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Nawreen N, Oshima K, Chambers J, Smail M, Herman JP. Inhibition of prefrontal cortex parvalbumin interneurons mitigates behavioral and physiological sequelae of chronic stress in male mice. Stress 2024; 27:2361238. [PMID: 38962839 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2361238] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress leads to hypofunction of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), mechanisms of which remain to be determined. Enhanced activation of GABAergic of parvalbumin (PV) expressing interneurons (INs) is thought to play a role in stress-induced prefrontal inhibition. In this study, we tested whether chemogenetic inhibition of mPFC PV INs after chronic stress can rescue chronic stress-related behavioral and physiological phenotypes. Mice underwent 2 weeks of chronic variable stress (CVS) followed by a battery of behavioral tests known to be affected by chronic stress exposure, e.g. an open field (OF), novel object recognition (NOR), tail suspension test (TST), sucrose preference test (SPT), and light dark (LD) box. Inhibitory DREADDs were actuated by 3 mg/kg CNO administered 30 min prior to each behavioral test. CVS caused hyperactivity in the OF, reduced sucrose preference in the SPT (indicative of enhanced anhedonia), and increased anxiety-like behavior in the LD box. Inhibition of PV IN after stress mitigated these effects. In addition, CVS also resulted in reduced thymus weight and body weight loss, which were also mitigated by PV IN inhibition. Our results indicate that chronic stress leads to plastic changes in PV INs that may be mitigated by chemogenetic inhibition. Our findings implicate cortical GABAergic INs as a therapeutic target in stress-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawshaba Nawreen
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Kristen Oshima
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James Chambers
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Marissa Smail
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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2
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Acero-Castillo MC, Correia MBM, Caixeta FV, Motta V, Barros M, Maior RS. Is the antidepressant effect of ketamine separate from its psychotomimetic effect? A review of rodent models. Neuropharmacology 2024; 258:110088. [PMID: 39032814 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Ketamine is an NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) glutamate receptor antagonist, which has a myriad of dose-dependent pharmacological and behavioral effects, including anesthetic, sedative, amnestic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Intriguingly, ketamine at subanesthetic doses displays a relevant profile both in mimicking symptoms of schizophrenia and also as the first fast-acting treatment for depression. Here, we present an overview of the state-of-the-art knowledge about ketamine as an antidepressant as well as a pharmacological model of schizophrenia in animal models and human participants. Ketamine's dual effect appears to arise from its mechanism of action involving NMDA receptors, with both immediate and downstream consequences being triggered as a result. Finally, we discuss the feasibility of a unified approach linking the glutamatergic hypothesis of schizophrenia to the promising preclinical and clinical success of ketamine in the treatment of refractory depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Acero-Castillo
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Metabolism, and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, ZIP 70910-900, Brasilia-DF, Brazil
| | - M B M Correia
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Metabolism, and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, ZIP 70910-900, Brasilia-DF, Brazil; Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta GA, ZIP 30322, USA
| | - F V Caixeta
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Metabolism, and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, ZIP 70910-900, Brasilia-DF, Brazil
| | - V Motta
- Department of Basic Psychological Processes, Institute of Psychology, University of Brasilia, ZIP 70910-900, Brasilia-DF, Brazil
| | - M Barros
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Brasilia, ZIP 70910-900, Brasilia-DF, Brazil
| | - R S Maior
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Metabolism, and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, ZIP 70910-900, Brasilia-DF, Brazil.
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3
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Rodrigues B, Leitão RA, Santos M, Trofimov A, Silva M, Inácio ÂS, Abreu M, Nobre RJ, Costa J, Cardoso AL, Milosevic I, Peça J, Oliveiros B, Pereira de Almeida L, Pinheiro PS, Carvalho AL. MiR-186-5p inhibition restores synaptic transmission and neuronal network activity in a model of chronic stress. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02715-1. [PMID: 39237722 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02715-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Chronic stress exerts profound negative effects on cognitive and emotional behaviours and is a major risk factor for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the molecular links between chronic stress and its deleterious effects on neuronal and synaptic function remain elusive. Here, using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches, we demonstrate that the upregulation of miR-186-5p triggered by chronic stress may be a key mediator of such changes, leading to synaptic dysfunction. Our results show that the expression levels of miR-186-5p are increased both in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice exposed to chronic stress and in cortical neurons chronically exposed to dexamethasone. Additionally, viral overexpression of miR-186-5p in the PFC of naïve mice induces anxiety- and depressive-like behaviours. The upregulation of miR-186-5p through prolonged glucocorticoid receptor activation in vitro, or in a mouse model of chronic stress, differentially affects glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission, causing an imbalance in excitation/inhibition that leads to altered neuronal network activity. At glutamatergic synapses, we observed both a reduction in synaptic AMPARs and synaptic transmission, whereas GABAergic synaptic transmission was strengthened. These changes could be rescued in vitro by a miR-186-5p inhibitor. Overall, our results establish a novel molecular link between chronic glucocorticoid receptor activation, the upregulation of miR-186-5p and the synaptic changes induced by chronic stress, that may be amenable to therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Rodrigues
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
- Experimental Biology and Biomedicine Doctoral Programme, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ricardo A Leitão
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mónica Santos
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Alexander Trofimov
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Integrative Brain Function Neurobiology Lab, I.P. Pavlov Department of Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 197022, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, 010000, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Mariline Silva
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Applied Physics and Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 100 44, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ângela S Inácio
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Mónica Abreu
- Multidisciplinary Institute of Aging, MIA Portugal, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Rui J Nobre
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jéssica Costa
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
- Experimental Biology and Biomedicine Doctoral Programme, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Luísa Cardoso
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ira Milosevic
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Multidisciplinary Institute of Aging, MIA Portugal, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - João Peça
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Bárbara Oliveiros
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- iCRB-Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- ViraVector, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paulo S Pinheiro
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Ana Luísa Carvalho
- CNC-Centre for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
- CiBB-Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Coimbra, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal.
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Rodrigues D, Santa C, Manadas B, Monteiro P. Chronic Stress Alters Synaptic Inhibition/Excitation Balance of Pyramidal Neurons But Not PV Interneurons in the Infralimbic and Prelimbic Cortices of C57BL/6J Mice. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0053-24.2024. [PMID: 39147579 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0053-24.2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) plays a pivotal role in regulating working memory, executive function, and self-regulatory behaviors. Dysfunction in the mPFC circuits is a characteristic feature of several neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Chronic stress (CS) is widely recognized as a major triggering factor for the onset of these disorders. Although evidence suggests synaptic dysfunction in mPFC circuits following CS exposure, it remains unclear how different neuronal populations in the infralimbic (IL) and prelimbic (PL) cortices are affected in terms of synaptic inhibition/excitation balance (I/E ratio). Here, using neuroproteomic analysis and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in pyramidal neurons (PNs) and parvalbumin (PV) interneurons within the PL and IL cortices, we examined the synaptic changes after 21 d of chronic unpredictable stress, in male mice. Our results reveal distinct impacts of CS on PL and IL PNs, resulting in an increased I/E ratio in both subregions but through different mechanisms: CS increases inhibitory synaptic drive in the PL while decreasing excitatory synaptic drive in the IL. Notably, the I/E ratio and excitatory and inhibitory synaptic drive of PV interneurons remained unaffected in both PL and IL circuits following CS exposure. These findings offer novel mechanistic insights into the influence of CS on mPFC circuits and support the hypothesis of stress-induced mPFC hypofunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Rodrigues
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimaraes, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
- Biomedizinisches Centrum München (BMC), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich 82152, Bayern, Germany
| | - Cátia Santa
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-517, Portugal
| | - Bruno Manadas
- CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-517, Portugal
- Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-517, Portugal
| | - Patrícia Monteiro
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimaraes, Braga 4710-057, Portugal
- Department of Biomedicine - Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto 4200-319, Portugal
- RISE-Health, Health Research Network, Porto 4200-319, Portugal
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5
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Foster JC, Hodges HR, Beloborodova A, Cohodes EM, Phillips MQ, Anderson E, Fagbenro B, Gee DG. Integrating developmental neuroscience with community-engaged approaches to address mental health outcomes for housing-insecure youth: Implications for research, practice, and policy. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 68:101399. [PMID: 38875770 PMCID: PMC11225708 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
One in three children in the United States is exposed to insecure housing conditions, including unaffordable, inconsistent, and unsafe housing. These exposures have detrimental impacts on youth mental health. Delineating the neurobehavioral pathways linking exposure to housing insecurity with children's mental health has the potential to inform interventions and policy. However, in approaching this work, carefully considering the lived experiences of youth and families is essential to translating scientific discovery to improve health outcomes in an equitable and representative way. In the current paper, we provide an introduction to the range of stressful experiences that children may face when exposed to insecure housing conditions. Next, we highlight findings from the early-life stress literature regarding the potential neurobehavioral consequences of insecure housing, focusing on how unpredictability is associated with the neural circuitry supporting cognitive and emotional development. We then delineate how community-engaged research (CEnR) approaches have been leveraged to understand the effects of housing insecurity on mental health, and we propose future research directions that integrate developmental neuroscience research and CEnR approaches to maximize the impact of this work. We conclude by outlining practice and policy recommendations that aim to improve the mental health of children exposed to insecure housing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan C Foster
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - H R Hodges
- University of Minnesota, Institute of Child Development, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Anna Beloborodova
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Emily M Cohodes
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States
| | | | | | | | - Dylan G Gee
- Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States.
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6
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Li F, Zheng X, Wang H, Meng L, Chen M, Hui Y, Liu D, Li Y, Xie K, Zhang J, Guo G. Mediodorsal thalamus projection to medial prefrontal cortical mediates social defeat stress-induced depression-like behaviors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1318-1329. [PMID: 38438592 PMCID: PMC11224337 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01829-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Clinical studies have shown that the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) may play an important role in the development of depression. However, the molecular and circuit mechanisms by which the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) participates in the pathological processes of depression remain unclear. Here, we show that in male chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) mice, the calcium signaling activity of glutamatergic neurons in MD is reduced. By combining conventional neurotracer and transneuronal virus tracing techniques, we identify a synaptic circuit connecting MD and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the mouse. Brain slice electrophysiology and fiber optic recordings reveal that the reduced activity of MD glutamatergic neurons leads to an excitatory-inhibitory imbalance of pyramidal neurons in mPFC. Furthermore, activation of MD glutamatergic neurons restores the electrophysiological properties abnormal in mPFC. Optogenetic activation of the MD-mPFC circuit ameliorates anxiety and depression-like behaviors in CSDS mice. Taken together, these data support the critical role of MD-mPFC circuit on CSDS-induced depression-like behavior and provide a potential mechanistic explanation for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Xuefeng Zheng
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Hanjie Wang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Lianghui Meng
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Meiying Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yuqing Hui
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Danlei Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Yifei Li
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Keman Xie
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China
| | - Jifeng Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
| | - Guoqing Guo
- Department of Anatomy, Neuroscience Laboratory for Cognitive and Developmental Disorders, Medical College of Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510630, China.
