1
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Gasalla P, Manahan-Vaughan D, Dwyer DM, Hall J, Méndez-Couz M. Characterisation of the neural basis underlying appetitive extinction & renewal in Cacna1c rats. Neuropharmacology 2023; 227:109444. [PMID: 36724867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have revealed impairments in Cacna1c ± heterozygous animals (a gene that encodes the Cav 1.2 L-type voltage-gated calcium channels and is implicated in risk for multiple neuropsychiatric disorders) in aversive forms of learning, such as latent inhibition, reversal learning or context discrimination. However, the role of Cav 1.2 L-type voltage-gated calcium channels in extinction of appetitive associations remains under-investigated. Here, we used an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning task and evaluated extinction learning (EL) with a change of context from that of training and test (ABA) and without such a change (AAA) in Cacna1c ± male rats versus their wild-type (WT) littermates. In addition, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization of somatic immediate early genes (IEGs) Arc and Homer1a expression to scrutinize associated changes in the medial prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. Cacna1c ± animals successfully adapt their responses by engaging in appetitive EL and renewal. However, the regional IEG expression profile changed. For the EL occurring in the same context, Cacna1c ± animals presented higher IEG expression in the infralimbic cortex and the central amygdala than controls. The prelimbic region presented a larger neural ensemble in Cacna1c ± than WT animals, co-labelled for the time window of EL in the original context and prolonged exposure to the unrewarded context. With a context change, the Cacna1c ± infralimbic region displayed higher IEG expression during renewal than controls. Taken together, our findings provide novel evidence of distinct brain activation patterns occurring in Cacna1c ± rats after appetitive extinction and renewal despite preserved behavioral responses. This article is part of the Special Issue on "L-type calcium channel mechanisms in neuropsychiatric disorders".
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Gasalla
- Neuroscience & Mental Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK; School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Denise Manahan-Vaughan
- Dept. Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building MA 4/158, 44780, Bochum, Germany
| | - Dominic Michael Dwyer
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Tower Building, 70 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience & Mental Health Research Institute, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - Marta Méndez-Couz
- Dept. Neurophysiology, Medical Faculty, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Building MA 4/158, 44780, Bochum, Germany.
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2
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Santarriaga S, Gerlovin K, Layadi Y, Karmacharya R. Human stem cell-based models to study synaptic dysfunction and cognition in schizophrenia: A narrative review. Schizophr Res 2023:S0920-9964(23)00084-1. [PMID: 36925354 PMCID: PMC10500041 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2023.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive impairment is the strongest predictor of functional outcomes in schizophrenia and is hypothesized to result from synaptic dysfunction. However, targeting synaptic plasticity and cognitive deficits in patients remains a significant clinical challenge. A comprehensive understanding of synaptic plasticity and the molecular basis of learning and memory in a disease context can provide specific targets for the development of novel therapeutics targeting cognitive impairments in schizophrenia. Here, we describe the role of synaptic plasticity in cognition, summarize evidence for synaptic dysfunction in schizophrenia and demonstrate the use of patient derived induced-pluripotent stem cells for studying synaptic plasticity in vitro. Lastly, we discuss current advances and future technologies for bridging basic science research of synaptic dysfunction with clinical and translational research that can be used to predict treatment response and develop novel therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Santarriaga
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaia Gerlovin
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Yasmine Layadi
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chimie ParisTech, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres, Paris, France
| | - Rakesh Karmacharya
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Chemical Biology and Therapeutic Science Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
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3
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Hall J, Bray NJ. Schizophrenia Genomics: Convergence on Synaptic Development, Adult Synaptic Plasticity, or Both? Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:709-717. [PMID: 34974922 PMCID: PMC8929434 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale genomic studies of schizophrenia have identified hundreds of genetic loci conferring risk to the disorder. This progress offers an important route toward defining the biological basis of the condition and potentially developing new treatments. In this review, we discuss insights from recent genome-wide association study, copy number variant, and exome sequencing analyses of schizophrenia, together with functional genomics data from the pre- and postnatal brain, in relation to synaptic development and function. These data provide strong support for the view that synaptic dysfunction within glutamatergic and GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) neurons of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and other limbic structures is a central component of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Implicated genes and functional genomic data suggest that disturbances in synaptic connectivity associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia begin in utero but continue throughout development, with some alleles conferring risk to the disorder through direct effects on synaptic function in adulthood. This model implies that novel interventions for schizophrenia could include broad preventive approaches aimed at enhancing synaptic health during development as well as more targeted treatments aimed at correcting synaptic function in affected adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Hall
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics & Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine & Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Neuroscience & Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.
