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Trujillo V, Camilo TA, Valentim-Lima E, Carbalan QSR, Dos-Santos RC, Felintro V, Reis LC, Lustrino D, Rorato R, Mecawi AS. Neonatal treatment with para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) induces adolescent hyperactivity associated with changes in the paraventricular nucleus Crh and Trh expressions. Behav Brain Res 2024; 462:114867. [PMID: 38246394 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Disruption of the brain serotoninergic (5-HT) system during development induces long-lasting changes in molecular profile, cytoarchitecture, and function of neurons, impacting behavioral regulation throughout life. In male and female rats, we investigate the effect of neonatal tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) inhibition by using para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) on the expression of 5-HTergic system components and neuropeptides related to adolescent social play behavior regulation. We observed sex-dependent 5-HT levels decrease after pCPA-treatment in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) at 17 and 35 days. Neonatal pCPA-treatment increased playing, social and locomotory behaviors assessed in adolescent rats of both sexes. The pCPA-treated rats demonstrated decreased Crh (17 days) and increased Trh (35 days) expression in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). There was sex dimorphism in Htr2c (17 days) and VGF (35 days) in the prefrontal cortex, with the females expressing higher levels of it than males. Our results indicate that neonatal pCPA-treatment results in a long-lasting and sex-dependent DRN 5-HT synthesis changes, decreased Crh, and increased Trh expression in the PVN, resulting in a hyperactivity-like phenotype during adolescence. The present work demonstrates that the impairment of TPH function leads to neurobehavioral disorders related to hyperactivity and impulsivity, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Trujillo
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil; Department of Physiology, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Tays Araújo Camilo
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Evandro Valentim-Lima
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Quézia S R Carbalan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Raoni C Dos-Santos
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Viviane Felintro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Luís C Reis
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Danilo Lustrino
- Laboratory of Basic and Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Department of Physiology, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Rorato
- Laboratory of Stress Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André S Mecawi
- Laboratory of Molecular Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
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Duque-Quintero M, Hooijmans CR, Hurowitz A, Ahmed A, Barris B, Homberg JR, Hen R, Harris AZ, Balsam P, Atsak P. Enduring effects of early-life adversity on reward processes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104849. [PMID: 36116576 PMCID: PMC10729999 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Two-thirds of individuals experience adversity during childhood such as neglect, abuse or highly-stressful events. Early-life adversity (ELA) increases the life-long risk of developing mood and substance use disorders. Reward-related deficits has emerged as a key endophenotype of such psychiatric disorders. Animal models are invaluable for studying how ELA leads to reward deficits. However, the existing literature is heterogenous with difficult to reconcile findings. To create an overview, we conducted a systematic review containing multiple meta-analyses regarding the effects of ELA on reward processes overall and on specific aspects of reward processing in animal models. A comprehensive search identified 120 studies. Most studies omitted key details resulting in unclear risk of bias. Overall meta-analysis showed that ELA significantly reduced reward behaviors (SMD: -0.42 [-0.60; -0.24]). The magnitude of ELA effects significantly increased with longer exposure. When reward domains were analyzed separately, ELA only significantly dampened reward responsiveness (SMD: -0.525[-0.786; -0.264]) and social reward processing (SMD: -0.374 [-0.663; -0.084]), suggesting that ELA might lead to deficits in specific reward domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Duque-Quintero
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carlijn R Hooijmans
- Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE), Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Hurowitz
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Afsana Ahmed
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Ben Barris
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rene Hen
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexander Z Harris
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Peter Balsam
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Piray Atsak
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Early life adversity shapes neural circuit function during sensitive postnatal developmental periods. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:306. [PMID: 35915071 PMCID: PMC9343623 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02092-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for mental illness, but the neurobiological mechanisms by which ELA increases the risk for future psychopathology are still poorly understood. Brain development is particularly malleable during prenatal and early postnatal life, when complex neural circuits are being formed and refined through an interplay of excitatory and inhibitory neural input, synaptogenesis, synaptic pruning, myelination, and neurogenesis. Adversity that influences these processes during sensitive periods of development can thus have long-lasting and pervasive effects on neural circuit maturation. In this review, we will discuss clinical and preclinical evidence for the impact of ELA on neural circuit formation with a focus on the early postnatal period, and how long-lasting impairments in these circuits can affect future behavior. We provide converging evidence from human and animal studies on how ELA alters the functional development of brain regions, neural circuits, and neurotransmitter systems that are crucial for cognition and affective behavior, including the hippocampus, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, neural networks of fear responses and cognition, and the serotonin (5-HT) system. We also discuss how gene-by-environment (GxE) interactions can determine individual differences in susceptibility and resilience to ELA, as well as molecular pathways by which ELA regulates neural circuit development, for which we emphasize epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms underlying ELA effects on brain function and psychopathology during early postnatal sensitive periods may have great potential to advance strategies to better treat or prevent psychiatric disorders that have their origin early in life.