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7
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Duda JM, Moser AD, Ironside M, Null KE, Holsen LM, Zuo CS, Du F, Esfand SM, Chen X, Perlo S, Richards CE, Lobien R, Alexander M, Misra M, Goldstein JM, Pizzagalli DA. Effects of GABA, Sex, and Stress on Reward Learning in Current and Remitted Major Depression. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY. COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2024; 9:606-615. [PMID: 38417785 PMCID: PMC11156537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2024.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocognitive factors including aberrant reward learning, blunted GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), and potentiated stress sensitivity have been linked to anhedonia, a hallmark depressive symptom, possibly in a sex-dependent manner. However, previous research has not investigated the putative associations among these factors or the extent to which they represent trait- or state-based vulnerabilities for depression. METHODS Young adults with current major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 44), remitted MDD (n = 42), and healthy control participants (HCs) (n = 44), stratified by sex assigned at birth, underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess macromolecular contaminated GABA (GABA+) and then a reward learning task before and after acute stress. We assessed changes in reward learning after stress and associations with GABA+. RESULTS Results revealed blunted baseline reward learning in participants with remitted MDD versus participants with current MDD and HCs but, surprisingly, no differences between participants with current MDD and HCs. Reward learning was reduced following acute stress regardless of depressive history. GABA+ in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex, but not the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, was associated with reduced baseline reward learning only in female participants. GABA+ did not predict stress-related changes in reward learning. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate associations among GABA, reward learning, and stress reactivity in current versus past depression. Hypothesized depression-related differences in reward learning did not emerge, precluding claims about state versus trait vulnerabilities. However, our finding that blunted GABA was associated with greater reward learning in female participants provides novel insights into sex-selective associations between the frontal GABAergic inhibitory system and reward processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Duda
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Amelia D Moser
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Maria Ironside
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Laureate Institute for Brain Research, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Kaylee E Null
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Chun S Zuo
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Fei Du
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Shiba M Esfand
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Xi Chen
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah Perlo
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Christine E Richards
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Rachel Lobien
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Madeline Alexander
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts.
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8
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Norris MR, Becker LJ, Bilbily J, Chang YH, Borges G, Dunn SS, Madasu MK, Vazquez CR, Cariello SA, Al-Hasani R, Creed MC, McCall JG. Spared nerve injury decreases motivation in long-access homecage-based operant tasks in mice. Pain 2024; 165:1247-1265. [PMID: 38015628 PMCID: PMC11095834 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neuropathic pain causes both sensory and emotional maladaptation. Preclinical animal studies of neuropathic pain-induced negative affect could result in novel insights into the mechanisms of chronic pain. Modeling pain-induced negative affect, however, is variable across research groups and conditions. The same injury may or may not produce robust negative affective behavioral responses across different species, strains, and laboratories. Here, we sought to identify negative affective consequences of the spared nerve injury model on C57BL/6J male and female mice. We found no significant effect of spared nerve injury across a variety of approach-avoidance conflict, hedonic choice, and coping strategy assays. We hypothesized these inconsistencies may stem in part from the short test duration of these assays. To test this hypothesis, we used the homecage-based Feeding Experimentation Device version 3 to conduct 12-hour, overnight progressive ratio testing to determine whether mice with chronic spared nerve injury had decreased motivation to earn palatable food rewards. Our data demonstrate that despite equivalent task learning, spared nerve injury mice are less motivated to work for a sugar pellet than sham controls. Furthermore, when we normalized behavioral responses across all the behavioral assays we tested, we found that a combined normalized behavioral score is predictive of injury state and significantly correlates with mechanical thresholds. Together, these results suggest that homecage-based operant behaviors provide a useful platform for modeling nerve injury-induced negative affect and that valuable pain-related information can arise from agglomerative data analyses across behavioral assays-even when individual inferential statistics do not demonstrate significant mean differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makenzie R. Norris
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Léa J. Becker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John Bilbily
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yu-Hsuan Chang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gustavo Borges
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samantha S. Dunn
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Manish K. Madasu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chayla R. Vazquez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Solana A. Cariello
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ream Al-Hasani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Meaghan C. Creed
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jordan G. McCall
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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9
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McCallum RT, Thériault RK, Manduca JD, Russell ISB, Culmer AM, Doost JS, Martino TA, Perreault ML. Nrf2 activation rescues stress-induced depression-like behaviour and inflammatory responses in male but not female rats. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:16. [PMID: 38350966 PMCID: PMC10863247 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00589-0] [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: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurring affective disorder that is two times more prevalent in females than males. Evidence supports immune system dysfunction as a major contributing factor to MDD, notably in a sexually dimorphic manner. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a regulator of antioxidant signalling during inflammation, is dysregulated in many chronic inflammatory disorders; however, its role in depression and the associated sex differences have yet to be explored. Here, we investigated the sex-specific antidepressant and immunomodulatory effects of the potent Nrf2 activator dimethyl fumarate (DMF), as well as the associated gene expression profiles. METHODS Male and female rats were treated with vehicle or DMF (25 mg/kg) whilst subjected to 8 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress. The effect of DMF treatment on stress-induced depression- and anxiety-like behaviours, as well as deficits in recognition and spatial learning and memory were then assessed. Sex differences in hippocampal (HIP) microglial activation and gene expression response were also evaluated. RESULTS DMF treatment during stress exposure had antidepressant effects in male but not female rats, with no anxiolytic effects in either sex. Recognition learning and memory and spatial learning and memory were impaired in chronically stressed males and females, respectively, and DMF treatment rescued these deficits. DMF treatment also prevented stress-induced HIP microglial activation in males. Conversely, females displayed no HIP microglial activation associated with stress exposure. Last, chronic stress elicited sex-specific alterations in HIP gene expression, many of which were normalized in animals treated with DMF. Of note, most of the differentially expressed genes in males normalized by DMF were related to antioxidant, inflammatory or immune responses. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these findings support a greater role of immune processes in males than females in a rodent model of depression. This suggests that pharmacotherapies that target Nrf2 have the potential to be an effective sex-specific treatment for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T McCallum
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Rachel-Karson Thériault
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Joshua D Manduca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Isaac S B Russell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Angel M Culmer
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Janan Shoja Doost
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Tami A Martino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Melissa L Perreault
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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10
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Cui L, Li S, Wang S, Wu X, Liu Y, Yu W, Wang Y, Tang Y, Xia M, Li B. Major depressive disorder: hypothesis, mechanism, prevention and treatment. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:30. [PMID: 38331979 PMCID: PMC10853571 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01738-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Worldwide, the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasing annually, resulting in greater economic and social burdens. Moreover, the pathological mechanisms of MDD and the mechanisms underlying the effects of pharmacological treatments for MDD are complex and unclear, and additional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for MDD still are needed. The currently widely accepted theories of MDD pathogenesis include the neurotransmitter and receptor hypothesis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hypothesis, cytokine hypothesis, neuroplasticity hypothesis and systemic influence hypothesis, but these hypothesis cannot completely explain the pathological mechanism of MDD. Even it is still hard to adopt only one hypothesis to completely reveal the pathogenesis of MDD, thus in recent years, great progress has been made in elucidating the roles of multiple organ interactions in the pathogenesis MDD and identifying novel therapeutic approaches and multitarget modulatory strategies, further revealing the disease features of MDD. Furthermore, some newly discovered potential pharmacological targets and newly studied antidepressants have attracted widespread attention, some reagents have even been approved for clinical treatment and some novel therapeutic methods such as phototherapy and acupuncture have been discovered to have effective improvement for the depressive symptoms. In this work, we comprehensively summarize the latest research on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of MDD, preventive approaches and therapeutic medicines, as well as the related clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lulu Cui
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Shu Li
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Siman Wang
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiafang Wu
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Yingyu Liu
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Weiyang Yu
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Yijun Wang
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China
| | - Yong Tang
- International Joint Research Centre on Purinergic Signalling/Key Laboratory of Acupuncture for Senile Disease (Chengdu University of TCM), Ministry of Education/School of Health and Rehabilitation, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture and Chronobiology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu, China
| | - Maosheng Xia
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Baoman Li
- Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
- Liaoning Province Key Laboratory of Forensic Bio-evidence Sciences, Shenyang, China.
- China Medical University Centre of Forensic Investigation, Shenyang, China.
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11
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Page CE, Coutellier L. Kv3.1 Voltage-gated Potassium Channels Modulate Anxiety-like Behaviors in Female Mice. Neuroscience 2024; 538:68-79. [PMID: 38157976 PMCID: PMC10872248 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.12.011] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Inhibitory parvalbumin (PV) interneurons regulate the activity of neural circuits within brain regions involved in emotional processing, including the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Recently, rodent studies have implicated a stress-induced increase in prefrontal PV neuron activity in the development of anxiety behaviors, particularly in females. However, the mechanisms through which stress increases activity of prefrontal PV neurons remain unknown. The fast-spiking properties of PV neurons in part come from their expression of voltage-gated potassium (K+) ion channels, particularly Kv3.1 channels. We therefore suggest that stress-induced changes in Kv3.1 channels contribute to the appearance of an anxious phenotype following chronic stress in female mice. Here, we first showed that unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) increased expression of Kv3.1 channels on prefrontal PV neurons in female mice, a potential mechanism underlying the previously observed hyperactivity of these neurons after stress. We then showed that female mice deficient in Kv3.1 channels displayed resilience to UCMS-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Altogether, our findings implicate Kv3.1 channels in the development of anxiety-like behaviors following UCMS, particularly in females, providing a novel mechanism to understand sex-specific vulnerabilities to stress-induced psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe E Page
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States; Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.
