1
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de Los Ángeles Cintado M, De la Casa LG, González G. Anxiolytic and sedative effects of sodium valproate with different experimental paradigms in male and female rats. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2024. [PMID: 39270067 DOI: 10.1002/npr2.12483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Valproic acid or sodium valproate is a widely used drug in the treatment of epilepsy, although it also appears to have anxiolytic and sedative properties derived from its agonistic action on the GABAergic system. To analyze these potential effects of the drug, we conducted three experiments with rats using procedures designed to assess anxiety in rodents. In the first experiment, with a fear conditioning procedure, three groups of male rats were included that received either 100 mg/kg or 300 mg/kg of valproate or an equivalent volume of saline solution. In Experiment 2, recording spontaneous activity in an open field, we compared the effects of valproic acid (300 mg/kg) on male and female rats. In the third experiment, we analyzed the effect of valproic acid using a novelty-induced hypophagia test and tested again for potential differences as a function of the sex of the animals. The results showed an anxiolytic effect restricted to the 300 mg/kg dose of the drug in Experiment 1. Such an effect was restricted to the female sample in Experiment 2, but in the third experiment affected both sexes. As for the sedative effect, it was observed in all experiments irrespective of the sex of the rats. These findings hold significant implications for the treatment of anxiety disorders since valproate may offer a novel therapeutic approach for anxiety-related conditions with distinct benefits and fewer side effects. However, clinical studies are needed to validate the translation of these findings from animal models to human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- María de Los Ángeles Cintado
- Laboratory of Animal Behavior & Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Luis Gonzalo De la Casa
- Laboratory of Animal Behavior & Neuroscience, Department of Experimental Psychology, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
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2
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Greiner EM, Petrovich GD. Recruitment of hippocampal and thalamic pathways to the central amygdala in the control of feeding behavior under novelty. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:1179-1191. [PMID: 38625554 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-024-02791-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
It is adaptive to restrict eating under uncertainty, such as during habituation to novel foods and unfamiliar environments. However, sustained restrictive eating can become maladaptive. Currently, the neural substrates of restrictive eating are poorly understood. Using a model of feeding avoidance under novelty, our recent study identified forebrain activation patterns and found evidence that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) is a core integrating node. The current study analyzed the activity of CEA inputs in male and female rats to determine if specific pathways are recruited during feeding under novelty. Recruitment of direct inputs from the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), the infralimbic cortex (ILA), the agranular insular cortex (AI), the hippocampal ventral field CA1, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BST) was assessed with combined retrograde tract tracing and Fos induction analysis. The study found that during consumption of a novel food in a novel environment, larger number of neurons within the PVTp and the CA1 that send monosynaptic inputs to the CEA were recruited compared to controls that consumed familiar food in a familiar environment. The ILA, AI, and BST inputs to the CEA were similarly recruited across conditions. There were no sex differences in activation of any of the pathways analyzed. These results suggest that the PVTp-CEA and CA1-CEA pathways underlie feeding inhibition during novelty and could be potential sites of malfunction in excessive food avoidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza M Greiner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Gorica D Petrovich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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3
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Campbell HM, Guo JD, Kuhn CM. Applying the Research Domain Criteria to Rodent Studies of Sex Differences in Chronic Stress Susceptibility. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01351-9. [PMID: 38821193 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Women have a 2-fold increased rate of stress-associated psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, but the mechanisms that underlie this increased susceptibility remain incompletely understood. Historically, female subjects were excluded from preclinical studies and clinical trials. Additionally, chronic stress paradigms used to study psychiatric pathology in animal models were developed for use in males. However, recent changes in National Institutes of Health policy encourage inclusion of female subjects, and considerable work has been performed in recent years to understand biological sex differences that may underlie differences in susceptibility to chronic stress-associated psychiatric conditions. Here, we review the utility as well as current challenges of using the framework of the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria as a transdiagnostic approach to study sex differences in rodent models of chronic stress including recent progress in the study of sex differences in the neurobehavioral domains of negative valence, positive valence, cognition, social processes, and arousal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Campbell
