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VanTieghem M, Korom M, Flannery J, Choy T, Caldera C, Humphreys KL, Gabard-Durnam L, Goff B, Gee DG, Telzer EH, Shapiro M, Louie JY, Fareri DS, Bolger N, Tottenham N. Longitudinal changes in amygdala, hippocampus and cortisol development following early caregiving adversity. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2021; 48:100916. [PMID: 33517107 PMCID: PMC7848778 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2021.100916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although decades of research have shown associations between early caregiving adversity, stress physiology and limbic brain volume (e.g., amygdala, hippocampus), the developmental trajectories of these phenotypes are not well characterized. In the current study, we used an accelerated longitudinal design to assess the development of stress physiology, amygdala, and hippocampal volume following early institutional care. Previously Institutionalized (PI; N = 93) and comparison (COMP; N = 161) youth (ages 4–20 years old) completed 1–3 waves of data collection, each spaced approximately 2 years apart, for diurnal cortisol (N = 239) and structural MRI (N = 156). We observed a developmental shift in morning cortisol in the PI group, with blunted levels in childhood and heightened levels in late adolescence. PI history was associated with reduced hippocampal volume and reduced growth rate of the amygdala, resulting in smaller volumes by adolescence. Amygdala and hippocampal volumes were also prospectively associated with future morning cortisol in both groups. These results indicate that adversity-related physiological and neural phenotypes are not stationary during development but instead exhibit dynamic and interdependent changes from early childhood to early adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marta Korom
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Jessica Flannery
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tricia Choy
- Graduate School of Education, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Christina Caldera
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn L Humphreys
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Bonnie Goff
- Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Dylan G Gee
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Y Louie
- Child Mind Institute, San Francisco Bay Area, San Mateo, CA, USA
| | - Dominic S Fareri
- Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY, USA
| | - Niall Bolger
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nim Tottenham
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Rose M, Filiatreault A, Guénette J, Williams A, Thomson EM. Ozone increases plasma kynurenine-tryptophan ratio and impacts hippocampal serotonin receptor and neurotrophic factor expression: Role of stress hormones. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 185:109483. [PMID: 32278163 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution is associated with adverse impacts on the brain, including cognitive decline and increased incidence of dementia, depression and anxiety; however, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We have shown that both ozone and particulate matter activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, increasing plasma glucocorticoids and altering mRNA profiles in multiple tissues including the brain. HPA axis dysregulation has been associated with central nervous system impacts, including key effects in the hippocampus; accordingly, we hypothesized that pollutant-dependent increases in glucocorticoid levels impact biological pathways relevant to brain health. Fischer-344 rats were treated with metyrapone (0 or 50 mg/kg), a glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor, and exposed to ozone (0 or 0.8 ppm) for 4 h (n = 5/group) to investigate the role of glucocorticoids in ozone-dependent effects on tryptophan metabolism and expression of serotonin receptors and neurotrophic factors. Ozone increased plasma levels of the tryptophan metabolite kynurenine (~2-fold) and decreased tryptophan levels (~1.2 fold). Hippocampal expression of serotonin receptors exhibited differential regulation following exposure, and expression of key neurotrophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor A, insulin-like growth factor-1, tyrosine kinase receptor B, b-cell lymphoma 2) was decreased. Some, but not all effects were abrogated by metyrapone treatment, suggesting both glucocorticoid-dependent and -independent regulation. Exposure to exogenous corticosterone (10 mg/kg) followed by clean air reproduced the ozone effects that were blocked with metyrapone, confirming the specificity of effects to glucocorticoids. These results indicate that ozone can modify pathways relevant to brain health and establish a role for the HPA axis in mediating these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Rose
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Alain Filiatreault
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Josée Guénette
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Andrew Williams
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Errol M Thomson
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, K1A 0K9, Canada; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, K1H 8M5, Canada.
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Bobkova NV, Poltavtseva RA, Leonov SV, Sukhikh GT. Neuroregeneration: Regulation in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Aging. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2020; 85:S108-S130. [PMID: 32087056 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297920140060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It had been commonly believed for a long time, that once established, degeneration of the central nervous system (CNS) is irreparable, and that adult person merely cannot restore dead or injured neurons. The existence of stem cells (SCs) in the mature brain, an organ with minimal regenerative ability, had been ignored for many years. Currently accepted that specific structures of the adult brain contain neural SCs (NSCs) that can self-renew and generate terminally differentiated brain cells, including neurons and glia. However, their contribution to the regulation of brain activity and brain regeneration in natural aging and pathology is still a subject of ongoing studies. Since the 1970s, when Fuad Lechin suggested the existence of repair mechanisms in the brain, new exhilarating data from scientists around the world have expanded our knowledge on the mechanisms implicated in the generation of various cell phenotypes supporting the brain, regulation of brain activity by these newly generated cells, and participation of SCs in brain homeostasis and regeneration. The prospects of the SC research are truthfully infinite and hitherto challenging to forecast. Once researchers resolve the issues regarding SC expansion and maintenance, the implementation of the SC-based platform could help to treat tissues and organs impaired or damaged in many devastating human diseases. Over the past 10 years, the number of studies on SCs has increased exponentially, and we have already become witnesses of crucial discoveries in SC biology. Comprehension of the mechanisms of neurogenesis regulation is essential for the development of new therapeutic approaches for currently incurable neurodegenerative diseases and neuroblastomas. In this review, we present the latest achievements in this fast-moving field and discuss essential aspects of NSC biology, including SC regulation by hormones, neurotransmitters, and transcription factors, along with the achievements of genetic and chemical reprogramming for the safe use of SCs in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- N V Bobkova
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia.