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Baugher BJ, Buckhaults K, Case J, Sullivan A, Huq SN, Sachs BD. Sub-chronic stress induces similar behavioral effects in male and female mice despite sex-specific molecular adaptations in the nucleus accumbens. Behav Brain Res 2022; 425:113811. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Jiang Z, Zhu Z, Zhao M, Wang W, Li H, Liu D, Pan F. H3K9me2 regulation of BDNF expression in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex is involved in the depressive-like phenotype induced by maternal separation in male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2801-2813. [PMID: 34328517 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05896-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Early life stress (ELS) induces a depressive-like phenotype and increases the risk of depression. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been confirmed to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. However, the mechanism by which ELS alters the epigenetic regulation of BDNF and changes susceptibility to depression has not been fully clarified. METHODS The present study used maternal separation (MS) and chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS) to establish an MS animal model and a depressive animal model. We assessed depressive-like behaviours, including anhedonia, locomotor activity, anxiety-like behaviour, and spatial memory, using the sucrose preference test, the open field test, the elevated plus maze test, and the Morris water maze test. We also investigated BDNF and H3K9me2 expression in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and qPCR analysis. Additionally, we used Unc0642, a small molecule inhibitor of histone methyltransferase (G9a), as an intervention. RESULTS The results showed that CUMS induced depressive-like behaviours in rats and resulted in increased H3K9me2 expression and decreased BDNF expression in the hippocampus and mPFC. More importantly, adult MS rats experiencing CUMS had more severe depressive behaviours, had higher expression of H3K9me2 in the hippocampus and mPFC, and had lower expression of BDNF in the hippocampus and mPFC. In addition, administration of the G9a inhibitor reversed most of the changes. CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that ELS changed BDNF and H3K9me2 expression in the rat brain, resulting in a depressive-like phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Jiang
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zemeng Zhu
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingyue Zhao
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Haonan Li
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Dexiang Liu
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Pan
- Department of Medical Psychology and Ethics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44#, Wenhua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
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Sex-specific behavioral and structural alterations caused by early-life stress in C57BL/6 and BTBR mice. Behav Brain Res 2021; 414:113489. [PMID: 34303728 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Lately, the development of various mental illnesses, such as depression, personality disorders, and autism spectrum disorders, is often associated with traumatic events in childhood. Nonetheless, the mechanism giving rise to this predisposition is still unknown. Because the development of a disease often depends on a combination of a genetic background and environment, we decided to evaluate the effect of early-life stress on BTBR mice, which have behavioral, neuroanatomical, and physiological features of autism spectrum disorders. As early-life stress, we used prolonged separation of pups from their mothers in the first 2 weeks of life (3 h once a day). We assessed effects of the early-life stress on juvenile (postnatal day 23) and adolescent (postnatal days 37-38) male and female mice of strains C57BL/6 (B6) and BTBR. We found that in both strains, the early-life stress did not lead to changes in the level of social behavior, which is an important characteristic of autism-related behavior. Nonetheless, the early-life stress resulted in increased locomotor activity in juvenile BTBR mice. In adolescent mice, the stress early in life caused a low level of anxiety in B6 males and BTBR females and increased exploratory activity in adolescent BTBR males and females. In addition, adolescent B6 male and female mice with a history of the early-life stress tended to have a thinner motor cortex as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. As compared to B6 mice, BTBR mice showed reduced levels of social behavior and exploratory activity but their level of locomotor activity was higher. BTBR mice had smaller whole-brain, cortical, and dorsal hippocampal volumes; decreased motor cortex thickness; and increased ventral-hippocampus volume as compared to B6 mice, and these parameters correlated with the level of exploratory behavior of BTBR mice. Overall, the effects of early postnatal stress are sex- and strain-dependent.