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Jessica D Guo
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Cynthia M Kuhn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina; Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
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Lallai V, Congiu C, Craig G, Manca L, Chen YC, Dukes AJ, Fowler CD, Dazzi L. Social isolation postweaning alters reward-related dopamine dynamics in a region-specific manner in adolescent male rats. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 30:100620. [PMID: 38486879 PMCID: PMC10937317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Early development is characterized by dynamic transitions in brain maturation, which may be impacted by environmental factors. Here, we sought to determine the effects of social isolation from postweaning and during adolescence on reward behavior and dopaminergic signaling in male rats. Subjects were socially isolated or group housed at postnatal day 21. Three weeks later, extracellular dopamine concentrations were examined in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens shell (NAc) during a feeding bout. Surprisingly, opposing effects were found in which increased mPFC dopamine concentrations were observed in group housed, but not isolated, rats. In stark contrast, increased dopamine levels were found in the NAc of isolated, but not group housed, rats. Moreover, the absence of an effect in the mPFC of the isolated rats could not be reversed by subsequent group housing, demonstrating the remarkable long-term effects on dopamine signaling dynamics. When provided a highly palatable food, the isolated subjects exhibited a dramatic increase in mPFC dopamine levels when the chocolate was novel, but no effects following chronic chocolate consumption. In contrast, the group housed subjects showed significantly increased dopamine levels only with chronic chocolate consumption. The dopamine changes were correlated with differences in behavioral measures. Importantly, the deficit in reward-related behavior during isolation could be reversed by microinjection of either dopamine or cocaine into the mPFC. Together, these data provide evidence that social isolation from postweaning and during adolescence alters reward-induced dopamine levels in a brain region-specific manner, which has important functional implications for reward-related behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Lallai
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Cristina Congiu
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Giulia Craig
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Letizia Manca
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Yen-Chu Chen
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Angeline J. Dukes
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Christie D. Fowler
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Laura Dazzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Anthropology, Centre of Excellence for the Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, 09042, Monserrato, CA, Italy
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5
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Greiner EM, Witt ME, Moran SJ, Petrovich GD. Activation patterns in male and female forebrain circuitries during food consumption under novelty. Brain Struct Funct 2024; 229:403-429. [PMID: 38193917 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02742-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The influence of novelty on feeding behavior is significant and can override both homeostatic and hedonic drives due to the uncertainty of potential danger. Previous work found that novel food hypophagia is enhanced in a novel environment and that males habituate faster than females. The current study's aim was to identify the neural substrates of separate effects of food and context novelty. Adult male and female rats were tested for consumption of a novel or familiar food in either a familiar or in a novel context. Test-induced Fos expression was measured in the amygdalar, thalamic, striatal, and prefrontal cortex regions that are important for appetitive responding, contextual processing, and reward motivation. Food and context novelty induced strikingly different activation patterns. Novel context induced Fos robustly in almost every region analyzed, including the central (CEA) and basolateral complex nuclei of the amygdala, the thalamic paraventricular (PVT) and reuniens nuclei, the nucleus accumbens (ACB), the medial prefrontal cortex prelimbic and infralimbic areas, and the dorsal agranular insular cortex (AI). Novel food induced Fos in a few select regions: the CEA, anterior basomedial nucleus of the amygdala, anterior PVT, and posterior AI. There were also sex differences in activation patterns. The capsular and lateral CEA had greater activation for male groups and the anterior PVT, ACB ventral core and shell had greater activation for female groups. These activation patterns and correlations between regions, suggest that distinct functional circuitries control feeding behavior when food is novel and when eating occurs in a novel environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza M Greiner
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Mary E Witt
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Stephanie J Moran
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Gorica D Petrovich
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
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6
