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Farias CP, Leite AKO, Schmidt BE, de Carvalho Myskiw J, Wyse ATS. The 5-HT2A, 5-HT5A, and 5-HT6 serotonergic receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex behave differently in extinction learning: Does social support play a role? Behav Brain Res 2024; 463:114922. [PMID: 38408524 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114922] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Studies on the social modulation of fear have revealed that in social species, individuals in a distressed state show better recovery from aversive experiences when accompanied - referred to as social buffering. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown, hindering the understanding of such an approach. Our previous data showed that the presence of a conspecific during the extinction task inhibited the retrieval of fear memory without affecting the extinction memory in the retention test. Here, we investigate the role of serotonergic receptors (5-HTRs), specifically 5-HT2A, 5-HT5A, and 5-HT6 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), In the retention of extinction after the extinction task, in the absence or presence of social support. Extinction training was conducted on 60-day-old male Wistar rats either alone or with a conspecific (a familiar cagemate, non-fearful). The antagonists for these receptors were administered directly into the mPFC immediately after the extinction training. The results indicate that blocking 5-HT5A (SB-699551-10 μg/side) and 5-HT6 (SB-271046A - 10 μg/side) receptors in the mPFC impairs the consolidation of CFC in the social support group. Interestingly, blocking 5-HT2A receptors (R65777 - 4 μg/side) in the mPFC led to impaired CFC specifically in the group undergoing extinction training alone. These findings contribute to a better understanding of brain mechanisms and neuromodulation associated with social support during an extinction protocol. They are consistent with previously published research, suggesting that the extinction of contextual fear conditioning with social support involves distinct neuromodulatory processes compared to when extinction training is conducted alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa Penha Farias
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil
| | - Ana Karla Oliveira Leite
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil
| | - Bianca Estefani Schmidt
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil
| | - Jociane de Carvalho Myskiw
- Memory Center, Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil
| | - Angela T S Wyse
- Graduate Program in Translational Neuroscience, PGNET, National Institute of Translational Neuroscience, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Neuroprotection and Neurometabolic Diseases Laboratory (Wyse´s Lab), Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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2
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The Angiotensin Antagonist Losartan Modulates Social Reward Motivation and Punishment Sensitivity via Modulating Midbrain-Striato-Frontal Circuits. J Neurosci 2023; 43:472-483. [PMID: 36639890 PMCID: PMC9864573 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1114-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social deficits and dysregulations in dopaminergic midbrain-striato-frontal circuits represent transdiagnostic symptoms across psychiatric disorders. Animal models suggest that interactions between the dopamine (DA) and renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may modulate learning and reward-related processes. The present study therefore examined the behavioral and neural effects of the Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist losartan on social reward and punishment processing in humans. A preregistered randomized double-blind placebo-controlled between-subject pharmacological design was combined with a social incentive delay (SID) functional MRI (fMRI) paradigm during which subjects could avoid social punishment or gain social reward. Healthy volunteers received a single-dose of losartan (50 mg, n = 43, female = 17) or placebo (n = 44, female = 20). We evaluated reaction times (RTs) and emotional ratings as behavioral and activation and functional connectivity as neural outcomes. Relative to placebo, losartan modulated the reaction time and arousal differences between social punishment and social reward. On the neural level the losartan-enhanced motivational salience of social rewards was accompanied by stronger ventral striatum-prefrontal connectivity during reward anticipation. Losartan increased the reward-neutral difference in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and attenuated VTA associated connectivity with the bilateral insula in response to punishment during the outcome phase. Thus, losartan modulated approach-avoidance motivation and emotional salience during social punishment versus social reward via modulating distinct core nodes of the midbrain-striato-frontal circuits. The findings document a modulatory role of the renin-angiotensin system in these circuits and associated social processes, suggesting a promising treatment target to alleviate social dysregulations.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Social deficits and anhedonia characterize several mental disorders and have been linked to the midbrain-striato-frontal circuits of the brain. Based on initial findings from animal models we here combine the pharmacological blockade of the Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) via losartan with functional MRI (fMRI) to demonstrate that AT1R blockade enhances the motivational salience of social rewards and attenuates the negative impact of social punishment via modulating the communication in the midbrain-striato-frontal circuits in humans. The findings demonstrate for the first time an important role of the AT1R in social reward processing in humans and render the AT1R as promising novel treatment target for social and motivational deficits in mental disorders.