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12
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Leng L, Zhuang K, Lin H, Ding J, Yang S, Yuan Z, Huang C, Chen G, Chen Z, Wang M, Wang H, Sun H, Li H, Chang H, Chen Z, Xu Q, Yuan T, Zhang J. Menin Reduces Parvalbumin Expression and is Required for the Anti-Depressant Function of Ketamine. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2305659. [PMID: 38044302 PMCID: PMC10837338 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Dysfunction of parvalbumin (PV) neurons is closely involved in depression, however, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. Based on the previous finding that multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (Protein: Menin; Gene: Men1) mutation (G503D) is associated with a higher risk of depression, a Menin-G503D mouse model is generated that exhibits heritable depressive-like phenotypes and increases PV expression in brain. This study generates and screens a serial of neuronal specific Men1 deletion mice, and found that PV interneuron Men1 deletion mice (PcKO) exhibit increased cortical PV levels and depressive-like behaviors. Restoration of Menin, knockdown PV expression or inhibition of PV neuronal activity in PV neurons all can ameliorate the depressive-like behaviors of PcKO mice. This study next found that ketamine stabilizes Menin by inhibiting protein kinase A (PKA) activity, which mediates the anti-depressant function of ketamine. These results demonstrate a critical role for Menin in depression, and prove that Menin is key to the antidepressant function of ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lige Leng
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Kai Zhuang
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Hui Lin
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Jinjun Ding
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghai200030P. R. China
| | - Shangchen Yang
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Ziqi Yuan
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Changquan Huang
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Guimiao Chen
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Zhenlei Chen
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Mengdan Wang
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Han Wang
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Hao Sun
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Huifang Li
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - He Chang
- Department of GeriatricsXiang'an Hospital of Xiamen universityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Zhenyi Chen
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
| | - Qi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular BiologyInstitute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical CollegeNeuroscience CenterChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijing100730P. R. China
| | - Tifei Yuan
- Shanghai Mental Health CenterShanghai Jiaotong University School of MedicineShanghai200030P. R. China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Institute of NeuroscienceDepartment of AnesthesiologyThe First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen UniversitySchool of MedicineXiamen UniversityXiamenFujian361102P. R. China
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13
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Smiley KO, Munley KM, Aghi K, Lipshutz SE, Patton TM, Pradhan DS, Solomon-Lane TK, Sun SED. Sex diversity in the 21st century: Concepts, frameworks, and approaches for the future of neuroendocrinology. Horm Behav 2024; 157:105445. [PMID: 37979209 PMCID: PMC10842816 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Sex is ubiquitous and variable throughout the animal kingdom. Historically, scientists have used reductionist methodologies that rely on a priori sex categorizations, in which two discrete sexes are inextricably linked with gamete type. However, this binarized operationalization does not adequately reflect the diversity of sex observed in nature. This is due, in part, to the fact that sex exists across many levels of biological analysis, including genetic, molecular, cellular, morphological, behavioral, and population levels. Furthermore, the biological mechanisms governing sex are embedded in complex networks that dynamically interact with other systems. To produce the most accurate and scientifically rigorous work examining sex in neuroendocrinology and to capture the full range of sex variability and diversity present in animal systems, we must critically assess the frameworks, experimental designs, and analytical methods used in our research. In this perspective piece, we first propose a new conceptual framework to guide the integrative study of sex. Then, we provide practical guidance on research approaches for studying sex-associated variables, including factors to consider in study design, selection of model organisms, experimental methodologies, and statistical analyses. We invite fellow scientists to conscientiously apply these modernized approaches to advance our biological understanding of sex and to encourage academically and socially responsible outcomes of our work. By expanding our conceptual frameworks and methodological approaches to the study of sex, we will gain insight into the unique ways that sex exists across levels of biological organization to produce the vast array of variability and diversity observed in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina O Smiley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 639 North Pleasant Street, Morrill IVN Neuroscience, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
| | - Kathleen M Munley
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 3695 Cullen Boulevard, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
| | - Krisha Aghi
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Sara E Lipshutz
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Tessa M Patton
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 West Sheridan Road, LSB 317, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
| | - Devaleena S Pradhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, 921 South 8th Avenue, Mail Stop 8007, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA.
| | - Tessa K Solomon-Lane
- Scripps, Pitzer, Claremont McKenna Colleges, 925 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
| | - Simón E D Sun
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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14
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Dandi Ε, Theotokis P, Petri MC, Sideropoulou V, Spandou E, Tata DA. Environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence restores the reduced expression of synaptophysin and GFAP in the hippocampus of chronically stressed rats in a sex-specific manner. Dev Psychobiol 2023; 65:e22422. [PMID: 37796476 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
This study aims at investigating whether environmental enrichment (EE) initiated in adolescence can alter chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)-associated changes in astroglial and synaptic plasticity markers in male and female rats. To this end, we studied possible alterations in hippocampal glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and synaptophysin (SYN) in CUS rats previously housed in EE. Wistar rats on postnatal day (PND) 23 were housed for 10 weeks in standard housing (SH) or enriched conditions. On PND 66, animals were exposed to CUS for 4 weeks. SYN and GFAP expressions were evaluated in CA1 and CA3 subfields and dentate gyrus (DG). CUS reduced the expression of SYN in all hippocampal areas, whereas lower GFAP expression was evident only in CA1 and CA3. The reduced expression of SYN in DG and CA3 was evident to male SH/CUS rats, whereas the reduced GFAP expression in CA1 and CA3 was limited to SH/CUS females. EE housing increased the hippocampal expression of both markers and protected against CUS-associated decreases. Our findings indicate that the decreases in the expression of SYN and GFAP following CUS are region and sex-specific and underline the neuroprotective role of EE against these CUS-associated changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Εvgenia Dandi
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Paschalis Theotokis
- Laboratory of Experimental Neurology and Neuroimmunology, 2nd Department of Neurology, AHEPA University Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Maria Christina Petri
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Vaia Sideropoulou
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Spandou
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despina A Tata
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
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15
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Wallace T, Myers B. Prefrontal representation of affective stimuli: importance of stress, sex, and context. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8232-8246. [PMID: 37032618 PMCID: PMC10321111 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related disorders such as depression and anxiety exhibit sex differences in prevalence and negatively impact both mental and physical health. Affective illness is also frequently accompanied by changes in ventromedial prefrontal cortical (vmPFC) function. However, the neurobiology that underlies sex-specific cortical processing of affective stimuli is poorly understood. Although rodent studies have investigated the prefrontal impact of chronic stress, postmortem studies have focused largely on males and yielded mixed results. Therefore, genetically defined population recordings in behaving animals of both sexes were used to test the hypothesis that chronic variable stress (CVS) impairs the neural processing of affective stimuli in the rodent infralimbic region. Here, we targeted expression of a calcium indicator, GCaMP6s, to infralimbic pyramidal cells. In males, CVS reduced infralimbic responses to social interaction and restraint stress but increased responses to novel objects and food reward. In contrast, females did not have CVS-induced changes in infralimbic activity, which was partially dependent on the ovarian status. These results indicate that both male and female vmPFC cells encode social, stress, and reward stimuli. However, chronic stress effects are sex-dependent and behavior-specific. Ultimately, these findings extend the understanding of chronic stress-induced prefrontal dysfunction and indicate that sex is a critical factor for cortical processing of affective stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Wallace
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Brent Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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16
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Aten S, Du Y, Taylor O, Dye C, Collins K, Thomas M, Kiyoshi C, Zhou M. Chronic Stress Impairs the Structure and Function of Astrocyte Networks in an Animal Model of Depression. Neurochem Res 2023; 48:1191-1210. [PMID: 35796915 PMCID: PMC9823156 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-022-03663-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Now astrocytes appear to be the key contributors to the pathophysiology of major depression. Evidence in rodents shows that chronic stress is associated with a decreased expression of astrocytic GFAP-immunoreactivity within the cortex in addition to changes in the complexity and length of astrocyte processes. Furthermore, postmortem brains of individuals with depression have revealed a decrease in astrocyte density. Notably, astrocytes are extensively coupled to one another through gap junctions to form a network, or syncytium, and we have previously demonstrated that syncytial isopotentiality is a mechanism by which astrocytes function as an efficient system with respect to brain homeostasis. Interestingly, the question of how astrocyte network function changes following chronic stress is yet to be elucidated. Here, we sought to examine the effects of chronic stress on network-level astrocyte (dys)function. Using a transgenic aldh1l1-eGFP astrocyte reporter mouse, a six-week unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) paradigm as a rodent model of major depression, and immunohistochemical approaches, we show that the morphology of individual astrocytes is altered by chronic stress exposure. Additionally, in astrocyte syncytial isopotentiality measurement, we found that UCMS impairs the syncytial coupling strength of astrocytes within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex-two brain regions that have been implicated in the regulation of mood. Together, these findings reveal that chronic stress leads to astrocyte atrophy and impaired gap junction coupling, raising the prospect that both individual and network-level astrocyte functionality are important in the etiology of major depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney Aten
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine, and Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yixing Du
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Olivia Taylor
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Courtney Dye
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Kelsey Collins
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Matthew Thomas
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Conrad Kiyoshi
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
- Northern Marianas College, Saipan, MP, USA
| | - Min Zhou
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Graves Hall, Rm 4066C, 333 W. 10th Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
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17
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Hou W, Huang S, Li L, Guo X, He Z, Shang S, Jia Z, Zhang L, Qu Y, Huang C, Li Y, Li Y, Lv Z, Tai F. Oxytocin treatments or activation of the paraventricular nucleus-the shell of nucleus accumbens pathway reduce adverse effects of chronic social defeat stress on emotional and social behaviors in Mandarin voles. Neuropharmacology 2023; 230:109482. [PMID: 36893984 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Chronic social stress can cause psychological disease. Although oxytocin (OT) has been showed to modulate effects of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) on emotional and social behaviors, however, how OT circuits mediate effects of CSDS on emotional and social abnormalities remains unclear. Here, we found that repeated intraperitoneal OT administration in the process of CSDS buffered adverse effects of CSDS on emotional and social behaviors in mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus) of both sexes except no effect on depression-like behavior of males. Repeated OT treatments during CSDS prevented decrease of oxytocin receptors in nucleus accumbens (NAc) in females, but produced no effects on males. Furthermore, using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs)-based chemogenetic tools, we determined that the activation of the paraventricular nucleus (PVN)-the shell of NAc (NAcs) projections before social defeat during CSDS process significantly prevented the increase of the anxiety-like behaviors and social avoidance induced by CSDS in both sexes, and reversed the depressive-like behaviors induced by CSDS only in females. Besides, optogenetic activation of PVN-NAcs projections after CSDS reduced anxiety-like behaviors and increased levels of sociality. Collectively, we suggest that PVN-NAcs projections modulate emotional and social behaviors during or after the process of CSDS sex-specifically, although AAV viruses did not specifically infect OT neurons. These findings offer potential targets for preventing or treating emotional and social disorders induced by chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Shuying Huang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Lu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Xing Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Shufeng Shang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China; College of Bioscience and Engineering, Shaanxi University of Technology, Hanzhong, 723000, China