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Oak S, Nguyen C, Rodney-Hernández P, Rincón-Cortés M. Behavioral responses to natural rewards in developing male and female rats. Dev Psychobiol 2024; 66:e22448. [PMID: 38131245 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Reward deficits are a hallmark feature of multiple psychiatric disorders and often recapitulated in rodent models useful for the study of psychiatric disorders, including those employing early life stress. Moreover, rodent studies have shown sex differences during adulthood in response to natural and drug rewards under normative conditions and in stress-based rodent models. Yet, little is known about the development of reward-related responses under normative conditions, including how these may differ in rats of both sexes during early development. Comparing reward-related behavioral responses between developing male and female rats may be useful for understanding how these processes may be affected in rodent models relevant to psychiatric disorders. To this end, we tested behavioral responses to natural rewards in male and female rats using sucrose consumption, sweet palatable food intake and social play tests at two timepoints (peripuberty, adolescence). Our results suggest comparable responses to consummatory and social rewards in male and female rats during peripuberty and adolescence as no sex differences were found for sucrose preference, chocolate candy intake or a subset of play behaviors (dorsal contacts, pins). These findings suggest that sex differences in response to these natural rewards emerge and may be more robust during adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasha Oak
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | - Christine Nguyen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
| | | | - Millie Rincón-Cortés
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas, USA
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7
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Aguirre López LO, Cuéllar Pérez JR, Santerre A, Moreno YS, Hernández De Anda Y, Bañuelos Pineda J. Effect of consumption of blue maize tortilla on anxiety-like behaviour, learning, memory and hippocampal BDNF expression in a chronic stress model in rats. Nutr Neurosci 2023; 26:1058-1067. [PMID: 36173025 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2022.2126757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pigmented maize consumption is of much interest because of its high anthocyanin content and multiple health benefits. OBJETIVES This study was aimed to assess the effect of consuming blue maize tortillas on the anxiolytic capacity, preserve emotional memory, and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rats subjected to chronic stress. METHODS Sixty-four 3-month-old male Wistar rats were used, divided into eight groups (n = 8). Four groups were subjected to chronic stress by movement restriction (7 h/daily/7 consecutive days) and the remaining four groups were subjected to standard management. The treatments were commercial food, blue tortilla, anthocyanin extract, or white tortilla, administered for nine weeks to stressed or unstressed animals. In the eighth week, the animals were subjected to the restraint stress model. Subsequently, anxiety-like behaviour was assessed using the elevated plus-maze, and memory and emotional learning were evaluated by the step-down passive avoidance test. The animals were then sacrificed to quantify the relative expression of hippocampal BDNF by RT-qPCR. RESULTS The consumption of anthocyanin extract or tortilla made with blue corn decreased anxiety-like behaviours, additionally, it improved the ability to retain emotionally relevant information, and it upregulated BDNF mRNA expression. PERSPECTIVE Thus, the analyse of the impact of blue tortilla consumption on the nervous system is now necessary to guarantee the nutraceutical value of this food.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anne Santerre
- Laboratorio de Biomarcadores Moleculares en Biomedicina y Ecología, Universidad de Guadalajara, Zapopan, México
| | - Yolanda Salinas Moreno
- Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Tepatitlán, México
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8
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Greiner EM, Petrovich G. Recruitment of Hippocampal and Thalamic Pathways to the Central Amygdala in the Control of Feeding Behavior Under Novelty. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3328572. [PMID: 37790294 PMCID: PMC10543251 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3328572/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
It is adaptive to restrict eating under uncertainty, such as during habituation to novel foods and unfamiliar environments. However, sustained restrictive eating is a core symptom of eating disorders and has serious long-term health consequences. Current therapeutic efforts are limited, because the neural substrates of restrictive eating are poorly understood. Using a model of feeding avoidance under novelty, our recent study identified forebrain activation patterns and found evidence that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CEA) is a core integrating node. The current study analyzed the activity of CEA inputs in male and female rats to determine if specific pathways are recruited during feeding under novelty. Recruitment of direct inputs from the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), the infralimbic cortex (ILA), the agranular insular cortex (AI), the hippocampal ventral field CA1, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BST) was assessed with combined retrograde tract tracing and Fos induction analysis. The study found that during consumption of a novel food in a novel environment, larger number of neurons within the PVTp and the CA1 that send monosynaptic inputs to the CEA were recruited compared to controls that consumed familiar food in a familiar environment. The ILA, AI, and BST inputs to the CEA were similarly recruited across conditions. There were no sex differences in activation of any of the pathways analyzed. These results suggest that the PVTp-CEA and CA1-CEA pathways underlie feeding inhibition during novelty and could be potential sites of malfunction in excessive food avoidance.
