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Peng A, Chai J, Wu H, Bai B, Yang H, He W, Zhao Y. New Therapeutic Targets and Drugs for Schizophrenia Beyond Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2024; 20:607-620. [PMID: 38525480 PMCID: PMC10961082 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s455279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a disease with a complex pathological mechanism that is influenced by multiple genes. The study of its pathogenesis is dominated by the dopamine hypothesis, as well as other hypotheses such as the 5-hydroxytryptamine hypothesis, glutamate hypothesis, immune-inflammatory hypothesis, gene expression abnormality hypothesis, and neurodevelopmental abnormality hypothesis. The first generation of antipsychotics was developed based on dopaminergic receptor antagonism, which blocks dopamine D2 receptors in the brain to exert antipsychotic effects. The second generation of antipsychotics acts by dual blockade of 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine receptors. From the third generation of antipsychotics onwards, the therapeutic targets for antipsychotic schizophrenia expanded beyond D2 receptor blockade to explore D2 receptor partial agonism and the antipsychotic effects of new targets such as D3, 5-HT1A, 5-HT7, and mGlu2/3 receptors. The main advantages of the second and third generation antipsychotics over first-generation antipsychotics are the reduction of side effects and the improvement of negative symptoms, and even though third-generation antipsychotics do not directly block D2 receptors, the modulation of the dopamine transmitter system is still an important part of their antipsychotic process. According to recent research, several receptors, including 5-hydroxytryptamine, glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid, acetylcholine receptors and norepinephrine, play a role in the development of schizophrenia. Therefore, the focus of developing new antipsychotic drugs has shifted towards agonism or inhibition of these receptors. Specifically, the development of NMDARs stimulants, GABA receptor agonists, mGlu receptor modulators, cholinergic receptor modulators, 5-HT2C receptor agonists and alpha-2 receptor modulators has become the main direction. Animal experiments have confirmed the antipsychotic effects of these drugs, but their pharmacokinetics and clinical applicability still require further exploration. Research on alternative targets for antipsychotic drugs, beyond the dopamine D2 receptor, has expanded the potential treatment options for schizophrenia and gives an important way to address the challenge of refractory schizophrenia. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the research on therapeutic targets and medications for schizophrenia, offering valuable insights for both treatment and further research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aineng Peng
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianbo Chai
- Heilongjiang Mental Hospital, Harbin, 150036, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiyuan Wu
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing Bai
- Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, 311100, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huihui Yang
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weizhi He
- Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yonghou Zhao
- Heilongjiang Mental Hospital, Harbin, 150036, People’s Republic of China
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de Bartolomeis A, Ciccarelli M, De Simone G, Mazza B, Barone A, Vellucci L. Canonical and Non-Canonical Antipsychotics' Dopamine-Related Mechanisms of Present and Next Generation Molecules: A Systematic Review on Translational Highlights for Treatment Response and Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065945. [PMID: 36983018 PMCID: PMC10051989 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric illness affecting almost 25 million people worldwide and is conceptualized as a disorder of synaptic plasticity and brain connectivity. Antipsychotics are the primary pharmacological treatment after more than sixty years after their introduction in therapy. Two findings hold true for all presently available antipsychotics. First, all antipsychotics occupy the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) as an antagonist or partial agonist, even if with different affinity; second, D2R occupancy is the necessary and probably the sufficient mechanism for antipsychotic effect despite the complexity of antipsychotics' receptor profile. D2R occupancy is followed by coincident or divergent intracellular mechanisms, implying the contribution of cAMP regulation, β-arrestin recruitment, and phospholipase A activation, to quote some of the mechanisms considered canonical. However, in recent years, novel mechanisms related to dopamine function beyond or together with D2R occupancy have emerged. Among these potentially non-canonical mechanisms, the role of Na2+ channels at the dopamine at the presynaptic site, dopamine transporter (DAT) involvement as the main regulator of dopamine concentration at synaptic clefts, and the putative role of antipsychotics as chaperones for intracellular D2R sequestration, should be included. These mechanisms expand the fundamental role of dopamine in schizophrenia therapy and may have relevance to considering putatively new strategies for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), an extremely severe condition epidemiologically relevant and affecting almost 30% of schizophrenia patients. Here, we performed a critical evaluation of the role of antipsychotics in synaptic plasticity, focusing on their canonical and non-canonical mechanisms of action relevant to the treatment of schizophrenia and their subsequent implication for the pathophysiology and potential therapy of TRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea de Bartolomeis
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Ciccarelli
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe De Simone
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Benedetta Mazza
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Barone
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Licia Vellucci
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy
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Ren Y, Savadlou A, Park S, Siska P, Epp JR, Sargin D. The impact of loneliness and social isolation on the development of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's Disease. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 69:101061. [PMID: 36758770 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia, observed at a higher incidence in women compared with men. Treatments aimed at improving pathology in AD remain ineffective to stop disease progression. This makes the detection of the early intervention strategies to reduce future disease risk extremely important. Isolation and loneliness have been identified among the major risk factors for AD. The increasing prevalence of both loneliness and AD emphasizes the urgent need to understand this association to inform treatment. Here we present a comprehensive review of both clinical and preclinical studies that investigated loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for AD. We discuss that understanding the mechanisms of how loneliness exacerbates cognitive impairment and AD with a focus on sex differences will shed the light for the underlying mechanisms regarding loneliness as a risk factor for AD and to develop effective prevention or treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ren
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Aisouda Savadlou
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Soobin Park
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Paul Siska
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Epp
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Canada; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Derya Sargin
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Canada; Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Canada.