| | - Ziyan Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Lizi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yishan Qu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Caihong Huang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yin Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yitong Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Zijian Lv
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
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18
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Woodward E, Rangel-Barajas C, Ringland A, Logrip ML, Coutellier L. Sex-Specific Timelines for Adaptations of Prefrontal Parvalbumin Neurons in Response to Stress and Changes in Anxiety- and Depressive-Like Behaviors. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0300-22.2023. [PMID: 36808099 PMCID: PMC9997696 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0300-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Women are twice as likely as men to experience emotional dysregulation after stress, resulting in substantially higher psychopathology for equivalent lifetime stress exposure, yet the mechanisms underlying this vulnerability remain unknown. Studies suggest changes in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity as a potential contributor. Whether maladaptive changes in inhibitory interneurons participate in this process, and whether adaptations in response to stress differ between men and women, producing sex-specific changes in emotional behaviors and mPFC activity, remained undetermined. This study examined whether unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) in mice differentially alters behavior and mPFC parvalbumin (PV) interneuron activity by sex, and whether the activity of these neurons drives sex-specific behavioral changes. Four weeks of UCMS increased anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors associated with FosB activation in mPFC PV neurons, particularly in females. After 8 weeks of UCMS, both sexes displayed these behavioral and neural changes. Chemogenetic activation of PV neurons in UCMS-exposed and nonstressed males induced significant changes in anxiety-like behaviors. Importantly, patch-clamp electrophysiology demonstrated altered excitability and basic neural properties on the same timeline as the emergence of behavioral effects: changes in females after 4 weeks and in males after 8 weeks of UCMS. These findings show, for the first time, that sex-specific changes in the excitability of prefrontal PV neurons parallel the emergence of anxiety-like behavior, revealing a potential novel mechanism underlying the enhanced vulnerability of females to stress-induced psychopathology and supporting further investigation of this neuronal population to identify new therapeutic targets for stress disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Claudia Rangel-Barajas
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Amanda Ringland
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
| | - Marian L Logrip
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
- Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210
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19
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Woodward EM, Ringland A, Ackerman J, Coutellier L. Prepubertal ovariectomy confers resilience to stress-induced anxiety in adult female mice. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 148:105997. [PMID: 36470154 PMCID: PMC9898172 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The increased vulnerability to stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders in women, including anxiety disorders, does not emerge until pubertal onset, suggesting a role for ovarian hormones in organizing sex-specific vulnerability to anxiety. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons in the prefrontal cortex are a potential target for these ovarian hormones. PV+ interneurons undergo maturation during the adolescent period and have been shown to be sensitive to stress and to mediate stress-induced anxiety in female mice. To test the idea that ovarian hormones at puberty are necessary for the acquisition of sensitivity to stress, hypothetically driving the response of PV+ interneurons to stress, we performed ovariectomy or sham surgery before pubertal onset in female mice. These mice then were exposed to four weeks of unpredictable chronic mild stress in adulthood. We then assessed anxiety-like behavior and PV/FosB colocalization in the medial PFC. Additionally, we assessed stress-induced anxiety-like behavior in female mice following ovariectomy in adulthood to determine if puberty is a sensitive period for ovarian hormones in mediating vulnerability to stress. We found that prepubertal ovariectomy protects against the development of anxiety-like behavior in adulthood, an effect not found following ovariectomy in adulthood. This effect may be independent of ovarian hormones on prefrontal PV+ interneurons response to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Amanda Ringland
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Jennifer Ackerman
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
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20
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Trombetta T, Balocco V, Santoniccolo F, Paradiso MN, Rollè L. Internalized Homonegativity, Emotion Dysregulation, and Isolating Behaviors Perpetration among Gay and Lesbian Couples. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1593. [PMID: 36674347 PMCID: PMC9863614 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Same-sex intimate partner violence (SSIPV) is a serious health concern and may manifest in various forms. Nevertheless, controlling behaviors of isolation are still poorly investigated. Due to their marginalized status, sexual minorities can face SSIPV-specific risk factors, such as internalized homonegativity, as well as general psychological stress factors, such as emotion dysregulation. While the literature is growing, there is still a lack of understanding of the complex pathways linking sexual minorities and minority stress to IPV and isolating controlling behavior. To fill this gap, we explored the relation between internalized homonegativity and controlling behaviors of isolation, assessing the mediating role of emotion dysregulation. In total, 120 gay and lesbian people (mean age = 33.8, SD = 11.5) involved in a same-sex relationship participated in the study. Results showed a direct and positive association between internalized homonegativity and difficulties in emotion regulation and a direct and positive association between emotion dysregulation and controlling behaviors of isolation; the mediating role of emotion dysregulation in the relation between internalized homonegativity and isolating controlling behaviors was supported as well. Emerging results can provide valuable information at the clinical level, although further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
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21
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Kraeuter AK. The use of integrated behavioural z-scoring in behavioural neuroscience - A perspective article. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 384:109751. [PMID: 36435327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Complex pathophysiology in psychiatric disorders results in difficulties interpreting pre-clinical data. Guilloux et al. (2011b), proposed an integrated behavioural z-scoring procedure to improve the predictive validity of animal models by converging evidence similarly used to diagnose mental health conditions in humans. Here, I set out to give a brief review of the current methodology and literature using integrated behavioural z-scoring. Secondly, I will discuss the benefits and downfalls of integrated behavioural z-scoring and its potential future applications. Integrated behavioural z-scoring is a methodology used most frequently within animal models of depression and anxiety. Here, I am suggesting broadening the application of integrated behavioural z-scoring beyond the field of depression and anxiety to a three-step methodology to obtain disease-specific behavioural z-scores (i.e Schizophrenia index, Alzheimer's disease index) to aid translatability and interpretation of data. Lastly, I suggest integrating not only behaviour but also biological variables to create converging psychological and physiological evidence to sustain face and construct validity, while improving predict validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Katrin Kraeuter
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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22
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Helman TJ, Headrick JP, Stapelberg NJC, Braidy N. The sex-dependent response to psychosocial stress and ischaemic heart disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1072042. [PMID: 37153459 PMCID: PMC10160413 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1072042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is an important risk factor for modern chronic diseases, with distinct influences in males and females. The sex specificity of the mammalian stress response contributes to the sex-dependent development and impacts of coronary artery disease (CAD). Compared to men, women appear to have greater susceptibility to chronic forms of psychosocial stress, extending beyond an increased incidence of mood disorders to include a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of stress-dependent myocardial infarction in women, and up to 10-fold higher risk of Takotsubo syndrome-a stress-dependent coronary-myocardial disorder most prevalent in post-menopausal women. Sex differences arise at all levels of the stress response: from initial perception of stress to behavioural, cognitive, and affective responses and longer-term disease outcomes. These fundamental differences involve interactions between chromosomal and gonadal determinants, (mal)adaptive epigenetic modulation across the lifespan (particularly in early life), and the extrinsic influences of socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Pre-clinical investigations of biological mechanisms support distinct early life programming and a heightened corticolimbic-noradrenaline-neuroinflammatory reactivity in females vs. males, among implicated determinants of the chronic stress response. Unravelling the intrinsic molecular, cellular and systems biological basis of these differences, and their interactions with external lifestyle/socio-cultural determinants, can guide preventative and therapeutic strategies to better target coronary heart disease in a tailored sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa J. Helman
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
- Correspondence: Tessa J. Helman
| | - John P. Headrick
- Schoolof Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Nady Braidy
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
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23
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Hu X, Zhang L, Liang K, Cao L, Liu J, Li H, Gao Y, Hu X, Hu Y, Kuang W, Sweeney JA, Gong Q, Huang X. Sex-specific alterations of cortical morphometry in treatment-naïve patients with major depressive disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2002-2009. [PMID: 34980883 PMCID: PMC9485252 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01252-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) shows sex differences in terms of incidence and symptoms, but the neurobiological basis underlying these sex differences remains to be clarified. High resolution T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans were obtained from 123 non-comorbid treatment-naïve individuals with MDD and 81 age-, sex-, and handedness-matched healthy controls (HCs). MRI data were preprocessed with FreeSurfer software and four cortical measures were extracted: cortical thickness (CT), surface area (SA), cortical volume (CV), and local gyrification index (LGI). We tested for both sex-specific and sex-nonspecific patterns of cortical anatomic alterations. Regardless of sex, individuals with MDD showed significantly higher LGI in posterior cortex relative to HCs. Significant sex-by-group interactions were observed, and subsequent post-hoc analyses revealed that female individuals with MDD showed significantly lower SA in left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC), lower CV in right rostromedial prefrontal cortex (rmPFC), and higher LGI in left visual cortex compared with sex-matched HCs, whereas the opposite patterns of significant effects were seen in male individuals with MDD relative to their sex-matched HCs. Thus, sex-nonspecific and specific morphometric differences from HCs were found in posterior cortex, while in PFC alterations were highly sex-specific early in the illness course. This may involve sex-specific alterations in brain development or processes related to illness onset. These findings highlight the presence and regional distribution of generalized as well as sex-specific alterations of brain neurobiology in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyue Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Lianqing Zhang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Kaili Liang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Lingxiao Cao
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Hailong Li
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yingxue Gao
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xinyu Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongbo Hu
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Weihong Kuang
- Department of Psychiatry, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - John A Sweeney
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China.
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Xiaoqi Huang
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- Research Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, China.
