working Memory Training Improves Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Deficits in Cognitive Flexibility and Functional Connectivity in Adulthood in Rats. Nutrients 2020; 12:E3513. [PMID: 33202683 PMCID: PMC7696837 DOI: 10.3390/nu12113513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading known cause of intellectual disability, and may manifest as deficits in cognitive function, including working memory. Working memory capacity and accuracy increases during adolescence when neurons in the prefrontal cortex undergo refinement. Rats exposed to low doses of ethanol prenatally show deficits in working memory during adolescence, and in cognitive flexibility in young adulthood. The cholinergic system plays a crucial role in learning and memory processes. Here we report that the combination of choline and training on a working memory task during adolescence significantly improved cognitive flexibility (performance on an attentional set shifting task) in young adulthood: 92% of all females and 81% of control males formed an attentional set, but only 36% of ethanol-exposed males did. Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that functional connectivity among brain regions was different between the sexes, and was altered by prenatal ethanol exposure and by choline + training. Connectivity, particularly between prefrontal cortex and striatum, was also different in males that formed a set compared with those that did not. Together, these findings indicate that prenatal exposure to low doses of ethanol has persistent effects on brain functional connectivity and behavior, that these effects are sex-dependent, and that an adolescent intervention could mitigate some of the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaylyn Waddell
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (E.H.); (S.M.M.)
| | - Elizabeth Hill
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (E.H.); (S.M.M.)
| | - Shiyu Tang
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.T.); (L.J.); (S.X.)
| | - Li Jiang
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.T.); (L.J.); (S.X.)
| | - Su Xu
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.T.); (L.J.); (S.X.)
| | - Sandra M. Mooney
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (E.H.); (S.M.M.)
- Department of Nutrition, Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA
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16
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Paudel P, Pierotti C, Lozano E, Amoah SK, Gardiner AS, Caldwell KK, Allan AM, Mellios N. Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Results in Sex-Specific Alterations in Circular RNA Expression in the Developing Mouse Brain. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:581895. [PMID: 33304235 PMCID: PMC7693437 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.581895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are heterogeneous disorders associated with alcohol exposure to the developing fetus that are characterized by a range of adverse neurodevelopmental deficits. Despite the numerous genomics and genetic studies on FASD models, the comprehensive molecular understanding of the mechanisms that underlie FASD-related neurodevelopmental deficits remains elusive. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a subtype of long non-coding RNAs that are derived from back-splicing and covalent joining of exons and/or introns of protein-coding genes. Recent studies have shown that circRNAs are highly enriched in the brain, where they are developmentally regulated. However, the role of the majority of brain-enriched circRNAs in normal and pathological brain development and function has not been explored yet. Here we carried out the first systematic profiling of circRNA expression in response to prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in male and female embryonic day 18 (E18) whole brains. We observed that the changes in circRNA expression in response to PAE were notably sex-specific and that PAE tended to erase most of the sex-specificity in circRNA expression present in control (saccharin-treated) mice. On the other hand, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in the same samples showed that changes in protein-coding gene expression were not predominantly sex-specific. Using circRNA quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), we validated that circSatb2, which is generated from the special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (Satb2) gene, is significantly upregulated in the brain of E18 male PAE mice. We also show that circPtchd2, a circRNA synthesized from dispatched RND transporter family member 3 (Disp3, also known as Ptchd2), exhibits significantly higher expression in E18 control but not PAE female mouse brain relative to males. Taken together, our results demonstrate that PAE differentially alters circRNA expression in the developing brain in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Paudel
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Caroline Pierotti
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Evelyn Lozano
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Stephen K. Amoah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism (AIM) Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Amy S. Gardiner
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Kevin K. Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Andrea M. Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nikolaos Mellios
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism (AIM) Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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17
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Kenton JA, Ontiveros T, Bird CW, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure alters the number and function of GABAergic interneurons in the murine orbitofrontal cortex. Alcohol 2020; 88:33-41. [PMID: 32540413 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to alcohol during development produces Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), characterized by a wide range of effects that include deficits in multiple cognitive domains. Early identification and treatment of individuals with FASD remain a challenge because neurobehavioral alterations do not become a significant problem until late childhood and early adolescence. Understanding the mechanisms underlying low and moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) effects on behavior and cognition is essential for improved diagnosis and treatment. Here, we examined the functional and morphological changes in an area known to be involved in executive control, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We found that a moderate PAE model, previously shown to impair behavioral flexibility and to alter OFC activity in vivo, produced moderate functional and morphological changes within the OFC of mice in vitro. Specifically, slice electrophysiological recordings of spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents in OFC pyramidal neurons revealed a significant increase in the amplitude and area in PAE mice relative to controls. Immunohistochemistry uncovered an increase in calretinin-, but not somatostatin- or parvalbumin-expressing cortical interneurons in the OFC of PAE mice. Together, these data suggest that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure alters the disinhibitory function in the OFC, which may contribute to the executive function deficits associated with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Tiahna Ontiveros
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Clark W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States.
