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Dufford A, Patterson G, Kim P. Longitudinal Neuroanatomical Increases from Early to One-Year Postpartum. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4432804. [PMID: 38883787 PMCID: PMC11178002 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4432804/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Preclinical studies have provided causal evidence that the postpartum period involves regional neuroanatomical changes in 'maternal' brain regions to support the transition to offspring caregiving. Few studies, in humans, have examined neuroanatomical changes from early to one-year postpartum with longitudinal neuroimaging data and their association with postpartum mood changes. In this study, we examined longitudinal changes in surface morphometry (cortical thickness and surface area) in regions previously implicated in the transition to parenthood. We also examined longitudinal volumetric neuroanatomical changes in three subcortical regions of the maternal brain: the hippocampus, amygdala, and ventral diencephalon. Twenty-four participants underwent longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging at 2-4 weeks and 1 year postpartum. Cortical thickness increased from early to one-year postpartum in the left (p = .003, Bonferroni corrected) and right (p = .02, Bonferroni corrected) superior frontal gyrus. No significant increases (or decreases) were observed in these regions for surface area. Volumetric increases, across the postpartum period, were found in the left amygdala (p = .001, Bonferroni corrected) and right ventral diencephalon (p = .01, Bonferroni corrected). An exploratory analysis of depressive symptoms found reductions in depressive symptoms from early postpartum to one-year postpartum were associated with greater cortical thickness in the superior frontal gyrus for both the left (p = .02) and right (p = .02) hemispheres. The findings expand our evidence of the neuroanatomical changes that occur across the postpartum period in humans and motivate future studies to examine how mood changes across this period are associated with cortical thickness of the superior frontal gyrus.
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Vásquez CE, Knak Guerra KT, Renner J, Rasia-Filho AA. Morphological heterogeneity of neurons in the human central amygdaloid nucleus. J Neurosci Res 2024; 102:e25319. [PMID: 38629777 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25319] [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: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA) has an ancient phylogenetic development and functions relevant for animal survival. Local cells receive intrinsic amygdaloidal information that codes emotional stimuli of fear, integrate them, and send cortical and subcortical output projections that prompt rapid visceral and social behavior responses. We aimed to describe the morphology of the neurons that compose the human CeA (N = 8 adult men). Cells within CeA coronal borders were identified using the thionine staining and were further analyzed using the "single-section" Golgi method followed by open-source software procedures for two-dimensional and three-dimensional image reconstructions. Our results evidenced varied neuronal cell body features, number and thickness of primary shafts, dendritic branching patterns, and density and shape of dendritic spines. Based on these criteria, we propose the existence of 12 morphologically different spiny neurons in the human CeA and discuss the variability in the dendritic architecture within cellular types, including likely interneurons. Some dendritic shafts were long and straight, displayed few collaterals, and had planar radiation within the coronal neuropil volume. Most of the sampled neurons showed a few to moderate density of small stubby/wide spines. Long spines (thin and mushroom) were observed occasionally. These novel data address the synaptic processing and plasticity in the human CeA. Our morphological description can be combined with further transcriptomic, immunohistochemical, and electrophysiological/connectional approaches. It serves also to investigate how neurons are altered in neurological and psychiatric disorders with hindered emotional perception, in anxiety, following atrophy in schizophrenia, and along different stages of Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Vásquez
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Kétlyn T Knak Guerra
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Josué Renner
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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3
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Dye CN, Franceschelli D, Leuner B, Lenz KM. Microglia depletion facilitates the display of maternal behavior and alters activation of the maternal brain network in nulliparous female rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1869-1877. [PMID: 37330580 PMCID: PMC10584962 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01624-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The peripartum period is accompanied by peripheral immune alterations to promote a successful pregnancy. We and others have also demonstrated significant neuroimmune changes that emerge during late pregnancy and persist postpartum, most prominently decreased microglia numbers within limbic brain regions. Here we hypothesized that microglial downregulation is important for the onset and display of maternal behavior. To test this, we recapitulated the peripartum neuroimmune profile by depleting microglia in non-mother (i.e., nulliparous) female rats who are typically not maternal but can be induced to behave maternally towards foster pups after repeated exposure, a process called maternal sensitization. BLZ945, a selective colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) inhibitor, was administered systemically to nulliparous rats, which led to ~75% decrease in microglia number. BLZ- and vehicle-treated females then underwent maternal sensitization and tissue was stained for ∆fosB to examine activation across maternally relevant brain regions. We found BLZ-treated females with microglial depletion met criteria for displaying maternal behavior significantly sooner than vehicle-treated females and displayed increased pup-directed behaviors. Microglia depletion also reduced threat appraisal behavior in an open field test. Notably, nulliparous females with microglial depletion had decreased numbers of ∆fosB+ cells in the medial amygdala and periaqueductal gray, and increased numbers in the prefrontal cortex and somatosensory cortex, compared to vehicle. Our results demonstrate that microglia regulate maternal behavior in adult females, possibly by shifting patterns of activity in the maternal brain network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Courtney N Dye
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | | | - Benedetta Leuner
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Kathryn M Lenz
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Institute of Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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4
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Howland MA. Recalibration of the stress response system over adult development: Is there a perinatal recalibration period? Dev Psychopathol 2023; 35:2315-2337. [PMID: 37641984 PMCID: PMC10901284 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579423000998] [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] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
During early life-sensitive periods (i.e., fetal, infancy), the developing stress response system adaptively calibrates to match environmental conditions, whether harsh or supportive. Recent evidence suggests that puberty is another window when the stress system is open to recalibration if environmental conditions have shifted significantly. Whether additional periods of recalibration exist in adulthood remains to be established. The present paper draws parallels between childhood (re)calibration periods and the perinatal period to hypothesize that this phase may be an additional window of stress recalibration in adult life. Specifically, the perinatal period (defined here to include pregnancy, lactation, and early parenthood) is also a developmental switch point characterized by heightened neural plasticity and marked changes in stress system function. After discussing these similarities, lines of empirical evidence needed to substantiate the perinatal stress recalibration hypothesis are proposed, and existing research support is reviewed. Complexities and challenges related to delineating the boundaries of perinatal stress recalibration and empirically testing this hypothesis are discussed, as well as possibilities for future multidisciplinary research. In the theme of this special issue, perinatal stress recalibration may be a mechanism of multilevel, multisystem risk, and resilience, both intra-individually and intergenerationally, with implications for optimizing interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariann A Howland
- Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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5
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Pfau DR, Baribeau S, Brown F, Khetarpal N, Marc Breedlove S, Jordan CL. Loss of TRPC2 function in mice alters sex differences in brain regions regulating social behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:1550-1561. [PMID: 37496437 PMCID: PMC10642801 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The transient receptor potential cation channel 2 (TRPC2) conveys pheromonal information from the vomeronasal organ (VNO) to the brain. Both male and female mice lacking this gene show altered sex-typical behavior as adults. We asked whether TRPC2, highly expressed in the VNO, normally participates in the development of VNO-recipient brain regions controlling mounting and aggression, two behaviors affected by TRPC2 loss. We now report significant effects of TRPC2 loss in both the posterodorsal aspect of the medial amygdala (MePD) and ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) of male and female mice. In the MePD, a sex difference in neuron number was eliminated by the TRPC2 knockout (KO), but the effect was complex, with fewer neurons in the right MePD of females, and fewer neurons in the left MePD of males. In contrast, MePD astrocytes were unaffected by the KO. In the ventrolateral (vl) aspect of the VMH, KO females were like wildtype (WT) females, but TRPC2 loss had a dramatic effect in males, with fewer neurons than WT males and a smaller VMHvl overall. We also discovered a glial sex difference in VMHvl of WTs, with females having more astrocytes than males. Interestingly, TRPC2 loss increased astrocyte number in males in this region. We conclude that TRPC2 normally participates in the sexual differentiation of the mouse MePD and VMHvl. These changes in two key VNO-recipient regions may underlie the effects of the TRPC2 KO on behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Pfau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah Baribeau
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Felix Brown
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Niki Khetarpal
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - S Marc Breedlove
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Cynthia L Jordan
- Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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Gundacker A, Cuenca Rico L, Stoehrmann P, Tillmann KE, Weber-Stadlbauer U, Pollak DD. Interaction of the pre- and postnatal environment in the maternal immune activation model. DISCOVER MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 3:15. [PMID: 37622027 PMCID: PMC10444676 DOI: 10.1007/s44192-023-00042-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Adverse influences during pregnancy are associated with a range of unfavorable outcomes for the developing offspring. Maternal psychosocial stress, exposure to infections and nutritional imbalances are known risk factors for neurodevelopmental derangements and according psychiatric and neurological manifestations later in offspring life. In this context, the maternal immune activation (MIA) model has been extensively used in preclinical research to study how stimulation of the maternal immune system during gestation derails the tightly coordinated sequence of fetal neurodevelopment. The ensuing consequence of MIA for offspring brain structure and function are majorly manifested in behavioral and cognitive abnormalities, phenotypically presenting during the periods of adolescence and adulthood. These observations have been interpreted within the framework of the "double-hit-hypothesis" suggesting that an elevated risk for neurodevelopmental disorders results from an individual being subjected to two adverse environmental influences at distinct periods of life, jointly leading to the emergence of pathology. The early postnatal period, during which the caregiving parent is the major determinant of the newborn´s environment, constitutes a window of vulnerability to external stimuli. Considering that MIA not only affects the developing fetus, but also impinges on the mother´s brain, which is in a state of heightened malleability during pregnancy, the impact of MIA on maternal brain function and behavior postpartum may importantly contribute to the detrimental consequences for her progeny. Here we review current information on the interaction between the prenatal and postnatal maternal environments in the modulation of offspring development and their relevance for the pathophysiology of the MIA model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gundacker