| | - R A Poltavtseva
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia. .,National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology named after Academician V. I. Kulakov, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - S V Leonov
- Institute of Cell Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia. .,Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (National Research University), The Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141700, Russia
| | - G T Sukhikh
- National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology named after Academician V. I. Kulakov, Ministry of Healthcare of Russian Federation, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
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Bondar NP, Reshetnikov VV, Burdeeva KV, Merkulova TI. Effect of neonatal dexamethasone treatment on cognitive abilities of adult male mice and gene expression in the hypothalamus. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2019. [DOI: 10.18699/vj19.514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The early postnatal period is critical for the development of the nervous system. Stress during this period causes negative long-term effects, which are manifested at both behavioral and molecular levels. To simulate the elevated glucocorticoid levels characteristic of early-life stress, in our study we used the administration of dexamethasone, an agonist of glucocorticoid receptors, at decreasing doses at the first three days of life (0.5, 0.3, 0.1 mg/kg, s.c.). In adult male mice with neonatal dexamethasone treatment, an increase in the relative weight of the adrenal glands and a decrease in body weight were observed, while the basal level of corticosterone remained unchanged. Dexamethasone treatment in early life had a negative impact on the learning and spatial memory of adult mice in the Morris water maze. We analyzed the effect of elevated glucocorticoid levels in early life on the expression of the Crh, Avp, Gr, and Mr genes involved in the regulation of the HPA axis in the hypothalami of adult mice. The expression level of the mineralocorticoid receptor gene (Mr) was significantly downregulated, and the glucocorticoid receptor gene (Gr) showed a tendency towards decreased expression (p = 0.058) in male mice neonatally treated with dexamethasone, as compared with saline administration. The expression level of the Crh gene encoding corticotropin-releasing hormone was unchanged, while the expression of the vasopressin gene (Avp) was increased in response to neonatal administration of dexamethasone. The obtained results demonstrate a disruption of negative feedback regulation of the HPA axis, which involves glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors, at the level of the hypothalamus. Malfunction of the HPA axis as a result of activation of the glucocorticoid system in early life may cause the development of cognitive impairment in the adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. P. Bondar
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS;
Novosibirsk State University
| | | | | | - T. I. Merkulova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, SB RAS;
Novosibirsk State University
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Abrantes MA, Valencia AM, Bany-Mohammed F, Aranda JV, Beharry KD. Dose response effects of postnatal hydrocortisone on growth and growth factors in the neonatal rat. Steroids 2018; 140:1-10. [PMID: 30142369 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Hydrocortisone (HC), at different dosages, is used in critically ill newborns for lung stability, blood pressure support, and prevention of chronic lung disease (CLD). Its long-term effects on postnatal growth are not well studied. We hypothesized that early exposure to high doses of HC adversely affects growth, growth factors, metabolic hormones, and neurological outcomes, persisting in adulthood. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Rat pups received a single daily intramuscular dose of HC (1 mg/kg/day, 5 mg/kg/day, or 10 mg/kg/day on days 3, 4 & 5 postnatal age (P3, P4, P5). Age-matched controls received equivalent volume saline. Body weight, linear growth, and neurological outcomes were monitored. Animals were sacrificed at P21, P45, and P70 for blood glucose, insulin, IGF-I, GH, leptin, and corticosterone levels. Liver mRNA expression of IGFs and IGFBPs were determined at P21 and P70. Memory and learning abilities were tested using the Morris water maze test at P70. RESULTS HC suppressed body weight and length at P12, P21 and P45, but by P70 there was catchup overgrowth in the 5 and 10 mg/kg/day groups. At P70 blood insulin, IGF-I, GH, and leptin levels were low, whereas blood glucose, and liver IGFs and IGFBPs were high in the high dose groups. High HC also caused delayed memory and learning abilities at P70. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that while higher doses of HC may be required for hemodynamic stability and prevention of CLD, these doses may result in growth deficits, as well as neurological and metabolic sequelae in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Abrantes
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA 90806, USA; Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, Anaheim, CA 92806, USA
| | - Arwin M Valencia
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA 90806, USA; Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Saddleback Memorial Medical Center, Laguna Hills, CA 92653, USA
| | - Fayez Bany-Mohammed
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA 92868, USA.