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4
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Namkung H, Thomas KL, Hall J, Sawa A. Parsing neural circuits of fear learning and extinction across basic and clinical neuroscience: Towards better translation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 134:104502. [PMID: 34921863 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.12.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decades, studies of fear learning and extinction have advanced our understanding of the neurobiology of threat and safety learning. Animal studies can provide mechanistic/causal insights into human brain regions and their functional connectivity involved in fear learning and extinction. Findings in humans, conversely, may further enrich our understanding of neural circuits in animals by providing macroscopic insights at the level of brain-wide networks. Nevertheless, there is still much room for improvement in translation between basic and clinical research on fear learning and extinction. Through the lens of neural circuits, in this article, we aim to review the current knowledge of fear learning and extinction in both animals and humans, and to propose strategies to fill in the current knowledge gap for the purpose of enhancing clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Namkung
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA.
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5
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Impairment in acquisition of conditioned fear in schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:681-686. [PMID: 34588608 PMCID: PMC8782847 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01193-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with schizophrenia show impairments in associative learning. One well-studied, quantifiable form of associative learning is Pavlovian fear conditioning. However, to date, studies of fear conditioning in schizophrenia have been inconclusive, possibly because they lacked sufficient power. To address this issue, we pooled data from four independent fear conditioning studies that included a total of 77 individuals with schizophrenia and 74 control subjects. Skin conductance responses (SCRs) to stimuli that were paired (the CS + ) or not paired (CS-) with an aversive, unconditioned stimulus were measured, and the success of acquisition of differential conditioning (the magnitude of CS + vs. CS- SCRs) and responses to CS + and CS- separately were assessed. We found that acquisition of differential conditioned fear responses was significantly lower in individuals with schizophrenia than in healthy controls (Cohen's d = 0.53). This effect was primarily related to a significantly higher response to the CS- stimulus in the schizophrenia compared to the control group. Moreover, the magnitude of this response to the CS- in the schizophrenia group was correlated with the severity of delusional ideation (p = 0.006). Other symptoms or antipsychotic dose were not associated with fear conditioning measures. In conclusion, individuals with schizophrenia who endorse delusional beliefs may be over-responsive to neutral stimuli during fear conditioning. This finding is consistent with prior models of abnormal associative learning in psychosis.
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6
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Moon AL, Brydges NM, Wilkinson LS, Hall J, Thomas KL. Cacna1c Hemizygosity Results in Aberrant Fear Conditioning to Neutral Stimuli. Schizophr Bull 2020; 46:1231-1238. [PMID: 31910256 PMCID: PMC7505182 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbz127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
CACNA1C, a gene that encodes an alpha-1 subunit of L-type voltage-gated calcium channels, has been strongly associated with psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. An important objective is to understand how variation in this gene can lead to an increased risk of psychopathology. Altered associative learning has also been implicated in the pathology of psychiatric disorders, particularly in the manifestation of psychotic symptoms. In this study, we utilize auditory-cued fear memory paradigms in order to investigate whether associative learning is altered in rats hemizygous for the Cacna1c gene. Cacna1c hemizygous (Cacna1c+/-) rats and their wild-type littermates were exposed to either delay, trace, or unpaired auditory fear conditioning. All rats received a Context Recall (24 h post-conditioning) and a Cue Recall (48 h post-conditioning) to test their fear responses. In the delay condition, which results in strong conditioning to the cue in wild-type animals, Cacna1c+/- rats showed increased fear responses to the context. In the trace condition, which results in strong conditioning to the context in wild-type animals, Cacna1c+/- rats showed increased fear responses to the cue. Finally, in the unpaired condition, Cacna1c+/- rats showed increased fear responses to both context and cue. These results indicate that Cacna1c heterozygous rats show aberrantly enhanced fear responses to inappropriate cues, consistent with key models of psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Moon
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Nichola M Brydges
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lawrence S Wilkinson
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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7
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Varderidou-Minasian S, Verheijen BM, Schätzle P, Hoogenraad CC, Pasterkamp RJ, Altelaar M. Deciphering the Proteome Dynamics during Development of Neurons Derived from Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:2391-2403. [PMID: 32357013 PMCID: PMC7281779 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Neuronal development is a complex
multistep process that shapes
neurons by progressing though several typical stages, including axon
outgrowth, dendrite formation, and synaptogenesis. Knowledge of the
mechanisms of neuronal development is mostly derived from the study
of animal models. Advances in stem cell technology now enable us to
generate neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).