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura Cuenca Rico
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Stoehrmann
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina E. Tillmann
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Weber-Stadlbauer
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich-Vetsuisse, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela D. Pollak
- Department of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Schwarzspanierstrasse, 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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7
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Beeson ALS, Meitzen J. Estrous cycle impacts on dendritic spine plasticity in rat nucleus accumbens core and shell and caudate-putamen. J Comp Neurol 2023; 531:759-774. [PMID: 36756791 PMCID: PMC10994586 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
An important factor that can modulate neuron properties is sex-specific hormone fluctuations, including the human menstrual cycle and rat estrous cycle in adult females. Considering the striatal brain regions, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core, NAc shell, and caudate-putamen (CPu), the estrous cycle has previously been shown to impact relevant behaviors and disorders, neuromodulator action, and medium spiny neuron (MSN) electrophysiology. Whether the estrous cycle impacts MSN dendritic spine attributes has not yet been examined, even though MSN spines and glutamatergic synapse properties are sensitive to exogenously applied estradiol. Thus, we hypothesized that MSN dendritic spine attributes would differ by estrous cycle phase. To test this hypothesis, brains from adult male rats and female rats in diestrus, proestrus AM, proestrus PM, and estrus were processed for Rapid Golgi-Cox staining. MSN dendritic spine density, size, and type were analyzed in the NAc core, NAc shell, and CPu. Overall spine size differed across estrous cycle phases in female NAc core and NAc shell, and spine length differed across estrous cycle phase in NAc shell and CPu. Consistent with previous work, dendritic spine density was increased in the NAc core compared to the NAc shell and CPu, independent of sex and estrous cycle. Spine attributes in all striatal regions did not differ by sex when estrous cycle was disregarded. These results indicate, for the first time, that estrous cycle phase impacts dendritic spine plasticity in striatal regions, providing a neuroanatomical avenue by which sex-specific hormone fluctuations can impact striatal function and disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna LS Beeson
- Department of Biological Sciences, NC State University, Raleigh, USA
- Graduate Program in Biology, NC State University, Raleigh, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, NC State University, Raleigh, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, NC State University, Raleigh, USA
- Center for Human Health and the Environment, NC State University, Raleigh, USA
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8
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Rasia-Filho AA, Calcagnotto ME, von Bohlen Und Halbach O. Glial Cell Modulation of Dendritic Spine Structure and Synaptic Function. ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:255-310. [PMID: 37962798 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Glia comprise a heterogeneous group of cells involved in the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous system. Glial cells are found from invertebrates to humans with morphological specializations related to the neural circuits in which they are embedded. Glial cells modulate neuronal functions, brain wiring and myelination, and information processing. For example, astrocytes send processes to the synaptic cleft, actively participate in the metabolism of neurotransmitters, and release gliotransmitters, whose multiple effects depend on the targeting cells. Human astrocytes are larger and more complex than their mice and rats counterparts. Astrocytes and microglia participate in the development and plasticity of neural circuits by modulating dendritic spines. Spines enhance neuronal connectivity, integrate most postsynaptic excitatory potentials, and balance the strength of each input. Not all central synapses are engulfed by astrocytic processes. When that relationship occurs, a different pattern for thin and large spines reflects an activity-dependent remodeling of motile astrocytic processes around presynaptic and postsynaptic elements. Microglia are equally relevant for synaptic processing, and both glial cells modulate the switch of neuroendocrine secretion and behavioral display needed for reproduction. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the structure, function, and plasticity of glial cells and relate them to synaptic maturation and modulation, also involving neurotrophic factors. Together, neurons and glia coordinate synaptic transmission in both normal and abnormal conditions. Neglected over decades, this exciting research field can unravel the complexity of species-specific neural cytoarchitecture as well as the dynamic region-specific functional interactions between diverse neurons and glial subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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9
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Rasia-Filho AA, Calcagnotto ME, von Bohlen Und Halbach O. Introduction: What Are Dendritic Spines? ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2023; 34:1-68. [PMID: 37962793 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-36159-3_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Dendritic spines are cellular specializations that greatly increase the connectivity of neurons and modulate the "weight" of most postsynaptic excitatory potentials. Spines are found in very diverse animal species providing neural networks with a high integrative and computational possibility and plasticity, enabling the perception of sensorial stimuli and the elaboration of a myriad of behavioral displays, including emotional processing, memory, and learning. Humans have trillions of spines in the cerebral cortex, and these spines in a continuum of shapes and sizes can integrate the features that differ our brain from other species. In this chapter, we describe (1) the discovery of these small neuronal protrusions and the search for the biological meaning of dendritic spines; (2) the heterogeneity of shapes and sizes of spines, whose structure and composition are associated with the fine-tuning of synaptic processing in each nervous area, as well as the findings that support the role of dendritic spines in increasing the wiring of neural circuits and their functions; and (3) within the intraspine microenvironment, the integration and activation of signaling biochemical pathways, the compartmentalization of molecules or their spreading outside the spine, and the biophysical properties that can affect parent dendrites. We also provide (4) examples of plasticity involving dendritic spines and neural circuits relevant to species survival and comment on (5) current research advancements and challenges in this exciting research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology and Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Gutierrez-Castellanos N, Husain BFA, Dias IC, Lima SQ. Neural and behavioral plasticity across the female reproductive cycle. Trends Endocrinol Metab 2022; 33:769-785. [PMID: 36253276 DOI: 10.1016/j.tem.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Sex is fundamental for the evolution and survival of most species. However, sex can also pose danger, because it increases the risk of predation and disease transmission, among others. Thus, in many species, cyclic fluctuations in the concentration of sex hormones coordinate sexual receptivity and attractiveness with female reproductive capacity, promoting copulation when fertilization is possible and preventing it otherwise. In recent decades, numerous studies have reported a wide variety of sex hormone-dependent plastic rearrangements across the entire brain, including areas relevant for female sexual behavior. By contrast, how sex hormone-induced plasticity alters the computations performed by such circuits, such that collectively they produce the appropriate periodic switches in female behavior, is mostly unknown. In this review, we highlight the myriad sex hormone-induced neuronal changes known so far, the full repertoire of behavioral changes across the reproductive cycle, and the few examples where the relationship between sex hormone-dependent plasticity, neural activity, and behavior has been established. We also discuss current challenges to causally link the actions of sex hormones to the modification of specific cellular pathways and behavior, focusing on rodents as a model system while drawing a comparison between rodents and humans wherever possible.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Basma F A Husain
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Inês C Dias
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Susana Q Lima
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Avenida Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal.
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Zhong L, Ma X, Niu Y, Zhang L, Xue Z, Yan J, Jiang H. Sevoflurane exposure may cause dysplasia of dendritic spines and result in fine motor dysfunction in developing mouse through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1006175. [PMID: 36248658 PMCID: PMC9554089 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1006175] [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: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Sevoflurane has become one of the most widely used volatile anesthetics in pediatric surgery. However, sevoflurane exposure may interfere with dendritic development and synaptogenesis, resulting in brain function impairment. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway plays an important role in dendritic development and synaptic plasticity. Here we investigated whether sevoflurane exposure would affect the morphological proportions of dendritic spines in developing mouse and explored the role of the change of plasticity of dendritic spines in sevoflurane-induced neurodevelopmental toxicity. The related signaling pathway was also examined. C57BL/6 mice at postnatal day (PND) 7 were exposed to 2% sevoflurane for 3 h. The PI3k/AKT/mTOR agonist IGF-1 or the mTOR phosphorylation inhibitor KU0063794 was intraperitoneally injected 30 min before sevoflurane or O2 exposure at PND7. Hippocampi were harvested 6 h after sevoflurane exposure. Western blotting was applied to measure the protein expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway phosphorylation. At PND14, brains from all groups were harvested for Golgi staining, and the morphology of dendritic spines of hippocampal neurons was observed by an oil immersion lens. When the mice grew to adolescence (PND48), fine motor function was measured by the Beam walking test. Here we showed that exposure to 2% sevoflurane for 3 h decreased the proportion of thin dendritic spines and increased the proportion of mushroom dendritic spines, but not changed the density of the dendritic spines. Sevoflurane exposure also suppressed the phosphorylation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in immature mice hippocampi, and eventually led to long-term fine motor dysfunction. Meanwhile, IGF-1 pretreatment could rescue and KU0063794 pretreatment could aggravate the impairment induced by sevoflurane. In conclusion, sevoflurane exposure may cause a change of proportions of the types of dendritic spines through impacting the phosphorylation expression of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and eventually led to long-term fine motor dysfunction in developing mouse.