- Functional and Molecular Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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24
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Dandi E, Spandou E, Tata DA. Investigating the role of environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence against the detrimental effects of chronic unpredictable stress in adulthood: Sex-specific differences in behavioral and neuroendocrinological findings. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104707. [PMID: 35842198 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Environmental Enrichment (EE) improves cognitive function and enhances brain plasticity, while chronic stress increases emotionality, impairs learning and memory, and has adverse effects on brain anatomy and biochemistry. We explored the beneficial role of environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence against the negative outcomes of Chronic Unpredictable Stress (CUS) during adulthood on emotional behavior, cognitive function, as well as somatic and neuroendocrine markers in both sexes. Adolescent Wistar rats housed either in enriched or standard housing conditions for 10 weeks. On postnatal day 66, a subgroup from each housing condition was daily exposed to a 4-week stress protocol. Following stress, adult rats underwent behavioral testing to evaluate anxiety, exploration/locomotor activity, depressive-like behavior and spatial learning/memory. Upon completion of behavioral testing, animals were exposed to a 10-m stressful event to test the neuroendocrine response to acute stress. CUS decreased body weight gain and increased adrenal weight. Some stress-induced behavioral adverse effects were sex-specific since learning impairments were limited to males while depressive-like behavior to females. EE housing protected against CUS-related behavioral deficits and body weight loss. Exposure to CUS affected the neuroendocrine response of males to acute stress as revealed by the increased corticosterone levels. Our findings highlight the significant role of EE in adolescence as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and underline the importance of inclusion of both sexes in animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Dandi
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Spandou
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despina A Tata
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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25
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Touchant M, Labonté B. Sex-Specific Brain Transcriptional Signatures in Human MDD and Their Correlates in Mouse Models of Depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:845491. [PMID: 35592639 PMCID: PMC9110970 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.845491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is amongst the most devastating psychiatric conditions affecting several millions of people worldwide every year. Despite the importance of this disease and its impact on modern societies, still very little is known about the etiological mechanisms. Treatment strategies have stagnated over the last decades and very little progress has been made to improve the efficiency of current therapeutic approaches. In order to better understand the disease, it is necessary for researchers to use appropriate animal models that reproduce specific aspects of the complex clinical manifestations at the behavioral and molecular levels. Here, we review the current literature describing the use of mouse models to reproduce specific aspects of MDD and anxiety in males and females. We first describe some of the most commonly used mouse models and their capacity to display unique but also shared features relevant to MDD. We then transition toward an integral description, combined with genome-wide transcriptional strategies. The use of these models reveals crucial insights into the molecular programs underlying the expression of stress susceptibility and resilience in a sex-specific fashion. These studies performed on human and mouse tissues establish correlates into the mechanisms mediating the impact of stress and the extent to which different mouse models of chronic stress recapitulate the molecular changes observed in depressed humans. The focus of this review is specifically to highlight the sex differences revealed from different stress paradigms and transcriptional analyses both in human and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen Touchant
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Benoit Labonté
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26
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Hwang HM, Hashimoto-Torii K. Activation of the anterior cingulate cortex ameliorates anxiety in a preclinical model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:24. [PMID: 35058425 PMCID: PMC8776849 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01789-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
People with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are suffered from a wide range of interlinked cognitive and psychological problems. However, few therapeutic options are available for those patients due to limited dissection of its underlying etiology. Here we found that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) increases anxiety in mice due to a dysregulated functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). We also show that chemogenetic activation of excitatory neurons in the ACC reduced this anxiety behavior in the PAE mice. Interestingly, although the level of plasma corticosterone correlated with the increase in anxiety in the PAE, this level was not altered by chemogenetic activation of the ACC, suggesting that the functional connectivity between the ACC and the BLA does not alter the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Altogether, this study demonstrated that reduced excitation in the ACC is a cause of anxiety in the PAE mice, providing critical insights into the ACC-BLA neural circuit as a potential target for treating anxiety in FASD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye M. Hwang
- grid.239560.b0000 0004 0482 1586Center for Neuroscience Research, The Children’s Research Institute, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC USA ,grid.253615.60000 0004 1936 9510The Institute for Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC USA
| | - Kazue Hashimoto-Torii
- Center for Neuroscience Research, The Children's Research Institute, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC, USA. .,Departments of Pediatrics, and Pharmacology & Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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27
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Woodward EM, Coutellier L. Age- and sex-specific effects of stress on parvalbumin interneurons in preclinical models: Relevance to sex differences in clinical neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1228-1242. [PMID: 34718048 PMCID: PMC8642301 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress is a major risk factor for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, with the capacity to impact susceptibility to disease as well as long-term neurobiological and behavioral outcomes. Parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, the most prominent subtype of GABAergic interneurons in the cortex, are uniquely responsive to stress due to their protracted development throughout the highly plastic neonatal period and into puberty and adolescence. Additionally, PV + interneurons appear to respond to stress in a sex-specific manner. This review aims to discuss existing preclinical studies that support our overall hypothesis that the sex-and age-specific impacts of stress on PV + interneurons contribute to differences in individual vulnerability to stress across the lifespan, particularly in regard to sex differences in the diagnostic rate of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases in clinical populations. We also emphasize the importance of studying sex as a biological variable to fully understand the mechanistic and behavioral differences between males and females in models of neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma M Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Neuroscience, Ohio State University, 255 Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research Building, 460 Medical Center Drive, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States; Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, 53 Psychology Building, 1835 Neil Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States.
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28
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Fourman S, Buesing D, Girvin S, Nashawi H, Ulrich-Lai YM. Limited cheese intake reduces HPA axis and behavioral stress responses in male rats. Physiol Behav 2021; 242:113614. [PMID: 34600921 PMCID: PMC8768985 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Eating palatable foods reduces behavioral and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis responses to stress - an idea referred to by the colloquial term "comfort" food. To study the underlying stress-relieving mechanisms of palatable foods, we previously developed a paradigm of limited sucrose feeding in which male rats are given twice-daily access to a small amount of sucrose drink and subsequently have reduced stress responses. Prior research in humans and rodents implicates high dietary sugars/carbohydrates with reduced stress responsivity. However, it is not clear whether the stress-relieving effects of the limited sucrose paradigm depend upon its macronutrient content. To test this idea, the current work measures stress responses in male rats following the limited intermittent intake of cheese - a highly palatable food that is low in sugar and other carbohydrates. The data show that a history of limited cheese intake (LCI) reduced HPA axis responses to acute psychological (restraint) and physiological (hypoxia) stressors. LCI also reduced behavioral struggling during restraint, increased sociability during a social interaction test, and increased open arm activity in the elevated plus-maze test. Z-score analyses evaluated the extent to which these behavioral effects extended within and across assays, and indicated that there was an overall reduction in stress-related behaviors following LCI. Finally, LCI increased immunolabeling for FosB/deltaFosB (a protein associated with repeated or chronic neuronal activation) in the nucleus accumbens. These results indicate that palatable foods can provide stress blunting regardless of their sugar/carbohydrate composition, and support the idea that food reward per se contributes to stress relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Fourman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA
| | - Dana Buesing
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA
| | - Sean Girvin
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA
| | - Houda Nashawi
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA
| | - Yvonne M Ulrich-Lai
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati OH, 45237, USA.
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29
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Ellis SN, Honeycutt JA. Sex Differences in Affective Dysfunction and Alterations in Parvalbumin in Rodent Models of Early Life Adversity. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:741454. [PMID: 34803622 PMCID: PMC8600234 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.741454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The early life environment markedly influences brain and behavioral development, with adverse experiences associated with increased risk of anxiety and depressive phenotypes, particularly in females. Indeed, early life adversity (ELA) in humans (i.e., caregiver deprivation, maltreatment) and rodents (i.e., maternal separation, resource scarcity) is associated with sex-specific emergence of anxious and depressive behaviors. Although these disorders show clear sex differences in humans, little attention has been paid toward evaluating sex as a biological variable in models of affective dysfunction; however, recent rodent work suggests sex-specific effects. Two widely used rodent models of ELA approximate caregiver deprivation (i.e., maternal separation) and resource scarcity (i.e., limited bedding). While these approaches model aspects of ELA experienced in humans, they span different portions of the pre-weaning developmental period and may therefore differentially contribute to underlying mechanistic risk. This is borne out in the literature, where evidence suggests differences in trajectories of behavior depending on the type of ELA and/or sex; however, the neural underpinning of these differences is not well understood. Because anxiety and depression are thought to involve dysregulation in the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling in ELA-vulnerable brain regions (e.g., prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus), outcomes are likely driven by alterations in local and/or circuit-specific inhibitory activity. The most abundant GABAergic subtypes in the brain, accounting for approximately 40% of inhibitory neurons, contain the calcium-binding protein Parvalbumin (PV). As PV-expressing neurons have perisomatic and proximal dendritic targets on pyramidal neurons, they are well-positioned to regulate excitatory/inhibitory balance. Recent evidence suggests that PV outcomes following ELA are sex, age, and region-specific and may be influenced by the type and timing of ELA. Here, we suggest the possibility of a combined role of PV and sex hormones driving differences in behavioral outcomes associated with affective dysfunction following ELA. This review evaluates the literature across models of ELA to characterize neural (PV) and behavioral (anxiety- and depressive-like) outcomes as a function of sex and age. Additionally, we detail a putative mechanistic role of PV on ELA-related outcomes and discuss evidence suggesting hormone influences on PV expression/function which may help to explain sex differences in ELA outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seneca N Ellis
- Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
| | - Jennifer A Honeycutt
- Program in Neuroscience, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States.,Department of Psychology, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, United States
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30