| | - Jacob V Aranda
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
| | - Kay D Beharry
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach, CA 90806, USA; Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Irvine Medical Center, Orange, CA 92868, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA; Department of Ophthalmology, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
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Haller J. The Role of the Lateral Hypothalamus in Violent Intraspecific Aggression-The Glucocorticoid Deficit Hypothesis. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:26. [PMID: 29937719 PMCID: PMC6002688 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This review argues for a central role of the lateral hypothalamus in those deviant forms of aggression, which result from chronic glucocorticoid deficiency. Currently, this nucleus is considered a key region of the mechanisms that control predatory aggression. However, recent findings demonstrate that it is strongly activated by aggression in subjects with a chronically downregulated hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis; moreover, this activation is causally involved in the emergence of violent aggression. The review has two parts. In the first part, we review human findings demonstrating that under certain conditions, strong stressors downregulate the HPA-axis on the long run, and that the resulting glucocorticoid deficiency is associated with violent aggression including aggressive delinquency and aggression-related psychopathologies. The second part addresses neural mechanisms in animals. We show that the experimental downregulation of HPA-axis function elicits violent aggression in rodents, and the activation of the brain circuitry that originally subserves predatory aggression accompanies this change. The lateral hypothalamus is not only an integral part of this circuitry, but can elicit deviant and violent forms of aggression. Finally, we formulate a hypothesis on the pathway that connects unfavorable social conditions to violent aggression via the neural circuitry that includes the lateral hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- József Haller
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Behavioural Sciences and Law Enforcement, National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary
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Ancelin ML, Scali J, Norton J, Ritchie K, Dupuy AM, Chaudieu I, Ryan J. The effect of an adverse psychological environment on salivary cortisol levels in the elderly differs by 5-HTTLPR genotype. Neurobiol Stress 2017; 7:38-46. [PMID: 28377990 PMCID: PMC5369865 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2017.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An adverse psychological environment (e.g. stressful events or depression) has been shown to influence basal cortisol levels and cortisol response to stress. This differs depending on the adverse stimuli, but also varies across individuals and may be influenced by genetic predisposition. An insertion/deletion polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is a strong candidate in this regard. OBJECTIVE To investigate how stressful life events and depression are associated with diurnal cortisol levels in community-dwelling elderly and determine whether this varies according to genetic variability in the 5-HTTLPR. METHODS This population-based study included 334 subjects aged 65 and older (mean (SD) = 76.5 (6.3)). Diurnal cortisol was measured on two separate days, under quiet (basal) and stressful conditions. The number of recent major stressful events experienced during the past year was assessed from a 12-item validated questionnaire as an index of cumulative recent stressful events. Lifetime trauma was evaluated using the validated Watson's PTSD inventory, which evaluates the most severe traumatic or frightening experience according to DSM criteria. Depression was defined as having a Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) diagnosis of current major depressive disorder or high levels of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale ≥16). 5-HTTLPR genotyping was performed on blood samples. RESULTS Exposure to stressful life events was associated with lower basal evening cortisol levels overall, and in the participants with the 5-HTTLPR L allele but not the SS genotype. The greatest effects (over 50% decrease, p < 0.001) were observed for the LL participants having experienced multiple recent stressful events or severe lifetime traumas. Participants with the L allele also had higher evening cortisol stress response. Conversely, depression tended to be associated with a 42% higher basal morning cortisol in the SS participants specifically, but did not modify the association between stressful events and cortisol levels. CONCLUSION An adverse psychological environment is associated with basal cortisol levels and cortisol stress response, but this differs according to 5-HTTLPR genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Laure Ancelin
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jacqueline Scali
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Joanna Norton
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Center for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anne-Marie Dupuy
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabelle Chaudieu
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Joanne Ryan
- Inserm, U1061, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Disease Epigenetics Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Prahran, Australia
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Transgenerational transmission of a stress-coping phenotype programmed by early-life stress in the Japanese quail. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46125. [PMID: 28387355 PMCID: PMC5384203 DOI: 10.1038/srep46125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An interesting aspect of developmental programming is the existence of transgenerational effects that influence offspring characteristics and performance later in life. These transgenerational effects have been hypothesized to allow individuals to cope better with predictable environmental fluctuations and thus facilitate adaptation to changing environments. Here, we test for the first time how early-life stress drives developmental programming and transgenerational effects of maternal exposure to early-life stress on several phenotypic traits in their offspring in a functionally relevant context using a fully factorial design. We manipulated pre- and/or post-natal stress in both Japanese quail mothers and offspring and examined the consequences for several stress-related traits in the offspring generation. We show that pre-natal stress experienced by the mother did not simply affect offspring phenotype but resulted in the inheritance of the same stress-coping traits in the offspring across all phenotypic levels that we investigated, shaping neuroendocrine, physiological and behavioural traits. This may serve mothers to better prepare their offspring to cope with later environments where the same stressors are experienced.