Here we provide a mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic signature
of human iPSC-derived neurons, i.e., iPSC-derived induced glutamatergic
neurons and iPSC-derived motor neurons, throughout neuronal differentiation.
Tandem mass tag 10-plex labeling was carried out to perform proteomic
profiling of cells at different time points. Our analysis reveals
significant expression changes (FDR < 0.001) of several key proteins
during the differentiation process, e.g., proteins involved in the
Wnt and Notch signaling pathways. Overall, our data provide a rich
resource of information on protein expression during human iPSC neuron
differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzy Varderidou-Minasian
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Center, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bert M Verheijen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Philipp Schätzle
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Casper C Hoogenraad
- Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Proteomics Center, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
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8
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Abstract
Ketamine, principally an antagonist of N-methyl-ᴅ-aspartate receptors, induces schizophrenia-like symptoms in adult humans, warranting its use in the investigation of psychosis-related phenotypes in animal models. Genomic studies further implicate N-methyl-ᴅ-aspartate receptor-mediated processes in schizophrenia pathology, together with more broadly-defined synaptic plasticity and associative learning processes. Strong pathophysiological links have been demonstrated between fear learning and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. To further investigate the impact of ketamine on associative fear learning, we studied the effects of pre- and post-training ketamine on the consolidation and extinction of contextual fear memory in rats. Administration of 25 mg/kg ketamine prior to fear conditioning did not affect consolidation when potentially confounding effects of state dependency were controlled for. Pre-training ketamine (25 mg/kg) impaired the extinction of the conditioned fear response, which was mirrored with the use of a lower dose (8 mg/kg). Post-training ketamine (25 mg/kg) had no effect on the consolidation or extinction of conditioned fear. These observations implicate processes relating to the extinction of contextual fear memory in the manifestation of ketamine-induced phenotypes, and are consistent with existing hypotheses surrounding abnormal associative learning in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E Clifton
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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9
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Comprehensive review: Computational modelling of schizophrenia. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:631-646. [PMID: 28867653 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Computational modelling has been used to address: (1) the variety of symptoms observed in schizophrenia using abstract models of behavior (e.g. Bayesian models - top-down descriptive models of psychopathology); (2) the causes of these symptoms using biologically realistic models involving abnormal neuromodulation and/or receptor imbalance (e.g. connectionist and neural networks - bottom-up realistic models of neural processes). These different levels of analysis have been used to answer different questions (i.e. understanding behavioral vs. neurobiological anomalies) about the nature of the disorder. As such, these computational studies have mostly supported diverging hypotheses of schizophrenia's pathophysiology, resulting in a literature that is not always expanding coherently. Some of these hypotheses are however ripe for revision using novel empirical evidence. Here we present a review that first synthesizes the literature of computational modelling for schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms into categories supporting the dopamine, glutamate, GABA, dysconnection and Bayesian inference hypotheses respectively. Secondly, we compare model predictions against the accumulated empirical evidence and finally we identify specific hypotheses that have been left relatively under-investigated.