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Cahill B, Poelker-Wells S, Prather JF, Li Y. A Glimpse Into the Sexual Dimorphisms in Major Depressive Disorder Through Epigenetic Studies. Front Neural Circuits 2021; 15:768571. [PMID: 34744641 PMCID: PMC8564393 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.768571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is an umbrella term used to describe a mood disorder with a broad spectrum of symptoms including a persistent feeling of sadness, loss of interest, and deficits in social behavior. Epigenetic research bridges the environmental and genetic landscape and has the potential to exponentially improve our understanding of such a complex disorder. Depression is also a sexually dimorphic disorder and variations exist within epigenetic modification sites between sexes. These sex-specific mediators may impact behavioral symptomology and could serve as therapeutic targets for treatments to improve behavioral deficits. This mini review will focus on the social behavior perspective of depression and specifically explore the sexually different epigenetic modifications on depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Branden Cahill
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Samuel Poelker-Wells
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Jonathan F Prather
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Yun Li
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
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31
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Perlman G, Tanti A, Mechawar N. Parvalbumin interneuron alterations in stress-related mood disorders: A systematic review. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100380. [PMID: 34557569 PMCID: PMC8446799 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress-related psychiatric disorders including depression involve complex cellular and molecular changes in the brain, and GABAergic signaling dysfunction is increasingly implicated in the etiology of mood disorders. Parvalbumin (PV)-expressing neurons are fast-spiking interneurons that, among other roles, coordinate synchronous neuronal firing. Mounting evidence suggests that the PV neuron phenotype is altered by stress and in mood disorders. In this systematic review, we assessed PV interneuron alterations in psychiatric disorders as reported in human postmortem brain studies and animal models of environmental stress. This review aims to 1) comprehensively catalog evidence of PV cell function in mood disorders (humans) and stress models of mood disorders (animals); 2) analyze the strength of evidence of PV interneuron alterations in various brain regions in humans and rodents; 3) determine whether the modulating effect of antidepressant treatment, physical exercise, and environmental enrichment on stress in animals associates with particular effects on PV function; and 4) use this information to guide future research avenues. Its principal findings, derived mainly from rodent studies, are that stress-related changes in PV cells are only reported in a minority of studies, that positive findings are region-, age-, sex-, and stress recency-dependent, and that antidepressants protect from stress-induced apparent PV cell loss. These observations do not currently translate well to humans, although the postmortem literature on the topic remains limited.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Arnaud Tanti
- Corresponding author. McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiaty, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle blvd, Verdun, Qc, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Corresponding author. McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Department of Psychiaty, McGill University, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle blvd, Verdun, Qc, H4H 1R3, Canada
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32
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Sikes-Keilp C, Rubinow DR. In search of sex-related mediators of affective illness. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:55. [PMID: 34663459 PMCID: PMC8524875 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the rates of affective disorders have been recognized for decades. Studies of physiologic sex-related differences in animals and humans, however, have generally yielded little in terms of explaining these differences. Furthermore, the significance of these findings is difficult to interpret given the dynamic, integrative, and highly context-dependent nature of human physiology. In this article, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex differences as they relate to mood disorders, organizing existing findings into five levels at which sex differences conceivably influence physiology relevant to affective states. These levels include the following: brain structure, network connectivity, signal transduction, transcription/translation, and epigenesis. We then evaluate the importance and limitations of this body of work, as well as offer perspectives on the future of research into sex differences. In creating this overview, we attempt to bring perspective to a body of research that is complex, poorly synthesized, and far from complete, as well as provide a theoretical framework for thinking about the role that sex differences ultimately play in affective regulation. Despite the overall gaps regarding both the underlying pathogenesis of affective illness and the role of sex-related factors in the development of affective disorders, it is evident that sex should be considered as an important contributor to alterations in neural function giving rise to susceptibility to and expression of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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33
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Wallace T, Myers B. Effects of Biological Sex and Stress Exposure on Ventromedial Prefrontal Regulation of Mood-Related Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:737960. [PMID: 34512290 PMCID: PMC8426926 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.737960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral portion of the medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) regulates mood, sociability, and context-dependent behaviors. Consequently, altered vmPFC activity has been implicated in the biological basis of emotional disorders. Recent methodological advances have greatly enhanced the ability to investigate how specific prefrontal cell populations regulate mood-related behaviors, as well as the impact of long-term stress on vmPFC function. However, emerging preclinical data identify prominent sexual divergence in vmPFC behavioral regulation and stress responsivity. Notably, the rodent infralimbic cortex (IL), a vmPFC subregion critical for anti-depressant action, shows marked functional divergence between males and females. Accordingly, this review examines IL encoding and modulation of mood-related behaviors, including coping style, reward, and sociability, with a focus on sex-based outcomes. We also review how these processes are impacted by prolonged stress exposure. Collectively, the data suggest that chronic stress has sex-specific effects on IL excitatory/inhibitory balance that may account for sex differences in the prevalence and course of mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Wallace
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Brent Myers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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34
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Abstract
Major depression is a complex psychiatric disorder characterized by affective, cognitive, and physiological impairments that lead to maladaptive behavior. The high lifetime prevalence of this disabling condition, coupled with limitations of existing medications, make necessary the development of improved therapeutics. This requires animal models that allow investigation of key biological correlates of the disorder. Described in this article is the unpredictable chronic mild stress mouse model that can be used to screen for antidepressant drug candidates. Originally designed for rats, this model has been adapted for mice to capitalize on the advantages of this species as an experimental model, including inter-strain variability, which permits an exploration of the contribution of genetic background; the ability to create transgenic animals; and lower cost. Thus, because it combines genetic features and socio-environmental chronic stressful events, the unpredictable chronic mild stress model in mice is a relevant and valuable paradigm to gain insight into the etiological and developmental components of major depression, as well as to identify novel treatments for this condition. © 2021 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress (UCMS) Test in Mice Basic Protocol 2: Assessment Of Self-Directed Activity And Anhedonia in Mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Nollet
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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35
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Fesser EA, Gianatiempo O, Berardino BG, Ferroni NM, Cambiasso M, Fontana VA, Calvo JC, Sonzogni SV, Cánepa ET. Limited contextual memory and transcriptional dysregulation in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice exposed to early protein malnutrition are intergenerationally transmitted. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 139:139-149. [PMID: 34058653 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Memory contextualization is vital for the subsequent retrieval of relevant memories in specific situations and is a critical dimension of social cognition. The inability to properly contextualize information has been described as characteristic of psychiatric disorders like autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The exposure to early-life adversities, such as nutritional deficiency, increases the risk to trigger alterations in different domains of cognition related to those observed in mental diseases. In this work, we explored the consequences of exposure to perinatal protein malnutrition on contextual memory in a mouse model and assessed whether these consequences are transmitted to the next generation. Female mice were fed with a normal or hypoproteic diet during pregnancy and lactation. To evaluate contextual memory, the object-context mismatch test was performed in both sexes of F1 offspring and in the subsequent F2 generation. We observed that contextual memory was altered in mice of both sexes that had been subjected to maternal protein malnutrition and that the deficit in contextual memory was transmitted to the next generation. The basis of this alteration seems to be a transcriptional dysregulation of genes involved in the excitatory and inhibitory balance and immediate-early genes within the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of both generations. The expression of genes encoding enzymes that regulate H3K27me3 levels was altered in the mPFC and partially in sperm of F1 malnourished mice. These results support the hypothesis that early nutritional deficiency represents a risk factor for the emergence of symptoms associated with mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefanía A Fesser
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Octavio Gianatiempo
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Bruno G Berardino
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Nadina M Ferroni
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Maite Cambiasso
- Laboratorio de Matriz Extracelular, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanina A Fontana
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Matriz Extracelular, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan C Calvo
- Laboratorio de Matriz Extracelular, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Silvina V Sonzogni
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eduardo T Cánepa
- Laboratorio de Neuroepigenética y Adversidades Tempranas, Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), CONICET, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Bittar TP, Labonté B. Functional Contribution of the Medial Prefrontal Circuitry in Major Depressive Disorder and Stress-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:699592. [PMID: 34234655 PMCID: PMC8257081 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.699592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research on the neurobiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanisms underlying its expression remain unknown. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a hub region involved in emotional processing and stress response elaboration, is highly impacted in MDD patients and animal models of chronic stress. Recent advances showed alterations in the morphology and activity of mPFC neurons along with profound changes in their transcriptional programs. Studies at the circuitry level highlighted the relevance of deciphering the contributions of the distinct prefrontal circuits in the elaboration of adapted and maladapted behavioral responses in the context of chronic stress. Interestingly, MDD presents a sexual dimorphism, a feature recognized in the molecular field but understudied on the circuit level. This review examines the recent literature and summarizes the contribution of the mPFC circuitry in the expression of MDD in males and females along with the morphological and functional alterations that change the activity of these neuronal circuits in human MDD and animal models of depressive-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibault P. Bittar
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Labonté
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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37
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Down-regulation of MST1 in hippocampus protects against stress-induced depression-like behaviours and synaptic plasticity impairments. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 94:196-209. [PMID: 33607238 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a common mental disorder, and its main environmental risk factor is chronic stress. The activation of mammalian STE20-like kinase 1 (MST1), a key factor involved in the underlying pathophysiology of stress, can trigger synaptic plasticity impairment, neuronal dysfunction and neuroinflammation. However, it is unclear whether down-regulation of MST1 in the hippocampus protects against stress-induced behavioural dysfunctions. In this study, three mouse models were used to assess the role of MST1 in stress. Various behavioural tests, in vivo electrophysiological recordings, Western blotting, Golgi staining and immunofluorescence assay were used. The data showed that the level of phospho-MST1 (T183) was significantly increased in the hippocampus of mice subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and that mice with MST1 overexpression showed depression-like behaviours. Importantly, the impairment of cognitive functions and the hippocampal synaptic plasticity induced by CUMS were significantly improved by MST1 knockdown, suggesting that MST1 down-regulation effectively protected against stress-induced behavioural dysfunctions. Moreover, MST1 knockdown suppressed CUMS-induced microglial activation, reduced the abnormal expression of inflammatory cytokines and impeded the activation of p38, implying that the antidepressant-like effects of MST1 knockdown were associated with inhibiting the p38 pathway. These findings suggest that hippocampal MST1 is an essential regulator of stress, which can be an ideal target for the development of antidepressants in the future.