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Ancelin ML, Scali J, Norton J, Ritchie K, Dupuy AM, Chaudieu I, Ryan J. Heterogeneity in HPA axis dysregulation and serotonergic vulnerability to depression. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2017; 77:90-94. [PMID: 28024274 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Variability in the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) gene can influence the risk of depression associated with adversity, as well as cortisol stress reactivity, although not consistently. No study has examined the impact of both a stressful environment and corticotropic-axis dysfunction on depression, as a function of 5-HTTLPR. This population-based study included 334 subjects aged 65 and older. Depression was measured at both diagnostic (major depression according to DSM-IV) and symptomatic (subthreshold depression) levels of caseness, in addition to 5-HTTLPR and rs25531 genotyping and diurnal cortisol measures. For participants with the SS genotype, higher morning cortisol levels were associated with a 4-fold increased risk of depression. Among LL participants, both evening cortisol levels and recent stressful events increased depression risk, although only the latter remained significant after multivariable adjustment. Conversely, SL individuals appeared somewhat resilient to depression in terms of cortisol and recent stress. These findings indicate that 5-HTTLPR genetic variability appears to influence the association between stress-related factors and late-life depression, although the gene-environment interactions failed to reach statistical significance levels. Participants homozygous for the short allele appeared to have a cortisol-related neuroendocrine vulnerability to depression, while long allele homozygotes were more reactive to stressful events in terms of depression risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joanna Norton
- Inserm, U1061, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Karen Ritchie
- Inserm, U1061, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Center for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - Anne-Marie Dupuy
- Inserm, U1061, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Joanne Ryan
- Inserm, U1061, University Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Disease Epigenetics Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Prahran, Australia
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Antidepressant responsiveness in adulthood is permanently impaired after neonatal destruction of the neurogenic pool. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e990. [PMID: 28045461 PMCID: PMC5545723 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2016.255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic turnover of hippocampal neurons is implicated in the regulation of cognitive and affective behavior. Extending our previous demonstration that administration of dexamethasone (ND) to neonatal rats depletes the resident population of neural precursor cells (NPC) and restrains the size of the neurogenic regions, we now show that the adverse effects of ND persist into adulthood. Specifically, ND impairs repletion of the neurogenic pool and neurogenesis; ND also compromises cognitive performance, the ability to actively adapt to an acute stressor and, the efficacy of glucocorticoid (GC) negative feedback. Interestingly, although ND depletes the neurogenic pool, it does not permanently abolish the proliferative machinery of the residual NPC population; however, ND increases the susceptibility of hippocampal granule neurons to apoptosis. Although the antidepressant fluoxetine (FLX) reverses the latter phenomenon, it does not replenish the NPC pool. Treatment of ND-treated adult rats with FLX also improves GC negative feedback, albeit without rescuing the deleterious effects of ND on behavior. In summary, ND leads to protracted disruption of mental functions, some of which are resistant to antidepressant interventions. We conclude that manipulation of the NPC pool during early life may jeopardize the therapeutic potential of antidepressants in adulthood.
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Alcántara-Alonso V, Panetta P, de Gortari P, Grammatopoulos DK. Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone As the Homeostatic Rheostat of Feto-Maternal Symbiosis and Developmental Programming In Utero and Neonatal Life. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:161. [PMID: 28744256 PMCID: PMC5504167 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A balanced interaction between the homeostatic mechanisms of mother and the developing organism during pregnancy and in early neonatal life is essential in order to ensure optimal fetal development, ability to respond to various external and internal challenges, protection from adverse programming, and safeguard maternal care availability after parturition. In the majority of pregnancies, this relationship is highly effective resulting in successful outcomes. However, in a number of pathological settings, perturbations of the maternal homeostasis disrupt this symbiosis and initiate adaptive responses with unpredictable outcomes for the fetus or even the neonate. This may lead to development of pathological phenotypes arising from developmental reprogramming involving interaction of genetic, epigenetic, and environmental-driven pathways, sometimes with acute consequences (e.g., growth impairment) and sometimes delayed (e.g., enhanced susceptibility to disease) that last well into adulthood. Most of these adaptive mechanisms are activated and controlled by hormones of the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis under the influence of placental steroid and peptide hormones. In particular, the hypothalamic peptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) plays a key role in feto-maternal communication by orchestrating and integrating a series of neuroendocrine, immune, metabolic, and behavioral responses. CRH also regulates neural networks involved in maternal behavior and this determines efficiency of maternal care and neonate interactions. This review will summarize our current understanding of CRH actions during the perinatal period, focusing on the physiological roles for both mother and offspring and also how external challenges can alter CRH actions and potentially impact on fetus/neonate health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viridiana Alcántara-Alonso
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurophysiology, Department of Neurosciences Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Pamela Panetta
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Patricia de Gortari
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurophysiology, Department of Neurosciences Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dimitris K. Grammatopoulos
- Translational Medicine, Warwick Medical School, Coventry, United Kingdom
- Clinical Biochemistry, Coventry and Warwickshire Pathology Service, UHCW NHS Trust, Coventry, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Dimitris K. Grammatopoulos,
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Kusljic S, Manias E, Gogos A. Corticosteroid-induced psychiatric disturbances: It is time for pharmacists to take notice. Res Social Adm Pharm 2016; 12:355-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2015.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Peltoniemi OM, Lano A, Yliherva A, Kari MA, Hallman M. Randomised trial of early neonatal hydrocortisone demonstrates potential undesired effects on neurodevelopment at preschool age. Acta Paediatr 2016; 105:159-64. [PMID: 26058477 DOI: 10.1111/apa.13074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