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Bio-behavioural changes in treatment-resistant socially isolated FSL rats show variable or improved response to combined fluoxetine-olanzapine versus olanzapine treatment. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2022; 13:284-298. [PMID: 36204253 PMCID: PMC9529672 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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The α 2C-adrenoceptor antagonist JP-1302 controls behavioral parameters, tyrosine hydroxylase activity and receptor expression in a rat model of ketamine-induced schizophrenia-like deficits. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 221:173490. [PMID: 36379444 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173490] [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: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic disabling disease affecting 1 % of the population. Current antipsychotics have limited efficacy in mitigating the severity of the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, searching for new therapeutic targets is essential. Previous studies have shown that α2C-adrenoceptor antagonists may have antipsychotic and pro-cognitive effects. Therefore, the current study evaluates the behavioral and neurochemical effects of JP-1302, a selective α2C-adrenoceptor antagonist, in a model of schizophrenia-like deficits induced by sub-chronic ketamine (KET) administration. Here, we administered ketamine (25 mg/kg, i.p.) to male and female Wistar rats for eight consecutive days. On the last two days of ketamine administration, rats were pretreated with either JP-1302 (1-3-10 μmol/kg, i.p.), chlorpromazine (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.), or saline, and the behavioral tests were performed. Behaviors related to positive (locomotor activity), negative (social interaction), and cognitive (novel object recognition) symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed. Glutamate, glutamine, GABA levels, and α2C-adrenoceptor expression were measured in the frontal cortex and the hippocampus. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunocytochemical reactivity was also shown in the midbrain regions. Sub-chronic ketamine administration increased locomotor activity and produced robust social interaction and object recognition deficits, and JP-1302 significantly ameliorated ketamine-induced cognitive deficits. Ketamine induced a hyperdopaminergic activity in the striatum, which was reversed by the treatment with JP-1302. Also, the α2C-adrenoceptor expression was higher in the frontal cortex and hippocampus in the ketamine-treated rats. Our findings confirm that α2C-adrenoceptor antagonism may be a potential drug target for treating cognitive disorders related to schizophrenia.
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Alluri S, Eisenberg SM, Grisanti LA, Tanner M, Volkow ND, Kim SW, Kil KE. Preclinical evaluation of new C-11 labeled benzo-1,4-dioxane PET radiotracers for brain α2C adrenergic receptors. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114764. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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de Bartolomeis A, Vellucci L, Barone A, Manchia M, De Luca V, Iasevoli F, Correll CU. Clozapine's multiple cellular mechanisms: What do we know after more than fifty years? A systematic review and critical assessment of translational mechanisms relevant for innovative strategies in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 236:108236. [PMID: 35764175 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Almost fifty years after its first introduction into clinical care, clozapine remains the only evidence-based pharmacological option for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), which affects approximately 30% of patients with schizophrenia. Despite the long-time experience with clozapine, the specific mechanism of action (MOA) responsible for its superior efficacy among antipsychotics is still elusive, both at the receptor and intracellular signaling level. This systematic review is aimed at critically assessing the role and specific relevance of clozapine's multimodal actions, dissecting those mechanisms that under a translational perspective could shed light on molecular targets worth to be considered for further innovative antipsychotic development. In vivo and in vitro preclinical findings, supported by innovative techniques and methods, together with pharmacogenomic and in vivo functional studies, point to multiple and possibly overlapping MOAs. To better explore this crucial issue, the specific affinity for 5-HT2R, D1R, α2c, and muscarinic receptors, the relatively low occupancy at dopamine D2R, the interaction with receptor dimers, as well as the potential confounder effects resulting in biased ligand action, and lastly, the role of the moiety responsible for lipophilic and alkaline features of clozapine are highlighted. Finally, the role of transcription and protein changes at the synaptic level, and the possibility that clozapine can directly impact synaptic architecture are addressed. Although clozapine's exact MOAs that contribute to its unique efficacy and some of its severe adverse effects have not been fully understood, relevant information can be gleaned from recent mechanistic understandings that may help design much needed additional therapeutic strategies for TRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea de Bartolomeis
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
| | - Licia Vellucci
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Annarita Barone
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Mirko Manchia
- Section of Psychiatry, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | | | - Felice Iasevoli
- Section of Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment Resistant Psychosis, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Dentistry, University Medical School of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy
| | - Christoph U Correll
- The Zucker Hillside Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Northwell Health, Glen Oaks, NY, USA; Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Department of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA; Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Berlin, Germany
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8
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Wang S, Haikarainen A, Pohjakallio A, Sipilä J, Kaskinoro J, Juhila S, Jalava N, Koskinen M, Vesajoki M, Kumpulainen E, Pystynen J, Koskelainen T, Holm P, Din Belle D. 2,3-Dihydrobenzo-dioxine piperidine derivatives as potent and selective α2c antagonists. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 69:128783. [PMID: 35569686 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
In this manuscript, we report a series of benzodioxine methyl piperidine derivatives as highly potent and selective α2C antagonists by ligand design to improve the pharmacokinetics of a previous candidate molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shouming Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland.