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Petković A, Chaudhury D. Encore: Behavioural animal models of stress, depression and mood disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:931964. [PMID: 36004305 PMCID: PMC9395206 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.931964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal studies over the past two decades have led to extensive advances in our understanding of pathogenesis of depressive and mood disorders. Among these, rodent behavioural models proved to be of highest informative value. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of the most popular behavioural models with respect to physiological, circuit, and molecular biological correlates. Behavioural stress paradigms and behavioural tests are assessed in terms of outcomes, strengths, weaknesses, and translational value, especially in the domain of pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dipesh Chaudhury
- Laboratory of Neural Systems and Behaviour, Department of Biology, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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Munley KM, Wade KL, Pradhan DS. Uncovering the seasonal brain: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as a biochemical approach for studying seasonal social behaviors. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105161. [PMID: 35339904 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Many animals show pronounced changes in physiology and behavior across the annual cycle, and these adaptations enable individuals to prioritize investing in the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying reproduction and/or survival based on the time of year. While prior research has offered valuable insight into how seasonal variation in neuroendocrine processes regulates social behavior, the majority of these studies have investigated how a single hormone influences a single behavioral phenotype. Given that hormones are synthesized and metabolized via complex biochemical pathways and often act in concert to control social behavior, these approaches provide a limited view of how hormones regulate seasonal changes in behavior. In this review, we discuss how seasonal influences on hormones, the brain, and social behavior can be studied using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), an analytical chemistry technique that enables researchers to simultaneously quantify the concentrations of multiple hormones and the activities of their synthetic enzymes. First, we examine studies that have investigated seasonal plasticity in brain-behavior interactions, specifically by focusing on how two groups of hormones, sex steroids and nonapeptides, regulate sexual and aggressive behavior. Then, we explain the operations of LC-MS/MS, highlight studies that have used LC-MS/MS to study the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying social behavior, both within and outside of a seasonal context, and discuss potential applications for LC-MS/MS in the field of behavioral neuroendocrinology. We propose that this cutting-edge technology will provide a more comprehensive understanding of how the multitude of hormones that comprise complex neuroendocrine networks affect seasonal variation in the brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Munley
- Department of Biology and Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Kristina L Wade
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
| | - Devaleena S Pradhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA
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Domínguez-Borràs J, Vuilleumier P. Amygdala function in emotion, cognition, and behavior. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2022; 187:359-380. [PMID: 35964983 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-823493-8.00015-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The amygdala is a core structure in the anterior medial temporal lobe, with an important role in several brain functions involving memory, emotion, perception, social cognition, and even awareness. As a key brain structure for saliency detection, it triggers and controls widespread modulatory signals onto multiple areas of the brain, with a great impact on numerous aspects of adaptive behavior. Here we discuss the neural mechanisms underlying these functions, as established by animal and human research, including insights provided in both healthy and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Domínguez-Borràs
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology & Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Patrik Vuilleumier
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