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12
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Handley EE, Reale LA, Chuckowree JA, Dyer MS, Barnett GL, Clark CM, Bennett W, Dickson TC, Blizzard CA. Estrogen Enhances Dendrite Spine Function and Recovers Deficits in Neuroplasticity in the prpTDP-43A315T Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Mol Neurobiol 2022; 59:2962-2976. [PMID: 35249200 PMCID: PMC9016039 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-022-02742-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) attacks the corticomotor system, with motor cortex function affected early in disease. Younger females have a lower relative risk of succumbing to ALS than males and older females, implicating a role for female sex hormones in disease progression. However, the mechanisms driving this dimorphic incidence are still largely unknown. We endeavoured to determine if estrogen mitigates disease progression and pathogenesis, focussing upon the dendritic spine as a site of action. Using two-photon live imaging we identify, in the prpTDP-43A315T mouse model of ALS, that dendritic spines in the male motor cortex have a reduced capacity for remodelling than their wild-type controls. In contrast, females show higher capacity for remodelling, with peak plasticity corresponding to highest estrogen levels during the estrous cycle. Estrogen manipulation through ovariectomies and estrogen replacement with 17β estradiol in vivo was found to significantly alter spine density and mitigate disease severity. Collectively, these findings reveal that synpatic plasticity is reduced in ALS, which can be amelioriated with estrogen, in conjuction with improved disease outcomes.
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13
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Rasia-Filho AA. Unraveling Brain Microcircuits, Dendritic Spines, and Synaptic Processing Using Multiple Complementary Approaches. Front Physiol 2022; 13:831568. [PMID: 35295578 PMCID: PMC8918670 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.831568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto A. Rasia-Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Graduate Program in Biosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Alberto A. Rasia-Filho ;
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14
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Mundorf A, Bölükbas I, Freund N. Maternal separation: Does it hold the potential to model consequences of postpartum depression? Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22219. [PMID: 35050513 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The postpartum period is a sensitive time where women are especially vulnerable to develop postpartum depression (PPD), with 10%-15% of women affected. This review investigates whether the maternal separation (MS) paradigm in rodents holds the potential to help to understand mothers suffering from PPD. MS is a well-established stress model to investigate effects on infants, whereas effects on the dam are often overlooked. The database PubMed was searched for studies investigating effects of daily MS within the first weeks after parturition on dams in rats and mice and compared to findings in PPD mothers. MS was categorized as brief MS (5-45 min) with or without handling of pups and long MS (3-4 h and longer). MS alters maternal care, depressive-like behavior, anxiety, and aggression; leads to alterations in neuronal gene expression; and affects hormone and neurotransmitter levels similar to observations in PPD patients. Even though there are disparities between human and rodent mothers, with some results differing in directionality, as well as the reason for separation (self-induced in PPD, externally induced in MS), the overall effects found on neurobiological, hormonal, and behavioral levels mostly coincide. Thus, the MS paradigm can add relevant knowledge to existing PPD animal models, further advancing the study of PPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annakarina Mundorf
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ibrahim Bölükbas
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nadja Freund
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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15
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Perez-Rando M, Guirado R, Tellez-Merlo G, Carceller H, Nacher J. Estradiol Regulates Polysialylated Form of the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule Expression and Connectivity of O-LM Interneurons in the Hippocampus of Adult Female Mice. Neuroendocrinology 2022; 112:51-67. [PMID: 33550289 DOI: 10.1159/000515052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The estrous cycle is caused by the changing concentration of ovarian hormones, particularly 17β-estradiol, a hormone whose effect on excitatory circuits has been extensively reported. However, fewer studies have tried to elucidate how this cycle, or this hormone, affects the plasticity of inhibitory networks and the structure of interneurons. Among these cells, somatostatin-expressing O-LM neurons of the hippocampus are especially interesting. They have a role in the modulation of theta oscillations, and they receive direct input from the entorhinal cortex, which place them in the center of hippocampal function. In this study, we report that the expression of polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) in the hippocampus, a molecule involved in the plasticity of somatostatin-expressing interneurons in the adult brain, fluctuated through the different stages of the estrous cycle. Likewise, these stages and the expression of PSA-NCAM affected the density of dendritic spines of O-LM cells. We also describe that 17β-estradiol replacement of adult ovariectomized female mice caused an increase in the perisomatic inhibitory puncta in O-LM interneurons as well as an increase in their axonal bouton density. Interestingly, this treatment also induced a decrease in their dendritic spine density, specifically in O-LM interneurons lacking PSA-NCAM expression. Finally, using an ex vivo real-time assay with entorhinal-hippocampal organotypic cultures, we show that this hormone decreased the dynamics in spinogenesis, altogether highlighting the modulatory effect that 17β-estradiol has on inhibitory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Perez-Rando
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ramon Guirado
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
- Dirección General de Universidades, Gobierno de Aragón, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Guillermina Tellez-Merlo
- Lab. Neuropsiquiatría, Instituto de Fisiología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
- Departamento de Fisiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Hector Carceller
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Neurobiology Unit, Program in Neurosciences and BIOTECMED Institute, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
- Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, Valencia, Spain
- CIBERSAM: Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health, Valencia, Spain
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16
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Martínez-García M, Paternina-Die M, Desco M, Vilarroya O, Carmona S. Characterizing the Brain Structural Adaptations Across the Motherhood Transition. Front Glob Womens Health 2021; 2:742775. [PMID: 34816246 PMCID: PMC8593951 DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2021.742775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Women that become mothers face notable physiological adaptations during this life-period. Neuroimaging studies of the last decade have provided grounded evidence that women's brains structurally change across the transition into motherhood. The characterization of this brain remodeling is currently in its early years of research. The current article reviews this scientific field by focusing on our longitudinal (pre-to-post pregnancy) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies in first-time parents and other longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of parents. We present the questions that are currently being answered by the parental brain literature and point out those that have not yet been explored. We also highlight potential confounding variables that need to be considered when analyzing and interpreting brain changes observed during motherhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Martínez-García
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Paternina-Die
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Bioingeniería e Ingeniería Aeroespacial, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.,Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Vilarroya
- Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Carmona
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
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17
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Reese SE, Conradt E, Riquino MR, Garland EL. An Integrated Mechanistic Model of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Opioid-Exposed Mother-Infant Dyads. Front Psychol 2021; 12:688359. [PMID: 34777086 PMCID: PMC8582323 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.688359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing body of neurobiological and psychological research sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of opioid use disorder and its relation to parenting behavior. Perinatal opioid use is associated with risks for women and children, including increased risk of child maltreatment. Drawing from extant data, here we provide an integrated mechanistic model of perinatal opioid use, parenting behavior, infant attachment, and child well-being to inform the development and adaptation of behavioral interventions for opioid-exposed mother-infant dyads. The model posits that recurrent perinatal opioid use may lead to increased stress sensitivity and reward dysregulation for some mothers, resulting in decreased perceived salience of infant cues, disengaged parenting behavior, disrupted infant attachment, and decreased child well-being. We conclude with a discussion of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement as a means of addressing mechanisms undergirding perinatal opioid use, parenting, and attachment, presenting evidence on the efficacy and therapeutic mechanisms of mindfulness. As perinatal opioid use increases in the United States, empirically informed models can be used to guide treatment development research and address this growing concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Reese
- School of Social Work, College of Health, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, United States
| | - Elisabeth Conradt
- Child Adaptation and Neurodevelopment Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Michael R. Riquino
- School of Social Welfare, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Eric L. Garland
- Center on Mindfulness and Integrative Health Intervention Development, College of Social Work, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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18
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de Fraga LS, Tassinari ID, Jantsch J, Guedes RP, Bambini-Junior V. 'A picture is worth a thousand words': The use of microscopy for imaging neuroinflammation. Clin Exp Immunol 2021; 206:325-345. [PMID: 34596237 DOI: 10.1111/cei.13669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the first studies of the nervous system by the Nobel laureates Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramon y Cajal using simple dyes and conventional light microscopes, microscopy has come a long way to the most recent techniques that make it possible to perform images in live cells and animals in health and disease. Many pathological conditions of the central nervous system have already been linked to inflammatory responses. In this scenario, several available markers and techniques can help imaging and unveil the neuroinflammatory process. Moreover, microscopy imaging techniques have become even more necessary to validate the large quantity of data generated in the era of 'omics'. This review aims to highlight how to assess neuroinflammation by using microscopy as a tool to provide specific details about the cell's architecture during neuroinflammatory conditions. First, we describe specific markers that have been used in light microscopy studies and that are widely applied to unravel and describe neuroinflammatory mechanisms in distinct conditions. Then, we discuss some important methodologies that facilitate the imaging of these markers, such as immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence techniques. Emphasis will be given to studies using two-photon microscopy, an approach that revolutionized the real-time assessment of neuroinflammatory processes. Finally, some studies integrating omics with microscopy will be presented. The fusion of these techniques is developing, but the high amount of data generated from these applications will certainly improve comprehension of the molecular mechanisms involved in neuroinflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Stürmer de Fraga
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Centro de Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Isadora D'Ávila Tassinari
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Centro de Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jeferson Jantsch
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Renata Padilha Guedes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Victorio Bambini-Junior
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Preston, UK
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19
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Knouse MC, Briand LA. Behavioral sex differences in cocaine and opioid use disorders: The role of gonadal hormones. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 128:358-366. [PMID: 34214512 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Females are more vulnerable than males to many aspects of cocaine use disorder. This vulnerability also translates to opioid use disorder, with females exhibiting stronger behavioral responses than males to drugs such as heroin and morphine. While there is evidence for many overlapping neural mechanisms underlying cocaine and opioid abuse, there is also a breadth of evidence indicating divergent effects of the drugs on synaptic plasticity. This makes it unclear whether the behavioral sex differences seen in substance use disorder across different drugs of abuse rely on the same mechanisms. Ovarian hormones have consistently been implicated as drivers of the behavioral sex differences in cocaine taking and seeking. While there are far fewer studies on the role of ovarian hormones in opioid use disorder, the existing data suggest that ovarian hormones may not drive these behavioral effects in the same manner as in cocaine use disorder. This review highlights evidence that behavioral sex differences in substance use disorder might be driven by different mechanisms depending on drug class.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lisa A Briand
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, United States; Neuroscience Program, Temple University, United States.