| | - Anssi Haikarainen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Antti Pohjakallio
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Julius Sipilä
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Janne Kaskinoro
- Department of DMPK & Safety Science, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Satu Juhila
- Department of DMPK & Safety Science, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Niina Jalava
- Department of CNS Research, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Tengströminkatu 8, 20360, Turku, Finland
| | - Mikko Koskinen
- Department of DMPK & Safety Science, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Marja Vesajoki
- Department of Biology, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Tengströminkatu 8, 20360 Turku, Finland
| | - Esa Kumpulainen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Jarmo Pystynen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Tuula Koskelainen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - Patrik Holm
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
| | - David Din Belle
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Orion Corporation Orion Pharma, Orionintie 1, PL 65, FI-02101, Finland
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Brocos-Mosquera I, Gabilondo AM, Diez-Alarcia R, Muguruza C, Erdozain AM, Meana JJ, Callado LF. α 2A- and α 2C-adrenoceptor expression and functionality in postmortem prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia subjects. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2021; 52:3-11. [PMID: 34237656 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2021.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous evidence suggests that α2-adrenoceptors (α2-AR) may be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However, postmortem brain studies on α2-AR expression and functionality in schizophrenia are scarce. The aim of our work was to evaluate α2A-AR and α2C-AR expression in different subcellular fractions of prefrontal cortex postmortem tissue from antipsychotic-free (absence of antipsychotics in blood at the time of death) (n = 12) and antipsychotic-treated (n = 12) subjects with schizophrenia, and matched controls (n = 24). Functional coupling of α2-AR to Gα proteins induced by the agonist UK14304 was also tested. Additionally, Gα protein expression was also evaluated. In antipsychotic-free schizophrenia subjects, α2A-AR and α2C-AR protein expression was similar to controls in all the subcellular fractions. Conversely, in antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia subjects, increased α2A-AR expression was found in synaptosomal plasma membrane and postsynaptic density (PSD) fractions (+60% and +79% vs controls, respectively) with no significant changes in α2C-AR. [35S]GTPγS SPA experiments showed a significant lower stimulation of Gαi2 and Gαi3 proteins by UK14304 in antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia subjects, whereas stimulation in antipsychotic-free schizophrenia subjects remained unchanged. Gαo protein stimulation was significantly decreased in both antipsychotic-free and antipsychotic-treated schizophrenia subjects compared to controls. Expression of Gαi3 protein did not differ between groups, whereas Gαi2 levels were increased in PSD of schizophrenia subjects, both antipsychotic-free and antipsychotic-treated. Gαo protein expression was increased in PSD of antipsychotic-treated subjects and in the presynaptic fraction of antipsychotic-free schizophrenia subjects. The present results suggest that antipsychotic treatment is able to modify in opposite directions both the protein expression and the functionality of α2A-AR in the cortex of schizophrenia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iria Brocos-Mosquera
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Ane M Gabilondo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Rebeca Diez-Alarcia
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Carolina Muguruza
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - Amaia M Erdozain
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain
| | - J Javier Meana
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Luis F Callado
- Department of Pharmacology, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Leioa, Bizkaia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Bizkaia, Spain.