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18
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Brown J, Asp E, Carter MN, Spiller V, Bishop-Deaton D. Suggestibility and confabulation among individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A review for criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal interviewers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW AND PSYCHIATRY 2020; 73:101646. [PMID: 33246222 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2020.101646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are conditions arising from prenatal alcohol exposure which results in a range of neurodevelopmental deficits in areas including cognition, memory, language, executive functioning, emotional regulation, and adaptive functioning. Deficits in various neurodevelopmental areas can range from mild to severe, depending on many factors including the quantity and timing of alcohol exposure during the prenatal development period. During interviews in criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal contexts (e.g., criminal investigations, cross examination, victim interviews, interviews for lawsuits, forensic evaluations, pre-sentence investigations), deficits associated with FASD may elevate the risk of suggestibility and confabulation. These issues can result in negative jurisprudence-related outcomes, including impulsive Miranda rights waivers, incorrect assumptions of competency, inaccurate or incomplete information gathering, misinterpretation of intent, witness reliability issues, court ordered treatment completion problems, probation and parole violations, false confessions, and false accusations. The aim of the present article is to explain the context in which these issues can arise and provide criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal professionals with key guidelines that can assist in minimizing suggestibility and confabulation when interviewing persons with FASD. We hope that the suggestions and strategies presented in this article will reduce potential obstructions of justice and enhance the quality of information obtained from individuals impacted by FASD. A brief discussion is also provided to identify additional research and training opportunities needed to clarify "best practices" for professionals tasked with evaluating the challenges facing this unique population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerrod Brown
- American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies, St. Paul, MN, USA.
| | - Erik Asp
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA; Department of Psychology, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN, USA; Wesley & Lorene Artz Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Hamline University, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Megan N Carter
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Social and Health Services, Special Commitment Center, Steilacoom, WA, USA
| | | | - Deanna Bishop-Deaton
- College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Forensic Psychology, Walden University, USA
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19
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Emmons E, Tunes-Chiuffa G, Choi J, Bruce RA, Weber MA, Kim Y, Narayanan NS. Temporal Learning Among Prefrontal and Striatal Ensembles. Cereb Cortex Commun 2020; 1:tgaa058. [PMID: 34296121 PMCID: PMC8152894 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility requires the prefrontal cortex and striatum, but it is unclear if these structures play similar or distinct roles in adapting to novel circumstances. Here, we investigate neuronal ensembles in the medial frontal cortex (MFC) and the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) during one form of behavioral flexibility: learning a new temporal interval. We studied corticostriatal neuronal activity as rodents trained to respond after a 12-s fixed interval (FI12) learned to respond at a shorter 3-s fixed interval (FI3). On FI12 trials, we found that a key form of temporal processing—time-related ramping activity—decreased in the MFC but did not change in the DMS as animals learned to respond at a shorter interval. However, while MFC and DMS ramping was stable with successive days of two-interval performance, temporal decoding by DMS ensembles improved on FI3 trials. Finally, when comparing FI12 versus FI3 trials, we found that more DMS neurons than MFC neurons exhibited differential interval-related activity early in two-interval performance. These data suggest that the MFC and DMS play distinct roles during temporal learning and provide insight into corticostriatal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Emmons
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06515, USA
| | | | - Jeeyu Choi
- School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - R Austin Bruce
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Matthew A Weber
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Youngcho Kim
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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20
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Sun W, Che H, Li J, Tang D, Liu X, Liu W, An L. Dorsolateral Striatal proBDNF Improves Reversal Learning by Enhancing Coordination of Neural Activity in Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 57:4642-4656. [DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02051-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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21
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Maxwell JR, Zimmerman AJ, Pavlik N, Newville JC, Carlin K, Robinson S, Brigman JL, Northington FJ, Jantzie LL. Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Yields Permanent Deficits in Learning Acquisition: A Preclinical Touchscreen Assessment. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:289. [PMID: 32582593 PMCID: PMC7291343 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a common problem world-wide for infants born at term. The impact of HIE on long-term outcomes, especially into adulthood, is not well-described. To facilitate identification of biobehavioral biomarkers utilizing a translational platform, we sought to investigate the impact of HIE on executive function and cognitive outcomes into adulthood utilizing a murine model of HIE. HIE mice (unilateral common carotid artery occlusion to induce ischemia, followed by hypoxia with a FiO2 of 0.08 for 45 min) and control mice were tested on discrimination and reversal touchscreen tasks (using their noses) shown to be sensitive to loss of basal ganglia or cortical function, respectively. We hypothesized that the HIE injury would result in deficits in reversal learning, revealing complex cognitive and executive functioning impairments. Following HIE, mice had a mild discrimination impairment as measured by incorrect responses but were able to learn the paradigm to similar levels as controls. During reversal, HIE mice required significantly more total trials, errors and correction trials across the paradigm. Analysis of specific stages showed that reversal impairments in HIE were driven by significant increases in all measured parameters during the late learning, striatal-mediated portion of the task. Together, these results support the concept that HIE occurring during the neonatal period results in abnormal neurodevelopment that persists into adulthood, which can impact efficient associated learning. Further, these data show that utilization of an established model of HIE coupled with touchscreen learning provides valuable information for screening therapeutic interventions that could mitigate these deficits to improve the long-term outcomes of this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie R. Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Amber J. Zimmerman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nathaniel Pavlik
