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Sharafeddin F, Sierra J, Ghaly M, Simon TB, Ontiveros‐Ángel P, Edelbach B, Febo M, Labus J, Figueroa JD. Role of the prefrontal cortical protease TACE/ADAM17 in neurobehavioral responses to chronic stress during adolescence. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3482. [PMID: 38715397 PMCID: PMC11077197 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic adolescent stress profoundly affects prefrontal cortical networks regulating top-down behavior control. However, the neurobiological pathways contributing to stress-induced alterations in the brain and behavior remain largely unknown. Chronic stress influences brain growth factors and immune responses, which may, in turn, disrupt the maturation and function of prefrontal cortical networks. The tumor necrosis factor alpha-converting enzyme/a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (TACE/ADAM17) is a sheddase with essential functions in brain maturation, behavior, and inflammatory responses. This study aimed to determine the impact of stress on the prefrontal cortex and whether TACE/ADAM17 plays a role in these responses. METHODS We used a Lewis rat model that incorporates critical elements of chronic psychosocial stress, such as uncontrollability, unpredictability, lack of social support, and re-experiencing of trauma. RESULTS Chronic stress during adolescence reduced the acoustic startle reflex and social interactions while increasing extracellular free water content and TACE/ADAM17 mRNA levels in the medial prefrontal cortex. Chronic stress altered various ethological behavioral domains in the observation home cages (decreased ingestive behaviors and increased walking, grooming, and rearing behaviors). A group of rats was injected intracerebrally either with a novel Accell™ SMARTpool TACE/ADAM17 siRNA or a corresponding siRNA vehicle (control). The RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescent v2 Assay was used to visualize mRNA expression. Automated puncta quantification and analyses demonstrated that TACE/ADAM17 siRNA administration reduced TACE/ADAM17 mRNA levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (59% reduction relative to control). We found that the rats that received prefrontal cortical TACE/ADAM17 siRNA administration exhibited altered eating patterns (e.g., increased food intake and time in the feeding zone during the light cycle). CONCLUSION This study supports that the prefrontal cortex is sensitive to adolescent chronic stress and suggests that TACE/ADAM17 may be involved in the brain responses to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fransua Sharafeddin
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular MedicineLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Basic SciencesLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Julio Sierra
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular MedicineLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Basic SciencesLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mina Ghaly
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular MedicineLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Basic SciencesLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Timothy B. Simon
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular MedicineLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Basic SciencesLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Perla Ontiveros‐Ángel
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular MedicineLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Basic SciencesLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Brandon Edelbach
- Department of NeurosurgeryLoma Linda University School of Medicine Loma LindaCAUSA
| | - Marcelo Febo
- Translational Research Imaging Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, College of MedicineUniversity of Florida HealthGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Jennifer Labus
- Graduate Program in Bioscience, Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesUSA
| | - Johnny D. Figueroa
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular MedicineLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
- Department of Basic SciencesLoma Linda University School of MedicineLoma LindaCaliforniaUSA
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Bhattacharya S, MacCallum PE, Dayma M, McGrath-Janes A, King B, Dawson L, Bambico FR, Berry MD, Yuan Q, Martin GM, Preisser EL, Blundell JJ. A short pre-conception bout of predation risk affects both children and grandchildren. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10886. [PMID: 37407623 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic events that affect physiology and behavior in the current generation may also impact future generations. We demonstrate that an ecologically realistic degree of predation risk prior to conception causes lasting changes in the first filial (F1) and second filial (F2) generations. We exposed male and female mice to a live rat (predator stress) or control (non-predator) condition for 5 min. Ten days later, stressed males and females were bred together as were control males and females. Adult F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents responded to a mild stressor with more anxiety-like behavior and hyperarousal than offspring from control parents. Exposing these F1 offspring to the mild stressor increased neuronal activity (cFOS) in the hippocampus and altered glucocorticoid system function peripherally (plasma corticosterone levels). Even without the mild stressor, F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents still exhibited more anxiety-like behaviors than controls. Cross-fostering studies confirmed that preconception stress, not maternal social environment, determined offspring behavioral phenotype. The effects of preconception parental stress were also unexpectedly persistent and produced similar behavioral phenotypes in the F2 offspring. Our data illustrate that a surprisingly small amount of preconception predator stress alters the brain, physiology, and behavior of future generations. A better understanding of the 'long shadow' cast by fearful events is critical for understanding the adaptive costs and benefits of transgenerational plasticity. It also suggests the intriguing possibility that similar risk-induced changes are the rule rather than the exception in free-living organisms, and that such multigenerational impacts are as ubiquitous as they are cryptic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriya Bhattacharya
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
- Northwestern Polytechnic, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 4C4, Canada
| | - Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mrunal Dayma
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Andrea McGrath-Janes
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Brianna King
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Laura Dawson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Francis R Bambico
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mark D Berry
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Qi Yuan
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Gerard M Martin
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Evan L Preisser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Jacqueline J Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
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Xi K, Xiao H, Huang X, Yuan Z, Liu M, Mao H, Liu H, Ma G, Cheng Z, Xie Y, Liu Y, Feng D, Wang W, Guo B, Wu S. Reversal of hyperactive higher-order thalamus attenuates defensiveness in a mouse model of PTSD. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade5987. [PMID: 36735778 PMCID: PMC9897664 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade5987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a highly prevalent and debilitating psychiatric disease often accompanied by severe defensive behaviors, preventing individuals from integrating into society. However, the neural mechanisms of defensiveness in PTSD remain largely unknown. Here, we identified that the higher-order thalamus, the posteromedial complex of the thalamus (PoM), was overactivated in a mouse model of PTSD, and suppressing PoM activity alleviated excessive defensive behaviors. Moreover, we found that diminished thalamic inhibition derived from the thalamic reticular nucleus was the major cause of thalamic hyperactivity in PTSD mice. Overloaded thalamic innervation to the downstream cortical area, frontal association cortex, drove abnormal defensiveness. Overall, our study revealed that the malfunction of the higher-order thalamus mediates defensive behaviors and highlighted the thalamocortical circuit as a potential target for treating PTSD-related overreactivity symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiwen Xi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Haoxiang Xiao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Ziduo Yuan
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
- Medical School, Yan’an University, Yan’an 716000, China
| | - Mingyue Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
- Medical School, Yan’an University, Yan’an 716000, China
| | - Honghui Mao
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Haiying Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Guaiguai Ma
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
- Medical School, Yan’an University, Yan’an 716000, China
| | - Zishuo Cheng
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yuqiao Xie
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Dayun Feng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Wenting Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Baolin Guo
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
| | - Shengxi Wu
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, China
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Sharafeddin F, Ghaly M, Simon TB, Ontiveros-Ángel P, Figueroa JD. Prefrontal cortical protease TACE/ADAM17 is involved in neuroinflammation and stress-related eating alterations. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.23.525269. [PMID: 36747666 PMCID: PMC9900811 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.23.525269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Childhood traumatic stress profoundly affects prefrontal cortical networks regulating top-down control of eating and body weight. However, the neurobiological mechanisms contributing to trauma-induced aberrant eating behaviors remain largely unknown. Traumatic stress influences brain immune responses, which may, in turn, disrupt prefrontal cortical networks and behaviors. The tumor necrosis factor alpha-converting enzyme / a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (TACE/ADAM17) is a sheddase with essential functions in brain maturation, behavior, and neuroinflammation. This study aimed to determine the role of TACE/ADAM17 on traumatic stress-induced disruption of eating patterns. We demonstrate a novel mechanistic connection between prefrontal cortical TACE/ADAM17 and trauma-induced eating behaviors. Fifty-two (52) adolescent Lewis rats (postnatal day, PND, 15) were injected intracerebrally either with a novel Accell™ SMARTpool ADAM17 siRNA or a corresponding siRNA vehicle. The RNAscope Multiplex Fluorescent v2 Assay was used to visualize mRNA expression. Observation cages were used to monitor ethological behaviors in a more naturalistic environment over long periods. We found that traumatic stress blunts startle reactivity and alter eating behaviors (increased intake and disrupted eating patterns). We also found that the rats that received prefrontal cortical TACE/ADAM17 siRNA administration exhibited decreased eating and increased grooming behaviors compared to controls. These changes were associated with decreased AIF-1 expression (a typical marker of microglia and neuroinflammation). This study demonstrates that prefrontal cortical TACE/ADAM17 is involved in neuroinflammation and may play essential roles in regulating feeding patterns under stress conditions. TACE/ADAM17 represents a promising target to ameliorate inflammation-induced brain and behavior alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fransua Sharafeddin
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Mina Ghaly
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Timothy B Simon
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Perla Ontiveros-Ángel
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
| | - Johnny D Figueroa
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, California, USA
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Barroca NCB, Della Santa G, Suchecki D, García-Cairasco N, Umeoka EHDL. Challenges in the use of animal models and perspectives for a translational view of stress and psychopathologies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 140:104771. [PMID: 35817171 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The neurobiology and development of treatments for stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders rely heavily on animal models. However, the complexity of these disorders makes it difficult to model them entirely, so only specific features of human psychopathology are emulated and these models should be used with great caution. Importantly, the effects of stress depend on multiple factors, like duration, context of exposure, and individual variability. Here we present a review on pre-clinical studies of stress-related disorders, especially those developed to model posttraumatic stress disorder, major depression, and anxiety. Animal models provide relevant evidence of the underpinnings of these disorders, as long as face, construct, and predictive validities are fulfilled. The translational challenges faced by scholars include reductionism and anthropomorphic/anthropocentric interpretation of the results instead of a more naturalistic and evolutionary understanding of animal behavior that must be overcome to offer a meaningful model. Other limitations are low statistical power of analysis, poor evaluation of individual variability, sex differences, and possible conflicting effects of stressors depending on specific windows in the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nayara Cobra Barreiro Barroca
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Giovanna Della Santa
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Deborah Suchecki
- Department of Psychobiology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Norberto García-Cairasco
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Physiology, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Henrique de Lima Umeoka
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Science, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; School of Medicine, University Center UniCerrado, Goiatuba, GO, Brazil
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Neurobiological Links between Stress, Brain Injury, and Disease. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:8111022. [PMID: 35663199 PMCID: PMC9159819 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8111022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Stress, which refers to a combination of physiological, neuroendocrine, behavioral, and emotional responses to novel or threatening stimuli, is essentially a defensive adaptation under physiological conditions. However, strong and long-lasting stress can lead to psychological and pathological damage. Growing evidence suggests that patients suffering from mild and moderate brain injuries and diseases often show severe neurological dysfunction and experience severe and persistent stressful events or environmental stimuli, whether in the acute, subacute, or recovery stage. Previous studies have shown that stress has a remarkable influence on key brain regions and brain diseases. The mechanisms through which stress affects the brain are diverse, including activation of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), apoptosis, oxidative stress, and excitatory/inhibitory neuron imbalance, and may lead to behavioral and cognitive deficits. The impact of stress on brain diseases is complex and involves impediment of recovery, aggravation of cognitive impairment, and neurodegeneration. This review summarizes various stress models and their applications and then discusses the effects and mechanisms of stress on key brain regions—including the hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex—and in brain injuries and diseases—including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy. Lastly, this review highlights psychological interventions and potential therapeutic targets for patients with brain injuries and diseases who experience severe and persistent stressful events.