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9
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Greiner EM, Witt ME, Moran SJ, Petrovich GD. Activation patterns in male and female forebrain circuitries during food consumption under novelty. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3328570. [PMID: 37790415 PMCID: PMC10543437 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3328570/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
The influence of novelty on feeding behavior is significant and can override both homeostatic and hedonic drives due to the uncertainty of potential danger. Previous work found that novel food hypophagia is enhanced in a novel environment and that males habituate faster than females. The current study's aim was to identify the neural substrates of separate effects of food and context novelty. Adult male and female rats were tested for consumption of a novel or family food in either a familiar or in a novel context. Test-induced Fos expression was measured in the amygdalar, thalamic, striatal, and prefrontal cortex regions that are important for appetitive responding, contextual processing, and reward motivation. Food and context novelty induced strikingly different activation patterns. Novel context induced Fos robustly in almost every region analyzed, including the central (CEA) and basolateral complex nuclei of the amygdala, the thalamic paraventricular (PVT) and reuniens nuclei, the nucleus accumbens (ACB), the medial prefrontal cortex prelimbic and infralimbic areas, and the dorsal agranular insular cortex (AI). Novel food induced Fos in a few select regions: the CEA, anterior basomedial nucleus of the amygdala, anterior PVT, and posterior AI. There were also sex differences in activation patterns. The capsular and lateral CEA had greater activation for male groups and the anterior PVT, ACB ventral core and shell had greater activation for female groups. These activation patterns and correlations between regions, suggest that distinct functional circuitries control feeding behavior when food is novel and when eating occurs in a novel environment.
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10
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Zhou SF, Li SJ, Zhao TS, Liu Y, Li CQ, Cui YH, Li F. Female rats prefer to forage food from males, an effect that is not influenced by stress. Behav Brain Res 2023; 452:114597. [PMID: 37487838 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
As social beings, animals and humans alike make real life decisions that are often influenced by other members. Most current research has focused on the influence of same-sex peers on individual decision-making, with potential opposite sex effect scarcely explored. Here, we developed a behavioral model to observe food foraging decision-making in female rats under various social situations. We found that female rats preferred to forage food from male over female rats or from the no-rat storage side. Female rats were more likely to forage food from familiar males than from unfamiliar. This opposite-sex preference was not altered by the lure of sweet food, or with estrous cycle, nor under stress conditions. These results suggest that the opposite sex influences food foraging decision-making in female rats. The behavioral model established could facilitate future investigation into the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Fen Zhou
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Song-Ji Li
- The International-Joint Lab for Non-invasive Neural Modulation/Key Laboratory for the Brain Research of Henan Province, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
| | - Tian-Shu Zhao
- Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Chang-Qi Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Yan-Hui Cui
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
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11
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Ruvira S, Rodríguez-Rodríguez P, Cañas S, Ramiro-Cortijo D, Aguilera Y, Muñoz-Valverde D, Arribas SM. Evaluation of Parameters Which Influence Voluntary Ingestion of Supplements in Rats. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1827. [PMID: 37889721 PMCID: PMC10251944 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug safety and efficacy studies frequently use oral gavage, but repetitive usage may cause problems. Administration through voluntary ingestion represents an opportunity for refinement. We aimed to develop a protocol for voluntary ingestion of gelatin-based supplements in rats, assessing the influence of age, sex, fasting (4 h), and additives (vanilla, VF; sucralose, S), and to test it in lactating dams. Three-week-old and 5-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats were placed individually in an empty cage containing a gelatin cube and trained daily (5 days/week), recording the day the whole cube was consumed (latency). Rats trained prior to gestation were offered a gelatin containing 250 mg/kg cocoa shell extract (CSE) during lactation. Rats that did not eat the cube after 8 training days were considered non-habituated, with a proportion similar in young males (7.1%), young females (11.1%), and adult females (10.3%), but significantly higher in adult males (39.3%). Excluding non-habituated rats, latency was 2-3 days, without differences between young and adult rats (p = 0.657) or between males and females (p = 0.189). VF or VF + S in the gelatin did not modify latency, while fasting significantly reduced it in females (p = 0.007) but not in males (p = 0.501). During lactation, trained females ate the CSE-gelatin within 1-5 min without litter problems. Conclusions: Acceptance of a gelatin-based supplement is negatively influenced by male sex, facilitated by fasting, and not modified by additives. Training is remembered after 2 months and does not interfere with lactation. Gelatin-based voluntary ingestion is suitable to administer drugs that need to pass through the digestive system, ensuring adequate dosage, and is important to detect non-habituated rats prior to the study. The current protocol may be implemented by training the rats in their own cage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Ruvira
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia Cañas
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM-CSIC), C/Nicolás Cabrera 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ramiro-Cortijo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda Aguilera