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20
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Gobbo DR, Pereira LDS, Ferreira JGP, de Castro Horta-Junior JA, Bittencourt JC, Sá SI. Effects of ovariectomy on the inputs from the medial nucleus of the amygdala to the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus in young adult rats. Neurosci Lett 2021; 746:135657. [PMID: 33482312 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.135657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
During puberty, sexual hormones induce crucial changes in neural circuit organization, leading to significant sexual dimorphism in adult behaviours. The ventrolateral division of the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMHvl) is the major neural site controlling the receptive component of female sexual behaviour, which is dependent on ovarian hormones. The inputs to the VMHvl, originating from the medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA), transmit essential information to trigger such behaviour. In this study, we investigated the projection pattern of the MeA to the VMHvl in ovariectomized rats at early puberty. Six-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and, upon reaching 90 days of age, were subjected to iontophoretic injections of the neuronal anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin into the MeA. Projections from the MeA to the VMHvl and to other structures included in the neural circuit responsible for female sexual behaviour were analysed in the Control and OVX groups. The results of the semi-quantitative analysis showed that peripubertal ovariectomy reduced the density of intra-amygdalar fibres. The stereological estimates, however, failed to find changes in the organization of the terminal fields of nerve fibres from the MeA to the VMHvl in the adult. The present data show that ovariectomized rats during the peripubertal phase did not undergo significant changes in MeA fibres reaching the VMHvl; however, they suggest a possible effect of ovariectomy on MeA connectivity under amygdalar subnuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Ribeiro Gobbo
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Lais da Silva Pereira
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Jozélia Gomes Pacheco Ferreira
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Jackson Cioni Bittencourt
- Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Laboratorio de Neuroanatomia Quimica, Departamento de Anatomia, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Psicologia, Nucleo de Neurociências e Comportamento, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| | - Susana Isabel Sá
- Department of Biomedicine, Unit of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; CINTESIS, Center for Health Technology and Services Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
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21
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Cárdenas EF, Kujawa A, Humphreys KL. Neurobiological changes during the peripartum period: implications for health and behavior. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2020; 15:1097-1110. [PMID: 31820795 PMCID: PMC7657461 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsz091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Revised: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy and the transition to parenthood is an important period marked by dramatic neurobiological and psychosocial changes that may have implications for the health of women and offspring. Although human and non-human animal research suggests that the brain undergoes alterations during the peripartum period, these changes are poorly understood. Here, we review existing research, particularly human neuroimaging and psychophysiological research, to examine changes in brain structure and function during the peripartum period and discuss potential implications for the health of women and offspring. First, we discuss the potential causes of these changes across pregnancy, including physiological and psychosocial factors. Next, we discuss the evidence for structural and functional changes in the brain during pregnancy and into the postpartum period, noting the need for research conducted prospectively across human pregnancy. Finally, we propose potential models of individual differences in peripartum neurobiological changes (i.e. hypo-response, typical response, hyper-response) and emphasize the need to consider trajectories of change in addition to pre-existing factors that may predict maternal adjustment to parenthood. We suggest that the consideration of individual differences in neurobiological trajectories across pregnancy may contribute to a better understanding of risk for negative health and behavior outcomes for women and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia F Cárdenas
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 37203, Nashville, USA
| | - Autumn Kujawa
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 37203, Nashville, USA
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, 37203, Nashville, USA
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22
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Hodgson AR, Richmond C, Tello J, Brown GR. Suppression of ovarian hormones in adolescent rats has no effect on anxiety-like behaviour or c-fos activation in the amygdala. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12897. [PMID: 32935383 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In humans, sex differences in mood disorders emerge during adolescence, with prevalence rates being consistently higher in females than males. It has been hypothesised that exposure to endogenous ovarian hormones during adolescence enhances the susceptibility of females to mood disorders from this stage of life onwards. However, experimental evidence in favour of this hypothesis is lacking. In the present study, we examined the long-term effects of suppressing adolescent gonadal hormone levels in a group of female Lister-hooded rats via administration of a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist (Antide; administered on postnatal day [PND] 28 and 42) compared to control females and males (n = 14 per group). We predicted that, in adulthood, Antide-treated female rats would exhibit more male-like behaviour than control females in novel environments (elevated-plus maze, open field and light-dark box), in response to novel objects and novel social partners, and in an acoustic startle task. Progesterone and luteinising hormone assays (which were conducted on blood samples collected on PND 55/56 and 69/70) confirmed that the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis was temporarily suppressed by Antide treatment. In addition, Antide-treated females were found to exhibit a modest pubertal delay, as measured by vaginal opening, which was comparable in length to the pubertal delay that has been induced by adolescent exposure to alcohol or stress in previous studies of female rats. However, Antide-treated females did not substantially differ from control females on any of the behavioural tests, despite the evidence for predicted sex differences in some measures. Following the acoustic startle response task, all subjects were culled and perfused, and c-Fos staining was conducted in the medial and basolateral amygdala, with the results showing no significant differences in cell counts between the groups. These findings suggest that ovarian hormone exposure during adolescence does not have long-term effects on anxiety-related responses in female rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R Hodgson
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Claire Richmond
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Javier Tello
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Gillian R Brown
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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23
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Moradi-Kor N, Ghanbari A, Rashidipour H, Bandegi AR, Yousefi B, Barati M, Kokhaei P, Rashidy-Pour A. Therapeutic Effects of Spirulina platensis Against Adolescent Stress-Induced Oxidative Stress, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Alterations and Morphological Remodeling in the Amygdala of Adult Female Rats. J Exp Pharmacol 2020; 12:75-85. [PMID: 32256126 PMCID: PMC7090200 DOI: 10.2147/jep.s237378] [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: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The amygdala structural and functional abnormalities have been implicated in numerous neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Given the important role of the amygdala in stress responses and the susceptibility of the females to adolescent stress, the present study investigated the beneficial effects of Spirulina platensis microalgae (SP) as a neuroprotective supplement against adolescent stress-induced oxidative stress, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) alterations, molecular and morphological remodeling in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) of adult female rats. Methods During the adolescent period (PNDs 30–40) rats were subjected to restraint stress (2 h/day for 10 days). Then, the animals were subjected to 15 days treatment (PNDs 41–55) with SP (200 mg/kg/day) followed by biochemical (BDNF and stress oxidative markers), molecular (BDNF and its receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B [TrkB] mRNA expression), and morphological (dendritic length and spines) assessments in the BLA. Results The study revealed that adolescent stress decreased BDNF levels and reduced apical dendritic length and branch points of pyramidal neurons in the BLA. In addition, chronic stress significantly increased oxidative stress parameters and decreased BDNF and TrkB mRNA expression in the BLA. Treatment with SP alleviated both biochemical, molecular, and neuroanatomical deficits that induced by adolescent stress. Conclusion Our findings provide important evidence that SP as a non-pharmacological intervention during adolescent period can protect against chronic stress-induced neuroanatomical biochemical, and molecular deficits in adulthood, and thus, reduce stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasroallah Moradi-Kor
- Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.,Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Ghanbari
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Hadi Rashidipour
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar, Iran
| | - Ahmad Reza Bandegi
- Laboratory of Endocrine Research, Research Center of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Behpour Yousefi
- Department of Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Barati
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Parviz Kokhaei
- Cancer Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
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24
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Abstract
Importance Acupuncture is a key component of therapy in traditional Chinese medicine. Only in the last few decades has acupuncture become popular in the United States. The mechanism behind acupuncture's effects on the body and brain has not been completely elucidated, but there is evidence that acupuncture has effects on the endocrine, immune, and sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. It may also act through electrical and mechanical signaling through the connective tissue and fascia. Despite this uncertainty, the positive effects of acupuncture have been well established. Objective In this review, we discuss the basic concepts of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and examine the evidence regarding the use of acupuncture in obstetrics and gynecology. Evidence Acquisition We conducted a literature review of acupuncture in obstetrics and gynecology using PubMed. Results The available data demonstrate that acupuncture is beneficial in the treatment of labor pain, back pain in pregnancy, and dysmenorrhea. It is unclear if acupuncture is effective for hyperemesis, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and menopausal hot flushes, or if moxibustion is effective in correcting breech presentation. There are limited but positive data regarding menopause-related sleep disturbances, depression in pregnancy, and overactive bladder. Acupuncture is not beneficial for improving outcomes in in vitro fertilization. Conclusions and Relevance Acupuncture is an increasingly popular therapy with many potential applications in obstetrics and gynecology. A general understanding of the basic principles of acupuncture and the safety and efficacy of its practice is necessary for the general obstetrician and gynecologist to make informed recommendations to patients.