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Zoladz PR, Del Valle CR, Goodman CS, Dodson JL, Smith IF, Elmouhawesse KM, Sparkman HR, Naylor MM, Hopson EP. Ketamine sex- and dose-dependently mitigates behavioral sequelae induced by a predator-based psychosocial stress model of post-traumatic stress disorder. Behav Brain Res 2022; 428:113895. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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8
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McManus E, Talmi D, Haroon H, Muhlert N. Psychosocial stress has weaker than expected effects on episodic memory and related cognitive abilities: A meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:1099-1113. [PMID: 34748879 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.038] [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: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The impact of stress on episodic memory and related cognitive abilities is well documented in both animal and human literature. However, it is unclear whether the same cognitive effects result from all forms of stress - in particular psychosocial stress. This review systematically explored the effects of psychosocial stress on episodic memory and associated cognitive abilities. PubMed, PsycInfo, and Web of Science databases were searched. Fifty-one studies were identified and compared based on the timing of stress induction. A small positive effect of post-learning psychosocial stress with a long retention interval was shown. No other effects of psychosocial stress were seen. Re-analysis of previous meta-analyses also showed no significant effect of psychosocial stress on episodic memory, highlighting potentially different effects between stressor types. Psychosocial stress also had a moderately different effect when emotional vs. neutral stimuli were compared. Finally, psychosocial stress also decreased performance on executive function, but not working memory tasks. Our findings demonstrate that psychosocial stress may not have the clear effects on episodic memory previously ascribed to it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth McManus
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Deborah Talmi
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; University of Cambridge, Department of Psychology, UK
| | - Hamied Haroon
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Nils Muhlert
- Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
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Methods and Challenges in Investigating Sex-Specific Consequences of Social Stressors in Adolescence in Rats: Is It the Stress or the Social or the Stage of Development? Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2021; 54:23-58. [PMID: 34455576 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2021_245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of social learning and social restructuring that is accompanied by changes in both the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The activation of these axes by puberty and stressors, respectively, shapes adolescent development. Models of social stress in rats are used to understand the consequences of perturbations of the social environment for ongoing brain development. This paper reviews the challenges in investigating the sex-specific consequences of social stressors, sex differences in the models of social stress used in rats and the sex-specific effects on behaviour and provides an overview of sex differences in HPA responding to stressors, the variability in pubertal development and in strains of rats that require consideration in conducting such research, and directions for future research.
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Nikitina VA, Zakharova MV, Trofimov AN, Schwarz AP, Beznin GV, Tsikunov SG, Zubareva OE. Neonatal Exposure to Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide Affects Behavior and Expression of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors in the Hippocampus of Adult Rats after Psychogenic Trauma. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 86:761-772. [PMID: 34225597 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921060134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
According to the two-hit hypothesis of psychoneuropathology formation, infectious diseases and other pathological conditions occurring during the critical periods of early ontogenesis disrupt normal brain development and increase its susceptibility to stress experienced in adolescence and adulthood. It is believed that these disorders are associated with changes in the functional activity of the glutamatergic system in the hippocampus. Here, we studied expression of NMDA (GluN1, GluN2a, GluN2b) and AMPA (GluA1, GluA2) glutamate receptor subunits, as well as glutamate transporter EAAT2, in the ventral and dorsal regions of the hippocampus of rats injected with LPS during the third postnatal week and then subjected to predator stress (contact with a python) in adulthood. The tests were performed 25 days after the stress. It was found that stress altered protein expression in the ventral, but not in the dorsal hippocampus. Non-stressed LPS-treated rats displayed lower levels of the GluN2b protein in the ventral hippocampus vs. control animals. Stress significantly increased the content of GluN2b in the LPS-treated rats, but not in the control animals. Stress also affected differently the exploratory behavior of LPS-injected and control rats. Compared to the non-stressed animals, stressed control rats demonstrated a higher locomotor activity during the 1st min of the open field test, while the stressed LPS-injected rats displayed lower locomotor activity than the non-stressed rats. In addition, LPS-treated stressed and non-stressed rats spent more time in the open arms of the elevated plus maze and demonstrated reduced blood levels of corticosterone. To summarize the results of our study, exposure to bacterial LPS in the early postnatal ontogenesis affects the pattern of stress-induced changes in the behavior and hippocampal expression of genes coding for ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits after psychogenic trauma suffered in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria V Zakharova
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 194223, Russia
| | | | - Alexander P Schwarz
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 194223, Russia
| | - Gleb V Beznin
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, 197376, Russia
| | - Sergei G Tsikunov
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, 197376, Russia
| | - Olga E Zubareva
- Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint Petersburg, 194223, Russia.