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Mncube K, Möller M, Harvey BH. Post-weaning Social Isolated Flinders Sensitive Line Rats Display Bio-Behavioural Manifestations Resistant to Fluoxetine: A Model of Treatment-Resistant Depression. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:688150. [PMID: 34867504 PMCID: PMC8635751 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.688150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) complicates the management of major depression (MD). The underlying biology of TRD involves interplay between genetic propensity and chronic and/or early life adversity. By combining a genetic animal model of MD and post-weaning social isolation rearing (SIR), we sought to produce an animal that displays more severe depressive- and social anxiety-like manifestations resistant to standard antidepressant treatment. Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) pups were social or isolation reared from weaning [postnatal day (PND) 21], receiving fluoxetine (FLX) from PND 63 (10 mg/kg × 14 days), and compared to Sprague Dawley (SD) controls. Depressive-, anxiety-like, and social behaviour were assessed from PND 72 in the forced swim test (FST) and social interaction test (SIT). Post-mortem cortico-hippocampal norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT), and dopamine (DA), as well as plasma interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), corticosterone (CORT), and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) levels were assayed. FSL rats displayed significant cortico-hippocampal monoamine disturbances, and depressive- and social anxiety-like behaviour, the latter two reversed by FLX. SIR-exposed FSL rats exhibited significant immobility in the FST and social impairment which were, respectively, worsened by or resistant to FLX. In SIR-exposed FSL rats, FLX significantly raised depleted NE and 5-HT, significantly decreased DBH and caused a large effect size increase in DA and decrease in CORT and TNF-α. Concluding, SIR-exposed FSL rats display depressive- and social anxiety-like symptoms that are resistant to, or worsened by, FLX, with reduced plasma DBH and suppressed cortico-hippocampal 5-HT, NE and DA, all variably altered by FLX. Exposure of a genetic animal model of MD to post-weaning SIR results in a more intractable depressive-like phenotype as well as changes in TRD-related biomarkers, that are resistant to traditional antidepressant treatment. Given the relative absence of validated animal models of TRD, these findings are especially promising and warrant study, especially further predictive validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khulekani Mncube
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PharmaCen), Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Marisa Möller
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PharmaCen), Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Brian H Harvey
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PharmaCen), Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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11
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Phencyclidine-induced cognitive impairments in repeated touchscreen visual reversal learning tests in rats. Behav Brain Res 2020; 404:113057. [PMID: 33316322 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.113057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Reversal learning, a component of executive functioning, is commonly impaired among schizophrenia patients and is lacking effective treatment. N-methyl-ᴅ-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, such as phencyclidine (PCP), impair reversal learning of rodents. Touchscreen-based pairwise visual discrimination and reversal test is a translational tool to assess reversal learning in rodents. However, to fully exploit this task in testing of novel compounds, it is necessary to perform several reversal learning experiments with trained animals. Firstly, we assessed whether PCP-induced deficits in visual reversal learning in rats would be detectable with a short (5 sessions) reversal learning phase, and whether the short reversal phases could be repeated with novel stimulus pairs. Secondly, we assessed whether the PCP-induced deficits in reversal learning could be seen upon repeated PCP challenges with the same animals. Finally, we tested the effect of a novel compound, a selective α2C adrenoceptor antagonist, ORM-13070, to reverse PCP-induced cognitive deficits in this model. A 4-day PCP treatment at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg/day impaired early reversal learning in male Lister Hooded rats without inducing non-specific behavioral effects. We repeated the reversal learning experiment four times using different stimulus pairs with the same animals, and the PCP-induced impairment was evident in every single experiment. The α2C adrenoceptor antagonist ameliorated the PCP-induced cognitive deficits. Our results suggest that repeated PCP challenges in the touchscreen set-up induce schizophrenia-like cognitive deficits in visual reversal learning, improve throughput of the test and provide a protocol for testing novel drugs.
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Szechtman H, Harvey BH, Woody EZ, Hoffman KL. The Psychopharmacology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Preclinical Roadmap. Pharmacol Rev 2020; 72:80-151. [PMID: 31826934 DOI: 10.1124/pr.119.017772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
This review evaluates current knowledge about obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with the goal of providing a roadmap for future directions in research on the psychopharmacology of the disorder. It first addresses issues in the description and diagnosis of OCD, including the structure, measurement, and appropriate description of the disorder and issues of differential diagnosis. Current pharmacotherapies for OCD are then reviewed, including monotherapy with serotonin reuptake inhibitors and augmentation with antipsychotic medication and with psychologic treatment. Neuromodulatory therapies for OCD are also described, including psychosurgery, deep brain stimulation, and noninvasive brain stimulation. Psychotherapies for OCD are then reviewed, focusing on behavior therapy, including exposure and response prevention and cognitive therapy, and the efficacy of these interventions is discussed, touching on issues such as the timing of sessions, the adjunctive role of pharmacotherapy, and the underlying mechanisms. Next, current research on the neurobiology of OCD is examined, including work probing the role of various neurotransmitters and other endogenous processes and etiology as clues to the neurobiological fault that may underlie OCD. A new perspective on preclinical research is advanced, using the Research Domain Criteria to propose an adaptationist viewpoint that regards OCD as the dysfunction of a normal motivational system. A systems-design approach introduces the security motivation system (SMS) theory of OCD as a framework for research. Finally, a new perspective on psychopharmacological research for OCD is advanced, exploring three approaches: boosting infrastructure facilities of the brain, facilitating psychotherapeutic relearning, and targeting specific pathways of the SMS network to fix deficient SMS shut-down processes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: A significant proportion of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) do not achieve remission with current treatments, indicating the need for innovations in psychopharmacology for the disorder. OCD may be conceptualized as the dysfunction of a normal, special motivation system that evolved to manage the prospect of potential danger. This perspective, together with a wide-ranging review of the literature, suggests novel directions for psychopharmacological research, including boosting support systems of the brain, facilitating relearning that occurs in psychotherapy, and targeting specific pathways in the brain that provide deficient stopping processes in OCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Szechtman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (H.S.); SAMRC Unit on Risk Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, and Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus), Potchefstroom, South Africa (B.H.H.); Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (E.Z.W.); and Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico (K.L.H.)
| | - Brian H Harvey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (H.S.); SAMRC Unit on Risk Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, and Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus), Potchefstroom, South Africa (B.H.H.); Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (E.Z.W.); and Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico (K.L.H.)
| | - Erik Z Woody
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (H.S.); SAMRC Unit on Risk Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, and Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus), Potchefstroom, South Africa (B.H.H.); Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (E.Z.W.); and Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico (K.L.H.)
| | - Kurt Leroy Hoffman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (H.S.); SAMRC Unit on Risk Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cape Town, and Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus), Potchefstroom, South Africa (B.H.H.); Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (E.Z.W.); and Centro de Investigación en Reproducción Animal, CINVESTAV-Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico (K.L.H.)
