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Bredewold R, Washington C, Veenema AH. Vasopressin regulates social play behavior in sex-specific ways through glutamate modulation in the lateral septum. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024:10.1038/s41386-024-01987-z. [PMID: 39304743 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01987-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the neural basis of social play in juvenile rats may ultimately help restore social play deficits in autistic children. We previously found that administration of a vasopressin (AVP) V1a receptor (V1aR) antagonist into the lateral septum (LS) increased social play behavior in male juvenile rats and decreased it in females. Here, we demonstrate that glutamate, but not GABA, is involved in this sex-specific regulation. First, we found a sex difference in extracellular LS glutamate/GABA ratio (lower in females) that was eliminated by V1aR antagonist infusion in the LS that caused an increase in glutamate release in females only. Second, infusion of the glutamate receptor agonist L-glutamic acid into the LS mimicked the V1aR antagonist-induced decrease in female social play while preventing the increase in male social play. Third, infusion of the glutamate receptor antagonists AP-5 and CNQX into the LS prevented the V1aR antagonist-induced decrease in female social play. Fourth, there were no sex differences in extracellular GABA release in the LS upon either V1aR antagonist infusion or in social play expression upon infusion of the GABA-A receptor agonist muscimol into the LS, suggesting that GABA is not involved in the sex-specific regulation of social play by the LS-AVP system. Last, we found no sex differences in the type (GAD1/2, somatostatin, calbindin 1, Sox9) of V1aR-expressing LS cells, suggesting other cellular mechanisms mediating the sex-specific effects on glutamate release in the LS by the LS-AVP system. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the LS-AVP system regulates social play sex-specifically via glutamatergic neurotransmission. These findings have relevance for potential sex-specific effects of AVP-based treatment of social deficits in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Remco Bredewold
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Catherine Washington
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Alexa H Veenema
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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2
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Girella A, Di Bartolomeo M, Dainese E, Buzzelli V, Trezza V, D'Addario C. Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Genes Regulation is Modulated by Social Isolation in Rats. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:1278-1290. [PMID: 38368587 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-024-04117-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Social isolation is a state of lack of social connections, involving the modulation of different molecular signalling cascades and associated with high risk of mental health issues. To investigate if and how gene expression is modulated by social experience at the central level, we analyzed the effects of 5 weeks of social isolation in rats focusing on endocannabinoid system genes transcription in key brain regions involved in emotional control. We observed selective reduction in mRNA levels for fatty acid amide hydrolase (Faah) and cannabinoid receptor type 1 (Cnr1) genes in the amygdala complex and of Cnr1 in the prefrontal cortex of socially isolated rats when compared to controls, and these changes appear to be partially driven by trimethylation of Lysine 27 and acetylation of Lysine 9 at Histone 3. The alterations of Cnr1 transcriptional regulation result also directly correlated with those of oxytocin receptor gene. We here suggest that to counteract the effects of SI, it is of relevance to restore the endocannabinoid system homeostasis via the use of environmental triggers able to revert those epigenetic mechanisms accounting for the alterations observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Girella
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Enrico Dainese
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- Neuroendocrinology, Metabolism and Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCSS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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3
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Achterberg EJM, Biemans B, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Neurexin1α knockout in rats causes aberrant social behaviour: relevance for autism and schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z. [PMID: 38418646 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Genetic and environmental factors cause neuropsychiatric disorders through complex interactions that are far from understood. Loss-of-function mutations in synaptic proteins like neurexin1α have been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), both characterised by problems in social behaviour. Childhood social play behaviour is thought to facilitate social development, and lack of social play may precipitate or exacerbate ASD and SCZ. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that an environmental insult acts on top of genetic vulnerability to precipitate psychiatric-like phenotypes. To that aim, social behaviour in neurexin1α knockout rats was assessed, with or without deprivation of juvenile social play. We also tested drugs prescribed in ASD or SCZ to assess the relevance of this dual-hit model for these disorders. RESULTS Neurexin1α knockout rats showed an aberrant social phenotype, with high amounts of social play, increased motivation to play, age-inappropriate sexual mounting, and an increase in general activity. Play deprivation subtly altered later social behaviour, but did not affect the phenotype of neurexin1α knockout rats. Risperidone and methylphenidate decreased play behaviour in both wild-type and knockout rats. Amphetamine-induced hyperactivity was exaggerated in neurexin1α knockout rats. CONCLUSION Deletion of the neurexin1α gene in rats causes exaggerated social play, which is not modified by social play deprivation. This phenotype therefore resembles disinhibited behaviour rather than the social withdrawal seen in ASD and SCZ. The neurexin1α knockout rat could be a model for inappropriate or disinhibited social behaviour seen in childhood mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Barbara Biemans