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11
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Zoladz PR, Del Valle CR, Smith IF, Goodman CS, Dodson JL, Elmouhawesse KM, Kasler CD, Rorabaugh BR. Glucocorticoid Abnormalities in Female Rats Exposed to a Predator-Based Psychosocial Stress Model of PTSD. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:675206. [PMID: 34220463 PMCID: PMC8249699 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.675206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit heightened anxiety and enhanced negative feedback of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We previously reported that male rats exposed to a predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD exhibited comparable changes in anxiety-like behavior and HPA axis activity, including lower baseline levels of corticosterone and a greater suppression of corticosterone after dexamethasone administration. Here, we assessed whether we would observe similar effects in female rats exposed to this model. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to a cat on two occasions (separated by 10 days), in combination with chronic social instability. Three weeks after the second cat exposure, we assessed anxiety-like behavior on an elevated plus maze (EPM) and collected blood samples from rats in the absence or presence of dexamethasone to quantify serum corticosterone levels. Although stressed females did not display heightened anxiety on the EPM, they exhibited significantly lower overall corticosterone levels and a greater suppression of corticosterone after dexamethasone administration. The observation of significantly lower overall corticosterone levels in stressed females was replicated in a separate, independent experiment. These findings suggest that the predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD may be useful for studying mechanisms that underlie changes in HPA axis function in females exposed to trauma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip R Zoladz
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Colin R Del Valle
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Ian F Smith
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Cassandra S Goodman
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Jordan L Dodson
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Kara M Elmouhawesse
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Charis D Kasler
- Psychology Program, The School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, OH, United States
| | - Boyd R Rorabaugh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Marshall University School of Pharmacy, Huntington, WV, United States
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12
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Zoladz PR. Animal models for the discovery of novel drugs for post-traumatic stress disorder. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:135-146. [PMID: 32921163 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1820982] [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] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Existing pharmacological treatments for PTSD are limited and have been used primarily because of their effectiveness in other psychiatric conditions. To generate novel, PTSD specific pharmacotherapy, researchers must utilize animal models to assess the efficacy of experimental drugs. AREAS COVERED This review includes a discussion of factors that should be considered when developing an animal model of PTSD, as well as descriptions of the most commonly used models. Researchers have utilized physical stressors, psychological stressors, or a combination of the two to induce PTSD-like physiological and behavioral sequelae in animals. Such models have provided researchers with a valuable tool to examine the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the condition. EXPERT OPINION PTSD is a heterogeneous disorder that manifests as different symptom clusters in different individuals. Thus, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach to modeling the disorder in animals. Preclinical investigators must adopt a concentrated effort aimed at modeling specific PTSD subtypes and the distinct symptom profiles that result from specific types of human trauma. Moreover, researchers have focused so much on modeling a single PTSD syndrome in animals that studies examining only specific facets of the disorder are largely ignored. Future research employing animal models of PTSD requires greater focus on the nuances of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip R Zoladz
- Psychology Program, the School of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Ohio Northern University , Ada, OH, USA
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13
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Verbitsky A, Dopfel D, Zhang N. Rodent models of post-traumatic stress disorder: behavioral assessment. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:132. [PMID: 32376819 PMCID: PMC7203017 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-0806-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the etiology and expression of psychiatric disorders are complex, mammals show biologically preserved behavioral and neurobiological responses to valent stimuli which underlie the use of rodent models of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a complex phenotype that is difficult to model in rodents because it is diagnosed by patient interview and influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, given that PTSD results from traumatic experiences, rodent models can simulate stress induction and disorder development. By manipulating stress type, intensity, duration, and frequency, preclinical models reflect core PTSD phenotypes, measured through various behavioral assays. Paradigms precipitate the disorder by applying physical, social, and psychological stressors individually or in combination. This review discusses the methods used to trigger and evaluate PTSD-like phenotypes. It highlights studies employing each stress model and evaluates their translational efficacies against DSM-5, validity criteria, and criteria proposed by Yehuda and Antelman's commentary in 1993. This is intended to aid in paradigm selection by informing readers about rodent models, their benefits to the clinical community, challenges associated with the translational models, and opportunities for future work. To inform PTSD model validity and relevance to human psychopathology, we propose that models incorporate behavioral test batteries, individual differences, sex differences, strain and stock differences, early life stress effects, biomarkers, stringent success criteria for drug development, Research Domain Criteria, technological advances, and cross-species comparisons. We conclude that, despite the challenges, animal studies will be pivotal to advances in understanding PTSD and the neurobiology of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Verbitsky
- Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - David Dopfel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Nanyin Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
- The Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA.
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14
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Rorabaugh BR, Mabe NW, Seeley SL, Stoops TS, Mucher KE, Ney CP, Goodman CS, Hertenstein BJ, Rush AE, Kasler CD, Sargeant AM, Zoladz PR. Myocardial fibrosis, inflammation, and altered cardiac gene expression profiles in rats exposed to a predator-based model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Stress 2020; 23:125-135. [PMID: 31347429 PMCID: PMC6982550 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2019.1641081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
People who are exposed to life-threatening trauma are at risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition to psychological manifestations, PTSD is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, hypertension, and other cardiovascular problems. We previously reported that rats exposed to a predator-based model of PTSD develop myocardial hypersensitivity to ischemic injury. This study characterized cardiac changes in histology and gene expression in rats exposed this model. Male rats were subjected to two cat exposures (separated by a period of 10 d) and daily cage-mate changes for 31 d. Control rats were not exposed to the cat or cage-mate changes. Ventricular tissue was analyzed by RNA sequencing, western blotting, histology, and immunohistochemistry. Multifocal lesions characterized by necrosis, mononuclear cell infiltration, and collagen deposition were observed in hearts from all stressed rats but none of the control rats. Gene expression analysis identified clusters of upregulated genes associated with endothelial to mesenchymal transition, endothelial migration, mesenchyme differentiation, and extracellular matrix remodeling in hearts from stressed rats. Consistent with endothelial to mesenchymal transition, rats from stressed hearts exhibited increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin (a myofibroblast marker) and a decrease in the number of CD31 positive endothelial cells. These data provide evidence that predator-based stress induces myocardial lesions and reprograming of cardiac gene expression. These changes may underlie the myocardial hypersensitivity to ischemia observed in these animals. This rat model may provide a useful tool for investigating the cardiac impact of PTSD and other forms of chronic psychological stress.Lay summaryChronic predator stress induces the formation of myocardial lesions characterized by necrosis, collagen deposition, and mononuclear cell infiltration. This is accompanied by changes in gene expression and histology that are indicative of cardiac remodeling. These changes may underlie the increased risk of arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and other cardiac pathologies in people who have PTSD or other forms of chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyd R. Rorabaugh
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio 45810 USA
- Correspondence: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, 525 South Main Street, Ada, OH, 45810 USA; Telephone: 419-772-1695; Fax:419-772-1917;
| | - Nathaniel W. Mabe
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sarah L. Seeley
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio 45810 USA
| | - Thorne S. Stoops
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio 45810 USA
| | - Kasey E. Mucher
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Connor P. Ney
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Cassandra S. Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Brooke J. Hertenstein
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Austen E. Rush
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Charis D. Kasler
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | | | - Phillip R. Zoladz
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
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15
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Alexander KS, Nalloor R, Bunting KM, Vazdarjanova A. Investigating Individual Pre-trauma Susceptibility to a PTSD-Like Phenotype in Animals. Front Syst Neurosci 2020; 13:85. [PMID: 31992972 PMCID: PMC6971052 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2019.00085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex condition that develops after experiencing a severe emotional trauma, with or without physical trauma. There is no known cure and evidence-based treatments, which are effective in reducing symptoms, have low retention rates. It is therefore important, in addition to seeking new therapeutics, to identify ways to reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD. The fact that some, but not all, individuals exposed to the same traumatic event develop PTSD suggests that there is individual susceptibility. Investigating susceptibility and underlying factors will be better guided if there is a coherent framework for such investigations. In this review, we propose that susceptibility is a dynamic state that is comprised of susceptibility factors (before trauma) and sequalae factors (during or after trauma, but before PTSD diagnosis). We define key features of susceptibility and sequalae factors as: (1) they are detectable before trauma (susceptibility factors) or during/shortly after trauma (sequalae factors), (2) they can be manipulated, and (3) manipulation of these factors alters the likelihood of developing PTSD, thus affecting resilience. In this review we stress the importance of investigating susceptibility to PTSD with appropriate animal models, because prospective human studies are expensive and manipulation of susceptibility and sequalae factors for study purposes may not always be feasible. This review also provides a brief overview of a subset of animal models that study PTSD-related behaviors and related alterations in endocrine and brain systems that focus on individual differences, peri- and post-trauma. Attention is drawn to the RISP model (Revealing Individual Susceptibility to a PTSD-like Phenotype) which assesses susceptibility before trauma. Using the RISP model and expression of plasticity-associated immediate early genes, Arc and Homer1a, we have identified impaired hippocampal function as a potential susceptibility factor. We further discuss other putative susceptibility factors and approaches to mitigate them. We assert that this knowledge will guide successful strategies for interventions before, during or shortly after trauma that can decrease the probability of developing PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khadijah S Alexander
- VA Research Service, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Rebecca Nalloor
- VA Research Service, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Kristopher M Bunting
- VA Research Service, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
| | - Almira Vazdarjanova
- VA Research Service, Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA, United States.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, United States
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16
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Prajapati SK, Singh N, Garabadu D, Krishnamurthy S. A novel stress re-stress model: modification of re-stressor cue induces long-lasting post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms in rats. Int J Neurosci 2020; 130:941-952. [DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2019.1711078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Santosh Kumar Prajapati
- Neurotherapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, UP, India
| | - Neha Singh
- Neurotherapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, UP, India
| | - Debapriya Garabadu
- Neurotherapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, UP, India
| | - Sairam Krishnamurthy
- Neurotherapeutics Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University), Varanasi, UP, India
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17
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Abstract
Understanding the neurobiological basis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is fundamental to accurately diagnose this neuropathology and offer appropriate treatment options to patients. The lack of pharmacological effects, too often observed with the most currently used drugs, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), makes even more urgent the discovery of new pharmacological approaches. Reliable animal models of PTSD are difficult to establish because of the present limited understanding of the PTSD heterogeneity and of the influence of various environmental factors that trigger the disorder in humans. We summarize knowledge on the most frequently investigated animal models of PTSD, focusing on both their behavioral and neurobiological features. Most of them can reproduce not only behavioral endophenotypes, including anxiety-like behaviors or fear-related avoidance, but also neurobiological alterations, such as glucocorticoid receptor hypersensitivity or amygdala hyperactivity. Among the various models analyzed, we focus on the social isolation mouse model, which reproduces some deficits observed in humans with PTSD, such as abnormal neurosteroid biosynthesis, changes in GABAA receptor subunit expression and lack of pharmacological response to benzodiazepines. Neurosteroid biosynthesis and its interaction with the endocannabinoid system are altered in PTSD and are promising neuronal targets to discover novel PTSD agents. In this regard, we discuss pharmacological interventions and we highlight exciting new developments in the fields of research for novel reliable PTSD biomarkers that may enable precise diagnosis of the disorder and more successful pharmacological treatments for PTSD patients.