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Noworyta K, Cieslik A, Rygula R. Reinforcement-based cognitive biases as vulnerability factors in alcohol addiction: From humans to animal models. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:4265-4280. [PMID: 34232505 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most common, but still poorly treated, psychiatric conditions. Developing new treatments requires a better understanding of the aetiology of symptoms and evaluation of novel therapeutic targets in preclinical studies. Recent developments in our understanding of the reinforcement-based cognitive biases (RBCBs) that contribute to the development of AUD and its treatment offer new opportunities for both clinical and preclinical research. In this review, we first briefly describe psychological and cognitive theories that involve various aspects of reinforcement sensitivity in the development, maintenance, and recurrence of alcohol addiction. Furthermore, in separate sections, we describe studies investigating RBCBs and their neural, neurochemical, and pharmacological correlates, and we discuss possible interactions between RBCBs and trajectories of AUD. Finally, we describe how recent translational studies using state-of-the-art animal models can facilitate our understanding of the role of reinforcement sensitivity and RBCBs in various aspects of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karolina Noworyta
- Department of Pharmacology, Affective Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agata Cieslik
- Department of Pharmacology, Affective Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Rafal Rygula
- Department of Pharmacology, Affective Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
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Trujillo V, Valentim-Lima E, Mencalha R, Carbalan QSR, Dos-Santos RC, Felintro V, Girardi CEN, Rorato R, Lustrino D, Reis LC, Mecawi AS. Neonatal Serotonin Depletion Induces Hyperactivity and Anxiolytic-like Sex-Dependent Effects in Adult Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2020; 58:1036-1051. [PMID: 33083963 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-020-02181-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The serotoninergic system plays an important role in the ontogeny of the mammalian central nervous system, and changes in serotonin production during development may lead to permanent changes in brain cytoarchitecture and function. The present study investigated the programming effects of neonatal serotonin depletion on behavior and molecular components of the serotoninergic system in adult male and female rats. Subcutaneous para-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) administration (100 mg kg-1) was performed daily on postnatal days 8-16 to deplete brain serotonin content. During adulthood, elevated plus-maze, open field, social interaction, forced swimming, and food, saline, and sucrose intake tests were performed. Relative expression of serotonin neurotransmission components in several brain areas was determined by qPCR. Additionally, serotonin immunofluorescence and neuropeptide mRNA expression were assessed in dorsal raphe (DRN) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei, respectively. Rat performance in behavioral tests demonstrated a general increase in locomotor activity and active escape behavior as well as decreased anxiety-like behavior after neonatal brain serotonin depletion. The behavioral programming effects due to neonatal serotonin depletion were more pronounced in females than males. At the gene expression level, the mRNA of Tph1 and Tph2 were lower in DRN while Htr2c was higher in the amygdala of pCPA-treated males, while Htr1a, Htr2c, Oxt, Avp, Crh, and Trh were not different in any treatments or sex in PVN. The results indicate that neonatal serotonin depletion has long-term consequences on locomotion and anxiety-like behavior associated with long-lasting molecular changes in the brain serotoninergic system in adult rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Trujillo
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil
- Departament of Physiology, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Evandro Valentim-Lima
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo Mencalha
- Department of Natural Sciences, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Brazil
| | - Quézia S R Carbalan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Raoni C Dos-Santos
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Viviane Felintro
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - Carlos E N Girardi
- Department of Psychobiology, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Rorato
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil
| | - Danilo Lustrino
- Department of Physiology, Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | - Luis C Reis
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil
| | - André S Mecawi
- Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Department of Biophysics, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Botucatu, 862, Edifício de Ciências Biomédicas, 7° andar, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, CEP 04023-062, Brasil.