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25
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The Role of Hormonal and Reproductive Status in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders in Women. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 32002944 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_26] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Exposure therapy, a key treatment for anxiety disorders, can be modelled in the laboratory using Pavlovian fear extinction. Understanding the hormonal and neurobiological mechanisms underlying fear extinction in females, who are twice more likely than males to present with anxiety disorders, may aid in optimising exposure therapy outcomes in this population. This chapter will begin by discussing the role of the sex hormones, estradiol and progesterone, in fear extinction in females. We will also propose potential mechanisms by which these hormones may modulate fear extinction. The second half of this chapter will discuss the long-term hormonal, neurological and behavioural changes that arise from pregnancy and motherhood and how these changes may alter the features of fear extinction in females. Finally, we will discuss implications of this research for the treatment of anxiety disorders in women with and without prior reproductive experience.
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26
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Gildawie KR, Honeycutt JA, Brenhouse HC. Region-specific Effects of Maternal Separation on Perineuronal Net and Parvalbumin-expressing Interneuron Formation in Male and Female Rats. Neuroscience 2019; 428:23-37. [PMID: 31887358 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Early life experiences play a vital role in contributing to healthy brain development. Adverse experiences have a lasting impact on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), brain regions associated with emotion regulation. Early life adversity via maternal separation (MS) has sex-specific effects on expression of parvalbumin (PV), which is expressed in fast-spiking GABAergic interneurons that are preferentially enwrapped by perineuronal nets (PNNs). Importantly, PNN formation coincides with the closure of developmental critical periods and regulates PV-expressing interneuron activity. Since aberrant PNN organization has been reported following adverse experiences in adolescent and adult rats, we investigated the impact of adversity early in life in the form of MS on the developing brain. Rat pups were separated from their dams for 4 h per day from postnatal day (P) 2-20. Tissue sections from juvenile (P20), adolescent (P40), and early adult (P70) animals containing the PFC and BLA were fluorescently stained to visualize Wisteria floribunda agglutinin+ PNNs and PV-expressing interneurons, and density and intensity was quantified. Our results confirm past reports that PFC PNNs form gradually throughout development; however, PNN density plateaus in adolescence, while intensity continues to increase into adulthood. Importantly, MS delays PNN formation in the prelimbic PFC and results in sex-specific aberrations in PNN structural integrity that do not appear until adulthood. The present findings reveal sex-, age-, and region-specific effects of early life adversity on PNN and PV maturation, implicating neuroplastic alterations following early life adversity that may be associated with sex differences in psychopathology and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsea R Gildawie
- Department of Psychology, Developmental Neuropsychobiology Laboratory, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer A Honeycutt
- Department of Psychology, Developmental Neuropsychobiology Laboratory, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Heather C Brenhouse
- Department of Psychology, Developmental Neuropsychobiology Laboratory, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Zancan M, Moura DJ, Morás AM, Steffens L, de Moura AC, Giovenardi M, Rasia-Filho AA. Neurotrophic factors in the posterodorsal medial amygdala of male and cycling female rats. Brain Res Bull 2019; 155:92-101. [PMID: 31812781 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) has a high concentration of receptors for gonadal hormones, is a sexually dimorphic region and dynamically controls the reproductive behavior of both males and females. Neurotrophic factors can promote dendritic spine remodeling and change synaptic input strength in a region-specific manner. Here, we analyzed the gene and protein expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1), polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) and Ephrin-A4 in the MePD of adult males and females in diestrus, proestrus and estrus using real-time qPCR and fluorescent immunohistochemistry. The first approach showed their amplification except for Igf1 and the latter revealed that BDNF, IGF-1, PSA-NCAM and Ephrin-A4 are expressed in the MePD of the adult rats. Protein expression of these neurotrophic factors showed no differences between groups. However, proestrus females displayed a higher number of labelled puncta than males for BDNF expression and diestrus females for IGF-1 expression. In conjunction, results indicate that IGF-1 might be released rather than synthetized in the MePD, and the expression of specific neurotrophic factors varies specifically during proestrus. The dynamic modulation of BDNF and IGF-1 during this cyclic phase is coincident with synaptic changes and spine density remodeling in the MePD, the disinhibition of gonadotrophin secretion for ovulation and the display of sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Zancan
- Federal University of Health Sciences/DCBS-Physiology, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Dinara J Moura
- Federal University of Health Sciences/Graduate Program in Biosciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Moira Morás
- Federal University of Health Sciences/Graduate Program in Biosciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Luiza Steffens
- Federal University of Health Sciences/Graduate Program in Biosciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina de Moura
- Federal University of Health Sciences/ Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Márcia Giovenardi
- Federal University of Health Sciences/ Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Federal University of Health Sciences/DCBS-Physiology, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul/Graduate Program in Neurosciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Federal University of Health Sciences/Graduate Program in Biosciences, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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28
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Neves LT, Neves PFR, Paz LV, Zancan M, Milanesi BB, Lazzari GZ, da Silva RB, de Oliveira MMBP, Venturin GT, Greggio S, da Costa JC, Rasia-Filho AA, Mestriner RG, Xavier LL. Increases in dendritic spine density in BLA without metabolic changes in a rodent model of PTSD. Brain Struct Funct 2019; 224:2857-2870. [PMID: 31440907 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-019-01943-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Imaging studies have shown abnormal amygdala function in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, alterations in synaptic plasticity have been associated with psychiatric disorders and previous reports have indicated alterations in the amygdala morphology, especially in basolateral (BLA) neurons, are associated with stress-related disorders. Since, some individuals exposed to a traumatic event develop PTSD, the goals of this study were to evaluate the early effects of PTSD on amygdala glucose metabolism and analyze the possible BLA dendritic spine plasticity in animals with different levels of behavioral response. We employed the inescapable footshock protocol as an experimental model of PTSD and the animals were classified according to the duration of their freezing behavior into distinct groups: "extreme behavioral response" (EBR) and "minimal behavioral response". We evaluated the amygdala glucose metabolism at baseline (before the stress protocol) and immediately after the situational reminder using the microPET and the radiopharmaceutical 18F-FDG. The BLA dendritic spines were analyzed according to their number, density, shape and morphometric parameters. Our results show the EBR animals exhibited longer freezing behavior and increased proximal dendritic spines density in the BLA neurons. Neither the amygdaloid glucose metabolism, the types of dendritic spines nor their morphometric parameters showed statistically significant differences. The extreme behavior response induced by this PTSD protocol produces an early increase in BLA spine density, which is unassociated with either additional changes in the shape of spines or metabolic changes in the whole amygdala of Wistar rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Tartari Neves
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Paula Fernanda Ribas Neves
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Lisiê Valéria Paz
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Mariana Zancan
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas/Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruna Bueno Milanesi
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriele Zenato Lazzari
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Barboza da Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Marina Mena Barreto Peres de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Gianina Teribele Venturin
- Instituto do Cérebro do Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Samuel Greggio
- Instituto do Cérebro do Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Jaderson Costa da Costa
- Instituto do Cérebro do Rio Grande do Sul (InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas/Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Régis Gemerasca Mestriner
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Léder Leal Xavier
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Av. Ipiranga 6681, Prédio 12C, Sala 104, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, CEP 90619-900, Brazil. .,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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Velasco ER, Florido A, Milad MR, Andero R. Sex differences in fear extinction. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:81-108. [PMID: 31129235 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Despite the exponential increase in fear research during the last years, few studies have included female subjects in their design. The need to include females arises from the knowledge gap of mechanistic processes underlying the behavioral and neural differences observed in fear extinction. Moreover, the exact contribution of sex and hormones in relation to learning and behavior is still largely unknown. Insights from this field could be beneficial as fear-related disorders are twice as prevalent in women compared to men. Here, we review an up-to-date summary of animal and human studies in adulthood that report sex differences in fear extinction from a structural and functional approach. Furthermore, we describe how these factors could contribute to the observed sex differences in fear extinction during normal and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- E R Velasco
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Florido
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - M R Milad
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
| | - R Andero
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; CIBERSAM, Corporació Sanitaria Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Spain; Department of Psychobiology and Methodology of Health Sciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain.