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18
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A new stress model by predatory sound produces persistent anxiety-like behaviours in male SD rats but not ICR mice. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2019.104843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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19
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Zoladz PR, D'Alessio PA, Seeley SL, Kasler CD, Goodman CS, Mucher KE, Allison AS, Smith IF, Dodson JL, Stoops TS, Rorabaugh BR. A predator-based psychosocial stress animal model of PTSD in females: Influence of estrous phase and ovarian hormones. Horm Behav 2019; 115:104564. [PMID: 31421075 PMCID: PMC6765406 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Traumatized women are more likely than traumatized men to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Still, the inclusion of females in animal models of PTSD has largely been avoided, likely due to the variable hormone profile of female rodents. Because a valid animal model of PTSD that incorporates females is still needed, we examined the influence of estrous stage and ovarian hormones on the female rat response to a predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to psychosocial stress or control conditions for 31 days. Stressed rats were given two cat exposures and daily social instability; control rats were handled daily. Beginning on Day 32, rats underwent physiological or behavioral testing. In Experiment 1, vaginal smears were collected on days of the first and second cat exposures and each day of behavioral testing to determine estrous stage. In Experiments 2 and 3, ovariectomized or sham control rats were exposed to stress or control conditions. Then, they were given behavioral testing (Exp 2), or their hearts were isolated and subjected to ischemia/reperfusion on a Langendorff isolated heart system (Exp 3). Chronic stress increased anxiety-like behavior, irrespective of estrous stage or ovariectomy condition. Ovariectomized females displayed greater startle responses and anxiety-like behavior than sham rats. Stress had no impact on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury; however, ovariectomized females exhibited greater ischemia-induced infarction than sham rats. These findings suggest that ovarian hormones may prevent anxiety-like behavior and be cardioprotective in non-stressed controls, but they do not interact with chronic stress to influence the development of PTSD-like sequelae in female rats.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Anxiety/etiology
- Anxiety/metabolism
- Anxiety/physiopathology
- Behavior, Animal/physiology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Estrous Cycle/metabolism
- Estrous Cycle/physiology
- Female
- Ovariectomy
- Rats
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Reflex, Startle/physiology
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/etiology
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/metabolism
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/physiopathology
- Stress, Psychological/complications
- Stress, Psychological/metabolism
- Stress, Psychological/physiopathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip R Zoladz
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA.
| | - Paul A D'Alessio
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Sarah L Seeley
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Charis D Kasler
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Cassandra S Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Kasey E Mucher
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Alanis S Allison
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Ian F Smith
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Jordan L Dodson
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Thorne S Stoops
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - Boyd R Rorabaugh
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
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20
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Zubedat S, Havkin E, Maoz I, Aga-Mizrachi S, Avital A. A probabilistic model of startle response reveals opposite effects of acute versus chronic Methylphenidate treatment. J Neurosci Methods 2019; 327:108389. [PMID: 31415846 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.108389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The startle response is considered as the major physio-behavioral indication of anxiety in health and disease conditions. However, due to different protocols of stimulation and measurement, the magnitude as well as the appearance of the startle response is inconsistent. NEW METHOD We postulate that the startle probability and not merely the amplitude may bare information that will form a consistent physiological measure of anxiety. RESULTS To examine the proof-of-concept of our suggested probability model, we evaluated the effects of acute (single) versus chronic (14 days) MPH administration on both startle amplitude and probability. We found that both acute and chronic MPH administration has yielded similar effects on startle amplitude. However, acute MPH increased the startle's probability while chronic MPH decreased it. Next, we evaluated the effects of acute versus chronic stress on the startle's parameters and found a complementary effect. Explicitly, acute stress increased the startle's probability while chronic stress increased the startle amplitude. In contrast, enriched environment had no significant effects. Finally, to further validate the probability measure, we show that Midazolam had significant anxiolytic effects. In the second part, we investigated the acoustic startle response parameters (e.g. background noise and pulse duration), to better understand the interplay between these parameters and the startle amplitude versus probability. CONCLUSIONS We show that the probabilistic element of the startle response does not only point to deeper physiologic relationships but may also serve as "hidden variables" congruent but not entirely identical to the commonly researched amplitude of the startle response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salman Zubedat
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Evgeny Havkin
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Inon Maoz
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shlomit Aga-Mizrachi
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Avi Avital
- Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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21
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Pinna G. Animal Models of PTSD: The Socially Isolated Mouse and the Biomarker Role of Allopregnanolone. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:114. [PMID: 31244621 PMCID: PMC6579844 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating undertreated condition that affects 8%-13% of the general population and 20%-30% of military personnel. Currently, there are no specific medications that reduce PTSD symptoms or biomarkers that facilitate diagnosis, inform treatment selection or allow monitoring drug efficacy. PTSD animal models rely on stress-induced behavioral deficits that only partially reproduce PTSD neurobiology. PTSD heterogeneity, including comorbidity and symptoms overlap with other mental disorders, makes this attempt even more complicated. Allopregnanolone, a neurosteroid that positively, potently and allosterically modulates GABAA receptors and, by this mechanism, regulates emotional behaviors, is mainly synthesized in brain corticolimbic glutamatergic neurons. In PTSD patients, allopregnanolone down-regulation correlates with increased PTSD re-experiencing and comorbid depressive symptoms, CAPS-IV scores and Simms dysphoria cluster scores. In PTSD rodent models, including the socially isolated mouse, decrease in corticolimbic allopregnanolone biosynthesis is associated with enhanced contextual fear memory and impaired fear extinction. Allopregnanolone, its analogs or agents that stimulate its synthesis offer treatment approaches for facilitating fear extinction and, in general, for neuropsychopathologies characterized by a neurosteroid biosynthesis downregulation. The socially isolated mouse model reproduces several other deficits previously observed in PTSD patients, including altered GABAA receptor subunit subtypes and lack of benzodiazepines pharmacological efficacy. Transdiagnostic behavioral features, including expression of anxiety-like behavior, increased aggression, a behavioral component to reproduce behavioral traits of suicidal behavior in humans, as well as alcohol consumption are heightened in socially isolated rodents. Potentials for assessing novel biomarkers to predict, diagnose, and treat PTSD more efficiently are discussed in view of developing a precision medicine for improved PTSD pharmacological treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziano Pinna
- The Psychiatric Institute, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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22
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Li XF, Adekunbi DA, Alobaid HM, Li S, Pilot M, Lightman SL, O'Byrne KT. Role of the posterodorsal medial amygdala in predator odour stress-induced puberty delay in female rats. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12719. [PMID: 30963653 PMCID: PMC6563483 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Puberty onset is influenced by various factors, including psychosocial stress. The present study investigated cat-odour stress on puberty onset and oestrous cyclicity in rats. Female weanling rats were exposed to either soiled cat litter or fresh unused litter for 10 consecutive days. Following vaginal opening (VO), rats were smeared for 14 days to determine oestrous cyclicity. Anxiety-like behaviour was assessed using standard anxiety tests. Brains were collected to determine corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), CRF receptor 1 (CRF-R1) and CRF receptor 2 (CRF-R2) mRNA in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), as well as the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) and the medial nucleus of the amygdala (MEA). Cat odour delayed VO and first oestrus, disrupted oestrous cycles and caused anxiogenic responses. Cat odour elicited increased CRF mRNA expression in the PVN but not in the CeA. CRF-R1 and CRF-R2 mRNA levels in the PVN and CeA were unaffected by cat odour; however, CRF-R1 mRNA levels were decreased in the MeA. The role of CRF signalling in the MeA, particularly its posterodorsal subnucleus (MePD), with respect to pubertal timing was directly examined by unilateral intra-MePD administration of CRF (0.2 nmol day-1 for 14 days) via an osmotic mini-pump from postnatal day 24 and was shown to delay VO and first oestrus. These data suggest that CRF signalling in the MePD may be associated with predator odour-induced puberty delay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Feng Li
- Department of Women and Children's HealthFaculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel A. Adekunbi
- Department of Women and Children's HealthFaculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Hussah M. Alobaid
- Department of Women and Children's HealthFaculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
- Zoology DepartmentCollege of ScienceKing Saud UniversityRiyadhSaudi Arabia
| | - Shengyun Li
- Department of Women and Children's HealthFaculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Michel Pilot
- Department of Women and Children's HealthFaculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Stafford L. Lightman
- Henry Wellcome Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience and EndocrinologyUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Kevin T. O'Byrne
- Department of Women and Children's HealthFaculty of Life Sciences and MedicineKing's College LondonLondonUK
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23
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Bhattacharya S, Fontaine A, MacCallum PE, Drover J, Blundell J. Stress Across Generations: DNA Methylation as a Potential Mechanism Underlying Intergenerational Effects of Stress in Both Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Pre-clinical Predator Stress Rodent Models. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:113. [PMID: 31191267 PMCID: PMC6547031 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although most humans will experience some type of traumatic event in their lifetime only a small set of individuals will go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Differences in sex, age, trauma type, and comorbidity, along with many other elements, contribute to the heterogenous manifestation of this disorder. Nonetheless, aberrant hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity, especially in terms of cortisol and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) alterations, has been postulated as a tenable factor in the etiology and pathophysiology of PTSD. Moreover, emerging data suggests that the harmful effects of traumatic stress to the HPA axis in PTSD can also propagate into future generations, making offspring more prone to psychopathologies. Predator stress models provide an ethical and ethologically relevant way to investigate tentative mechanisms that are thought to underlie this phenomenon. In this review article, we discuss findings from human and laboratory predator stress studies that suggest changes to DNA methylation germane to GRs may underlie the generational effects of trauma transmission. Understanding mechanisms that promote stress-induced psychopathology will represent a major advance in the field and may lead to novel treatments for such devastating, and often treatment-resistant trauma and stress-disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriya Bhattacharya
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Audrey Fontaine
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.,Institut des Systèmes Intelligents et de Robotique (ISIR), Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - James Drover
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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24
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Abstract
The goals of animal research in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) include better understanding the neurophysiological etiology of PTSD, identifying potential targets for novel pharmacotherapies, and screening drugs for their potential use as PTSD treatment in humans. Diagnosis of PTSD relies on a patient interview and, as evidenced by changes to the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5, an adequate description of this disorder in humans is a moving target. Therefore, it may seem insurmountable to model the construct of PTSD in animals such as rodents. Fortunately, the neural circuitry involved in fear and anxiety, thought to be essential to the etiology of PTSD in humans, is highly conserved throughout evolution. Furthermore, many symptoms can be modeled using behavioral tests that have face, construct, and predictive validity. Because PTSD is precipitated by a definite traumatic experience, animal models can simulate the induction of PTSD, and test causal factors with longitudinal designs. Accordingly, several animal models of physical and psychological trauma have been established. This review discusses the widely used animal models of PTSD in rodents, and overviews their strengths and weaknesses in terms of face, construct, and predictive validity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth I Flandreau
- Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401, USA.