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38
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Cao G, Meng G, Zhu L, Zhu J, Dong N, Zhou X, Zhang S, Zhang Y. Susceptibility to chronic immobilization stress-induced depressive-like behaviour in middle-aged female mice and accompanying changes in dopamine D1 and GABA A receptors in related brain regions. Behav Brain Funct 2021; 17:2. [PMID: 33863350 PMCID: PMC8052654 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-021-00175-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Middle-aged females, especially perimenopausal females, are vulnerable to depression, but the potential mechanism remains unclear. Dopaminergic and GABAergic system dysfunction is involved in the pathophysiology of depression. In the current study, we used 2-month-old and 11-month-old C57BL/6 mice as young and middle-aged mice, respectively. Chronic immobilization stress (CIS) was used to induce depressive-like behaviour, and the sucrose preference test (SPT), tail suspension test (TST) and forced swim test (FST) were used to assess these behaviours. We then measured the mRNA levels of dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) and the GABAA receptors GABRA1, GABRB2 and GABRG2 in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Results We found that immobility time in the FST was significantly increased in the middle-aged mice compared with the middle-aged control mice and the young mice. In addition, the preference for sucrose water was reduced in the middle-aged mice compared with the middle-aged control mice. However, CIS did not induce obvious changes in the performance of the young mice in our behavioural tests. Moreover, the middle-aged mice exhibited equal immobility times as the young mice in the absence of stress. Decreases in the mRNA levels of DRD1, GABRA1, and GABRB2 but not GABRG2 were found in the NAc and PFC in the middle-aged mice in the absence of stress. Further decreases in the mRNA levels of DRD1 in the NAc and GABRG2 in the NAc and PFC were found in the middle-aged mice subjected to CIS. Conclusions Our results suggested that ageing could not directly induce depression in the absence of stress. However, ageing could induce susceptibility to depression in middle-aged mice in the presence of stress. CIS-induced decreases in DRD1 and GABRG2 levels might be involved in the increase in susceptibility to depression in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guofen Cao
- Xi'an Medical University School of Nursing, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Gaili Meng
- Northwest Women and Children Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Li Zhu
- College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Jie Zhu
- College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Nan Dong
- College of Forensic Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Xiaolan Zhou
- Xi'an Medical University School of Nursing, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Sumei Zhang
- Xi'an Medical University School of Nursing, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Yongai Zhang
- Xi'an Medical University School of Nursing, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
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Bueno-Fernandez C, Perez-Rando M, Alcaide J, Coviello S, Sandi C, Castillo-Gómez E, Nacher J. Long term effects of peripubertal stress on excitatory and inhibitory circuits in the prefrontal cortex of male and female mice. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100322. [PMID: 33869684 PMCID: PMC8045050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of stressful events is especially important during early life, because certain cortical regions, especially the prefrontal cortex (PFC), are still developing. Consequently, aversive experiences that occur during the peripubertal period can cause long-term alterations in neural connectivity, physiology and related behaviors. Although sex influences the stress response and women are more likely to develop stress-related psychiatric disorders, knowledge about the effects of stress on females is still limited. In order to analyze the long-term effects of peripubertal stress (PPS) on the excitatory and inhibitory circuitry of the adult PFC, and whether these effects are sex-dependent, we applied an unpredictable chronic PPS protocol based on psychogenic stressors. Using two strains of transgenic mice with specific fluorescent cell reporters, we studied male and diestrus females to know how PPS affects the structure and connectivity of parvalbumin expressing (PV+) interneurons and pyramidal neurons. We also studied the expression of molecules related to excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, as well as alterations in the expression of plasticity-related molecules. The structure of pyramidal neurons was differentially affected by PPS in male and female mice: while the former had a decreased dendritic spine density, the latter displayed an increase in this parameter. PPS affected the density of puncta expressing excitatory and inhibitory synaptic markers exclusively in the female mPFC. Similarly, only in female mice we observed an increased complexity of the dendritic tree of PV+ neurons. Regarding the perisomatic innervation on pyramidal and PV + neurons by basket cells, we found a significant increase in the density of puncta in stressed animals, with interesting differences between the sexes and the type of basket cell analyzed. Finally, the PPS protocol also altered the total number of somata expressing the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) when we analyzed both sexes together. These results highlight the strong programming effects of aversive experiences during early life for the establishment of cortical circuitry and the special impact of these stressful events on females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Bueno-Fernandez
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Marta Perez-Rando
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Julia Alcaide
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Simona Coviello
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain
| | - Carmen Sandi
- Department of Life Sciences, Laboratory of Behavioral Genetics, Brain Mind Institute, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Esther Castillo-Gómez
- Department of Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Valencia, Spain.,Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain
| | - Juan Nacher
- Neurobiology Unit, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de València, 46100, Spain.,Spanish National Network for Research in Mental Health CIBERSAM, 28029, Spain.,Fundación Investigación Hospital Clínico de Valencia, INCLIVA, 46010, Valencia, Spain
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40
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Czéh B, Simon M. Benefits of animal models to understand the pathophysiology of depressive disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 106:110049. [PMID: 32735913 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a potentially life-threatening mental disorder imposing severe social and economic burden worldwide. Despite the existence of effective antidepressant treatment strategies the exact pathophysiology of the disease is still unknown. Large number of animal models of MDD have been developed over the years, but all of them suffer from significant shortcomings. Despite their limitations these models have been extensively used in academic research and drug development. The aim of this review is to highlight the benefits of animal models of MDD. We focus here on recent experimental data where animal models were used to examine current theories of this complex disease. We argue, that despite their evident imperfections, these models provide invaluable help to understand cellular and molecular mechanisms contributing to the development of MDD. Furthermore, animal models are utilized in research to find clinically useful biomarkers. We discuss recent neuroimaging and microRNA studies since these investigations yielded promising candidates for biomarkers. Finally, we briefly summarize recent progresses in drug development, i.e. the FDA approval of two novel antidepressant drugs: S-ketamine and brexanolone (allopregnanolone). Deeper understanding of the exact molecular and cellular mechanisms of action responsible for the antidepressant efficacy of these rapid acting drugs could aid us to design further compounds with similar effectiveness, but less side effects. Animal studies are likely to provide valuable help in this endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boldizsár Czéh
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
| | - Maria Simon
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Hungary
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41
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Kaul D, Schwab SG, Mechawar N, Matosin N. How stress physically re-shapes the brain: Impact on brain cell shapes, numbers and connections in psychiatric disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 124:193-215. [PMID: 33556389 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Severe stress is among the most robust risk factors for the development of psychiatric disorders. Imaging studies indicate that life stress is integral to shaping the human brain, especially regions involved in processing the stress response. Although this is likely underpinned by changes to the cytoarchitecture of cellular networks in the brain, we are yet to clearly understand how these define a role for stress in human psychopathology. In this review, we consolidate evidence of macro-structural morphometric changes and the cellular mechanisms that likely underlie them. Focusing on stress-sensitive regions of the brain, we illustrate how stress throughout life may lead to persistent remodelling of the both neurons and glia in cellular networks and how these may lead to psychopathology. We support that greater translation of cellular alterations to human cohorts will support parsing the psychological sequalae of severe stress and improve our understanding of how stress shapes the human brain. This will remain a critical step for improving treatment interventions and prevention outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominic Kaul
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Sibylle G Schwab
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia
| | - Naguib Mechawar
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, 6875 LaSalle blvd, Verdun, Qc, H4H 1R3, Canada
| | - Natalie Matosin
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Molecular Horizons, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong 2522, Australia; Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany.
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42
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Zhang B, Yang X, Ye L, Liu R, Ye B, Du W, Shen F, Li Q, Guo F, Liu J, Guo F, Li Y, Xu Z, Liu Z. Ketamine activated glutamatergic neurotransmission by GABAergic disinhibition in the medial prefrontal cortex. Neuropharmacology 2020; 194:108382. [PMID: 33144117 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The fast-onset antidepressant actions of ketamine at subanaesthetic doses have attracted enormous interest in psychiatric disease treatment. However, the severe psychotomimetic side effects foster an urgent need to deeply understand the fast-onset antidepressant mechanism of ketamine. Ketamine, as a non-competitive NMDAR antagonist, increases the overall excitability of the mPFC, which is presumed to be essential for the antidepressant action of ketamine. However, the underlying mechanism is still elusive. Here, our results showed that low concentration of ketamine increased the activity and the excitatory/inhibitory ratio of pyramidal neurons; these changes were accompanied by diminished interneurons activity in the mPFC. Moreover, ketamine induced increases in excitatory transmission and antidepressant-like effects, which might rely on the functional intact of GABAergic system in the mPFC. These results suggest a critical role of the mPFC GABAergic system in the fast antidepressant effects of a subanaesthetic dose ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China; Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Xili Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Luyu Ye
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, 201203, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Rui Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Binglu Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Weijia Du
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Fuyi Shen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China
| | - Fan Guo
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, 201203, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinqi Liu
- The MacDuffie School, 66 School Street, Granby, MA, 01033, USA
| | - Fei Guo
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, 201203, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang Li
- Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai, 201203, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Zhendong Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 201204, China; Anesthesia and Brain Function Research Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200082, China.
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Nawreen N, Cotella EM, Morano R, Mahbod P, Dalal KS, Fitzgerald M, Martelle S, Packard BA, Franco-Villanueva A, Moloney RD, Herman JP. Chemogenetic Inhibition of Infralimbic Prefrontal Cortex GABAergic Parvalbumin Interneurons Attenuates the Impact of Chronic Stress in Male Mice. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0423-19.2020. [PMID: 33055196 PMCID: PMC7598911 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0423-19.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypofunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) contributes to stress-related neuropsychiatric illnesses. Mechanisms leading to prefrontal hypoactivity remain to be determined. Prior evidence suggests that chronic stress leads to an increase in activity of parvalbumin (PV) expressing GABAergic interneurons (INs) in the PFC. The purpose of the study was to determine whether reducing PV IN activity in the Infralimbic (IL) PFC would prevent stress-related phenotypes. We used a chemogenetic approach to inhibit IL PFC PV INs during stress. Mice were first tested in the tail suspension test (TST) to determine the impact of PV IN inhibition on behavioral responses to acute stress. The long-term impact of PV IN inhibition during a modified chronic variable stress (CVS) was tested in the forced swim test (FST). Acute PV IN inhibition reduced active (struggling) and increased passive coping behaviors (immobility) in the TST. In contrast, inhibition of PV INs during CVS increased active and reduced passive coping behaviors in the FST. Moreover, chronic inhibition of PV INs attenuated CVS-induced changes in Fos expression in the prelimbic cortex (PrL), basolateral amygdala (BLA), and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and also attenuated adrenal hypertrophy and body weight loss associated with chronic stress. Our results suggest differential roles of PV INs in acute versus chronic stress, indicative of distinct biological mechanisms underlying acute versus chronic stress responses. Our results also indicate a role for PV INs in driving chronic stress adaptation and support literature evidence suggesting cortical GABAergic INs as a therapeutic target in stress-related illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawshaba Nawreen
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0506
| | - Evelin M Cotella
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0506
| | - Rachel Morano
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
| | - Parinaz Mahbod
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
| | - Khushali S Dalal
- College of Allied Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
| | - Maureen Fitzgerald
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
| | - Susan Martelle
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
| | - Benjamin A Packard
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0506
| | - Ana Franco-Villanueva
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
| | - Rachel D Moloney
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0506
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0506
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237-0506
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Candidate Strategies for Development of a Rapid-Acting Antidepressant Class That Does Not Result in Neuropsychiatric Adverse Effects: Prevention of Ketamine-Induced Neuropsychiatric Adverse Reactions. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21217951. [PMID: 33114753 PMCID: PMC7662754 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21217951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate/glutamate receptor (NMDAR) antagonism has been considered to play important roles in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In spite of severe neuropsychiatric adverse effects, esketamine (racemic enantiomer of ketamine) has been approved for the treatment of conventional monoaminergic antidepressant-resistant depression. Furthermore, ketamine improves anhedonia, suicidal ideation and bipolar depression, for which conventional monoaminergic antidepressants are not fully effective. Therefore, ketamine has been accepted, with rigorous restrictions, in psychiatry as a new class of antidepressant. Notably, the dosage of ketamine for antidepressive action is comparable to the dose that can generate schizophrenia-like psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, the psychotropic effects of ketamine precede the antidepressant effects. The maintenance of the antidepressive efficacy of ketamine often requires repeated administration; however, repeated ketamine intake leads to abuse and is consistently associated with long-lasting memory-associated deficits. According to the dissociative anaesthetic feature of ketamine, it exerts broad acute influences on cognition/perception. To evaluate the therapeutic validation of ketamine across clinical contexts, including its advantages and disadvantages, psychiatry should systematically assess the safety and efficacy of either short- and long-term ketamine treatments, in terms of both acute and chronic outcomes. Here, we describe the clinical evidence of NMDAR antagonists, and then the temporal mechanisms of schizophrenia-like and antidepressant-like effects of the NMDAR antagonist, ketamine. The underlying pharmacological rodent studies will also be discussed.