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10
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Clifton NE, Pocklington AJ, Scholz B, Rees E, Walters JTR, Kirov G, O'Donovan MC, Owen MJ, Wilkinson LS, Thomas KL, Hall J. Schizophrenia copy number variants and associative learning. Mol Psychiatry 2017; 22:178-182. [PMID: 27956746 PMCID: PMC5285462 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale genomic studies have made major progress in identifying genetic risk variants for schizophrenia. A key finding from these studies is that there is an increased burden of genomic copy number variants (CNVs) in schizophrenia cases compared with controls. The mechanism through which these CNVs confer risk for the symptoms of schizophrenia, however, remains unclear. One possibility is that schizophrenia risk CNVs impact basic associative learning processes, abnormalities of which have long been associated with the disorder. To investigate whether genes in schizophrenia CNVs impact on specific phases of associative learning we combined human genetics with experimental gene expression studies in animals. In a sample of 11 917 schizophrenia cases and 16 416 controls, we investigated whether CNVs from patients with schizophrenia are enriched for genes expressed during the consolidation, retrieval or extinction of associative memories. We show that CNVs from cases are enriched for genes expressed during fear extinction in the hippocampus, but not genes expressed following consolidation or retrieval. These results suggest that CNVs act to impair inhibitory learning in schizophrenia, potentially contributing to the development of core symptoms of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- N E Clifton
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - A J Pocklington
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - B Scholz
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - E Rees
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - J T R Walters
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - G Kirov
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M C O'Donovan
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - M J Owen
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - L S Wilkinson
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - K L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - J Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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11
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Thomson PA, Duff B, Blackwood DHR, Romaniuk L, Watson A, Whalley HC, Li X, Dauvermann MR, Moorhead TWJ, Bois C, Ryan NM, Redpath H, Hall L, Morris SW, van Beek EJR, Roberts N, Porteous DJ, St Clair D, Whitcher B, Dunlop J, Brandon NJ, Hughes ZA, Hall J, McIntosh A, Lawrie SM. Balanced translocation linked to psychiatric disorder, glutamate, and cortical structure/function. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2016; 2:16024. [PMID: 27602385 PMCID: PMC4994153 DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2016.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Rare genetic variants of large effect can help elucidate the pathophysiology of brain disorders. Here we expand the clinical and genetic analyses of a family with a (1;11)(q42;q14.3) translocation multiply affected by major psychiatric illness and test the effect of the translocation on the structure and function of prefrontal, and temporal brain regions. The translocation showed significant linkage (LOD score 6.1) with a clinical phenotype that included schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, and recurrent major depressive disorder. Translocation carriers showed reduced cortical thickness in the left temporal lobe, which correlated with general psychopathology and positive psychotic symptom severity. They showed reduced gyrification in prefrontal cortex, which correlated with general psychopathology severity. Translocation carriers also showed significantly increased activation in the caudate nucleus on increasing verbal working memory load, as well as statistically significant reductions in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex glutamate concentrations. These findings confirm that the t(1;11) translocation is associated with a significantly increased risk of major psychiatric disorder and suggest a general vulnerability to psychopathology through altered cortical structure and function, and decreased glutamate levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pippa A Thomson
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Barbara Duff
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Douglas H R Blackwood
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Liana Romaniuk
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Andrew Watson
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Heather C Whalley
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xiang Li
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh , UK
| | - Maria R Dauvermann
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - T William J Moorhead
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Catherine Bois
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Niamh M Ryan
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Holly Redpath
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lynsey Hall
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stewart W Morris
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Edwin J R van Beek
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh , UK
| | - Neil Roberts
- Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), The Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh , UK
| | - David J Porteous
- Medical Genetics Section, Centre for Genomic and Experimental Medicine, University of Edinburgh, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital , Edinburgh, UK
| | - David St Clair
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen , Aberdeen, UK