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Science, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Francisco Tomás y Valiente 7, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Food Science Research (CIAL), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM-CSIC), C/Nicolás Cabrera 9, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - David Muñoz-Valverde
- Animal House Facility, Veterinary Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvia M Arribas
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/Arzobispo Morcillo 2, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Food, Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Health (FOSCH) Research Group, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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Within versus between group designs, and not timing of onset of puberty, influence sex and age differences in intake of palatable food in rats. Physiol Behav 2022; 257:113997. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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13
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Sena KD, Beierle JA, Richardson KT, Kantak KM, Bryant CD. Assessment of Binge-Like Eating of Unsweetened vs. Sweetened Chow Pellets in BALB/c Substrains. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:944890. [PMID: 35910681 PMCID: PMC9337213 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.944890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge eating disorder (BED) is defined as chronic episodes of consuming large amounts of food in less than 2 h. Binge eating disorder poses a serious public health problem, as it increases the risk of obesity, type II diabetes, and heart disease. Binge eating is a highly heritable trait; however, its genetic basis remains largely unexplored. We employed a mouse model for binge eating that focused on identifying heritable differences between inbred substrains in acute and escalated intake of sucrose-sweetened palatable food vs. unsweetened chow pellets in a limited, intermittent access paradigm. In the present study, we examined two genetically similar substrains of BALB/c mice for escalation in food consumption, incubation of craving after a no-food training period, and compulsive-like food consumption in an aversive context. BALB/cJ and BALB/cByJ mice showed comparable levels of acute and escalated consumption of palatable food across training trials. Surprisingly, BALB/cByJ mice also showed binge-like eating of the unsweetened chow pellets similar to the escalation in palatable food intake of both substrains. Finally, we replicated the well-documented decrease in anxiety-like behavior in BALB/cByJ mice in the light-dark conflict test that likely contributed to greater palatable food intake than BALB/cJ in the light arena. To summarize, BALB/cByJ mice show binge-like eating in the presence and absence of sucrose. Possible explanations for the lack of selectivity in binge-like eating across diets (e.g., novelty preference, taste) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine D. Sena
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jacob A. Beierle
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kayla T. Richardson
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Kantak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Camron D. Bryant
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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Emtyazi D, Rabelo TK, Katzman H, Campos AC, Diwan M, Gidyk D, Rabelo Dos Santos P, Giacobbe P, Lipsman N, Aubert I, Hamani C. Sex differences in long-term fear and anxiety-like responses in a preclinical model of PTSD. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 151:619-625. [PMID: 35640386 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
With a high prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in females, studying sex differences in preclinical models is of substantial importance. We have previously employed behavioural criteria to identify and characterize a subpopulation of rats that presented impaired fear extinction and long-term fear and anxiety responses following fear conditioning. We now exposed male and female rats to fear conditioning and extinction and segregated the animals into weak- (WE) and strong-extinction (SE) groups based on behavioural scores during extinction. Animals were subsequently tested for tone and context recall, as well as anxiety-like responses in the marble burying and novelty suppression of feeding (NSF) tests. Vaginal lavages were collected to characterize the phase of the estrous cycle during fear extinction. We found that females had reduced freezing during tone recall and a lower latency to feed in the NSF test. No differences were found in females undergoing extinction during high and low estrogen phases of the cycle in any of the performed tests. Overall, the percentage of animals that presented WE and SE phenotypes was similar in males and females. Both, WE males and females had increased freezing during tone and context recall. Along with our previous reports, WE males presented anxiety-like responses, particularly in the NSF compared to SE animals. In contrast, WE females buried less marbles than their SE mates. Future investigation including a larger number of behavioural tests are certainly required to corroborate our findings and ascertain potential mechanisms to explain the differences observed in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delara Emtyazi
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Thallita Kelly Rabelo
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Hailey Katzman
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Ana Carolina Campos
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Mustansir Diwan
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Darryl Gidyk
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | | | - Peter Giacobbe
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Nir Lipsman
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - Isabelle Aubert
- Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Clement Hamani
- Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Hurvitz Brain Sciences Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada; Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M4N 3M5, Canada.