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 43 Szigony Street, Budapest, 1083, Hungary.
| | - Mate Toth
- Grand Valley State University, 1 Campus Drive, Allendale, MI, 49401, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Experimental Medicine, 43 Szigony Street, Budapest, 1083, Hungary
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25
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Rorabaugh BR, Bui AD, Seeley SL, Eisenmann ED, Rose RM, Johnson BL, Huntley MR, Heikkila ME, Zoladz PR. Myocardial hypersensitivity to ischemic injury is not reversed by clonidine or propranolol in a predator-based rat model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:117-124. [PMID: 30194949 PMCID: PMC6249040 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. We previously reported that a predator-based model of PTSD increases myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Heightened sympathetic signaling has a well-established role in the formation of anxiety associated with PTSD and may also contribute to worsening of myocardial injury in the ischemic heart. Thus, we examined whether suppression of sympathetic tone protects the ischemic heart in rats subjected to this model of PTSD. Rats were treated with saline or clonidine throughout the 31-day stress paradigm. Behavior on the elevated plus maze (EPM) was assessed on Day 32, and hearts were subjected to an ischemic insult on day 33. Stressed rats exhibited increased anxiety on the EPM and significantly larger myocardial infarcts following ischemia. Clonidine reversed the anxiety-like behavior but had no impact on infarct size. In a subsequent experiment, rats were treated with propranolol in their drinking water throughout the stress paradigm. Propranolol had no effect on either anxiety or myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. These findings suggest that the myocardial hypersensitivity to ischemic injury observed in this model is not caused by increased sympathetic tone or chronic β-adrenergic receptor signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyd R. Rorabaugh
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA,Correspondence: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, 525 South Main Street, Ada, OH, 45810 USA,
| | - Albert D. Bui
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Sarah L. Seeley
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Eric D. Eisenmann
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Robert M. Rose
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Brandon L. Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Madelaine R. Huntley
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Megan E. Heikkila
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
| | - Phillip R. Zoladz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Ohio Northern University, Ada, OH, USA
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26
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Modelling posttraumatic stress disorders in animals. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 90:117-133. [PMID: 30468906 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal models of posttraumatic stress disorder are useful tools to reveal the neurobiological basis of the vulnerability to traumatic events, and to develop new treatment strategies, as well as predicting treatment response contributing to personalized medicine approach. Different models have different construct, face and predictive validity and they model different symptoms of the disease. The most prevalent models are the single prolonged stress, electric foot-shock and predator odor. Freezing as 're-experiencing' in cluster B and startle as 'arousal' in cluster E according to DSM-5 are the most frequently studied parameters; however, several other symptoms related to mood, cognitive and social skills are part of the examinations. Beside behavioral characteristics, symptoms of exaggerated sympathetic activity and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis as well as signs of sleep disturbances are also warranted. Test battery rather than a single test is required to describe a model properly and the results should be interpreted in a comprehensive way, e.g. creating a z-score. Research is shifting to study larger populations and identifying the features of the resilient and vulnerable individuals, which cannot be easily done in humans. Incorporation of the "three hit theory" in animal models may lead to a better animal model of vulnerability and resilience. As women are twice as vulnerable as men, more emphasize should be taken to include female animals. Moreover, hypothesis free testing and big data analysis may help to identify an array of biomarkers instead of a single variable for identification of vulnerability and for the purpose of personalized medicine.
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27
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Kondashevskaya MV, Tseylikman VE, Komelkova MV, Lapshin MS, Sarapultsev AP, Lazuko SS, Kuzhel OP, Manukhina EB, Downey HF, Chereshneva MV, Chereshnev VA. Physical Fatigue and Morphofunctional State of the Myocardium in Experimental Chronic Stress. DOKLADY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES : PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USSR, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES SECTIONS 2019; 485:30-32. [PMID: 31197589 DOI: 10.1134/s0012496619020042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between the development of skeletal muscle fatigue of a specific type in male Wistar rats and morphofunctional alterations in the myocardium in the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) model has been investigated for the first time. The aggravation of oxidative stress in the cardiomyocytes and the related transformation of the cell structural components and the depletion of energy reserves in PTSD has been identified as one of the main factors that accelerate the onset of musculoskeletal fatigue.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - V E Tseylikman
- South Ural State University, 454080, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - M V Komelkova
- South Ural State University, 454080, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - M S Lapshin
- South Ural State University, 454080, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - A P Sarapultsev
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, 620039, Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Yeltsin Federal University, 620002, Yekaterinburg, Ural, Russia
| | - S S Lazuko
- Vitebsk State Medical University, 210009, Vitebsk, Belarus
| | - O P Kuzhel
- Vitebsk State Medical University, 210009, Vitebsk, Belarus
| | - E B Manukhina
- South Ural State University, 454080, Chelyabinsk, Russia
- Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, 125315, Moscow, Russia
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, 76107, Fort Worth, United States of America
| | - H F Downey
- South Ural State University, 454080, Chelyabinsk, Russia
- University of North Texas Health Science Center, 76107, Fort Worth, United States of America
| | - M V Chereshneva
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, 620039, Yekaterinburg, Russia
| | - V A Chereshnev
- Institute of Immunology and Physiology, 620039, Yekaterinburg, Russia
- Yeltsin Federal University, 620002, Yekaterinburg, Ural, Russia
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28
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Zhang L, Hu XZ, Li H, Li X, Yu T, Dohl J, Ursano RJ. Updates in PTSD Animal Models Characterization. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 2011:331-344. [PMID: 31273708 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9554-7_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic, debilitating mental disorder afflicting more than 7% of the US population and 12% of military service members. Since the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, thousands of US service members have returned home with PTSD. Despite recent progress, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathology of PTSD are poorly understood. To promote research on PTSD (especially its molecular mechanisms) and to set a molecular basis for discovering novel medications for this disorder, well-validated animal models are needed. However, to develop PTSD animal models is a challenging process, due to predisposing factors such as physiological, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive changes that emerge after trauma. Currently, there is no well-validated animal model of PTSD, although several stress paradigms mimic the behavioral symptoms and neurological alterations seen in PTSD. In this chapter, we will provide an overview of animal models of PTSD including learned helplessness, footshock, restraint stress, inescapable tail shock, single-prolonged stress, underwater trauma, social isolation, social defeat, early-life stress, and predator-based stress. We emphasize rodent models because they reproduce some of the behavioral and biotical phenotypes seen in PTSD. We will also present data showing that homologous biological measures are increasingly incorporated in studies to assess markers of risk and therapeutic response in these models. Therefore, PTSD animal models may be refined in hopes of capitalizing on the understanding of the molecular mechanisms and delivering tools in order to develop new and more efficacious treatments for PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Xian-Zhang Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - He Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiaoxia Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Tianzheng Yu
- Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Consortium for Health and Military Performance, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Dohl
- Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Consortium for Health and Military Performance, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert J Ursano
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Zoladz PR, Eisenmann ED, Rose RM, Kohls BA, Johnson BL, Robinson KL, Heikkila ME, Mucher KE, Huntley MR. Predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD differentially influences voluntary ethanol consumption depending on methodology. Alcohol 2018; 70:33-41. [PMID: 29775837 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychological disorder typified by diagnostic symptom clusters including hyperarousal, avoidance, negative cognitions and mood, and intrusive re-experiencing of the traumatic event. Patients with PTSD have been reported to self-medicate with alcohol to ameliorate hyperarousal symptoms associated with the disorder. Research utilizing rodent models of PTSD to emulate this behavioral phenomenon has thus far yielded inconsistent results. In the present study, we examined the effects of a predator-based psychosocial stress model of PTSD on voluntary ethanol consumption. In the first of two experiments, following exposure to a 31-day stress or control paradigm, rats were singly housed during the dark cycle with free access to 1% sucrose solution or 10% ethanol, which was also sweetened with 1% sucrose. Over the course of a 20-day period of ethanol access, stressed rats consumed significantly less ethanol than non-stressed rats. These counterintuitive results prompted the completion of a second experiment which was identical to the first, except rats were also exposed to the two-bottle paradigm for 20 days before the stress or control paradigm. In the second experiment, after the stress manipulation, stressed rats exhibited significantly greater ethanol preference than non-stressed rats. These findings suggest that prior exposure to ethanol influences the subsequent effect of stress on ethanol intake. They also validate the use of the present model of PTSD to examine potential mechanisms underlying stress-related changes in ethanol-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip R Zoladz
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA.