AIM We evaluated the neurodevelopment and growth of five- to seven-year-old children who had participated in a randomised trial of early low-dose hydrocortisone treatment to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. METHODS The 51 infants in the original study had birthweights of 501-1250 g and gestational ages of 23-30 weeks, required mechanical ventilation during the first 24 hours and received hydrocortisone or a placebo for 10 days. The majority (80%) of the 90% who survived to five- to seven years of age participated in this follow-up study and their growth, neuromotor, cognitive and speech development were evaluated. RESULTS Some neurodevelopment impairment was observed in 61% of the hydrocortisone group and 39% of the placebo group, ranging from minor neurological dysfunction to severe neurological conditions (p = 0.182). The mean full-scale intelligence quotient (IQ) was 87.8 (15.3) in the hydrocortisone group and 95.7 (15.0) in the placebo group (p = 0.135), and the mean performance IQ was 88.3 (14.5) and 99.1 (14.0) (p = 0.034), respectively. A fifth (22%) of the hydrocortisone group required physiotherapy, but none of the placebo group did (p = 0.034). The age-standardised growth was comparable between both groups. CONCLUSION Early hydrocortisone treatment may have undesired effects on neurodevelopment at preschool age, and further safety studies are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Outi M. Peltoniemi
- PEDEGO Research Center, and Medical Research Center Oulu; University of Oulu; Oulu Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescence, Oulu University Hospital; Oulu Finland
| | - Aulikki Lano
- Hospital of Children and Adolescents; Helsinki University Hospital; Helsinki Finland
| | - Anneli Yliherva
- Faculty of Humanities; Logopedics; University of Oulu; Oulu Finland
| | - M Anneli Kari
- Hospital of Children and Adolescents; Helsinki University Hospital; Helsinki Finland
| | - Mikko Hallman
- PEDEGO Research Center, and Medical Research Center Oulu; University of Oulu; Oulu Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescence, Oulu University Hospital; Oulu Finland
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14
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Neonatal glucocorticoid treatment: long-term effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, immune system, and problem behavior in 14-17 year old adolescents. Brain Behav Immun 2015; 45:128-38. [PMID: 25449580 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Neonatal glucocorticoid (GC) treatment is used to prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in prematurely born babies. In the 1990s, treatment regimens with relatively high doses of dexamethasone (DEX) were common. As an alternative, hydrocortisone (HC) was used. Earlier, we compared long-term effects of both GCs in children aged 7-10 and detected adverse effects of neonatal DEX treatment, but not of HC, on a range of outcomes. The aim of the current cohort study was to investigate whether long-term effects of neonatal DEX were maintained and whether effects of HC remained absent at adolescent age (14-17years). We compared 71 DEX-treated and 67 HC-treated adolescents. In addition, 71 adolescents who were not neonatally treated with GCs participated. All were born <32weeks of gestation. DEX-treated girls showed increased adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol responses in the Trier Social Stress Test. The cortisol awakening response was lower in HC-treated participants compared to untreated participants. Negative feedback function of the HPA-axis in the dexamethasone suppression test did not differ between groups. In contrast to our observations at the age of 7-10years, we did not observe group differences in mitogen-induced cytokine production at the age of 14-17years. DEX-treated girls showed more social problems and anxious/depressed behavior than HC-treated girls. Untreated girls showed more problem behavior as well. In conclusion, our results suggest that, especially in girls, neonatal DEX has a programming effect on the HPA-axis and on the ability to adjust to the environment. The loss of group differences on immune system measures indicate that potentially negative effects detected at a younger age subsided.
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15
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Merrill L, Grindstaff JL. Pre and post-natal antigen exposure can program the stress axis of adult zebra finches: evidence for environment matching. Brain Behav Immun 2015; 45:71-9. [PMID: 25535860 PMCID: PMC4342340 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2014.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Both maternal exposure to stressors and exposure of offspring to stressors during early life can have lifelong effects on the physiology and behavior of offspring. Stress exposure can permanently shape an individual's phenotype by influencing the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which is responsible for the production and regulation of glucocorticoids such as corticosterone (CORT). In this study we used captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to examine the effects of matching and mismatching maternal and early post-natal exposure to one of two types of antigens or a control on HPA axis reactivity in adult offspring. Prior to breeding, adult females were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) or a control. Offspring of females in each of the three treatments were themselves exposed to LPS, KLH or a control injection at 5 and 28days post-hatch. When offspring were at least 18months of age, standardized capture and restraint stress tests were conducted to determine the impact of the treatments on adult stress responsiveness. We found significant interaction effects between maternal and offspring treatments on stress-induced CORT levels, and evidence in support of the environment matching hypothesis for KLH-treated birds, not LPS-treated birds. KLH-treated offspring of KLH-treated mothers exhibited reduced stress-induced CORT levels, whereas LPS-treated or control offspring of KLH-treated mothers exhibited elevated stress-induced CORT levels. Although the treatment effects on baseline CORT were non-significant, the overall pattern was similar to the effects observed on stress-induced CORT levels. Our results highlight the complex nature of HPA axis programming, and to our knowledge, provide the first evidence that a match or mismatch between pre and post-natal antigen exposure can have life-long consequences for HPA axis function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren Merrill
- Oklahoma State University, Department of Integrative Biology, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA; Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
| | - Jennifer L Grindstaff
- Oklahoma State University, Department of Integrative Biology, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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16
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Zimmer C, Spencer KA. Modifications of glucocorticoid receptors mRNA expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in response to early-life stress in female Japanese quail. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:853-60. [PMID: 25303060 PMCID: PMC4260142 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2014] [Revised: 10/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Stress exposure during early-life development can programme individual brain and physiology. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the primary targets of this programming, which is generally associated with a hyperactive HPA axis, indicative of a reduced negative-feedback. This reduced feedback efficiency usually results from a reduced level of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and/or the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) within the HPA axis. However, a few studies have shown that early-life stress exposure results in an attenuated physiological stress response, suggesting an enhance feedback efficiency. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether early-life stress had long-term consequences on GR and MR levels in quail and whether the effects on the physiological response to acute stress observed in prenatally stressed individuals were underpinned by changes in GR and/or MR levels in one or more HPA axis components. We determined GR and MR mRNA expression in the hippocampus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland in quail exposed to elevated corticosterone during prenatal development, postnatal development, or both, and in control individuals exposed to none of the stressors. We showed that prenatal stress increased the GR:MR ratio in the hippocampus, GR and MR expression in the hypothalamus and GR expression in the pituitary gland. Postnatal stress resulted in a reduced MR expression in the hippocampus. Both early-life treatments permanently affected the expression of both receptor types in HPA axis regions. The effects of prenatal stress are in accordance with a more efficient negative-feedback within the HPA axis and thus can explain the attenuated stress response observed in these birds. Therefore, these changes in receptor density or number as a consequence of early-life stress exposure might be the mechanism that allows an adaptive response to later-life stressful conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Zimmer