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Alegre-Zurano L, Caceres-Rodriguez A, Berbegal-Sáez P, Lassalle O, Manzoni O, Valverde O. Cocaine-induced loss of LTD and social impairments are restored by fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibition. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18229. [PMID: 37880305 PMCID: PMC10600200 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45476-7] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
A single dose of cocaine abolishes endocannabinoid-mediated long-term depression (eCB-LTD) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) within 24 h of administration. However, it is uncertain whether this altered neuroplasticity entails a behavioral deficit. As previously reported, after a single dose of cocaine (20 mg/kg), mice displayed impaired eCB-LTD in the NAc. Such cocaine-induced neuroplastic impairment was accompanied by an altered preference for saccharin and social interactions and a reduction in mRNA levels of the anandamide-catabolizing enzyme NAPE-PLD. The pharmacological increase of anandamide through the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 (1 mg/kg) reversed the cocaine-induced loss of eCB-LTD in the NAc and restored normal social interaction in cocaine-exposed mice, but it did not affect saccharin preference. Overall, this research underlines the neuroplastic and behavioral alterations occurring after the initial use of cocaine and suggests a potential role for anandamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Alegre-Zurano
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/ Dr Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Paula Berbegal-Sáez
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/ Dr Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olivier Lassalle
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Olivier Manzoni
- INMED, INSERM U1249, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, C/ Dr Aiguader, 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
- Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital Del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
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Achterberg EJM, Vanderschuren LJMJ. The neurobiology of social play behaviour: Past, present and future. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105319. [PMID: 37454882 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105319] [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: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a highly energetic and rewarding activity that is of great importance for the development of brain and behaviour. Social play is abundant during the juvenile and early adolescent phases of life, and it occurs in most mammalian species, as well as in certain birds and reptiles. To date, the majority of research into the neural mechanisms of social play behaviour has been performed in male rats. In the present review we summarize studies on the neurobiology of social play behaviour in rats, including work on pharmacological and genetic models for autism spectrum disorders, early life manipulations and environmental factors that influence play in rats. We describe several recent developments that expand the field, and highlight outstanding questions that may guide future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Siviy SM, Martin MA, Campbell CM. Noradrenergic modulation of play in Sprague-Dawley and F344 rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023:10.1007/s00213-023-06419-2. [PMID: 37428218 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06419-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE For many mammals, engaging in social play behavior as a juvenile is important for cognitive, social, and emotional health as an adult. A playful phenotype reflects a dynamic interplay between genetic framework and experiences that operate on hard-wired brain systems so the relative lack of play in an otherwise playful species may be useful for identifying neural substrates that modulate play behavior. The inbred F344 rat has been identified as a strain that is consistently less playful than other strains commonly used in behavioral research. Norepinephrine (NE) acting on alpha-2 receptors has an inhibitory effect on play and F344 rats differ from a number of other strains in NE functioning. As such, the F344 rat may be particularly useful for gaining insight into NE involvement in play. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine whether the F344 rat is differentially sensitive to compounds that affect NE functioning and that are known to affect play behavior. METHODS Using pouncing and pinning to quantify play, the effects of the NE reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine, the NE alpha-2 receptor agonist guanfacine, and the NE alpha-2 receptor antagonist RX821002 on play behavior were assessed in juvenile Sprague-Dawley (SD) and F344 rats. RESULTS Atomoxetine and guanfacine reduced play in both SD and F344 rats. RX821002 increased pinning to a comparable extent in both strains but F344 rats were more sensitive to the play-enhancing effects of RX821002 on pounces. CONCLUSIONS Strain differences in NE alpha-2 receptor dynamics may contribute to the lower levels of play in F344 rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M Siviy
- Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, USA.