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Opendak M, Raineki C, Perry RE, Rincón-Cortés M, Song SC, Zanca RM, Wood E, Packard K, Hu S, Woo J, Martinez K, Vinod KY, Brown RW, Deehan GA, Froemke RC, Serrano PA, Wilson DA, Sullivan RM. Bidirectional control of infant rat social behavior via dopaminergic innervation of the basolateral amygdala. Neuron 2021; 109:4018-4035.e7. [PMID: 34706218 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.09.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Social interaction deficits seen in psychiatric disorders emerge in early-life and are most closely linked to aberrant neural circuit function. Due to technical limitations, we have limited understanding of how typical versus pathological social behavior circuits develop. Using a suite of invasive procedures in awake, behaving infant rats, including optogenetics, microdialysis, and microinfusions, we dissected the circuits controlling the gradual increase in social behavior deficits following two complementary procedures-naturalistic harsh maternal care and repeated shock alone or with an anesthetized mother. Whether the mother was the source of the adversity (naturalistic Scarcity-Adversity) or merely present during the adversity (repeated shock with mom), both conditions elevated basolateral amygdala (BLA) dopamine, which was necessary and sufficient in initiating social behavior pathology. This did not occur when pups experienced adversity alone. These data highlight the unique impact of social adversity as causal in producing mesolimbic dopamine circuit dysfunction and aberrant social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Opendak
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Charlis Raineki
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Rosemarie E Perry
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Millie Rincón-Cortés
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA 15260, USA
| | - Soomin C Song
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Roseanna M Zanca
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Department of Psychology, CUNY Hunter College, New York, 10016, USA; The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Emma Wood
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Katherine Packard
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Shannon Hu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Joyce Woo
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Krissian Martinez
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - K Yaragudri Vinod
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
| | - Russell W Brown
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quillen College of Medicine, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
| | - Gerald A Deehan
- Department of Psychology, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN 37614, USA
| | - Robert C Froemke
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA; Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Peter A Serrano
- Department of Psychology, CUNY Hunter College, New York, 10016, USA; The Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, 10016, USA
| | - Donald A Wilson
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA; Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.
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Detraux B, Vilella A, De Groote A, Schiffmann SN, Zoli M, de Kerchove d'Exaerde A. Dorsal and ventral striatal neuronal subpopulations differentially disrupt male mouse copulatory behavior. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 49:23-37. [PMID: 33780705 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The specific role of the striatum, especially its dorsolateral (DLS) and dorsomedial (DMS) parts, in male copulatory behavior is still debated. In order to clarify their contribution to male sexual behavior, we specifically ablated the major striatal neuronal subpopulations, direct and indirect medium spiny neurons (dMSNs and iMSNs) in DMS or DLS, and dMSNs, iMSNs and cholinergic interneurons in nucleus accumbens (NAc), The main results of this study can be summarized as follows: In DMS, dMSN ablation causes a reduction in the percent of mice that mount a receptive female, and a complex alteration in the parameters of the copulatory performance, that is largely opposite to the alterations induced by iMSN ablation. In DLS, dMSN ablation causes a widespread alteration in the copulatory behavior parameters, that tends to disappear at repetition of the test; iMSN ablation induces minor copulatory behavior alterations that are complementary to those observed after dMSN ablation. In NAc, dMSN ablation causes a marked reduction in the percent of mice that mount a receptive female and a disruption of copulatory behavior, while iMSN ablation induces minor copulatory behavior alterations that are opposite to those observed with dMSN ablation, and cholinergic neuron ablation induces a selective decrease in mount latency. Overall, present data point to a complex region and cell-specific contribution to copulatory behavior of the different neuronal subpopulations of both dorsal and ventral striatum, with a prominent role of the dMSNs of the different subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bérangère Detraux
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels B-1070, Belgium
| | - Antonietta Vilella
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (CfNN), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Aurélie De Groote
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels B-1070, Belgium
| | - Serge N Schiffmann
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels B-1070, Belgium
| | - Michele Zoli
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Center for Neuroscience and Neurotechnology (CfNN), University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Alban de Kerchove d'Exaerde
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels B-1070, Belgium.