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
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17
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Neonatal dexamethasone accelerates spreading depression in the rat, and antioxidant vitamins counteract this effect. Brain Res 2014; 1591:93-101. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.09.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2014] [Revised: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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18
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In situ hybridization freeze-assisted punches (IFAP): technique for liquid-based tissue extraction from thin slide-mounted sections for DNA methylation analysis. Methods Mol Biol 2014. [PMID: 25218390 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1459-3_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
In situ hybridization-assisted punches (IFAP) are a low-cost method for extracting tissue from frozen slide-mounted sections as thin as 12 μm. The method synergizes well with standard histological workflows and uses in situ hybridization to target corresponding slide-mounted cryosections that contain the region of interest. Liquid beads of M-1 embedding matrix are applied and snap frozen, binding the matrix to the underlying tissue. Bead-tissue complexes are removed and DNA extracted using a high-salt method. IFAP-extracted DNA is suitable for downstream DNA methylation analysis.
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19
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Menshanov PN, Bannova AV, Dygalo NN. Dexamethasone suppresses the locomotor response of neonatal rats to novel environment. Behav Brain Res 2014; 271:43-50. [PMID: 24886779 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.05.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2014] [Revised: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion of animals in the novel environment is determined by two main factors-the intrinsic motor activity and the specific locomotor response to novelty. Glucocorticoids alter neurobehavioral development of mammals and its locomotor manifestations. However, it remains unclear whether the intrinsic and/or the novelty-induced activity are affected by glucocorticoids during early life. Here, the principal component analysis was used to determine the main factors that underlie alterations in locomotion of rat pups treated with dexamethasone. It was shown that neonatal rats exhibited an enhanced locomotion in the novel environment beginning from postnatal day (PD) 5. We found for the first time that this reaction was significantly suppressed by dexamethasone. The effect was specific to the novelty-induced component of behavior, while the intrinsic locomotor activity was not affected by glucocorticoid treatment. The suppression of the behavioral response to novelty was maximal at PD7 and vanquished at PD10-11. In parallel with the hormonal effect on the behavior, dexamethasone upregulated the main cell death executor-active caspase-3 in the prefrontal cortex of 7-day old rats. Thus, dexamethasone-induced alterations in the novelty-related behavior may be the earliest visible signs of the brain damage that could lead to forthcoming depressive state or schizophrenia, emerging as a result of neonatal stress or glucocorticoid treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr N Menshanov
- Functional Neurogenomics Laboratory, Institute of Cytology and Genetics SBRAS, Russian Academy of Science, Lavrentyev av. 10., Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation; Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova st. 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation.
| | - Anita V Bannova
- Functional Neurogenomics Laboratory, Institute of Cytology and Genetics SBRAS, Russian Academy of Science, Lavrentyev av. 10., Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
| | - Nikolay N Dygalo
- Functional Neurogenomics Laboratory, Institute of Cytology and Genetics SBRAS, Russian Academy of Science, Lavrentyev av. 10., Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation; Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova st. 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
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20
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Sorenson AN, Sullivan EC, Mendoza SP, Capitanio JP, Higley JD. Serotonin transporter genotype modulates HPA axis output during stress: effect of stress, dexamethasone test and ACTH challenge. TRANSLATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHIATRY 2013; 1:21130. [PMID: 25068032 PMCID: PMC4109987 DOI: 10.3402/tdp.v1i0.21130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies show that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is dysregulated in depression. Some studies suggest that variation in the serotonin transporter genotype (hereafter 5HTT) modulates both risk for depression and psychopathological HPA axis responsiveness. Rhesus monkeys are well suited to model such relationships. Rhesus macaque models of human psychopathology have assessed the effect of the serotonin transporter (rh5HTT) on levels of cortisol in stressed subjects. These studies show that that under conditions of stress, heterozygous females (Ls) reared under adversity exhibit high levels of cortisol. Studies have not to our knowledge, however, assessed the potential additive effect on the cortisol response in a number of macaque subjects homozygous for the serotonin transporter short allele (ss). Moreover, little is known about the level of the central or peripheral nervous system at which the 5HTT genotype acts to modulate the cortisol response. METHODS This study assesses a relatively large number of subjects homozygous and heterozygous for the rh5HTT short and long alleles (a) during stress; (b) following a dexamethasone suppression test; and (c) following an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge. Subjects included 190 infant rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta - 84 males and 106 females; 118 LL, 60 Ls, and 12 ss subjects), obtaining two blood plasma samples during the stress of separation from their mothers. Then on the following day, we obtained a blood sample following a dexamethasone test, and later that day we obtained a blood sample after an ACTH challenge test. Subjects ranged in age between 90 and 128 days, with a mean age of 107 days. RESULTS Subjects homozygous for the short allele had significantly higher levels of cortisol across all test conditions, when compared to those homozygous for the long allele, or those heterozygous with Ls alleles. Subsequent analyses showed a high correlation between individual cortisol levels across the three different tests. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that subjects homozygous for the short allele are more likely to show dysregulated cortisol levels in response to stress. Given the correlation in individual responses of the HPA axis across the different tests, our data suggest that the effect of the 5HTT genotype shows some commonality in its regulation of stress, feedback, and ACTH-stimulated cortisol output. Our data suggest that under conditions of stress, the serotonin transporter may modulate HPA axis psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin C. Sullivan