| | - Michelle A Martin
- Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, USA
| | - Celeste M Campbell
- Department of Psychology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA, 17325, USA
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Olaniran A, Garcia KT, Burke MAM, Lin H, Venniro M, Li X. Operant social seeking to a novel peer after social isolation is associated with activation of nucleus accumbens shell in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022:10.1007/s00213-022-06280-9. [PMID: 36449074 PMCID: PMC10227185 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06280-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE Deprivation of social interaction promotes social reward seeking in rodents, assessed primarily by the conditioned place preference procedure. Here, we used an operant social procedure in rats and examined the effect of the housing condition (pair-housing vs. single-housing) during or after social self-administration on social reward seeking. METHODS We first trained paired-housed or single-housed rats to gain access to an age- and sex-matched novel peer. On post-training day 1 (PTD1), we tested both groups for social seeking without the presence of the novel peer. Next, we divided each group into pair-housing or single-housing conditions and tested all four groups (pair-pair, pair-single, single-pair, and single-single) for social seeking on post-training day 12 (PTD12). Finally, we analyzed Fos expression in the striatum associated with social seeking on PTD12. RESULT Single-housed rats earned more social rewards during social self-administration than pair-housed rats. Social isolation during social self-administration also promoted social seeking on PTD1 and PTD12, regardless of their housing conditions after social self-administration training. Additionally, in pair-housed rats, social isolation during the post-training period led to a time-dependent increase of social seeking on PTD12 compared with PTD1. Finally, the Fos analyses revealed an increase of Fos expression in NAc shell of single-single rats after social seeking test on PTD12 compared with pair-pair rats. CONCLUSION Our data suggest that social isolation promotes operant social self-administration and social seeking. In addition, neuronal activation of NAc shell is associated with social seeking after social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adedayo Olaniran
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Kristine T Garcia
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Megan A M Burke
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Hongyu Lin
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Marco Venniro
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
| | - Xuan Li
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
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Effects of endocannabinoid system modulation on social behaviour: A systematic review of animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104680. [PMID: 35513169 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
There is a clear link between psychiatric disorders and social behaviour, and evidence suggests the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). A systematic review of preclinical literature was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed) and PsychINFO databases to examine whether pharmacological and/or genetic manipulations of the ECS alter social behaviours in wildtype (WT) animals or models of social impairment (SIM). Eighty studies were included. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using SYRCLE's RoB tool. While some variability was evident, studies most consistently found that direct cannabinoid receptor (CBR) agonism decreased social behaviours in WT animals, while indirect CBR activation via enzyme inhibition or gene-knockout increased social behaviours. Direct and, more consistently, indirect CBR activation reversed social deficits in SIM. These CBR-mediated effects were often sex- and developmental-phase-dependent and blocked by CBR antagonism. Overall, ECS enzyme inhibition may improve social behaviour in SIM, suggesting the potential usefulness of ECS enzyme inhibition as a therapeutic approach for social deficits. Future research should endeavour to elucidate ECS status in neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by social deficits.
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Riters LV, Stevenson SA. Using seasonality and birdsong to understand mechanisms underlying context-appropriate shifts in social motivation and reward. Horm Behav 2022; 142:105156. [PMID: 35313200 PMCID: PMC9382228 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Social motivation and reward are dynamic and flexible, shifting adaptively across contexts to meet changing social demands. This is exceptionally apparent when seasonal contexts are considered in seasonally breeding songbirds as they cycle from periods of sexual motivation and reward during the breeding season to periods of extreme gregariousness outside the breeding season when non-sexual social interactions gain reward value, motivating birds to form flocks. Here we review evidence demonstrating a key integrative role for the medial preoptic area (mPOA) in the seasonally-appropriate adjustment of behaviors, with seasonal changes in dopamine activity in mPOA adjusting social motivation and changes in opioid activity modifying social reward. Experiments demonstrate that dramatic seasonal fluctuations in steroid hormone concentrations alter patterns of opioid- and dopamine-related protein and gene expression in mPOA to modify social motivation and reward to meet seasonal changes in social demands. These studies of birdsong and seasonality provide new insights into neural and endocrine mechanisms underlying adaptive changes in social motivation and reward and highlight an underappreciated, evolutionarily conserved role for the mPOA in important social behaviors in non-reproductive contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren V Riters
- Department of Integrative Biology, 428 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
| | - Sharon A Stevenson