| | - Eric D Eisenmann
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Robert M Rose
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Brooke A Kohls
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Brandon L Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Kiera L Robinson
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Megan E Heikkila
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Kasey E Mucher
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
| | - Madelaine R Huntley
- Department of Psychology, Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH, 45810, USA
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30
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Algamal M, Ojo JO, Lungmus CP, Muza P, Cammarata C, Owens MJ, Mouzon BC, Diamond DM, Mullan M, Crawford F. Chronic Hippocampal Abnormalities and Blunted HPA Axis in an Animal Model of Repeated Unpredictable Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:150. [PMID: 30079015 PMCID: PMC6062757 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ranges from 3 to 30% in individuals exposed to traumatic events, with the highest prevalence in groups exposed to combat, torture, or rape. To date, only a few FDA approved drugs are available to treat PTSD, which only offer symptomatic relief and variable efficacy. There is, therefore, an urgent need to explore new concepts regarding the biological responses causing PTSD. Animal models are an appropriate platform for conducting such studies. Herein, we examined the chronic behavioral and neurobiological effects of repeated unpredictable stress (RUS) in a mouse model. 12 weeks-old C57BL/6J male mice were exposed to a 21-day RUS paradigm consisting of exposures to a predator odor (TMT) whilst under restraint, unstable social housing, inescapable footshocks and social isolation. Validity of the model was assessed by comprehensive examination of behavioral outcomes at an acute timepoint, 3 and 6 months post-RUS; and molecular profiling was also conducted on brain and plasma samples at the acute and 6 months timepoints. Stressed mice demonstrated recall of traumatic memories, passive stress coping behavior, acute anxiety, and weight gain deficits when compared to control mice. Immunoblotting of amygdala lysates showed a dysregulation in the p75NTR/ProBDNF, and glutamatergic signaling in stressed mice at the acute timepoint. At 6 months after RUS, stressed mice had lower plasma corticosterone, reduced hippocampal CA1 volume and reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. In addition, glucocorticoid regulatory protein FKBP5 was downregulated in the hypothalamus of stressed mice at the same timepoint, together implicating an impaired hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal-axis. Our model demonstrates chronic behavioral and neurobiological outcomes consistent with those reported in human PTSD cases and thus presents a platform through which to understand the neurobiology of stress and explore new therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa Algamal
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph O. Ojo
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Carlyn P. Lungmus
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
| | | | | | | | - Benoit C. Mouzon
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - David M. Diamond
- Departments of Psychology and Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Michael Mullan
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Crawford
- Roskamp Institute, Sarasota, FL, United States
- Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
- James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Tampa, FL, United States
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31
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Lee JH, Kimm S, Han JS, Choi JS. Chasing as a model of psychogenic stress: characterization of physiological and behavioral responses. Stress 2018; 21:323-332. [PMID: 29577783 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1455090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Being chased by a predator or a dominant conspecific can induce significant stress. However, only a limited number of laboratory studies have employed chasing by itself as a stressor. In this study, we developed a novel stress paradigm in which rats were chased by a fast-moving object in an inescapable maze. In Experiment 1, defensive behaviors and stress hormone changes induced by chasing stress were measured. During the chasing stress, the chasing-stress group (n = 9) froze and emitted 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), but the no-chasing control group (n = 10) did not. Plasma corticosterone levels significantly increased following the chasing and were comparable to those of the restraint-stress group (n = 6). In Experiment 2, the long-lasting memory of the chasing event was tested after three weeks. The chasing-stress group (n = 15) showed higher levels of freezing and USV than the no-chasing group (n = 14) when they were presented with the tone associated with the object's chasing action. Subsequently, the rats were subjected to Pavlovian threat conditioning with a tone as a conditioned stimulus and footshock as an unconditioned stimulus. The chasing-stress group showed higher levels of freezing and USV during the conditioning session than the no-chasing group, indicating sensitized defensive reactions in a different threat situation. Taken together, the current results suggest that chasing stress can induce long-lasting memory and sensitization of defensive responses to a new aversive event as well as immediate, significant stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Hye Lee
- a Department of Psychology , Korea University , Seoul , South Korea
| | - Sunwhi Kimm
- a Department of Psychology , Korea University , Seoul , South Korea
| | - Jung-Soo Han
- b Department of Biological Sciences , Konkuk University , Seoul , South Korea
| | - June-Seek Choi
- a Department of Psychology , Korea University , Seoul , South Korea
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32
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Deslauriers J, Toth M, Der-Avakian A, Risbrough VB. Current Status of Animal Models of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Behavioral and Biological Phenotypes, and Future Challenges in Improving Translation. Biol Psychiatry 2018; 83:895-907. [PMID: 29338843 PMCID: PMC6085893 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Increasing predictability of animal models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has required active collaboration between clinical and preclinical scientists. Modeling PTSD is challenging, as it is a heterogeneous disorder with ≥20 symptoms. Clinical research increasingly utilizes objective biological measures (e.g., imaging, peripheral biomarkers) or nonverbal behaviors and/or physiological responses to complement verbally reported symptoms. This shift toward more-objectively measurable phenotypes enables refinement of current animal models of PTSD, and it supports the incorporation of homologous measures across species. We reviewed >600 articles to examine the ability of current rodent models to probe biological phenotypes of PTSD (e.g., sleep disturbances, hippocampal and fear-circuit dysfunction, inflammation, glucocorticoid receptor hypersensitivity) in addition to behavioral phenotypes. Most models reliably produced enduring generalized anxiety-like or depression-like behaviors, as well as hyperactive fear circuits, glucocorticoid receptor hypersensitivity, and response to long-term selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Although a few paradigms probed fear conditioning/extinction or utilized peripheral immune, sleep, and noninvasive imaging measures, we argue that these should be incorporated more to enhance translation. Data on female subjects, on subjects at different ages across the life span, or on temporal trajectories of phenotypes after stress that can inform model validity and treatment study design are needed. Overall, preclinical (and clinical) PTSD researchers are increasingly incorporating homologous biological measures to assess markers of risk, response, and treatment outcome. This shift is exciting, as we and many others hope it not only will support translation of drug efficacy from animal models to clinical trials but also will potentially improve predictability of stage II for stage III clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Deslauriers
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs Hospital, La Jolla, California
| | - Mate Toth
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Andre Der-Avakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Victoria B Risbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, Veterans Affairs Hospital, La Jolla, California.