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Atmore KH, Stein DJ, Harvey BH, Russell VA, Howells FM. Differential effects of social isolation rearing on glutamate- and GABA-stimulated noradrenaline release in the rat prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 36:111-120. [PMID: 32553548 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Social isolation rearing (SIR) provides an excellent model of early life adversity to investigate alterations in brain function. Few studies have investigated the effects of SIR on noradrenaline (NE) projections which arise from the locus coeruleus (LC), a system which regulates arousal and attentional processes, including the processing of novelty. In addition, there is a paucity of information on the effects of SIR in females. In this study we investigated the behavioural response to attentional processing of novelty and glutamate- and GABA-stimulated release of noradrenaline in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HC) of male and female rats. Sprague Dawley pups were reared in isolated or socialised housing conditions from weaning on postnatal day 21 (P21). At P78-83 animal behaviour was recorded from the three phases of the novel object recognition (NOR) task. Then at P90-94, NE release was measured in the PFC and HC after stimulating the tissue in vitro with either glutamate or GABA. Behaviourally SIR decreased novelty-related behaviour, male isolates showed effects of SIR during the NOR Test phase while female isolates showed effects of SIR during the Habituation phase. SIR PFC NE release was decreased when glutamate stimulation followed GABA stimulation and tended to increase when GABA stimulation followed glutamate stimulation, differences were predominantly due to male isolates. No SIR differences were found for HC. Early life adversity differentially affects the function of the LCNE system in males and females, evidenced by changes in attentional processing of novelty and stimulated noradrenaline release in the PFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie H Atmore
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa
| | - Dan J Stein
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa; SU/UCT MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Brian H Harvey
- SU/UCT MRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - Vivienne A Russell
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa
| | - Fleur M Howells
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa; Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
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Ma Q, Yang X, Lei X, Lin GQ. A highly enantioselective synthetic method towards the α 2c-adrenoceptor antagonist ORM-10921. Org Chem Front 2019. [DOI: 10.1039/c8qo01166d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The preparation of ORM-10921, a selective α2C-adrenoceptor antagonist with promising anti-psychotic properties, was successfully achieved using asymmetric α-alkylation of α,β-unsaturated imide and Bischler–Napieralski cyclization/asymmetric reduction as the key steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoning Ma
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & School of Pharmacy
- Fudan University
- Shanghai 201203
- China
| | - Xiaodi Yang
- Experiment Center for Science and Technology
- Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Shanghai
- China
| | - Xinsheng Lei
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & School of Pharmacy
- Fudan University
- Shanghai 201203
- China
| | - Guo-Qiang Lin
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & School of Pharmacy
- Fudan University
- Shanghai 201203
- China
- Experiment Center for Science and Technology
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Selective adrenergic alpha2C receptor antagonist ameliorates acute phencyclidine-induced schizophrenia-like social interaction deficits in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1245-1253. [PMID: 30535904 PMCID: PMC6591184 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5130-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Social withdrawal is a core feature of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Currently available pharmacotherapies have only limited efficacy towards the negative symptoms, i.e., there is a significant unmet medical need in the treatment of these symptoms. OBJECTIVE We wanted to confirm whether selective adrenergic α2C receptor (AR) antagonist therapy could ameliorate acute phencyclidine (PCP)-induced schizophrenia-like social interaction deficits in rats, and to compare the effects of an α2C AR antagonist to another putative therapeutic alternative, an α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) partial agonist, as well against three commonly used atypical antipsychotics. METHODS Here, we used acute PCP administration and modified a protocol for testing social interaction deficits in male Wistar rats and then used this model to compare the effects of an α2C AR antagonist (ORM-13070 0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg s.c.) with an α7 nAChR partial agonist (EVP-6124 0.3 mg/kg s.c.) and three atypical antipsychotics (clozapine 2.5 mg/kg i.p., risperidone 0.04 and 0.08 mg/kg s.c., olanzapine 0.125 and 0.5 mg/kg s.c.) on social interaction behavior. RESULTS Acute PCP (1.5 mg/kg s.c.) produced robust and reproducible deficits in social interaction behavior without affecting locomotor activity. The selective α2C AR antagonist significantly ameliorated PCP-induced social interaction deficits. In contrast, neither the partial α7 nAChR agonist nor any of the three atypical antipsychotics were able to reverse the behavioral deficits at the selected doses. CONCLUSION Our findings confirm that α2C AR antagonism is a potential mechanism for the treatment of the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Mumtaz F, Khan MI, Zubair M, Dehpour AR. Neurobiology and consequences of social isolation stress in animal model-A comprehensive review. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 105:1205-1222. [PMID: 30021357 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.05.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 200] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is a vital organ, susceptible to alterations under genetic influences and environmental experiences. Social isolation (SI) acts as a stressor which results in alterations in reactivity to stress, social behavior, function of neurochemical and neuroendocrine system, physiological, anatomical and behavioral changes in both animal and humans. During early stages of life, acute or chronic SIS has been proposed to show signs and symptoms of psychiatric and neurological disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, epilepsy and memory loss. Exposure to social isolation stress induces a variety of endocrinological changes including the activation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, culminating in the release of glucocorticoids (GCs), release of catecholamines, activation of the sympatho-adrenomedullary system, release of Oxytocin and vasopressin. In several regions of the central nervous system (CNS), SIS alters the level of neurotransmitter such as dopamine, serotonin, gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, nitrergic system and adrenaline as well as leads to alteration in receptor sensitivity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and opioid system. A change in the function of oxidative and nitrosative stress (O&NS) mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammatory factors, neurotrophins and neurotrophicfactors (NTFs), early growth response transcription factor genes (Egr) and C-Fos expression are also involved as a pathophysiological consequences of SIS which induce neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiza Mumtaz
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Muhammad Imran Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, 26000 Kohat, KPK, Pakistan; Drug Detoxification Health Welfare Research Center, Bannu, KPK, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Crop Diseases and Pests, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agriculture University, Nanjing, 210095, PR China
| | - Ahmad Reza Dehpour
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Experimental Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Characterization of Behavioral, Signaling and Cytokine Alterations in a Rat Neurodevelopmental Model for Schizophrenia, and Their Reversal by the 5-HT 6 Receptor Antagonist SB-399885. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:7413-7430. [PMID: 29423817 PMCID: PMC6096968 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0940-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Post-weaning social isolation of rats produces neuroanatomical, neurochemical and behavioral alterations resembling some core features of schizophrenia. This study examined the ability of the 5-HT6 receptor antagonist SB-399885 to reverse isolation-induced cognitive deficits, then investigated alterations in hippocampal cell proliferation and hippocampal and frontal cortical expression of selected intracellular signaling molecules and cytokines. Male Lister hooded rats (weaned on post-natal days 21-24 and housed individually or in groups of 3-4) received six i.p. injections of vehicle (1% Tween 80, 1 mL/kg) or SB-399885 (5 or 10 mg/kg) over a 2-week period starting 40 days post-weaning, on the days that locomotor activity, novel object discrimination (NOD), pre-pulse inhibition of acoustic startle and acquisition, retention and extinction of a conditioned freezing response (CFR) were assessed. Tissue was collected 24 h after the final injection for immunohistochemistry, reverse-phase protein microarray and western blotting. Isolation rearing impaired NOD and cue-mediated CFR, decreased cell proliferation within the dentate gyrus, and elevated hippocampal TNFα levels and Cdc42 expression. SB-399885 reversed the NOD deficit and partially normalized CFR and cell proliferation. These effects were accompanied by altered expression of several members of the c-Jun N-terminal Kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK signaling pathways (including TAK1, MKK4 and STAT3). Although JNK and p38 themselves were unaltered at this time point hippocampal TAK1 expression and phosphorylation correlated with visual recognition memory in the NOD task. Continued use of this neurodevelopmental model could further elucidate the neurobiology of schizophrenia and aid assessment of novel therapies for drug-resistant cognitive symptoms.
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Hernández-Hernández E, Miralles A, Esteban S, García-Fuster MJ. Repeated treatment with the α2-adrenoceptor agonist UK-14304 improves cognitive performance in middle-age rats: Role of hippocampal Fas-associated death domain. J Psychopharmacol 2018; 32:248-255. [PMID: 29207901 DOI: 10.1177/0269881117742667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The cell fate regulator Fas-associated death domain (FADD) balances cell death with non-apoptotic actions via its phosphorylated form. A recent study associated loss of cortical FADD with cognitive decline and increased risk of clinical dementia. Since the activation of cortical α2A-adrenoceptors improved memory deficits in various animal models of working memory loss, the present study evaluated whether UK-14304, an α2-adrenoceptor agonist known to acutely regulate brain FADD forms, would improve cognitive function in middle-aged rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with UK-14304 (0.3 or 1 mg/kg) or saline (1 mL/kg) for seven days. Cognitive performance was evaluated in the eight-arm radial maze. FADD protein content was measured in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus by Western blot analysis. The results showed that UK-14304 (1 mg/kg) improved cognitive performance (less time: -310±45 s, p=0.025 and fewer errors: -2.75±1.06, p=0.043 to complete the maze) and increased FADD selectively in the hippocampus (+35±11%, p=0.029). Interestingly, hippocampal FADD content negatively correlated with the time ( r=-0.651, p<0.01) needed to complete the maze. Thus, better cognitive scores were associated with higher FADD hippocampal content. These results support a role for α2-adrenoceptors in ameliorating cognition and suggest FADD protein content as a possible correlate for cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Hernández-Hernández