- Department of Integrative Biology, 428 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Kim Y, Kojima S. Contribution of Endocannabinoids to Intrinsic Motivation for Undirected Singing in Adult Zebra Finches. Front Physiol 2022; 13:882176. [PMID: 35492606 PMCID: PMC9039130 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.882176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Songbirds, such as zebra finches, spontaneously produce many song renditions for vocal practice even in the absence of apparent recipients throughout their lives. Such “undirected singing” is driven by intrinsic motivation, which arises within individuals for internal satisfaction without immediate external rewards. Intrinsic motivation for undirected singing in adult zebra finches was previously demonstrated to be critically regulated by dopamine through D2 receptors. Here, we further investigate the mechanisms of intrinsic motivation for undirected singing by focusing on endocannabinoids, which modulate dopamine signaling and contribute to motivation and reward in mammals. In songbirds, endocannabinoids have been shown to be involved in the production of undirected songs, but whether they are involved in the intrinsic motivation for undirected singing remains unknown. Using latencies of the first song production following temporary singing suppression as a measure of intrinsic motivation for undirected singing, we demonstrate that systemic administration of the direct cannabinoid agonist WIN55212-2 decreases intrinsic motivation for singing and that those effects are largely reversed by the cannabinoid antagonist SR141716A co-administered with WIN55212-2. Administration of SR141716A alone or that of two indirect cannabinoid agonists did not significantly affect intrinsic singing motivation. These results suggest that endocannabinoids are critically involved in regulating intrinsic motivation for undirected singing and provide new insights into the neural mechanisms of intrinsically motivated motor behaviors.
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Examining the Use of Antidepressants for Adolescents with Depression/Anxiety Who Regularly Use Cannabis: A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19010523. [PMID: 35010782 PMCID: PMC8744706 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most common and growing mental health concerns in adolescents. Consequently, antidepressant medication (AD) use has increased widely during the last decades. Several classes of antidepressants are used mainly to treat depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders by targeting relevant brain neurochemical pathways. Almost all randomized clinical trials of antidepressants examined patients with no concomitant medications or drugs. This does not address the expected course of therapy and outcome in cannabis users. Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance globally. Substantial changes in its regulation are recently taking place. Many countries and US states are becoming more permissive towards its medical and recreational use. The psychological and physiological effects of cannabis (mainly of its major components, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)) have been extensively characterized. Cannabis use can be a risk factor for depressive and anxiety symptoms, but some constituents or mixtures may have antidepressant and/or anxiolytic potential. The aim of this literature review is to explore whether simultaneous use of AD and cannabis in adolescence can affect AD treatment outcomes. Based on the current literature, it is reasonable to assume that antidepressants are less effective for adolescents with depression/anxiety who frequently use cannabis. The mechanisms of action of antidepressants and cannabis point to several similarities and conjunctions that merit future investigation regarding the potential effectiveness of antidepressants among adolescents who consume cannabis regularly.
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de Sa Nogueira D, Bourdy R, Filliol D, Awad G, Andry V, Goumon Y, Olmstead MC, Befort K. Binge sucrose-induced neuroadaptations: A focus on the endocannabinoid system. Appetite 2021; 164:105258. [PMID: 33864862 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Binge eating, the defining feature of binge eating disorder (BED), is associated with a number of adverse health outcomes as well as a reduced quality of life. Animals, like humans, selectively binge on highly palatable food suggesting that the behaviour is driven by hedonic, rather than metabolic, signals. Given the links to both reward processing and food intake, this study examined the contribution of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to binge-like eating in rats. Separate groups were given intermittent (12 h) or continuous (24 h) access to 10% sucrose and food over 28 days, with only the 12 h access group displaying excessive sucrose intake within a discrete period of time (i.e., binge eating). Importantly, this group also exhibited alterations in ECS transcripts and endocannabinoid levels in brain reward regions, including an increase in cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) mRNA in the nucleus accumbens as well as changes in endocannabinoid levels in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. We then tested whether different doses (1 and 3 mg/kg) of a CB1R antagonist, Rimonabant, modify binge-like intake or the development of a conditioned place preference (CPP) to sucrose. CB1R blockade reduced binge-like intake of sucrose and blocked a sucrose CPP, but only in rats that had undergone 28 days of sucrose consumption. These findings indicate that sucrose bingeing alters the ECS in reward-related areas, modifications that exacerbate the effect of CB1R blockade on sucrose reward. Overall, our results broaden the understanding of neural alterations associated with bingeing eating and demonstrate an important role for CB1R mechanisms in reward processing. In addition, these findings have implications for understanding substance abuse, which is also characterized by excessive and maladaptive intake, pointing towards addictive-like properties of palatable food.