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A Framework for Developing Translationally Relevant Animal Models of Stress-Induced Changes in Eating Behavior. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:888-897. [PMID: 34433512 PMCID: PMC8720907 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Stress often affects eating behaviors, leading to increased eating in some individuals and decreased eating in others. Identifying physiological and psychological factors that determine the direction of eating responses to stress has been a major goal of epidemiological and clinical studies. However, challenges of standardizing the stress exposure in humans hinder efforts to uncover the underlying mechanisms. The issue of what determines the direction of stress-induced feeding responses has not been directly addressed in animal models, but assays that combine stress with a feeding-related task are commonly used as readouts of other behaviors, such as anxiety. Sex, estrous cyclicity, circadian cyclicity, caloric restriction, palatable diets, elevated body weight, and properties of the stressors similarly influence feeding behavior in humans and rodent models. Yet, most rodent studies do not use conditions that are most relevant for studying feeding behavior in humans. This review proposes a conceptual framework for incorporating these influences to develop reproducible and translationally relevant assays to study effects of stress on food intake. Such paradigms have the potential to uncover links between emotional eating and obesity as well as to the etiology of eating disorders.
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Lallai V, Manca L, Sherafat Y, Fowler CD. Effects of Prenatal Nicotine, THC, or Co-Exposure on Cognitive Behaviors in Adolescent Male and Female Rats. Nicotine Tob Res 2022; 24:1150-1160. [PMID: 35090174 PMCID: PMC9278841 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntac018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although there has been a decrease in the prevalence of tobacco smoking, exposure to nicotine during pregnancy remains a substantial problem worldwide. Further, given the recent escalation in e-cigarette use and legalization of cannabis, it has become essential to understand the effects of nicotine and cannabinoid co-exposure during early developmental stages. AIMS AND METHODS We systematically examined the effects of nicotine and/or THC prenatal exposure on cognitive behaviors in male and female offspring. Dams were exposed to nicotine vape or vehicle, and oral edible THC or vehicle, throughout pregnancy. Adolescent offspring were then tested in the prepulse inhibition test, novel object recognition task, and novelty suppressed feeding task. RESULTS At birth, pups from mothers exposed to nicotine vape or oral THC exhibited reduced body weight, compared to control pups. Prenatal nicotine vape exposure resulted in a decreased baseline startle reactivity in adolescent male and female rats, and in females, enhanced sensorimotor gating in the prepulse inhibition test. Prenatal nicotine and THC co-exposure resulted in significant deficits in the prepulse inhibition test in males. Deficits in short-term memory were also found in males prenatally exposed to THC, either alone or with nicotine co-exposure, and in females exposed to THC alone. Finally, in males, a modest increase in anxiety-associated behaviors was found with THC or nicotine exposure in the latency to approach a novel palatable food. CONCLUSIONS These studies demonstrate differential effects of prenatal exposure to e-cigarette nicotine vape and/or edible THC on cognitive function, with differing effects within male and female groups. IMPLICATIONS These studies demonstrate an impact of nicotine, THC, or co-exposure during early developmental stages in utero on behavioral outcomes in adolescence. These findings have important translational implications given the continued use of nicotine and THC containing products by pregnant women worldwide, which can be applied to support healthcare and policy efforts restricting nicotine and THC use during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Lallai
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Letizia Manca
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Yasmine Sherafat
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Christie D Fowler
- Corresponding Author: Christie D. Fowler, PhD, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California Irvine, 1232 McGaugh Hall, Irvine, CA 92697-4550, USA. Telephone: 949-824-8363; Fax: 949-824-2447; E-mail:
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