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Pavăl D, Micluția IV. The Dopamine Hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Revisited: Current Status and Future Prospects. Dev Neurosci 2021; 43:73-83. [PMID: 34010842 DOI: 10.1159/000515751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by social deficits and stereotyped behaviors. Despite intensive research, its etiopathogenesis remains largely unclear. Although studies consistently reported dopaminergic anomalies, a coherent dopaminergic model of ASD was lacking until recently. In 2017, we provided a theoretical framework for a "dopamine hypothesis of ASD" which proposed that autistic behavior arises from a dysfunctional midbrain dopaminergic system. Namely, we hypothesized that malfunction of 2 critical circuits originating in the midbrain, that is, the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways, generates the core behavioral features of ASD. Moreover, we provided key predictions of our model along with testing means. Since then, a notable number of studies referenced our work and numerous others provided support for our model. To account for these developments, we review all these recent data and discuss their implications. Furthermore, in the light of these new insights, we further refine and reconceptualize our model, debating on the possibility that various etiologies of ASD converge upon a dysfunctional midbrain dopaminergic system. In addition, we discuss future prospects, providing new means of testing our hypothesis, as well as its limitations. Along these lines, we aimed to provide a model which, if confirmed, could provide a better understanding of the etiopathogenesis of ASD along with new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Pavăl
- Psychiatry Clinic, Emergency County Hospital, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Ioana Valentina Micluția
- Department of Psychiatry, "Iuliu Hațieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Shin S, Santi A, Huang S. Conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin- or somatostatin-positive neurons sufficiently leads to autism-related behavioral phenotypes. Mol Brain 2021; 14:24. [PMID: 33504340 PMCID: PMC7839207 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00731-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupted GABAergic neurons have been extensively described in brain tissues from individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and animal models for ASD. However, the contribution of these aberrant inhibitory neurons to autism-related behavioral phenotypes is not well understood. We examined ASD-related behaviors in mice with conditional Pten knockout in parvalbumin (PV)-expressing or somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons, two common subtypes of GABAergic neurons. We found that mice with deletion of Pten in either PV-neurons or Sst-neurons displayed social deficits, repetitive behaviors and impaired motor coordination/learning. In addition, mice with one copy of Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited hyperlocomotion in novel open fields and home cages. We also examined anxiety behaviors and found that mice with Pten deletion in Sst-neurons displayed anxiety-like behaviors, while mice with Pten deletion in PV-neurons exhibited anxiolytic-like behaviors. These behavioral assessments demonstrate that Pten knockout in the subtype of inhibitory neurons sufficiently gives rise to ASD-core behaviors, providing evidence that both PV- and Sst-neurons may play a critical role in ASD symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangyep Shin
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Andrea Santi
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Shiyong Huang
- Program in Neuroscience, Hussman Institute for Autism, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
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Jones MC, Koh JM, Cheong KH. Synaptic Pruning in Schizophrenia: Does Minocycline Modulate Psychosocial Brain Development? Bioessays 2021; 42:e2000046. [PMID: 33448432 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that the tetracycline antibiotic minocycline, or its cousins, hold therapeutic potential for affective and psychotic disorders. This is proposed on the basis of a direct effect on microglia-mediated frontocortical synaptic pruning (FSP) during adolescence, perhaps in genetically susceptible individuals harboring risk alleles in the complement component cascade that is involved in this normal process of CNS circuit refinement. In reviewing this field, it is argued that minocycline is actually probing and modulating a deeply evolved and intricate system wherein psychosocial stimuli sculpt the circuitry of the "social brain" underlying adult behavior and personality. Furthermore, this system can generate psychiatric morbidity that is not dependent on genetic variation. This view has important ramifications for understanding "pathologies" of human social behavior and cognition as well as providing long-sought potential mechanistic links between social experience and susceptibility to mental and physical disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Jones
- Science, Mathematics & Technology Cluster, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), 8 Somapah Road, S487372, Singapore
| | - Jin Ming Koh
- California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA
| | - Kang Hao Cheong