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Affiliation(s)
- David de Sa Nogueira
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Centre de la Recherche Nationale Scientifique, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, Strasbourg France; Current Address: Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Romain Bourdy
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Centre de la Recherche Nationale Scientifique, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, Strasbourg France
| | - Dominique Filliol
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Centre de la Recherche Nationale Scientifique, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, Strasbourg France
| | - Gaëlle Awad
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Centre de la Recherche Nationale Scientifique, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, Strasbourg France
| | - Virginie Andry
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (INCI), UPR 3212, CNRS, 8 Allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Yannick Goumon
- Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives (INCI), UPR 3212, CNRS, 8 Allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mary C Olmstead
- Department of Psychology, Center for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Katia Befort
- Université de Strasbourg, Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives et Adaptatives (LNCA), Centre de la Recherche Nationale Scientifique, 12 rue Goethe, F-67000, Strasbourg France.
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13
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Manduca A, Carbone E, Schiavi S, Cacchione C, Buzzelli V, Campolongo P, Trezza V. The neurochemistry of social reward during development: What have we learned from rodent models? J Neurochem 2021; 157:1408-1435. [PMID: 33569830 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Social rewards are fundamental to survival and overall health. Several studies suggest that adequate social stimuli during early life are critical for developing appropriate socioemotional and cognitive skills, whereas adverse social experiences negatively affect the proper development of brain and behavior, by increasing the susceptibility to develop neuropsychiatric conditions. Therefore, a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying social interactions, and their rewarding components in particular, is an important challenge of current neuroscience research. In this context, preclinical research has a crucial role: Animal models allow to investigate the neurobiological aspects of social reward in order to shed light on possible neurochemical alterations causing aberrant social reward processing in neuropsychiatric diseases, and they allow to test the validity and safety of innovative therapeutic strategies. Here, we discuss preclinical research that has investigated the rewarding properties of two forms of social interaction that occur in different phases of the lifespan of mammals, that is, mother-infant interaction and social interactions with peers, by focusing on the main neurotransmitter systems mediating their rewarding components. Together, the research performed so far helped to elucidate the mechanisms of social reward and its psychobiological components throughout development, thus increasing our understanding of the neurobiological substrates sustaining social functioning in health conditions and social dysfunction in major psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Manduca
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy.,Neuroendocrinology, Metabolism and Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCSS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Emilia Carbone
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Schiavi
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Cacchione
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Buzzelli
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Neurobiology of Behavior Laboratory, IRCSS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
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14
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Individual differences in social play behaviour predict alcohol intake and control over alcohol seeking in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:3119-3130. [PMID: 34338827 PMCID: PMC8605978 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05929-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Social play behaviour is a rewarding social activity displayed by young mammals, thought to be important for the development of brain and behaviour. Indeed, disruptions of social play behaviour in rodents have been associated with cognitive deficits and augmented sensitivity to self-administration of substances of abuse, including alcohol, later in life. However, the relation between social development and loss of control over substance use, a key characteristic of substance use disorders including alcohol use disorder (AUD), has not been investigated. Moreover, it remains unknown how inherent differences in playfulness relate to differences in the sensitivity to substance use and AUD. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to determine how individual differences in juvenile social play behaviour predict alcohol intake and loss of control over alcohol seeking. METHODS Juvenile male Lister hooded rats were characterized for their tendency to engage in social play behaviour. Subsequently, alcohol consumption and conditioned suppression of alcohol seeking were assessed in the tertiles of rats that showed the most and least social play. RESULTS The rats that engaged most in social play behaviour consumed more alcohol than their less playful counterparts. However, whereas the most playful rats showed intact conditioned suppression of alcohol seeking, the least playful rats showed no such suppression. CONCLUSION Individual levels of playfulness predict the sensitivity to alcohol-directed behaviour. Highly playful rats are more prone to alcohol intake, yet show greater control over alcohol seeking. These findings increase our understanding of the relationship between social development and vulnerability to AUD.