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30
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Dalpian F, Rasia-Filho AA, Calcagnotto ME. Sexual dimorphism, estrous cycle and laterality determine the intrinsic and synaptic properties of medial amygdala neurons in rat. J Cell Sci 2019; 132:jcs.227793. [PMID: 30967401 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.227793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) is a sex steroid-sensitive area that modulates different social behavior by relaying chemosensorial information to hypothalamic nuclei. However, little is known about MePD cell type diversity and functional connectivity. Here, we have characterized neurons and synaptic inputs in the right and left MePD of adult male and cycling female (in diestrus, proestrus or estrus) rats. Based on their electrophysiological properties and morphology, we found two coexisting subpopulations of spiny neurons that are sexually dimorphic. They were classified as Class I (predominantly bitufted-shaped neurons showing irregular spikes with frequency adaptation) or Class II (predominantly stellate-shaped neurons showing full spike frequency adaptation). Furthermore, excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto MePD cells were modulated by sex, estrous cycle and hemispheric lateralization. In the left MePD, there was an overall increase in the excitatory input to neurons of males compared to cycling females. However, in proestrus, the MePD neurons received mainly inhibitory inputs. Our findings indicate the existence of hemispheric lateralization, estrous cycle and sexual dimorphism influences at cellular and synaptic levels in the adult rat MePD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine Dalpian
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil.,Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Federal University of Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil
| | - Maria Elisa Calcagnotto
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90170-050, Brazil .,Neurophysiology and Neurochemistry of Neuronal Excitability and Synaptic Plasticity Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil
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31
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McCarthy EA, Naik AS, Coyne AF, Cherry JA, Baum MJ. Effect of Ovarian Hormones and Mating Experience on the Preference of Female Mice to Investigate Male Urinary Pheromones. Chem Senses 2019; 43:97-104. [PMID: 29211837 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjx073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In female mice, the expression of receptive lordosis behavior requires estradiol and progesterone actions in the nervous system; however, the contribution of these hormones to females' motivation to seek out male pheromones is less clear. In an initial experiment, sexually naïve ovary-intact female mice preferred to investigate (make nasal contact with) testes-intact male as opposed to estrous female urine, provided they were in vaginal estrus. In a second experiment, groups of sexually naïve and mating-experienced, ovariectomized females were tested for urinary pheromone preference first without and then with ovarian hormone replacement. Without hormone replacement, sexually naïve ovariectomized females showed no preference for male over female urinary pheromones whereas mating-experienced females preferred to investigate male pheromones. Ovariectomized females in both groups preferred male over female urine after sequential s.c. injections with estradiol benzoate followed 2 days later with progesterone and after prolonged (7 days) exposure to estradiol alone. Our results indicate that in sexually naïve female mice estradiol, perhaps aided by progesterone, is required to motivate a preference to seek out male pheromones whereas after mating experience females' preference to investigate male pheromones persists even in the absence of ovarian hormone action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ajay S Naik
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allison F Coyne
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James A Cherry
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Baum
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
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32
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Tang S, Graham BM. Reproductive experience alters the involvement of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in fear extinction, but not fear conditioning, in female Sprague Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:251-264. [PMID: 29959460 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-4956-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Recently, evidence has emerged showing that the behavioural and hormonal features of fear extinction are altered as a result of reproductive experience in both rats and humans. The current set of experiments sought to determine whether reproductive experience also alters the molecular features of fear extinction. In adult male rats, it has been widely demonstrated that the activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) is essential for fear extinction. We therefore compared the involvement of NMDAR in fear extinction between nulliparous (virgin) and primiparous (reproductively experienced) female rats. Nulliparous and primiparous females received systemic administrations of either MK-801 (a non-competitive NMDAR antagonist) or saline prior to extinction training. MK-801 was found to impair extinction recall in nulliparous females, but not primiparous females. When the same dose of MK-801 was administered prior to conditioning, both groups of rats showed impaired recall of conditioning the following day. The results of these experiments indicate that the extinction, but not the acquisition of fear, may become NMDAR-independent following reproductive experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Tang
- School of Psychology, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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33
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Medina J, Workman JL. Maternal experience and adult neurogenesis in mammals: Implications for maternal care, cognition, and mental health. J Neurosci Res 2018; 98:1293-1308. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Medina
- Department of Psychology and the Center for Neuroscience Research University at Albany, State University of New York New York
| | - Joanna L. Workman
- Department of Psychology and the Center for Neuroscience Research University at Albany, State University of New York New York
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Paletta P, Sheppard PAS, Matta R, Ervin KSJ, Choleris E. Rapid effects of estrogens on short-term memory: Possible mechanisms. Horm Behav 2018; 104:88-99. [PMID: 29847771 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. Estrogens affect learning and memory through rapid and delayed mechanisms. Here we review studies on rapid effects on short-term memory. Estradiol rapidly improves social and object recognition memory, spatial memory, and social learning when administered systemically. The dorsal hippocampus mediates estrogen rapid facilitation of object, social and spatial short-term memory. The medial amygdala mediates rapid facilitation of social recognition. The three estrogen receptors, α (ERα), β (ERβ) and the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) appear to play different roles depending on the task and brain region. Both ERα and GPER agonists rapidly facilitate short-term social and object recognition and spatial memory when administered systemically or into the dorsal hippocampus and facilitate social recognition in the medial amygdala. Conversely, only GPER can facilitate social learning after systemic treatment and an ERβ agonist only rapidly improved short-term spatial memory when given systemically or into the hippocampus, but also facilitates social recognition in the medial amygdala. Investigations into the mechanisms behind estrogens' rapid effects on short term memory showed an involvement of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) kinase pathways. Recent evidence also showed that estrogens interact with the neuropeptide oxytocin in rapidly facilitating social recognition. Estrogens can increase the production and/or release of oxytocin and other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and acetylcholine. Therefore, it is possible that estrogens' rapid effects on short-term memory may occur through the regulation of various neurotransmitters, although more research is need on these interactions as well as the mechanisms of estrogens' actions on short-term memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Paletta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Paul A S Sheppard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Richard Matta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Kelsy S J Ervin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Zancan M, Cunha RSR, Schroeder F, Xavier LL, Rasia‐Filho AA. Remodeling of the number and structure of dendritic spines in the medial amygdala: From prepubertal sexual dimorphism to puberty and effect of sexual experience in male rats. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 48:1851-1865. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Zancan
- Department of Basic Sciences/PhysiologyFederal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre Brazil
- Graduation Program in NeuroscienceFederal University of Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Rick Shandler R. Cunha
- Department of Basic Sciences/PhysiologyFederal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Francielle Schroeder
- Laboratory of Tissue BiologyFaculty of BiosciencesPontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Léder L. Xavier
- Laboratory of Tissue BiologyFaculty of BiosciencesPontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Alberto A. Rasia‐Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/PhysiologyFederal University of Health Sciences Porto Alegre Brazil
- Graduation Program in NeuroscienceFederal University of Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
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36
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Hirsch MM, Brusco J, Vaccaro T, Margis R, Moreira JE, Gottfried C, Rasia-Filho AA. Sex Differences and Estrous Cycle Changes in Synaptic Plasticity-related microRNA in the Rat Medial Amygdala. Neuroscience 2018; 379:405-414. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2017] [Revised: 02/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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37
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Lymer JM, Sheppard PAS, Kuun T, Blackman A, Jani N, Mahbub S, Choleris E. Estrogens and their receptors in the medial amygdala rapidly facilitate social recognition in female mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 89:30-38. [PMID: 29309995 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Estrogens have been shown to rapidly (within 1 h) affect learning and memory processes, including social recognition. Both systemic and hippocampal administration of 17β-estradiol facilitate social recognition in female mice within 40 min of administration. These effects were likely mediated by estrogen receptor (ER) α and the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), as administration of the respective receptor agonists (PPT and G-1) also facilitated social recognition on a rapid time scale. The medial amygdala has been shown to be necessary for social recognition and long-term manipulations in rats have implicated medial amygdalar ERα. As such, our objective was to investigate whether estrogens and different ERs within the medial amygdala play a role in the rapid facilitation of social recognition in female mice. 17β-estradiol, G-1, PPT, or ERβ agonist DPN was infused directly into the medial amygdala of ovariectomized female mice. Mice were then tested in a social recognition paradigm, which was completed within 40 min, thus allowing the assessment of rapid effects of treatments. 17β-estradiol (10, 25, 50, 100 nM), PPT (300 nM), DPN (150 nM), and G-1 (50 nM) each rapidly facilitated social recognition. Therefore, estrogens in the medial amygdala rapidly facilitate social recognition in female mice, and the three main estrogen receptors: ERα, ERβ, and the GPER all are involved in these effects. This research adds to a network of brain regions, including the medial amygdala and the dorsal hippocampus, that are involved in mediating the rapid estrogenic facilitation of social recognition in female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Lymer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Paul A S Sheppard
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Talya Kuun
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Andrea Blackman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Nilay Jani
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Sahnon Mahbub
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Elena Choleris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Estrada CM, Ghisays V, Nguyen ET, Caldwell JL, Streicher J, Solomon MB. Estrogen signaling in the medial amygdala decreases emotional stress responses and obesity in ovariectomized rats. Horm Behav 2018; 98:33-44. [PMID: 29248436 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Declining estradiol (E2), as occurs during menopause, increases risk for obesity and psychopathology (i.e., depression, anxiety). E2 modulates mood and energy homeostasis via binding to estrogen receptors (ER) in the brain. The often comorbid and bidirectional relationship between mood and metabolic disorders suggests shared hormonal and/or brain networks. The medial amygdala (MeA) is abundant in ERs and regulates mood, endocrine, and metabolic stress responses; therefore we tested the hypothesis that E2 in the MeA mitigates emotional and metabolic dysfunction in a rodent model of surgical menopause. Adult female rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and received bilateral implants of E2 or cholesterol micropellets aimed at the MeA. E2-MeA decreased anxiety-like (center entries, center time) and depression-like (immobility) behaviors in the open field and forced swim tests (FST), respectively in ovariectomized rats. E2-MeA also prevented hyperphagia, body weight gain, increased visceral adiposity, and glucose intolerance in ovariectomized rats. E2-MeA decreased caloric efficiency, suggestive of increased energy expenditure. E2-MeA also modulated c-Fos neural activity in amygdalar (central and medial) and hypothalamic (paraventricular and arcuate) brain regions that regulate mood and energy homeostasis in response to the FST, a physically demanding task. Given the shared neural circuitry between mood and body weight regulation, c-Fos expression in discrete brain regions in response to the FST may be due to the psychologically stressful and/or metabolic demands of the task. Together, these findings suggest that the MeA is a critical node for mediating estrogenic effects on mood and energy homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Estrada
- Department of Psychology Experimental Psychology Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Valentina Ghisays
- Department of Psychology Experimental Psychology Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Elizabeth T Nguyen
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Jody L Caldwell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Joshua Streicher
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Matia B Solomon
- Department of Psychology Experimental Psychology Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States.