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33
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Arora V, Martin TJ, Aschenbrenner CA, Hayashida K, Kim SA, Parker RA, Eisenach JC, Peters CM. Psychosocial Stress Delays Recovery of Postoperative Pain Following Incisional Surgery in the Rat. Neuroscience 2018; 382:35-47. [PMID: 29694918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Psychosocial factors such as anxiety, depression and catastrophizing, commonly associated with established chronic pain, also may be associated with an increased risk of chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) when present preoperatively. We used a repeat social defeat (RSD) paradigm to induce psychosocial stress in rodents prior to incisional surgery of the paw. Mixed effects growth curve models were utilized to examine resolution of mechanical hypersensitivity in rats for four weeks following surgery. Eight days following surgery, immunohistochemistry was conducted to examine glial activation as well as evoked neuronal activation in the spinal cord. Here we document that RSD resulted in reduced weight gain and increased depressive symptoms prior to surgery. Rats exposed to RSD displayed delayed resolution of mechanical hypersensitivity in the ipsilateral paw following surgery compared to non-defeated rats. Prior exposure to RSD significantly increased microglial activation and neuronal sensitization (pERK-IR) within the ipsilateral spinal cord. In conclusion, we found that chronic social stress alters the neurobiological response to surgical injury, resulting in slowed recovery. This model maybe useful for future interventional studies examining the mechanistic interactions between depression and risk of CPSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Arora
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Thomas J Martin
- Department of Anesthesiology and Physiology & Pharmacology, WFSM, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Carol A Aschenbrenner
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kenichiro Hayashida
- Department of Neurophysiology, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Susy A Kim
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Renee A Parker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - James C Eisenach
- Department of Anesthesiology and Physiology & Pharmacology, WFSM, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Christopher M Peters
- Department of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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34
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Wheelan N, Kenyon CJ, Harris AP, Cairns C, Al Dujaili E, Seckl JR, Yau JL. Midlife stress alters memory and mood-related behaviors in old age: Role of locally activated glucocorticoids. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 89:13-22. [PMID: 29306773 PMCID: PMC5890827 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2017.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chronic exposure to stress during midlife associates with subsequent age-related cognitive decline and may increase the vulnerability to develop psychiatric conditions. Increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity has been implicated in pathogenesis though any causative role for glucocorticoids is unestablished. This study investigated the contribution of local glucocorticoid regeneration by the intracellular enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1), in persisting midlife stress-induced behavioral effects in mice. Middle-aged (10 months old) 11β-HSD1-deficient mice and wild-type congenic controls were randomly assigned to 28 days of chronic unpredictable stress or left undisturbed (non-stressed). All mice underwent behavioral testing at the end of the stress/non-stress period and again 6-7 months later. Chronic stress impaired spatial memory in middle-aged wild-type mice. The effects, involving a wide spectrum of behavioral modalities, persisted for 6-7 months after cessation of stress into early senescence. Enduring effects after midlife stress included impaired spatial memory, enhanced contextual fear memory, impaired fear extinction, heightened anxiety, depressive-like behavior, as well as reduced hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression. In contrast, 11β-HSD1 deficient mice resisted both immediate and enduring effects of chronic stress, despite similar stress-induced increases in systemic glucocorticoid activity during midlife stress. In conclusion, chronic stress in midlife exerts persisting effects leading to cognitive and affective dysfunction in old age via mechanisms that depend, at least in part, on brain glucocorticoids generated locally by 11β-HSD1. This finding supports selective 11β-HSD1 inhibition as a novel therapeutic target to ameliorate the long-term consequences of stress-related psychiatric disorders in midlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Wheelan
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J. Kenyon
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Anjanette P. Harris
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Carolynn Cairns
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Emad Al Dujaili
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R. Seckl
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom
| | - Joyce L.W. Yau
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, United Kingdom,Centre for Cognitive Aging and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, EH8 8JZ, United Kingdom,Corresponding author at: Queen’s Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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35
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Cordero MI, Moser DA, Manini A, Suardi F, Sancho-Rossignol A, Torrisi R, Rossier MF, Ansermet F, Dayer AG, Rusconi-Serpa S, Schechter DS. Effects of interpersonal violence-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on mother and child diurnal cortisol rhythm and cortisol reactivity to a laboratory stressor involving separation. Horm Behav 2017; 90:15-24. [PMID: 28189641 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Women who have experienced interpersonal violence (IPV) are at a higher risk to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and impaired social behavior. Previously, we had reported impaired maternal sensitivity and increased difficulty in identifying emotions (i.e. alexithymia) among IPV-PTSD mothers. One of the aims of the present study was to examine maternal IPV-PTSD salivary cortisol levels diurnally and reactive to their child's distress in relation to maternal alexithymia. Given that mother-child interaction during infancy and early childhood has important long-term consequences on the stress response system, toddlers' cortisol levels were assessed during the day and in response to a laboratory stressor. Mothers collected their own and their 12-48month-old toddlers' salivary samples at home three times: 30min after waking up, between 2-3pm and at bedtime. Moreover, mother-child dyads participated in a 120-min laboratory session, consisting of 3 phases: baseline, stress situation (involving mother-child separation and exposure to novelty) and a 60-min regulation phase. Compared to non-PTSD controls, IPV-PTSD mothers - but not their toddlers, had lower morning cortisol and higher bedtime cortisol levels. As expected, IPV-PTSD mothers and their children showed blunted cortisol reactivity to the laboratory stressor. Maternal cortisol levels were negatively correlated to difficulty in identifying emotions. Our data highlights PTSD-IPV-related alterations in the HPA system and its relevance to maternal behavior. Toddlers of IPV-PTSD mothers also showed an altered pattern of cortisol reactivity to stress that potentially may predispose them to later psychological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria I Cordero
- Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK; Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Dominik A Moser
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Aurelia Manini
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Suardi
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ana Sancho-Rossignol
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Raffaella Torrisi
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michel F Rossier
- Clinical Chemistry and Toxicology Service, Hôpital du Valais, Sion, Switzerland
| | - François Ansermet
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexandre G Dayer
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Rusconi-Serpa
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Daniel S Schechter
- Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Service, University of Geneva Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA
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Reber SO, Langgartner D, Foertsch S, Postolache TT, Brenner LA, Guendel H, Lowry CA. Chronic subordinate colony housing paradigm: A mouse model for mechanisms of PTSD vulnerability, targeted prevention, and treatment-2016 Curt Richter Award Paper. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 74:221-230. [PMID: 27676359 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
There is considerable individual variability in vulnerability for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); evidence suggests that this variability is related in part to genetic and environmental factors, including adverse early life experience. Interestingly, recent studies indicate that induction of chronic low-grade inflammation may be a common mechanism underlying gene and environment interactions that increase the risk for development of PTSD symptoms, and, therefore, may be a target for novel interventions for prevention or treatment of PTSD. Development of murine models with face, construct, and predictive validity would provide opportunities to investigate in detail complex genetic, environmental, endocrine, and immunologic factors that determine vulnerability to PTSD-like syndromes, and furthermore may provide mechanistic insight leading to development of novel interventions for both prevention and treatment of PTSD symptoms. Here we describe the potential use of the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm in mice as an adequate animal model for development of a PTSD-like syndrome and describe recent studies that suggest novel interventions for the prevention and treatment of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan O Reber
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Dominik Langgartner
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Sandra Foertsch
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Teodor T Postolache
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, MD 21201, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA.
| | - Lisa A Brenner
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA.
| | - Harald Guendel
- Laboratory for Molecular Psychosomatics, Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany.
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO 80220, USA; Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), Denver, CO 80220, USA; Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
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Michopoulos V, Vester A, Neigh G. Posttraumatic stress disorder: A metabolic disorder in disguise? Exp Neurol 2016; 284:220-229. [PMID: 27246996 PMCID: PMC5056806 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder that affects individuals exposed to trauma and is highly co-morbid with other adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and obesity. The unique pathophysiological feature of PTSD is the inability to inhibit fear responses, such that individuals suffering from PTSD re-experience traumatic memories and are unable to control psychophysiological responses to trauma-associated stimuli. However, underlying alterations in sympathetic nervous system activity, neuroendocrine systems, and metabolism associated with PTSD are similar to those present in traditional metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes. The current review highlights existing clinical, translational, and preclinical data that support the notion that underneath the primary indication of impaired fear inhibition, PTSD is itself also a metabolic disorder and proposes altered function of inflammatory responses as a common underlying mechanism. The therapeutic implications of treating PTSD as a whole-body condition are significant, as targeting any underlying biological system whose activity is altered in both PTSD and metabolic disorders, (i.e. HPA axis, sympathetic nervous systems, inflammation) may elicit symptomatic relief in individuals suffering from these whole-body adverse outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliki Michopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Aimee Vester
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Gretchen Neigh
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Physiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States.