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Han W, Chen BB. An evolutionary life history approach to understanding mental health. Gen Psychiatr 2020; 33:e100113. [PMID: 33089066 PMCID: PMC7534052 DOI: 10.1136/gpsych-2019-100113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, evolutionary life history theory has been used as a heuristic framework to understand mental health. This article reviews the life history theory and its integration with mental disorders and then introduces representative research methods and related empirical studies in the field of evolutionary psychopathology. In the end, this article concludes with future directions for further research examining and developing the evolutionary psychopathological framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Han
- Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin-Bin Chen
- Department of Psychology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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van der Veen R, Bonapersona V, Joëls M. The relevance of a rodent cohort in the Consortium on Individual Development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100846. [PMID: 32957026 PMCID: PMC7509002 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the features of the Consortium on Individual Development is the existence of a rodent cohort, in parallel with the human cohorts. Here we give an overview of the current status. We first elaborate on the choice of rat and mouse models mimicking early life adverse or beneficial conditions during development. We performed a systematic literature search on early life adversity and adult social behavior to address the status quo. Next, we describe the behavioral tasks we used and designed to examine behavioral control and social competence in rodents. The results so far indicate that manipulation of the environment in the first postnatal week only subtly affects social behavior. Stronger effects were seen in the model that targeted early adolescence; once adult, these rats are characterized by increased attention, a higher degree of impulsiveness and reduced social interest in peers. Many experiments in our rodent models with tightly controlled conditions were inspired by findings in human cohorts, and now allow in-depth mechanistic investigations. Vice versa, some of the findings in rodents are currently followed up by dedicated investigations in the human cohorts. This exemplifies the added value of animal investigations in a consortium encompassing primarily human developmental cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rixt van der Veen
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Valeria Bonapersona
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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Maternal Separation Early in Life Alters the Expression of Genes Npas4 and Nr1d1 in Adult Female Mice: Correlation with Social Behavior. Behav Neurol 2020; 2020:7830469. [PMID: 32190129 PMCID: PMC7072106 DOI: 10.1155/2020/7830469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress affects neuronal plasticity of the brain regions participating in the implementation of social behavior. Our previous studies have shown that brief and prolonged separation of pups from their mothers leads to enhanced social behavior in adult female mice. The goal of the present study was to characterize the expression of genes (which are engaged in synaptic plasticity) Egr1, Npas4, Arc, and Homer1 in the prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of adult female mice with a history of early-life stress. In addition, we evaluated the expression of stress-related genes: glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (Nr3c1 and Nr3c2) and Nr1d1, which encodes a transcription factor (also known as REVERBα) modulating sociability and anxiety-related behavior. C57Bl/6 mice were exposed to either maternal separation (MS, 3 h once a day) or handling (HD, 15 min once a day) on postnatal days 2 through 14. In adulthood, the behavior of female mice was analyzed by some behavioral tests, and on the day after the testing of social behavior, we measured the gene expression. We found increased Npas4 expression only in the prefrontal cortex and higher Nr1d1 expression in both the prefrontal cortex and dorsal hippocampus of adult female mice with a history of MS. The expression of the studied genes did not change in HD female mice. The expression of stress-related genes Nr3c1 and Nr3c2 was unaltered in both groups. We propose that the upregulation of Npas4 and Nr1d1 in females with a history of early-life stress and the corresponding enhancement of social behavior may be regarded as an adaptation mechanism reversing possible aberrations caused by early-life stress.
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12
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PSA-NCAM Colocalized with Cholecystokinin-Expressing Cells in the Hippocampus Is Involved in Mediating Antidepressant Efficacy. J Neurosci 2019; 40:825-842. [PMID: 31801810 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1779-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular glycan polysialic acid linked to neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) is principally expressed in the developing brain and the adult neurogenic regions. Although colocalization of PSA-NCAM with cholecystokinin (CCK) was found in the adult brain, the role of PSA-NCAM remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the functional significance of PSA-NCAM in the CA1 region of the male mouse hippocampus. Combined fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed that few vesicular glutamate transporter 3-negative/CCK-positive (VGluT3-/CCK+) cells were colocalized with PSA-NCAM, but most of the VGluT3+/CCK+ cells were colocalized with PSA-NCAM. The somata of PSA-NCAM+/CCK+ cells were highly innervated by serotonergic boutons than those of PSA-NCAM-/CCK+ cells. The expression ratios of 5-HT3A receptors and p11, a serotonin receptor-interacting protein, were higher in PSA-NCAM+/CCK+ cells than in PSA-NCAM-/CCK+ cells. Pharmacological digestion of PSA-NCAM impaired the efficacy of antidepressant fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, but not the efficacy of benzodiazepine anxiolytic diazepam. A Western blot showed that restraint stress decreased the expressions of p11 and mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and FLX increased them. Interestingly, the FLX-induced elevation of expression of p11, but not mature BDNF, was impaired by the digestion of PSA-NCAM. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed that restraint stress reduced the expression of polysialyltransferase ST8Sia IV and FLX elevated it. Collectively, PSA-NCAM colocalized with VGluT3+/CCK+ cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus may play a unique role in the regulation of antidepressant efficacy via the serotonergic pathway.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Polysialic acid (PSA) is composed of eight or more α2,8-linked sialic acids. Here, we examined the functional significance of polysialic acid linked to the neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) in the adult mouse hippocampus. Few vesicular glutamate transporter 3-negative/cholecystokinin-positive (VGluT3-/CCK+) cells were colocalized with PSA-NCAM, but most of the VGluT3+/CCK+ cells were colocalized with PSA-NCAM. The expression ratios of 5-HT3A receptors and p11, a serotonin receptor-interacting protein, were higher in PSA-NCAM+/CCK+ cells than in PSA-NCAM-/CCK+ cells. The efficacy of antidepressants, but not anxiolytics, was impaired by the digestion of PSA-NCAM. The antidepressant-induced increase in p11 expression was inhibited following PSA-NCAM digestion. We hence hypothesize that PSA-NCAM colocalized with VGluT3+/CCK+ cells may play a unique role in regulating antidepressant efficacy.