- Science, Mathematics & Technology Cluster, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), 8 Somapah Road, S487372, Singapore.,SUTD-Massachusetts Institute of Technology International Design Centre, S487372, Singapore
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Leblanc H, Ramirez S. Linking Social Cognition to Learning and Memory. J Neurosci 2020; 40:8782-8798. [PMID: 33177112 PMCID: PMC7659449 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1280-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many mammals have evolved to be social creatures. In humans, the ability to learn from others' experiences is essential to survival; and from an early age, individuals are surrounded by a social environment that helps them develop a variety of skills, such as walking, talking, and avoiding danger. Similarly, in rodents, behaviors, such as food preference, exploration of novel contexts, and social approach, can be learned through social interaction. Social encounters facilitate new learning and help modify preexisting memories throughout the lifespan of an organism. Moreover, social encounters can help buffer stress or the effects of negative memories, as well as extinguish maladaptive behaviors. Given the importance of such interactions, there has been increasing work studying social learning and applying its concepts in a wide range of fields, including psychotherapy and medical sociology. The process of social learning, including its neural and behavioral mechanisms, has also been a rapidly growing field of interest in neuroscience. However, the term "social learning" has been loosely applied to a variety of psychological phenomena, often without clear definition or delineations. Therefore, this review gives a definition for specific aspects of social learning, provides an overview of previous work at the circuit, systems, and behavioral levels, and finally, introduces new findings on the social modulation of learning. We contextualize such social processes in the brain both through the role of the hippocampus and its capacity to process "social engrams" as well as through the brainwide realization of social experiences. With the integration of new technologies, such as optogenetics, chemogenetics, and calcium imaging, manipulating social engrams will likely offer a novel therapeutic target to enhance the positive buffering effects of social experiences or to inhibit fear-inducing social stimuli in models of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloise Leblanc
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02119
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, 02118
| | - Steve Ramirez
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02119
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02119
- Neurophotonics Center at Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02119
- Center for Systems Neuroscience at Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02119
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12
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Gellner AK, Voelter J, Schmidt U, Beins EC, Stein V, Philipsen A, Hurlemann R. Molecular and neurocircuitry mechanisms of social avoidance. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:1163-1189. [PMID: 32997200 PMCID: PMC7904739 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03649-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Humans and animals live in social relationships shaped by actions of approach and avoidance. Both are crucial for normal physical and mental development, survival, and well-being. Active withdrawal from social interaction is often induced by the perception of threat or unpleasant social experience and relies on adaptive mechanisms within neuronal networks associated with social behavior. In case of confrontation with overly strong or persistent stressors and/or dispositions of the affected individual, maladaptive processes in the neuronal circuitries and its associated transmitters and modulators lead to pathological social avoidance. This review focuses on active, fear-driven social avoidance, affected circuits within the mesocorticolimbic system and associated regions and a selection of molecular modulators that promise translational potential. A comprehensive review of human research in this field is followed by a reflection on animal studies that offer a broader and often more detailed range of analytical methodologies. Finally, we take a critical look at challenges that could be addressed in future translational research on fear-driven social avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Kathrin Gellner
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jella Voelter
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26160, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany
| | - Ulrike Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany.,Department of Psychiatry Und Psychotherapy, University of Göttingen, Von-Siebold-Str. 5, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eva Carolina Beins
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Valentin Stein
- Institute of Physiology II, University Hospital Bonn, 53115, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alexandra Philipsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - René Hurlemann
- Division of Medical Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Venusberg-Campus 1, 53127, Bonn, Germany. .,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Hermann-Ehlers-Str. 7, 26160, Bad Zwischenahn, Germany. .,Research Center Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany.