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jessie C. Newville
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Katherine Carlin
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shenandoah Robinson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Frances J. Northington
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lauren L. Jantzie
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
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22
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Gestational alcohol exposure disrupts cognitive function and striatal circuits in adult offspring. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2555. [PMID: 32444624 PMCID: PMC7244532 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16385-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) is the leading preventable developmental cause of cognitive dysfunction. Even in the absence of binge drinking, alcohol consumption during pregnancy can leave offspring deficient. However, the mechanisms underlying these deficiencies are unknown. Using a mouse model of gestational ethanol exposure (GEE), we show increased instrumental lever-pressing and disruption of efficient habitual actions in adults, indicative of disrupted cognitive function. In vivo electrophysiology reveals disrupted action encoding in dorsolateral striatum (DLS) associated with altered habit learning. GEE mice exhibit decreased GABAergic transmission onto DLS projection neurons, including inputs from parvalbumin interneurons, and increased endocannabinoid tone. Chemogenetic activation of DLS parvalbumin interneurons reduces the elevated lever pressing of GEE mice. Pharmacologically increasing endocannabinoid tone mimics GEE effects on cognition and synaptic transmission. These findings show GEE induces long-lasting deficits in cognitive function that may contribute to human FAE, and identify potential mechanisms for future therapeutic targeting. Alcohol is the leading cause of preventable birth defects in the US, collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Here, the authors show that fetal alcohol exposure induces lasting neurophysiological changes in dorsal striatum that contribute to less efficient decision making.
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Dumont JR, Salewski R, Beraldo F. Critical mass: The rise of a touchscreen technology community for rodent cognitive testing. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12650. [PMID: 32141694 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The rise in the number of users and institutions utilizing the rodent touchscreen technology for cognitive testing over the past decade has prompted the need for knowledge mobilization and community building. To address the needs of the growing touchscreen community, the first international touchscreen symposium was hosted at Western University. Attendees from around the world attended talks from expert neuroscientists using touchscreens to examine a vast array of questions regarding cognition and the nervous system. In addition to the symposium, a subset of attendees was invited to partake in a hands-on training course where they received touchscreen training covering both hardware and software components. Beyond the two touchscreen events, virtual platforms have been developed to further support touchscreen users: (a) Mousebytes.ca, which includes a data repository of rodent touchscreen tasks, and (b) Touchscreencognition.org, an online community with numerous training and community resources, perhaps most notably a forum where members can ask and answer questions. The advantages of the rodent touchscreen technology for cognitive neuroscience research has allowed neuroscientists from diverse backgrounds to test specific cognitive processes using well-validated and standardized apparatus, contributing to its rise in popularity and its relevance to modern neuroscience research. The commitment of the touchscreen community to data, task development and information sharing not only ensures an expansive future of the use of rodent touchscreen technology but additionally, quality research that will increase translation from preclinical studies to clinical successes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie R Dumont
- BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ryan Salewski
- BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Flavio Beraldo
- BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Olguin SL, Thompson SM, Young JW, Brigman JL. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure impairs cognitive control, but not attention, on a rodent touchscreen continuous performance task. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12652. [PMID: 32144885 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A common feature associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is the inability to concentrate on a specific task while ignoring distractions. Human continuous performance tasks (CPT), measure vigilance and cognitive control simultaneously while these processes are traditionally measured separately in rodents. We recently established a touchscreen 5-choice CPT (5C-CPT) that measures vigilance and cognitive control simultaneously by incorporating both target and nontargets and showed it was sensitive to amphetamine-induced improvement in humans and mice. Here, we examined the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in male and female mice on performance of the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), which contained only target trials, and the 5C-CPT which incorporated both target and nontarget trials. In addition, we assessed gait and fine motor coordination in behavioral naïve PAE and control animals. We found that on the 5-CSRTT mice were able to respond to target presentations with similar hit rates regardless of sex or treatment. However, on the 5C-CPT PAE mice made significantly more false alarm responses vs controls. Compared with control animals, PAE mice had a significantly lower sensitivity index, a measure of ability to discriminate appropriate responses to stimuli types. During 5C-CPT, female mice, regardless of treatment, also had increased mean latency to respond when correct and omitted more target trials. Gait assessment showed no significant differences in PAE and SAC mice on any measure. These findings suggest that moderate exposure to alcohol during development can have long lasting effects on cognitive control unaffected by gross motor alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Shannon M Thompson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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