- 1 University Research Institute on Health Sciences (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, and Balearic Islands Health Research Intitute (IdISBa), Palma, Spain.,2 Neurophysiology Research Group, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Antonio Miralles
- 2 Neurophysiology Research Group, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Susana Esteban
- 2 Neurophysiology Research Group, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - M Julia García-Fuster
- 1 University Research Institute on Health Sciences (IUNICS), University of the Balearic Islands, and Balearic Islands Health Research Intitute (IdISBa), Palma, Spain
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The α2C-adrenoceptor antagonist, ORM-10921, exerts antidepressant-like effects in the Flinders Sensitive Line rat. Behav Pharmacol 2018; 28:9-18. [PMID: 27749317 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Depression involves deficits in monoaminergic neurotransmission. Differential roles for α2A, B and C subtypes of the α2-adrenoceptor (AR) are evident, with selective α2C-AR antagonists purported to have antidepressant and procognitive properties. However, this has not been demonstrated in a genetic animal model of depression. The role of the α2C-AR in modulating two key depression-related behaviours in the Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rat was studied using a dose-response analysis following subcutaneous administration with the selective α2C-AR antagonist ORM-10921 (0.03; 0.3 mg/kg), the nonselective α2-AR antagonist idazoxan (3 mg/kg), or vehicle once daily for 14 days. Behaviour in the novel object recognition test, forced swim test (FST) and locomotor activity test was assessed. To ratify the validity of the FSL model, the reference tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (15 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) was used as a comparator drug in the FST. FSL rats demonstrated significantly increased immobility and recognition memory deficits versus Flinders Resistant Line controls, with imipramine significantly reversing said immobility. Similarly, ORM-10921 at both doses but not idazoxan significantly reversed immobility in the FST as well as attenuated cognitive deficits in FSL animals. We conclude that selective α2C-AR antagonism has potential as a novel therapeutic strategy in the treatment of depression and cognitive dysfunction.
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Swanepoel T, Möller M, Harvey BH. N-acetyl cysteine reverses bio-behavioural changes induced by prenatal inflammation, adolescent methamphetamine exposure and combined challenges. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:351-368. [PMID: 29116368 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4776-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Schizophrenia is associated with prenatal inflammation and/or postnatal stressors such as drug abuse, resulting in immune-redox dysfunction. Antioxidants may offer therapeutic benefits. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to investigate N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) as a therapeutic antioxidant to reverse schizophrenia-like bio-behavioural changes in rats exposed to maternal immune activation (MIA), adolescent methamphetamine (MA) or a combination thereof. METHODS Sprague-Dawley offspring prenatally exposed to saline/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) received saline or MA (0.2-6 mg kg-1 twice daily × 16 days) during adolescence and divided into LPS, MA and LPS + MA groups. Vehicle/NAC (150 mg kg-1 × 14 days) was administered following MA/saline exposure on postnatal day 51-64. Social interaction, novel object recognition and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle, as well as regional brain monoamines, lipid peroxidation, plasma reactive oxygen species (ROS) and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α; IL-10), were assessed. RESULTS NAC reversed LPS, MA and LPS + MA-induced anxiety-like social withdrawal behaviours, as well as MA and LPS + MA-induced deficits in recognition memory. PPI deficits were evident in MA, LPS and LPS + MA models, with NAC reversing that following LPS + MA. NAC reversed LPS, MA and LPS + MA-induced frontal cortical dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) elevations, LPS and LPS + MA-induced frontal cortical 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), serotonin (5-HT) and striatal NA deficits as well as LPS + MA-induced frontal cortical 5-HT turnover. Decreased IL-10 in the LPS, MA and LPS + MA animals, and increased TNF-α in the LPS and MA animals, was reversed with NAC. NAC also reversed elevated lipid peroxidation and ROS in the LPS and LPS + MA animals. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal LPS, LPS + postnatal MA challenge during adolescence, and to a lesser extent MA alone, promotes schizophrenia-like bio-behavioural changes later in life that are reversed by NAC, emphasizing therapeutic potential for schizophrenia and MA-associated psychosis. The nature and timing of the dual-hit are critical.