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Bonapersona V, Damsteegt R, Adams ML, van Weert LTCM, Meijer OC, Joëls M, Sarabdjitsingh RA. Sex-Dependent Modulation of Acute Stress Reactivity After Early Life Stress in Mice: Relevance of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Expression. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:181. [PMID: 31440147 PMCID: PMC6693524 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is considered a major risk factor for developing psychopathology. Increasing evidence points towards sex-dependent dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis as a contributing mechanism. Additionally, clinical studies suggest that the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) may further confer genetic vulnerability/resilience on a background of ELS. The link between ELS, sex and the HPA axis and how this interacts with MR genotype is understudied, yet important to understand vulnerability/resilience to stress. We used the early life-limited nesting and bedding model to test the effect of ELS on HPA properties in adult female and male mice carrying a forebrain-specific heterozygous knockout for MR. Basal HPA axis activity was measured by circadian peak and nadir corticosterone levels, in addition to body weight and weight of stress-sensitive tissues. HPA axis reactivity was assessed by mapping corticosterone levels after 10 min immobilization. Additionally, we measured the effects of ELS on steroid receptor [MR and glucocorticoid receptor (GR)] levels in the dorsal hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) with western blot. Finally, behavioral reactivity towards a novel environment was measured as a proxy for anxiety-like behavior. Results show that HPA axis activity under rest conditions was not affected by ELS. HPA axis reactivity after immobilization was decreased by ELS in females and increased, at trend-level in males. This effect in females was further exacerbated by low expression of the MR. We also observed a sex*ELS interaction regarding MR and GR expression in the dorsal hippocampus, with a significant upregulation of MR in males only. The sex-dependent interaction with ELS was not reflected in the behavioral response to novel environment and time spent in a sheltered compartment. We did find increased locomotor activity in all groups after a history of ELS, which attenuated after 4 h in males but not females regardless of condition. Our findings support that ELS alters HPA axis functioning sex-dependently. Genetic predisposition to low MR function may render females more susceptible to the harmful effect of ELS whereas in males low MR function promotes resilience. We propose that this model may be a useful tool to investigate the underlying mechanisms of sex-dependent and genetic vulnerability/resilience to stress-related psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Bonapersona
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ruth Damsteegt
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Mirjam L Adams
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Lisa T C M van Weert
- Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Onno C Meijer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Division of Endocrinology, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Ratna Angela Sarabdjitsingh
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Weidner MT, Lardenoije R, Eijssen L, Mogavero F, De Groodt LPMT, Popp S, Palme R, Förstner KU, Strekalova T, Steinbusch HWM, Schmitt-Böhrer AG, Glennon JC, Waider J, van den Hove DLA, Lesch KP. Identification of Cholecystokinin by Genome-Wide Profiling as Potential Mediator of Serotonin-Dependent Behavioral Effects of Maternal Separation in the Amygdala. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:460. [PMID: 31133792 PMCID: PMC6524554 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence suggests a role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-HT synthesis in the brain, in modulating long-term, neurobiological effects of early-life adversity. Here, we aimed at further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction, and its consequences for socio-emotional behaviors, with a focus on anxiety and social interaction. In this study, adult, male Tph2 null mutant (Tph2 -/-) and heterozygous (Tph2 +/-) mice, and their wildtype littermates (Tph2 +/+) were exposed to neonatal, maternal separation (MS) and screened for behavioral changes, followed by genome-wide RNA expression and DNA methylation profiling. In Tph2 -/- mice, brain 5-HT deficiency profoundly affected socio-emotional behaviors, i.e., decreased avoidance of the aversive open arms in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) as well as decreased prosocial and increased rule breaking behavior in the resident-intruder test when compared to their wildtype littermates. Tph2 +/- mice showed an ambiguous profile with context-dependent, behavioral responses. In the EPM they showed similar avoidance of the open arm but decreased prosocial and