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Zhao C, Chang L, Auger AP, Gammie SC, Riters LV. Mu opioid receptors in the medial preoptic area govern social play behavior in adolescent male rats. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 19:e12662. [PMID: 32388931 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Neural systems underlying important behaviors are usually highly conserved across species. The medial preoptic area (MPOA) has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in reward associated with affiliative, nonsexual, social communication in songbirds. However, the role of MPOA in affiliative, rewarding social behaviors (eg, social play behavior) in mammals remains largely unknown. Here we applied our insights from songbirds to rats to determine whether opioids in the MPOA govern social play behavior in rats. Using an immediate early gene (ie, Egr1, early growth response 1) expression approach, we identified increased numbers of Egr1-labeled cells in the MPOA after social play in adolescent male rats. We also demonstrated that cells expressing mu opioid receptors (MORs, gene name Oprm1) in the MPOA displayed increased Egr1 expression when adolescent rats were engaged in social play using double immunofluorescence labeling of MOR and Egr1. Furthermore, using short hairpin RNA-mediated gene silencing we revealed that knockdown of Oprm1 in the MPOA reduced the number of total play bouts and the frequency of pouncing. Last, RNA sequencing differential gene expression analysis identified genes involved in neuronal signaling with altered expression after Oprm1 knockdown, and identified Egr1 as potentially a key modulator for Oprm1 in the regulation of social play behavior. Altogether, these results show that the MPOA is involved in social play behavior in adolescent male rats and support the hypothesis that the MPOA is part of a conserved neural circuit across vertebrates in which opioids act to govern affiliative, intrinsically rewarded social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjiu Zhao
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Liza Chang
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Anthony P Auger
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Stephen C Gammie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lauren V Riters
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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16
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Schéle E, Pfabigan DM, Simrén J, Sailer U, Dickson SL. Ghrelin Induces Place Preference for Social Interaction in the Larger Peer of a Male Rat Pair. Neuroscience 2020; 447:148-154. [PMID: 32032669 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.027] [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: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 11/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Social interaction is important for survival in most social species including humans. To ensure social activities, individuals experience reward from social interaction, generating a powerfully reinforcing process. Here we hypothesized that reward from social interaction in a juvenile male rat pair may be enhanced by ghrelin, a circulating hormone that has been shown to enhance reward from other natural (e.g. food, sex) as well as artificial reinforcers (e.g. alcohol and other drugs of abuse). To this end, we assessed the impact of ghrelin and a ghrelin antagonist on preference for a chamber previously paired to the presence of a social partner in a conditioned place preference paradigm. We found that ghrelin increased and a ghrelin antagonist decreased preference for social interaction, but only in the heavier partner in a social pair. In addition, we found that administered ghrelin induced a positive association between preference for social interaction and body weight difference within socially interacting pairs, where larger ghrelin treated rats preferred social interaction, whereas smaller ghrelin treated rats avoided it, which raises the question if ghrelin could have a role in implementing social hierarchies in rats. In summary, we conclude that ghrelin signaling increases the reward from social interaction in a manner that reflects the degree of divergence in body weight between the social pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Schéle
- Institute for Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Daniela M Pfabigan
- Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Postboks 1111 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Joel Simrén
- Institute for Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Uta Sailer
- Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Postboks 1111 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway
| | - Suzanne L Dickson
- Institute for Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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17
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Opioid modulation of social play reward in juvenile rats. Neuropharmacology 2018; 159:107332. [PMID: 30218673 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a vigorous form of social interaction abundant during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life in many mammalian species, including rats and humans. Social play is thought to be important for social, emotional and cognitive development. Being a rewarding activity, the expression of social play depends on its pleasurable and motivational properties. Since opioids have been widely implicated in reward processes, in the present study we investigated the role of opioids in the pleasurable and motivational properties of social play behaviour in rats. To assess social play motivation, an operant conditioning setup was used in which rats responded for social play under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. Treatment with the opioid receptor agonist morphine reduced responding for social play at the highest dose tested, likely due to its rate-limiting effects. Morphine treatment increased the expression of social play behaviour during reinforced periods. The acquisition of social play-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in a subeffective conditioning protocol was enhanced by treatment with morphine. Morphine treatment alone also induced CPP. In contrast, antagonizing opioid receptors with naloxone reduced responding for social play, the expression of social play and blocked the development of social play-induced CPP. These data implicate opioid neurotransmission in both the pleasurable and the motivational aspects of social play behaviour in rats. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The neuropharmacology of social behavior: from bench to bedside'.