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Zoladz PR, Diamond DM. Predator-based psychosocial stress animal model of PTSD: Preclinical assessment of traumatic stress at cognitive, hormonal, pharmacological, cardiovascular and epigenetic levels of analysis. Exp Neurol 2016; 284:211-219. [PMID: 27283115 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is faced with the challenge of understanding how a traumatic experience produces long-lasting detrimental effects on behavior and brain functioning, and more globally, how stress exacerbates somatic disorders, including cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the design of translational research needs to link animal models of PTSD to clinically relevant risk factors which address why only a subset of traumatized individuals develop persistent psychopathology. In this review, we have summarized our psychosocial stress rodent model of PTSD which is based on well-described PTSD-inducing risk factors, including a life-threatening experience, a sense of horror and uncontrollability, and insufficient social support. Specifically, our animal model of PTSD integrates acute episodes of inescapable exposure of immobilized rats to a predator with chronic daily social instability. This stress regimen produces PTSD-like effects in rats at behavioral, cognitive, physiological, pharmacological and epigenetic levels of analysis. We have discussed a recent extension of our animal model of PTSD in which stress exacerbated coronary pathology following an ischemic event, assessed in vitro. In addition, we have reviewed our research investigating pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic strategies which may have value in clinical approaches toward the treatment of traumatized people. Overall, our translational approach bridges the gap between human and animal PTSD research to create a framework with which to enhance our understanding of the biological basis of trauma-induced pathology and to assess therapeutic approaches in the treatment of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip R Zoladz
- Department of Psychology, Sociology, & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 45810, USA
| | - David M Diamond
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA; Center for Preclinical & Clinical Research on PTSD, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33620, USA.
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Seetharaman S, Fleshner M, Park CR, Diamond DM. Influence of daily social stimulation on behavioral and physiological outcomes in an animal model of PTSD. Brain Behav 2016; 6:e00458. [PMID: 27110436 PMCID: PMC4834360 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 02/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We have shown in previous work that acute episodes of predator exposure occurring in the context of chronic social instability produced PTSD-like sequelae in rats. Our animal model of PTSD contained two components: (1) acute trauma, immobilization of rats in close proximity to a cat twice in 10 days, and (2) chronic social instability, 31 days of randomized housing of cage cohorts. Here we tested the hypothesis that daily social stimulation would block the development of the PTSD-like sequelae. METHODS Beginning 24 h after the first cat exposure, adult male rats were given our established PTSD model, alone or in conjunction with daily social stimulation, in which all rats within a group interacted in a large apparatus for 2 h each day for the final 30 days of the PTSD regimen. All behavioral, for example, anxiety, memory, startle testing, and physiological assessments, for example, body growth, organ weights, and corticosterone levels, took place following completion of the psychosocial stress period. RESULTS Daily social stimulation blocked the expression of a subset of PTSD-like effects, including predator-based cued fear conditioning, enhanced startle response, heightened anxiety on the elevated plus maze and the stress-induced suppression of growth rate. We also found that social stimulation and psychosocial stress produced equivalent outcomes in some measures, including adrenal and heart hypertrophy, thymus atrophy, and a reduction in poststress corticosterone levels. CONCLUSIONS Daily exposure of rats to a highly social environment blocked the development of a subset of trauma-induced sequelae, particularly fear-related outcomes. It is notable that daily social stimulation normalized a subset, but not all, of the PTSD-like effects. We discuss our findings in the context of the literature demonstrating that social stimulation can counteract the adverse effects of traumatic stress on behavioral and physiological measures, as well as to produce its own stress-like outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Seetharaman
- Department of Psychology St. Ambrose University Davenport Iowa 52803; Center for Preclinical and Clinical Research on PTSD University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620
| | - Monika Fleshner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience University of Colorado Boulder Colorado 80309
| | - Collin R Park
- Center for Preclinical and Clinical Research on PTSD University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620; Research & Development Service James A. Haley VA Hospital Tampa Florida 33612; Department of Psychology University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620
| | - David M Diamond
- Center for Preclinical and Clinical Research on PTSD University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620; Research & Development Service James A. Haley VA Hospital Tampa Florida 33612; Department of Psychology University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620; Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology University of South Florida Tampa Florida 33620
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Homberg JR, Kyzar EJ, Scattoni ML, Norton WH, Pittman J, Gaikwad S, Nguyen M, Poudel MK, Ullmann JFP, Diamond DM, Kaluyeva AA, Parker MO, Brown RE, Song C, Gainetdinov RR, Gottesman II, Kalueff AV. Genetic and environmental modulation of neurodevelopmental disorders: Translational insights from labs to beds. Brain Res Bull 2016; 125:79-91. [PMID: 27113433 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a heterogeneous group of prevalent neuropsychiatric illnesses with various degrees of social, cognitive, motor, language and affective deficits. NDDs are caused by aberrant brain development due to genetic and environmental perturbations. Common NDDs include autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, communication/speech disorders, motor/tic disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Genetic and epigenetic/environmental factors play a key role in these NDDs with significant societal impact. Given the lack of their efficient therapies, it is important to gain further translational insights into the pathobiology of NDDs. To address these challenges, the International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) has established the Strategic Task Force on NDDs. Summarizing the Panel's findings, here we discuss the neurobiological mechanisms of selected common NDDs and a wider NDD+ spectrum of associated neuropsychiatric disorders with developmental trajectories. We also outline the utility of existing preclinical (animal) models for building translational and cross-diagnostic bridges to improve our understanding of various NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Evan J Kyzar
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; The International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) and ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Scattoni
- Department of Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanita, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Julian Pittman
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Troy University, Troy, AL, USA
| | - Siddharth Gaikwad
- The International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) and ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Michael Nguyen
- The International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) and ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA; New York University School of Medicine, NY, NY, USA
| | - Manoj K Poudel
- The International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) and ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Jeremy F P Ullmann
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David M Diamond
- Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; J.A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Research and Development Service, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Aleksandra A Kaluyeva
- The International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) and ZENEREI Research Center, Slidell, LA, USA
| | - Matthew O Parker
- School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK
| | - Richard E Brown
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Cai Song
- Research Institute of Marine Drugs and Nutrition, College of Food Science and Technology, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China; Graduate Institute of Neural and Cognitive Sciences, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Raul R Gainetdinov
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia; Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Skolkovo, Moscow Region, Russia
| | | | - Allan V Kalueff
- Institute of Translational Biomedicine, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia.
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Eisenmann ED, Rorabaugh BR, Zoladz PR. Acute Stress Decreases but Chronic Stress Increases Myocardial Sensitivity to Ischemic Injury in Rodents. Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:71. [PMID: 27199778 PMCID: PMC4843048 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the largest cause of mortality worldwide, and stress is a significant contributor to the development of CVD. The relationship between acute and chronic stress and CVD is well evidenced. Acute stress can lead to arrhythmias and ischemic injury. However, recent evidence in rodent models suggests that acute stress can decrease sensitivity to myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Conversely, chronic stress is arrhythmogenic and increases sensitivity to myocardial IRI. Few studies have examined the impact of validated animal models of stress-related psychological disorders on the ischemic heart. This review examines the work that has been completed using rat models to study the effects of stress on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Utilization of animal models of stress-related psychological disorders is critical in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders in patients experiencing stress-related psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Eisenmann
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada, OH , USA
| | - Boyd R Rorabaugh
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Ohio Northern University , Ada, OH , USA
| | - Phillip R Zoladz
- Department of Psychology, Sociology and Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada, OH , USA
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Halonen JD, Zoladz PR, Park CR, Diamond DM. Behavioral and Neurobiological Assessments of Predator-Based Fear Conditioning and Extinction. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.4236/jbbs.2016.68033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Rorabaugh BR, Krivenko A, Eisenmann ED, Bui AD, Seeley S, Fry ME, Lawson JD, Stoner LE, Johnson BL, Zoladz PR. Sex-dependent effects of chronic psychosocial stress on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Stress 2015; 18:645-53. [PMID: 26458179 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2015.1087505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience many debilitating symptoms, including intrusive memories, persistent anxiety and avoidance of trauma-related cues. PTSD also results in numerous physiological complications, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, characterization of PTSD-induced cardiovascular alterations is lacking, especially in preclinical models of the disorder. Thus, we examined the impact of a psychosocial predator-based animal model of PTSD on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to psychosocial stress or control conditions for 31 days. Stressed rats were given two cat exposures, separated by a period of 10 days, and were subjected to daily social instability throughout the paradigm. Control rats were handled daily for the duration of the experiment. Rats were tested on the elevated plus maze (EPM) on day 32, and hearts were isolated on day 33 and subjected to 20 min ischemia and 2 h reperfusion on a Langendorff isolated heart system. Stressed male and female rats gained less body weight relative to controls, but only stressed males exhibited increased anxiety on the EPM. Male, but not female, rats exposed to psychosocial stress exhibited significantly larger infarcts and attenuated post-ischemic recovery of contractile function compared to controls. Our data demonstrate that predator stress combined with daily social instability sex-dependently increases myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Thus, this manipulation may be useful for studying potential mechanisms underlying cardiovascular alterations in PTSD, as well as sex differences in the cardiovascular stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna Krivenko
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
| | - Eric D Eisenmann
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
| | - Albert D Bui
- a Department of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences and
| | - Sarah Seeley
- a Department of Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Sciences and
| | - Megan E Fry
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
| | - Joseph D Lawson
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
| | - Lauren E Stoner
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
| | - Brandon L Johnson
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
| | - Phillip R Zoladz
- b Department of Psychology , Sociology & Criminal Justice, Ohio Northern University , Ada , OH , USA
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