increased rule breaking behavior in the resident-intruder test when compared to their wildtype littermates. Notably, MS effects on behavior were subtle and depended on the Tph2 genotype, in particular increasing the observed avoidance of EPM open arms in wildtype and Tph2 +/- mice when compared to their Tph2 -/- littermates. On the genomic level, the interaction of Tph2 genotype with MS differentially affected the expression of numerous genes, of which a subset showed an overlap with DNA methylation profiles at corresponding loci. Remarkably, changes in methylation nearby and expression of the gene encoding cholecystokinin, which were inversely correlated to each other, were associated with variations in anxiety-related phenotypes. In conclusion, next to various behavioral alterations, we identified gene expression and DNA methylation profiles to be associated with TPH2 inactivation and its interaction with MS, suggesting a gene-by-environment interaction-dependent, modulatory function of brain 5-HT availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena T. Weidner
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Roy Lardenoije
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, United States
| | - Lars Eijssen
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Departments of Bioinformatics, Psychiatry & Neuro Psychology, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Floriana Mogavero
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Sandy Popp
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Konrad U. Förstner
- Core Unit Systems Medicine, Institute for Molecular Infection Biology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- ZB MED – Information Centre for Life Sciences, Cologne, Germany
- TH Köln, Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies, Cologne, Germany
| | - Tatyana Strekalova
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Harry W. M. Steinbusch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Angelika G. Schmitt-Böhrer
- Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jeffrey C. Glennon
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jonas Waider
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Daniel L. A. van den Hove
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia
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Zhou Z, Luo C, Koyama R. [Early childhood stress and neuropsychiatric disease]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2015; 146:263-267. [PMID: 26558311 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.146.263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
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Challis C, Berton O. Top-Down Control of Serotonin Systems by the Prefrontal Cortex: A Path toward Restored Socioemotional Function in Depression. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1040-54. [PMID: 25706226 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social withdrawal, increased threat perception, and exaggerated reassurance seeking behaviors are prominent interpersonal symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered serotonin (5-HT) systems and corticolimbic dysconnectivity have long been suspected to contribute to these symptomatic facets; however, the underlying circuits and intrinsic cellular mechanisms that control 5-HT output during socioemotional interactions remain poorly understood. We review literature that implicates a direct pathway between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in the adaptive and pathological control of social approach-avoidance behaviors. Imaging and neuromodulation during approach-avoidance tasks in humans point to the cortical control of brainstem circuits as an essential regulator of socioemotional decisions and actions. Parallel rodent studies using viral-based connectomics and optogenetics are beginning to provide a cellular blueprint of the underlying circuitry. In these studies, manipulations of vmPFC synaptic inputs to the DRN have revealed bidirectional influences on socioaffective behaviors via direct monosynaptic excitation and indirect disynaptic inhibition of 5-HT neurons. Additionally, adverse social experiences that result in permanent avoidance biases, such as social defeat, drive long-lasting plasticity in this microcircuit, potentiating the indirect inhibition of 5-HT output. Conversely, neuromodulation of the vmPFC via deep brain stimulation (DBS) attenuates avoidance biases by restoring the direct excitatory drive of 5-HT neurons and strengthening a key subset of forebrain 5-HT projections. Better understanding the cellular organization of the vmPFC-DRN pathway and identifying molecular determinants of its neuroplasticity can open fundamentally novel avenues for the treatment of affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin Challis
- Department of Psychiatry, ‡Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Olivier Berton
- Department of Psychiatry, ‡Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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