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18
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Burke CJ, Kisko TM, Euston DR, Pellis SM. Do juvenile rats use specific ultrasonic calls to coordinate their social play? Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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19
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Ultrasonic Vocalizations as an Index of Positive Emotional State. HANDBOOK OF ULTRASONIC VOCALIZATION - A WINDOW INTO THE EMOTIONAL BRAIN 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-809600-0.00024-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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20
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Adolescent cannabinoid exposure effects on natural reward seeking and learning in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:121-134. [PMID: 29022083 PMCID: PMC5790819 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4749-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Adolescence is characterized by endocannabinoid (ECB)-dependent refinement of neural circuits underlying emotion, learning, and motivation. As a result, adolescent cannabinoid receptor stimulation (ACRS) with phytocannabinoids or synthetic agonists like "Spice" cause robust and persistent changes in both behavior and circuit architecture in rodents, including in reward-related regions like medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens (NAc). OBJECTIVES AND METHODS Here, we examine persistent effects of ACRS with the cannabinoid receptor 1/2 specific agonist WIN55-212,2 (WIN; 1.2 mg/kg/day, postnatal day (PD) 30-43), on natural reward-seeking behaviors and ECB system function in adult male Long Evans rats (PD 60+). RESULTS WIN ACRS increased palatable food intake, and altered attribution of incentive salience to food cues in a sign-/goal-tracking paradigm. ACRS also blunted hunger-induced sucrose intake, and resulted in increased anandamide and oleoylethanolamide levels in NAc after acute food restriction not seen in controls. ACRS did not affect food neophobia or locomotor response to a novel environment, but did increase preference for exploring a novel environment. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that ACRS causes long-term increases in natural reward-seeking behaviors and ECB system function that persist into adulthood, potentially increasing liability to excessive natural reward seeking later in life.
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21
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Riters LV, Spool JA, Merullo DP, Hahn AH. Song practice as a rewarding form of play in songbirds. Behav Processes 2017; 163:91-98. [PMID: 29031813 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In adult songbirds, the primary functions of song are mate attraction and territory defense; yet, many songbirds sing at high rates as juveniles and outside these primary contexts as adults. Singing outside primary contexts is critical for song learning and maintenance, and ultimately necessary for breeding success. However, this type of singing (i.e., song "practice") occurs even in the absence of immediate or obvious extrinsic reinforcement; that is, it does not attract mates or repel competitors. Here we review studies that support the hypothesis that song practice is stimulated and maintained by intrinsic reward mechanisms (i.e., that it is associated with a positive affective state). Additionally, we propose that song practice can be considered a rewarding form of play behavior similar to forms of play observed in multiple young animals as they practice sequences of motor events that are used later in primary adult reproductive contexts. This review highlights research suggesting at least partially overlapping roles for neural reward systems in birdsong and mammalian play and evidence that steroid hormones modify these systems to shift animals from periods of intrinsically rewarded motor exploration (i.e., singing in birds and play in mammals) to the use of similar motor patterns in primary reproductive contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren V Riters
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 428 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
| | - Jeremy A Spool
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 428 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
| | - Devin P Merullo
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 428 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
| | - Allison H Hahn
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 428 Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Drive, Madison, WI 53706, United States.
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22
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Vanderschuren LJMJ, Achterberg EJM, Trezza V. The neurobiology of social play and its rewarding value in rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 70:86-105. [PMID: 27587003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2016] [Revised: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the young of many mammalian species, including humans, a vigorous and highly rewarding social activity is abundantly expressed, known as social play behaviour. Social play is thought to be important for the development of social, cognitive and emotional processes and their neural underpinnings, and it is disrupted in pediatric psychiatric disorders. Here, we summarize recent progress in our understanding of the brain mechanisms of social play behaviour, with a focus on its rewarding properties. Opioid, endocannabinoid, dopamine and noradrenaline systems play a prominent role in the modulation of social play. Of these, dopamine is particularly important for the motivational properties of social play. The nucleus accumbens has been identified as a key site for opioid and dopamine modulation of social play. Endocannabinoid influences on social play rely on the basolateral amygdala, whereas noradrenaline modulates social play through the basolateral amygdala, habenula and prefrontal cortex. In sum, social play behaviour is the result of coordinated activity in a network of corticolimbic structures, and its monoamine, opioid and endocannabinoid innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
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