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13
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Martínez-Rodríguez E, Martín-Sánchez A, Kul E, Bose A, Martínez-Martínez FJ, Stork O, Martínez-García F, Lanuza E, Santos M, Agustín-Pavón C. Male-specific features are reduced in Mecp2-null mice: analyses of vasopressinergic innervation, pheromone production and social behaviour. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2219-2238. [PMID: 32749543 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02122-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT), two neuropeptides closely implicated in the modulation of social behaviours, have been reported in some early developmental disorders and autism spectrum disorders. Mutations in the X-linked methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene are associated to Rett syndrome and other neuropsychiatric conditions. Thus, we first analysed AVP and OT expression in the brain of Mecp2-mutant mice by immunohistochemistry. Our results revealed no significant differences in these systems in young adult Mecp2-heterozygous females, as compared to WT littermates. By contrast, we found a significant reduction in the sexually dimorphic, testosterone-dependent, vasopressinergic innervation in several nuclei of the social brain network and oxytocinergic innervation in the lateral habenula of Mecp2-null males, as compared to WT littermates. Analysis of urinary production of pheromones shows that Mecp2-null males lack the testosterone-dependent pheromone darcin, strongly suggesting low levels of androgens in these males. In addition, resident-intruder tests revealed lack of aggressive behaviour in Mecp2-null males and decreased chemoinvestigation of the intruder. By contrast, Mecp2-null males exhibited enhanced social approach, as compared to WT animals, in a 3-chamber social interaction test. In summary, Mecp2-null males, which display internal testicles, display a significant reduction of some male-specific features, such as vasopressinergic innervation within the social brain network, male pheromone production and aggressive behaviour. Thus, atypical social behaviours in Mecp2-null males may be caused, at least in part, by the effect of lack of MeCP2 over sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Martínez-Rodríguez
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Funcional i Antropologia Física, Universitat de València, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Ana Martín-Sánchez
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació Neuroanatomia Funcional, Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló, Castelló, Spain.,Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emre Kul
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, and Center for Behavioral Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Aparajita Bose
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, and Center for Behavioral Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.,Neurologie, Ammerland-Klinik GmbH, Westerstede, Germany
| | - Francisco José Martínez-Martínez
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Funcional i Antropologia Física, Universitat de València, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Oliver Stork
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, and Center for Behavioral Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Fernando Martínez-García
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació Neuroanatomia Funcional, Unitat Predepartamental de Medicina, Universitat Jaume I de Castelló, Castelló, Spain
| | - Enrique Lanuza
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Funcional i Antropologia Física, Universitat de València, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Mónica Santos
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, and Center for Behavioral Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany. .,CNC-Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Rua Larga, Faculdade de Medicina, pólo I, 2º andar, 3004-504, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Carmen Agustín-Pavón
- Unitat Mixta d'Investigació Neuroanatomia Funcional, Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Funcional i Antropologia Física, Universitat de València, Av. Vicent Andrés Estellés, s/n, 46100, Burjassot, Spain.
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14
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During infant maltreatment, stress targets hippocampus, but stress with mother present targets amygdala and social behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:22821-22832. [PMID: 31636210 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1907170116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infant maltreatment increases vulnerability to physical and mental disorders, yet specific mechanisms embedded within this complex infant experience that induce this vulnerability remain elusive. To define critical features of maltreatment-induced vulnerability, rat pups were reared from postnatal day 8 (PN8) with a maltreating mother, which produced amygdala and hippocampal deficits and decreased social behavior at PN13. Next, we deconstructed the maltreatment experience to reveal sufficient and necessary conditions to induce this phenotype. Social behavior and amygdala deficits (volume, neurogenesis, c-Fos, local field potential) required combined chronic high corticosterone and maternal presence (not maternal behavior). Hippocampal deficits were induced by chronic high corticosterone regardless of social context. Causation was shown by blocking corticosterone during maltreatment and suppressing amygdala activity during social behavior testing. These results highlight (1) that early life maltreatment initiates multiple pathways to pathology, each with distinct causal mechanisms and outcomes, and (2) the importance of social presence on brain development.
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15
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Kopec AM, Smith CJ, Bilbo SD. Neuro-Immune Mechanisms Regulating Social Behavior: Dopamine as Mediator? Trends Neurosci 2019; 42:337-348. [PMID: 30890276 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Social interactions are fundamental to survival and overall health. The mechanisms underlying social behavior are complex, but we now know that immune signaling plays a fundamental role in the regulation of social interactions. Prolonged or exaggerated alterations in social behavior often accompany altered immune signaling and function in pathological states. Thus, unraveling the link between social behavior and immune signaling is a fundamental challenge, not only to advance our understanding of human health and development, but for the design of comprehensive therapeutic approaches for neural disorders. In this review, we synthesize literature demonstrating the bidirectional relationship between social behavior and immune signaling and highlight recent work linking social behavior, immune function, and dopaminergic signaling in adolescent neural and behavioral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Kopec
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Albany Medical College, Albany, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caroline J Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Staci D Bilbo
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Lurie Center for Autism, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, USA.
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