- Department of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Sally P. Mendoza
- Department of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - John P. Capitanio
- Department of Psychology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - J. Dee Higley
- Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
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21
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Early developmental emergence of human amygdala-prefrontal connectivity after maternal deprivation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:15638-43. [PMID: 24019460 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1307893110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 572] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Under typical conditions, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) connections with the amygdala are immature during childhood and become adult-like during adolescence. Rodent models show that maternal deprivation accelerates this development, prompting examination of human amygdala-mPFC phenotypes following maternal deprivation. Previously institutionalized youths, who experienced early maternal deprivation, exhibited atypical amygdala-mPFC connectivity. Specifically, unlike the immature connectivity (positive amygdala-mPFC coupling) of comparison children, children with a history of early adversity evidenced mature connectivity (negative amygdala-mPFC coupling) and thus, resembled the adolescent phenotype. This connectivity pattern was mediated by the hormone cortisol, suggesting that stress-induced modifications of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis shape amygdala-mPFC circuitry. Despite being age-atypical, negative amygdala-mPFC coupling conferred some degree of reduced anxiety, although anxiety was still significantly higher in the previously institutionalized group. These findings suggest that accelerated amygdala-mPFC development is an ontogenetic adaptation in response to early adversity.
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22
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Ouellet-Morin I, Wong CCY, Danese A, Pariante CM, Papadopoulos AS, Mill J, Arseneault L. Increased serotonin transporter gene (SERT) DNA methylation is associated with bullying victimization and blunted cortisol response to stress in childhood: a longitudinal study of discordant monozygotic twins. Psychol Med 2013; 43:1813-1823. [PMID: 23217646 PMCID: PMC4231789 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291712002784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Childhood adverse experiences are known to induce persistent changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity to stress. However, the mechanisms by which these experiences shape the neuroendocrine response to stress remain unclear. Method We tested whether bullying victimization influenced serotonin transporter gene (SERT) DNA methylation using a discordant monozygotic (MZ) twin design. A subsample of 28 MZ twin pairs discordant for bullying victimization, with data on cortisol and DNA methylation, were identified in the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally representative 1994-1995 cohort of families with twins. RESULTS Bullied twins had higher SERT DNA methylation at the age of 10 years compared with their non-bullied MZ co-twins. This group difference cannot be attributed to the children's genetic makeup or their shared familial environments because of the study design. Bullied twins also showed increasing methylation levels between the age of 5 years, prior to bullying victimization, and the age of 10 years whereas no such increase was detected in non-bullied twins across time. Moreover, children with higher SERT methylation levels had blunted cortisol responses to stress. CONCLUSIONS Our study extends findings drawn from animal models, supports the hypothesis that early-life stress modifies DNA methylation at a specific cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) site in the SERT promoter and HPA functioning and suggests that these two systems may be functionally associated.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. Ouellet-Morin
- MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
- School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Mental Health Institute of Montréal Research Center and the Research Group on Child Maladjustment, Canada
| | - C. C. Y. Wong
- MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - A. Danese
- MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - C. M. Pariante
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - A. S. Papadopoulos
- Section of Neurobiology of Mood Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
- Affective Disorders Unit Laboratory, National Affective Disorders Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Beckenham, Kent, UK
| | - J. Mill
- MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - L. Arseneault
- MRC Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London, UK
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23
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Zimmer C, Boogert NJ, Spencer KA. Developmental programming: cumulative effects of increased pre-hatching corticosterone levels and post-hatching unpredictable food availability on physiology and behaviour in adulthood. Horm Behav 2013; 64:494-500. [PMID: 23891687 PMCID: PMC3791420 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 07/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Prolonged exposure to stress during development can have long-term detrimental effects on health and wellbeing. However, the environmental matching hypothesis proposes that developmental stress programs physiology and behaviour in an adaptive way that can enhance fitness if early environments match those experienced later in life. Most research has focused on the harmful effects that stress during a single period in early life may exert in adulthood. In this study, we tested the potential additive and beneficial effects that stress experienced during both pre- and post-hatching development may have on adult physiology and behaviour. Japanese quail experienced different stress-related treatments across two developmental life stages: pre-hatching corticosterone (CORT) injection, post-hatching unpredictable food availability, both pre- and post-hatching treatments, or control. In adulthood, we determined quails' acute stress response, neophobia and novel environment exploration. The pre-hatching CORT treatment resulted in attenuated physiological responses to an acute stressor, increased activity levels and exploration in a novel environment. Post-hatching unpredictable food availability decreased adults' latency to feed. Furthermore, there were cumulative effects of these treatments across the two developmental stages: quail subjected to both pre- and post-hatching treatments were the most explorative and risk-taking of all treatment groups. Such responses to novel environments could enhance survival in unpredictable environments in later life. Our data also suggest that these behavioural responses may have been mediated by long-term physiological programming of the adrenocortical stress response, creating phenotypes that could exhibit fitness-enhancing behaviours in a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Karen A. Spencer
- Corresponding author at: School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, South Street, St. Andrews, KY16 9JP, United Kingdom.