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Sex- and Estrus-Dependent Differences in Rat Basolateral Amygdala. J Neurosci 2017; 37:10567-10586. [PMID: 28954870 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0758-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Depression and anxiety are diagnosed almost twice as often in women, and the symptomology differs in men and women and is sensitive to sex hormones. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) contributes to emotion-related behaviors that differ between males and females and across the reproductive cycle. This hints at sex- or estrus-dependent features of BLA function, about which very little is known. The purpose of this study was to test whether there are sex differences or estrous cyclicity in rat BLA physiology and to determine their mechanistic correlates. We found substantial sex differences in the activity of neurons in lateral nuclei (LAT) and basal nuclei (BA) of the BLA that were associated with greater excitatory synaptic input in females. We also found strong differences in the activity of LAT and BA neurons across the estrous cycle. These differences were associated with a shift in the inhibition-excitation balance such that LAT had relatively greater inhibition during proestrus which paralleled more rapid cued fear extinction. In contrast, BA had relatively greater inhibition during diestrus that paralleled more rapid contextual fear extinction. These results are the first to demonstrate sex differences in BLA neuronal activity and the impact of estrous cyclicity on these measures. The shift between LAT and BA predominance across the estrous cycle provides a simple construct for understanding the effects of the estrous cycle on BLA-dependent behaviors. These results provide a novel framework to understand the cyclicity of emotional memory and highlight the importance of considering ovarian cycle when studying the BLA of females.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT There are differences in emotional responses and many psychiatric symptoms between males and females. This may point to sex differences in limbic brain regions. Here we demonstrate sex differences in neuronal activity in one key limbic region, the basolateral amygdala (BLA), whose activity fluctuates across the estrous cycle due to a shift in the balance of inhibition and excitation across two BLA regions, the lateral and basal nuclei. By uncovering this push-pull shift between lateral and basal nuclei, these results help to explain disparate findings about the effects of biological sex and estrous cyclicity on emotion and provide a framework for understanding fluctuations in emotional memory and psychiatric symptoms.
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Reberger R, Dall'Oglio A, Jung CR, Rasia-Filho AA. Structure and diversity of human dendritic spines evidenced by a new three-dimensional reconstruction procedure for Golgi staining and light microscopy. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 293:27-36. [PMID: 28887132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Different approaches aim to unravel detailed morphological features of neural cells. Dendritic spines are multifunctional units that reflect cellular connectivity, synaptic strength and plasticity. NEW METHOD A novel three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction procedure is introduced for visualization of dendritic spines from human postmortem brain tissue using brightfield microscopy. The segmentation model was based on thresholding the intensity values of the dendritic spine image along 'z' stacks. We used median filtering and removed false positives. Fine adjustments during image processing confirmed that the reconstructed image of the spines corresponded to the actual original data. RESULTS Examples are shown for the cortical amygdaloid nucleus and the CA3 hippocampal area. Structure of spine heads and necks was evaluated at different angles. Our 3D reconstruction images display dendritic spines either isolated or in clusters, in a continuum of shapes and sizes, from simple to more elaborated forms, including the presence of spinule and complex 'thorny excrescences'. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS The procedure has the advantages already described for the adapted "single-section" Golgi method, since it provides suitable results using human brains fixed in formalin for long time, is relatively easy, requires minimal equipment, and uses an algorithm for 3D reconstruction that provides high quality images and more precise morphological data. CONCLUSION The procedure described here allows the reliable visualization and study of human dendritic spines with broad applications for normal controls and pathological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Reberger
- Friedrich Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Medical Engineering Program, Erlangen, Germany; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Institute of Informatics, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Aline Dall'Oglio
- Federal University of Health Sciences, Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Claudio R Jung
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Institute of Informatics, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Alberto A Rasia-Filho
- Federal University of Health Sciences, Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Neuroscience Program, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Zilkha N, Scott N, Kimchi T. Sexual Dimorphism of Parental Care: From Genes to Behavior. Annu Rev Neurosci 2017; 40:273-305. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-neuro-072116-031447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Noga Zilkha
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Niv Scott
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
- Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037
| | - Tali Kimchi
- Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
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Pereira M. Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Maternal Brain Circuitry. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2017; 2016:23-46. [PMID: 27589496 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Parenting recruits a distributed network of brain structures (and neuromodulators) that coordinates caregiving responses attuned to the young's affect, needs, and developmental stage. Many of these structures and connections undergo significant structural and functional plasticity, mediated by the interplay between maternal hormones and social experience while the reciprocal relationship between the mother and her infant forms and develops. These alterations account for the remarkable behavioral plasticity of mothers. This review will examine the molecular and neurobiological modulation and plasticity through which parenting develops and adjusts in new mothers, primarily discussing recent findings in nonhuman animals. A better understanding of how parenting impacts the brain at the molecular, cellular, systems/network, and behavioral levels is likely to significantly contribute to novel strategies for treating postpartum neuropsychiatric disorders in new mothers, and critical for both the mother's physiological and mental health and the development and well-being of her young.
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Matsuo S, Matsuda KI, Takanami K, Mori T, Tanaka M, Kawata M, Kitawaki J. Decrease in neuronal spine density in the postpartum period in the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in rat. Neurosci Lett 2017; 641:21-25. [PMID: 28115236 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
In pregnancy and the postpartum period, many women have emotional instability and some suffer from depression. The ovarian steroid hormone milieu is markedly changed during these periods, and this hormonal change may be an important cause of peripartum emotional instability. The amygdala is a central region of emotion, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), which is considered to be the extended amygdala, is also involved in the emotional response. The amygdala and BNST are well characterized as target brain regions for ovarian steroid hormones, and this suggests that the functional response of neurons in these regions to hormonal fluctuation is affected in the peripartum period. In this study, we investigated the neuronal morphology in the central (CeA) and basolateral (BLA) nucleus of the amygdala and BNST on gestational days 15 (G15) (mid-gestation) and 20 (G20) (late gestation) and 4days after delivery (P4) (early postpartum) in rat. Golgi staining showed that the dendritic spine density, and particularly the number of mature mushroom-type spines, in the CeA, BLA and BNST was significantly decreased at P4, compared with G15 and G20 and with virgin females in the estrous phase in the normal estrous cycle (Est). Interestingly, the presence of pups after delivery influenced the spine density in the BNST. The density was significantly decreased with pup presence compared with pup absence at P4, and compared with G15, G20 and Est. These results provide fundamental insights into the neuronal basis underlying emotional instability during pregnancy and postpartum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seiki Matsuo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ken Ichi Matsuda
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Keiko Takanami
- Ushimado Marine Institute, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Ushimado, Setouchi, Okayama, Japan
| | - Taisuke Mori
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masaki Tanaka
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | | | - Jo Kitawaki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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González-Mariscal G, Melo AI. Bidirectional Effects of Mother-Young Contact on the Maternal and Neonatal Brains. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1015:97-116. [PMID: 29080023 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-62817-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Adaptive plasticity occurs intensely during the early postnatal period through processes like proliferation, migration, differentiation, synaptogenesis, myelination and apoptosis. Exposure to particular stimuli during this critical period has long-lasting effects on cognition, stress reactivity and behavior. Maternal care is the main source of social, sensory and chemical stimulation to the young and is, therefore, critical to "fine-tune" the offspring's neural development. Mothers providing a low quantity or quality of stimulation produce offspring that will exhibit reduced cognitive performance, impaired social affiliation and increased agonistic behaviors. Transgenerational transmission of such traits occurs epigenetically, i.e., through mechanisms like DNA methylation and post-translational modification of nucleosomal histones, processes that silence or increase gene expression without affecting the DNA sequence. Reciprocally, providing maternal care profoundly affects the behavior, learning, memory and fine neuroanatomy of the adult female. Such effects are in many cases permanent and sometimes they involve the hormones of pregnancy and lactation. The above evidence supports the idea that the mother-young dyad exerts profound and permanent effects on the brains of both adult and developing organisms, respectively. Effects on the latter can be explained by the neural developmental processes taking place during the early postnatal period. In contrast, little is known about the mechanisms mediating the plasticity of the adult maternal brain. The bidirectional effects that mother and young exert on each other's brains exemplify a remarkable plasticity of this organ for organizing itself and provide an immense source of variability for adaptation and evolution in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela González-Mariscal
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Apdo Postal 62, Tlaxcala, Tlax, 90000, Mexico.