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Okine T, Shepard R, Lemanski E, Coutellier L. Sex Differences in the Sustained Effects of Ketamine on Resilience to Chronic Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:581360. [PMID: 33192367 PMCID: PMC7606988 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.581360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to stress is recognized to be a triggering factor in several mood disorders, including depression and anxiety. There is very little understanding of why female subjects have a significantly higher risk for these conditions than males. Recent findings in male rodents indicated that prophylactic ketamine can prevent the development of a stress-induced depressive-like phenotype, providing a pharmacological tool to study the mechanisms underlying stress resilience. Unfortunately, none of these studies incorporated female subjects, nor did they provide a mechanistic understanding of the effects of ketamine on stress resilience. Our previous work identified the prefrontal glutamatergic and parvalbumin (PV) systems as potential molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in susceptibility to stress-induced emotional deregulations. To further address this point, we treated male and female mice with a single dose of ketamine before exposure to a chronic stress paradigm to determine whether stress-resilience induced by a pre-exposure to ketamine is similar in males and females and whether modulation of the prefrontal glutamatergic and PV systems by ketamine is associated with these behavioral effects. Ketamine prevented chronic stress-induced changes in behaviors in males, which was associated with a reduction in expression of PV and the NMDA receptor NR1 subunit. Ketamine did not protect females against the effects of chronic stress and did not change significantly prefrontal gene expression. Our data highlight fundamental sex differences in the sustained effects of ketamine. They also further implicate prefrontal glutamatergic transmission and PV in resilience to chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy Okine
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Ryan Shepard
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Elise Lemanski
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Laurence Coutellier
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Marchese E, Valentini M, Di Sante G, Cesari E, Adinolfi A, Corvino V, Ria F, Sette C, Geloso MC. Alternative splicing of neurexins 1-3 is modulated by neuroinflammation in the prefrontal cortex of a murine model of multiple sclerosis. Exp Neurol 2020; 335:113497. [PMID: 33058888 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence points to immune-mediated synaptopathy and impaired plasticity as early pathogenic events underlying cognitive decline (CD) in Multiple sclerosis (MS) and in the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of the disease. However, knowledge of the neurobiology of synaptic dysfunction is still incomplete. Splicing regulation represents a flexible and powerful mechanism involved in dynamic remodeling of the synapse, which allows the expression of synaptic protein variants that dynamically control the specificity of contacts between neurons. The pre-synaptic adhesion molecules neurexins (NRXNs) 1-3 play a relevant role in cognition and are alternatively spliced to yield variants that differentially cluster specific ligands in the postsynaptic compartment and modulate functional properties of the synaptic contact. Notably, mutations in these genes or disruption of their splicing program are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. Herein, we have investigated how inflammatory changes imposed by EAE impact on alternative splicing of the Nrxn 1-3 mouse genes in the acute phase of disease. Due to its relevance in cognition, we focused on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of SJL/J mice, in which EAE-induced inflammatory lesions extend to the rostral forebrain. We found that inclusion of the Nrxn 1-3 AS4 exon is significantly increased in the PFC of EAE mice and that splicing changes are correlated with local Il1β-expression levels. This correlation is sustained by the concomitant downregulation of SLM2, the main splicing factor involved in skipping of the AS4 exon, in EAE mice displaying high levels of Il1β- expression. We also observed that Il1β-expression levels correlate with changes in parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneuron connectivity. Moreover, exposure to environmental enrichment (EE), a condition known to stimulate neuronal connectivity and to improve cognitive functions in mice and humans, modified PFC phenotypes of EAE mice with respect to Il1β-, Slm2-expression, Nrxn AS4 splicing and PV-expression, by limiting changes associated with high levels of inflammation. Our results reveal that local inflammation results in early splicing modulation of key synaptic proteins and in remodeling of GABAergic circuitry in the PFC of SJL/J mice. We also suggest EE as a tool to counteract these inflammation-associated events, thus highlighting potential therapeutic targets for limiting the progressive CD occurring in MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Marchese
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Mariagrazia Valentini
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Section of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Gabriele Di Sante
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Section of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1-8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Eleonora Cesari
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 65, 00143 Rome, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Adinolfi
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Valentina Corvino
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesco Ria
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Section of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Agostino Gemelli 1-8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
| | - Maria Concetta Geloso
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Human Anatomy, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
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Lourenço J, Koukouli F, Bacci A. Synaptic inhibition in the neocortex: Orchestration and computation through canonical circuits and variations on the theme. Cortex 2020; 132:258-280. [PMID: 33007640 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2020.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The neocortex plays a crucial role in all basic and abstract cognitive functions. Conscious mental processes are achieved through a correct flow of information within and across neocortical networks, whose particular activity state results from a tight balance between excitation and inhibition. The proper equilibrium between these indissoluble forces is operated with multiscale organization: along the dendro-somatic axis of single neurons and at the network level. Fast synaptic inhibition is assured by a multitude of inhibitory interneurons. During cortical activities, these cells operate a finely tuned division of labor that is epitomized by their detailed connectivity scheme. Recent results combining the use of mouse genetics, cutting-edge optical and neurophysiological approaches have highlighted the role of fast synaptic inhibition in driving cognition-related activity through a canonical cortical circuit, involving several major interneuron subtypes and principal neurons. Here we detail the organization of this cortical blueprint and we highlight the crucial role played by different neuron types in fundamental cortical computations. In addition, we argue that this canonical circuit is prone to many variations on the theme, depending on the resolution of the classification of neuronal types, and the cortical area investigated. Finally, we discuss how specific alterations of distinct inhibitory circuits can underlie several devastating brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Lourenço
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, 47 Boulevard de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
| | - Fani Koukouli
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, 47 Boulevard de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Alberto Bacci
- Sorbonne Université, Institut Du Cerveau-Paris Brain Institute-ICM, Inserm U1127, CNRS UMR 7225, 47 Boulevard de L'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
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Adell A. Brain NMDA Receptors in Schizophrenia and Depression. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10060947. [PMID: 32585886 PMCID: PMC7355879 DOI: 10.3390/biom10060947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists such as phencyclidine (PCP), dizocilpine (MK-801) and ketamine have long been considered a model of schizophrenia, both in animals and humans. However, ketamine has been recently approved for treatment-resistant depression, although with severe restrictions. Interestingly, the dosage in both conditions is similar, and positive symptoms of schizophrenia appear before antidepressant effects emerge. Here, we describe the temporal mechanisms implicated in schizophrenia-like and antidepressant-like effects of NMDA blockade in rats, and postulate that such effects may indicate that NMDA receptor antagonists induce similar mechanistic effects, and only the basal pre-drug state of the organism delimitates the overall outcome. Hence, blockade of NMDA receptors in depressive-like status can lead to amelioration or remission of symptoms, whereas healthy individuals develop psychotic symptoms and schizophrenia patients show an exacerbation of these symptoms after the administration of NMDA receptor antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Adell
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria, IBBTEC (CSIC-University of Cantabria), Calle Albert Einstein 22 (PCTCAN), 39011 Santander, Spain; or
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), 39011 Santander, Spain
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Fee C, Prevot T, Misquitta K, Banasr M, Sibille E. Chronic Stress-induced Behaviors Correlate with Exacerbated Acute Stress-induced Cingulate Cortex and Ventral Hippocampus Activation. Neuroscience 2020; 440:113-129. [PMID: 32473277 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.05.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Altered activity of corticolimbic brain regions is a hallmark of stress-related illnesses, including mood disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and substance abuse disorders. Acute stress adaptively recruits brain region-specific functions for coping, while sustained activation under chronic stress may overwhelm feedback mechanisms and lead to pathological cellular and behavioral responses. The neural mechanisms underlying dysregulated stress responses and how they contribute to behavioral deficits are poorly characterized. Here, we tested whether prior exposure to chronic restraint stress (CRS) or unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) in mice could alter functional response to acute stress and whether these changes are associated with chronic stress-induced behavioral deficits. More specifically, we assessed acute stress-induced functional activation indexed by c-Fos+ cell counts in 24 stress- and mood-related brain regions, and determined if changes in functional activation were linked to chronic stress-induced behavioral impairments, summarized across dimensions through principal component analysis (PCA). Results indicated that CRS and UCMS led to convergent physiological and anxiety-like deficits, whereas working and short-term memory were impaired only in UCMS mice. CRS and UCMS exposure exacerbated functional activation by acute stress in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) area 24b and ventral hippocampal (vHPC) CA1, CA3, and subiculum. In dysregulated brain regions, levels of functional activation were positively correlated with principal components reflecting variance across behavioral deficits relevant to stress-related disorders. Our data supports an association between a dysregulated stress response, altered functional corticolimbic excitation/inhibition balance, and the expression of maladaptive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Fee
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas Prevot
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Keith Misquitta
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mounira Banasr
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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50
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The influence of the duration of chronic unpredictable mild stress on the behavioural responses of C57BL/6J mice. Behav Pharmacol 2020; 31:574-582. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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