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24
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Inflammatory pain and corticosterone response in infant rats: effect of 5-HT1A agonist buspirone prior to gestational stress. Mediators Inflamm 2013; 2013:915189. [PMID: 23606797 PMCID: PMC3628187 DOI: 10.1155/2013/915189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Our researches have shown that gestational stress causes exacerbation of inflammatory pain in the offspring; the maternal 5-HT1A agonist buspirone before the stress prevents the adverse effect. The serotonergic system and hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are closely interrelated. However, interrelations between inflammatory pain and the HPA axis during the hyporeactive period of the latter have not been studied. The present research demonstrates that formalin-induced pain causes a gradual and prolonged increase in plasma corticosterone level in 7-day-old male rats; twenty-four hours after injection of formalin, the basal corticosterone level still exceeds the initial basal corticosterone value. Chronic treatments of rat dams with buspirone before restraint stress during gestation normalize in the offspring pain-like behavior and induce during the acute phase in the formalin test the stronger corticosterone increase as compared to the stress hormonal elevation in animals with other prenatal treatments. Negative correlation between plasma corticosterone level and the number of flexes+shakes is revealed in buspirone+stress rats. The new data enhance the idea about relativity of the HPA axis hyporeactive period and suggest that maternal buspirone prior to stress during gestation may enhance an adaptive mechanism of the inflammatory nociceptive system in the infant male offspring through activation of the HPA axis peripheral link.
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25
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ISH-guided freeze-matrix assisted punches: technique for extracting punches from thin slide-mounted tissues for DNA methylation analysis. Biotechniques 2013; 53:175-80. [PMID: 22963479 DOI: 10.2144/0000113912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2012] [Accepted: 07/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Dissection of discrete brain regions for molecular analysis is complicated by trade-offs between accuracy, flexibility, and costs. We developed a flexible and cost-effective method, in situ hybridization (ISH) guided freeze-matrix assisted punches (IFAP), for extracting nanogram quantities of DNA from slide-mounted sections as thin as 12 μm. Using ISH to localize regions of interest, tissue is targeted by applying a small bead of M-1 embedding matrix onto cryosections, snap-freezing, and collecting the beads for nucleic acid purification. The method quantitatively recovers RNA and DNA usable for PCR and DNA methylation analysis.
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26
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Claessens SEF, Daskalakis NP, Oitzl MS, de Kloet ER. Early handling modulates outcome of neonatal dexamethasone exposure. Horm Behav 2012; 62:433-41. [PMID: 22892314 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2012] [Revised: 07/28/2012] [Accepted: 07/31/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone (DEX) are used to prevent or treat respiratory disorders in prematurely born infants. Besides the short-term benefit on lung development, numerous human and animal studies have reported adverse neurodevelopmental side effects. In contrast, maternal care is known to exert a positive influence on neurodevelopmental outcome in rodents. The aim of the current study was therefore to investigate whether neonatal handling (days 1-21), known to induce maternal care, might serve as an intervention strategy modulating the adverse effects of DEX treatment (days 1-3). For this purpose we have measured the outcome of these early-life manipulations on development as well as adult endocrine and behavioral phenotype of male rats. Maternal care was observed during the first week of life and indeed enhanced in response to handling. Eye opening was accelerated and body weight reduced in DEX-treated animals. In adulthood, we report that handling ameliorated impaired spatial learning observed in DEX treated non-handled animals in the T-maze. Additionally, handling reduced susceptibility to the impact of DEX treatment in the water maze. Although DEX treatment and handling both resulted in enhanced negative feedback of the stress-induced corticosterone response and both reduced startle reactivity, the acquisition of fear was only reduced by handling, without effect of DEX. Interestingly, handling had a beneficial effect on pre-pulse inhibition, which was diminished after DEX treatment. In conclusion, these findings indicate that handling of the neonate enhances maternal care and attenuates specific DEX-induced alterations in the adult behavioral phenotype.
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MESH Headings
- Acoustic Stimulation
- Animals
- Animals, Newborn
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Behavior, Animal/physiology
- Dexamethasone/adverse effects
- Dexamethasone/pharmacology
- Fear/drug effects
- Fear/physiology
- Female
- Growth and Development/drug effects
- Growth and Development/physiology
- Handling, Psychological
- Inhibition, Psychological
- Male
- Maternal Behavior/physiology
- Maternal Behavior/psychology
- Maze Learning/drug effects
- Maze Learning/physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal/physiology
- Physical Conditioning, Animal/psychology
- Pregnancy
- Random Allocation
- Rats
- Rats, Long-Evans
- Reflex, Startle/drug effects
- Reflex, Startle/physiology
- Time Factors
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne E F Claessens
- Division of Medical Pharmacology, LACDR/LUMC, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 2333 CC, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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