| | - Angel I Melo
- Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Apdo Postal 62, Tlaxcala, Tlax, 90000, Mexico
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Haim A, Julian D, Albin-Brooks C, Brothers HM, Lenz KM, Leuner B. A survey of neuroimmune changes in pregnant and postpartum female rats. Brain Behav Immun 2017; 59:67-78. [PMID: 27686844 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2016.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy and the postpartum period, the adult female brain is remarkably plastic exhibiting modifications of neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. However, little is known about how microglia, the brain's innate immune cells, are altered during this time. In the current studies, microglial density, number and morphological phenotype were analyzed within multiple regions of the maternal brain that are known to show neural plasticity during the peripartum period and/or regulate peripartum behavioral changes. Our results show a significant reduction in microglial density during late pregnancy and the early-mid postpartum period in the basolateral amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens shell and dorsal hippocampus. In addition, microglia numbers were reduced postpartum in all four brain regions, and these reductions occurred primarily in microglia with a thin, ramified morphology. Across the various measures, microglia in the motor cortex were unaffected by reproductive status. The peripartum decrease in microglia may be a consequence of reduced proliferation as there were fewer numbers of proliferating microglia, and no changes in apoptotic microglia, in the postpartum hippocampus. Finally, hippocampal concentrations of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 were increased postpartum. Together, these data point to a shift in the maternal neuroimmune environment during the peripartum period that could contribute to neural and behavioral plasticity occurring during the transition to motherhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achikam Haim
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, 333 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Dominic Julian
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - Holly M Brothers
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kathryn M Lenz
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, 333 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Benedetta Leuner
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, 333 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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46
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Zancan M, Dall'Oglio A, Quagliotto E, Rasia‐Filho AA. Castration alters the number and structure of dendritic spines in the male posterodorsal medial amygdala. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 45:572-580. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2016] [Revised: 10/22/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Zancan
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology Federal University of Health Sciences Sarmento Leite 245 Porto Alegre RS 90050‐170 Brazil
- Graduation Program in Neuroscience Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
| | - Aline Dall'Oglio
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology Federal University of Health Sciences Sarmento Leite 245 Porto Alegre RS 90050‐170 Brazil
| | - Edson Quagliotto
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology Federal University of Health Sciences Sarmento Leite 245 Porto Alegre RS 90050‐170 Brazil
| | - Alberto A. Rasia‐Filho
- Department of Basic Sciences/Physiology Federal University of Health Sciences Sarmento Leite 245 Porto Alegre RS 90050‐170 Brazil
- Graduation Program in Neuroscience Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul Porto Alegre Brazil
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47
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Fujiwara M, Nitta A, Chiba A. Regulation of sexual odor preference by sex steroids in the posterodorsal medial amygdala in female rats. Horm Behav 2016; 82:46-55. [PMID: 27178578 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Our previous study in male rats demonstrated that bilateral administration of flutamide, an androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, into the posterodorsal medial amygdala (MePD) increased the time sniffing male odors to as high as that sniffing estrous odors, eliminating the preference for estrous odors over male odors. This made us speculate that under blockade of AR in the MePD, testosterone-derived estrogen acting on the same brain region arouses interest in male odors which is otherwise suppressed by concomitant action of androgen. In cyclic female rats, endogenous androgen has been thought to be involved in inhibitory regulation of estrogen-activated sexual behavior. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the possibility that in female rats the arousal of interest in male odors is also normally regulated by both estrogen and androgen acting on the MePD, as predicted by our previous study in male rats. Implantation of either the estrogen receptor blocker tamoxifen (TX) or a non-aromatizable androgen 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) into the MePD of ovariectomized, estrogen-primed female rats eliminated preference for male odors over estrous odors by significantly decreasing the time sniffing male odors to as low as that sniffing estrous odors. The subsequent odor discrimination tests confirmed that the DHT and TX administration did not impair the ability to discriminate between male and estrous odors. These results suggest that in estrous female rats estrogen action in the MePD plays critical roles in the expression of the preference for male odors while androgen action in the same brain region interferes with the estrogen action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaya Fujiwara
- Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan
| | - Asano Nitta
- Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan
| | - Atsuhiko Chiba
- Department of Materials and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Sophia University, Tokyo 102-8554, Japan.
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Sinclair D, Cesare J, McMullen M, Carlson GC, Hahn CG, Borgmann-Winter KE. Effects of sex and DTNBP1 (dysbindin) null gene mutation on the developmental GluN2B-GluN2A switch in the mouse cortex and hippocampus. J Neurodev Disord 2016; 8:14. [PMID: 27134685 PMCID: PMC4852102 DOI: 10.1186/s11689-016-9148-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia differentially impact males and females and are highly heritable. The ways in which sex and genetic vulnerability influence the pathogenesis of these disorders are not clearly understood. The n-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor pathway has been implicated in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders and changes dramatically across postnatal development at the level of the GluN2B-GluN2A subunit "switch" (a shift from reliance on GluN2B-containing receptors to reliance on GluN2A-containing receptors). We investigated whether sex and genetic vulnerability (specifically, null mutation of DTNBP1 [dysbindin; a possible susceptibility gene for schizophrenia]) influence the developmental GluN2B-GluN2A switch. METHODS Subcellular fractionation to enrich for postsynaptic density (PSD), together with Western blotting and kinase assay, were used to investigate the GluN2B-GluN2A switch in the cortex and hippocampus of male and female DTNBP1 null mutant mice and their wild-type littermates. Main effects of sex and DTNBP1 genotype, and interactions with age, were assessed using factorial ANOVA. RESULTS Sex differences in the GluN2B-GluN2A switch emerged across development at the frontal cortical synapse, in parameters related to GluN2B. Males across genotypes displayed higher GluN2B:GluN2A and GluN2B:GluN1 ratios (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively), higher GluN2B phosphorylation at Y1472 (p < 0.01), and greater abundance of PLCγ (p < 0.01) and Fyn (p = 0.055) relative to females. In contrast, effects of DTNBP1 were evident exclusively in the hippocampus. The developmental trajectory of GluN2B was disrupted in DTNBP1 null mice (genotype × age interaction p < 0.05), which also displayed an increased synaptic GluN2A:GluN1 ratio (p < 0.05) and decreased PLCγ (p < 0.05) and Fyn (only in females; p < 0.0005) compared to wild-types. CONCLUSIONS Sex and DTNBP1 mutation influence the GluN2B-GluN2A switch at the synapse in a brain-region-specific fashion involving pY1472-GluN2B, Fyn, and PLCγ. This highlights the possible mechanisms through which risk factors may mediate their effects on vulnerability to disorders of NMDA receptor dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan Sinclair
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatric Signaling Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ; Present address: Schizophrenia Research Laboratory, Neuroscience Research Australia, Randwick, New South Wales Australia
| | - Joseph Cesare
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatric Signaling Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | | | | | - Chang-Gyu Hahn
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatric Signaling Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Karin E Borgmann-Winter
- Department of Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatric Signaling Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA ; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA USA
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Slattery DA, Hillerer KM. The maternal brain under stress: Consequences for adaptive peripartum plasticity and its potential functional implications. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 41:114-28. [PMID: 26828151 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The peripartum period represents a time during which all mammalian species undergo substantial physiological and behavioural changes, which prepare the female for the demands of motherhood. In addition to behavioural and physiological alterations, numerous brain regions, such as the medial prefrontal cortex, olfactory bulb, medial amygdala and hippocampus are subject to substantial peripartum-associated neuronal, dendritic and synaptic plasticity. These changes, which are temporally- and spatially-distinct, are strongly influenced by gonadal and adrenal hormones, such as estrogen and cortisol/corticosterone, which undergo dramatic fluctuations across this period. In this review, we describe our current knowledge regarding these plasticity changes and describe how stress affects such normal adaptations. Finally, we discuss the mechanisms potentially underlying these neuronal, dendritic and synaptic changes and their functional relevance for the mother and her offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Slattery
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Katharina M Hillerer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Salzburger Landeskrankenhaus (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
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50
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Leuner B, Sabihi S. The birth of new neurons in the maternal brain: Hormonal regulation and functional implications. Front Neuroendocrinol 2016; 41:99-113. [PMID: 26969795 PMCID: PMC4942360 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2016.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The maternal brain is remarkably plastic and exhibits multifaceted neural modifications. Neurogenesis has emerged as one of the mechanisms by which the maternal brain exhibits plasticity. This review highlights what is currently known about peripartum-associated changes in adult neurogenesis and the underlying hormonal mechanisms. We also consider the functional consequences of neurogenesis in the peripartum brain and extent to which this process may play a role in maternal care, cognitive function and postpartum mood. Finally, while most work investigating the effects of parenting on adult neurogenesis has focused on mothers, a few studies have examined fathers and these results are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Leuner
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University, Department of Neuroscience, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University, Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Group, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Sara Sabihi
- The Ohio State University, Department of Psychology, Columbus, OH, USA
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