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Affiliation(s)
- Twanette Swanepoel
- Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Marisa Möller
- Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Brian Herbert Harvey
- Division of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
- Center of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
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Tarland E, Franke RT, Fink H, Pertz HH, Brosda J. Effects of 2-bromoterguride, a dopamine D 2 receptor partial agonist, on cognitive dysfunction and social aversion in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2018; 235:99-108. [PMID: 28971230 PMCID: PMC5748440 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE 2-Bromoterguride, a dopamine D2 receptor partial agonist with antagonist properties at serotonin 5-HT2A receptors and α2C-adrenoceptors, meets the prerequisites of a putative atypical antipsychotic drug (APD). We recently showed that 2-bromoterguride is effective in tests of positive symptoms of schizophrenia in rats without inducing extrapyramidal side effects or metabolic changes. OBJECTIVE In continuation of our recent work, we now investigated the effect of 2-bromoterguride on apomorphine and phencyclidine (PCP)-induced disruptions of prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response, a measure of sensory gating. In addition, we used subchronic PCP treatment to produce cognitive deficits and social aversion, and assessed the effect of 2-bromoterguride on the performance in the novel object recognition (NOR) task (model for studying cognitive deficit symptoms of schizophrenia) and the social interaction test (model for studying negative symptoms of schizophrenia). Finally, we extended the side effect profile of 2-bromoterguride by measuring the prolactin response to systemic administration of the drug in rats. RESULTS Treatment with 2-bromoterguride (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg) reversed PPI deficits induced by apomorphine and PCP, respectively. Subchronic PCP induced impairments in object memory and social interaction behavior which were ameliorated by 2-bromoterguride but not by clozapine and aripiprazole, respectively. Prolactin concentration in blood serum was not elevated at 1, 2, or 4 h post-2-bromoterguride treatment, which further supports the safe and effective use of this drug. CONCLUSIONS Our data support 2-bromoterguride as a promising APD candidate due to its beneficial effect on cognitive impairments and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Tarland
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert T. Franke
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heidrun Fink
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Heinz H. Pertz
- Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Brosda
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195, Berlin, Germany. .,Bundesamt für Risikobewertung (BfR), Max-Dohrn-Str. 8-10, 10589, Berlin, Germany.
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Murínová J, Hlaváčová N, Chmelová M, Riečanský I. The Evidence for Altered BDNF Expression in the Brain of Rats Reared or Housed in Social Isolation: A Systematic Review. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:101. [PMID: 28620285 PMCID: PMC5449742 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There is evidence that development and maintenance of neural connections are disrupted in major mental disorders, which indicates that neurotrophic factors could play a critical role in their pathogenesis. Stress is a well-established risk factor for psychopathology and recent research suggests that disrupted signaling via brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be involved in mediating the negative effects of stress on the brain. Social isolation of rats elicits chronic stress and is widely used as an animal model of mental disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. We carried out a systematic search of published studies to review current evidence for an altered expression of BDNF in the brain of rats reared or housed in social isolation. Across all age groups (post-weaning, adolescent, adult), majority of the identified studies (16/21) reported a decreased expression of BDNF in the hippocampus. There are far less published data on BDNF expression in other brain regions. Data are also scarce to assess the behavioral changes as a function of BDNF expression, but the downregulation of BDNF seems to be associated with increased anxiety-like symptoms. The reviewed data generally support the putative involvement of BDNF in the pathogenesis of stress-related mental illness. However, the mechanisms linking chronic social isolation, BDNF expression and the elicited behavioral alterations are currently unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Murínová
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislava, Slovakia
| | - Nataša Hlaváčová
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Neuroendocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislava, Slovakia
| | - Magdaléna Chmelová
- Laboratory of Pharmacological Neuroendocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislava, Slovakia
| | - Igor Riečanský
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislava, Slovakia
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of ViennaVienna, Austria
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Uys MM, Shahid M, Harvey BH. Therapeutic Potential of Selectively Targeting the α 2C-Adrenoceptor in Cognition, Depression, and Schizophrenia-New Developments and Future Perspective. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:144. [PMID: 28855875 PMCID: PMC5558054 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
α2A- and α2C-adrenoceptors (ARs) are the primary α2-AR subtypes involved in central nervous system (CNS) function. These receptors are implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric illness, particularly those associated with affective, psychotic, and cognitive symptoms. Indeed, non-selective α2-AR blockade is proposed to contribute toward antidepressant (e.g., mirtazapine) and atypical antipsychotic (e.g., clozapine) drug action. Both α2C- and α2A-AR share autoreceptor functions to exert negative feedback control on noradrenaline (NA) release, with α2C-AR heteroreceptors regulating non-noradrenergic transmission (e.g., serotonin, dopamine). While the α2A-AR is widely distributed throughout the CNS, α2C-AR expression is more restricted, suggesting the possibility of significant differences in how these two receptor subtypes modulate regional neurotransmission. However, the α2C-AR plays a more prominent role during states of low endogenous NA activity, while the α2A-AR is relatively more engaged during states of high noradrenergic tone. Although augmentation of conventional antidepressant and antipsychotic therapy with non-selective α2-AR antagonists may improve therapeutic outcome, animal studies report distinct yet often opposing roles for the α2A- and α2C-ARs on behavioral markers of mood and cognition, implying that non-selective α2-AR antagonism may compromise therapeutic utility both in terms of efficacy and side-effect liability. Recently, several highly selective α2C-AR antagonists have been identified that have allowed deeper investigation into the function and utility of the α2C-AR. ORM-13070 is a useful positron emission tomography ligand, ORM-10921 has demonstrated antipsychotic, antidepressant, and pro-cognitive actions in animals, while ORM-12741 is in clinical development for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. This review will emphasize the importance and relevance of the α2C-AR as a neuropsychiatric drug target in major depression, schizophrenia, and associated cognitive deficits. In addition, we will present new prospects and future directions of investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeleine Monique Uys
- Division of Pharmacology, Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | | | - Brian Herbert Harvey
- Division of Pharmacology, Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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