| | - Brandon Whitcher
- Clinical & Translational Imaging Group, Pfizer Global Research , Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John Dunlop
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research, Cambridge, MA, USA; AstraZeneca Neuroscience, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas J Brandon
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research, Cambridge, MA, USA; AstraZeneca Neuroscience, Innovative Medicines and Early Development Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zoë A Hughes
- Neuroscience Research Unit, Pfizer Global Research , Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jeremy Hall
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building , Cardiff, UK
| | - Andrew McIntosh
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
| | - Stephen M Lawrie
- Division of Psychiatry, Deanery of Clinical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Park , Edinburgh, UK
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Martín-García E, Bourgoin L, Cathala A, Kasanetz F, Mondesir M, Gutiérrez-Rodriguez A, Reguero L, Fiancette JF, Grandes P, Spampinato U, Maldonado R, Piazza PV, Marsicano G, Deroche-Gamonet V. Differential Control of Cocaine Self-Administration by GABAergic and Glutamatergic CB1 Cannabinoid Receptors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2192-205. [PMID: 26612422 PMCID: PMC4946049 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The type 1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1) modulates numerous neurobehavioral processes and is therefore explored as a target for the treatment of several mental and neurological diseases. However, previous studies have investigated CB1 by targeting it globally, regardless of its two main neuronal localizations on glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons. In the context of cocaine addiction this lack of selectivity is critical since glutamatergic and GABAergic neuronal transmission is involved in different aspects of the disease. To determine whether CB1 exerts different control on cocaine seeking according to its two main neuronal localizations, we used mutant mice with deleted CB1 in cortical glutamatergic neurons (Glu-CB1) or in forebrain GABAergic neurons (GABA-CB1). In Glu-CB1, gene deletion concerns the dorsal telencephalon, including neocortex, paleocortex, archicortex, hippocampal formation and the cortical portions of the amygdala. In GABA-CB1, it concerns several cortical and non-cortical areas including the dorsal striatum, nucleus accumbens, thalamic, and hypothalamic nuclei. We tested complementary components of cocaine self-administration, separating the influence of primary and conditioned effects. Mechanisms underlying each phenotype were explored using in vivo microdialysis and ex vivo electrophysiology. We show that CB1 expression in forebrain GABAergic neurons controls mouse sensitivity to cocaine, while CB1 expression in cortical glutamatergic neurons controls associative learning processes. In accordance, in the nucleus accumbens, GABA-CB1 receptors control cocaine-induced dopamine release and Glu-CB1 receptors control AMPAR/NMDAR ratio; a marker of synaptic plasticity. Our findings demonstrate a critical distinction of the altered balance of Glu-CB1 and GABA-CB1 activity that could participate in the vulnerability to cocaine abuse and addiction. Moreover, these novel insights advance our understanding of CB1 neuropathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Martín-García
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France,Departament de Ciencies Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucie Bourgoin
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Adeline Cathala
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Fernando Kasanetz
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Miguel Mondesir
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ana Gutiérrez-Rodriguez
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Zamudio, Spain
| | - Leire Reguero
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Zamudio, Spain
| | - Jean- François Fiancette
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Pedro Grandes
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Zamudio, Spain
| | - Umberto Spampinato
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Departament de Ciencies Experimentals i de la Salut, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, PRBB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pier Vincenzo Piazza
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Giovanni Marsicano
- University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France,INSERM U862, Endocannabinoids and Neuroadaptation, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France
| | - Véronique Deroche-Gamonet
- INSERM U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, NeuroCentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France,University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France,CRI U862, Pathophysiology of Addiction, Neurocentre Magendie, 146 rue Léo Saignat, Bordeaux 33077, France, Tel: +33 5 57 57 36 80, Fax: +33 5 57 57 36 69, E-mail:
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Calabrese F, Riva MA, Molteni R. Synaptic alterations associated with depression and schizophrenia: potential as a therapeutic target. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2016; 20:1195-207. [PMID: 27167520 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2016.1188080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In recent years, the concept of 'synaptopathy' has been extended from neurodegenerative and neurological disorders to psychiatric diseases. According to this nascent line of research, disruption in synaptic structure and function acts as the main determinant of mental illness. Therefore, molecular systems and processes crucial for synaptic activity may represent promising therapeutic targets. AREAS COVERED We review data on synaptic structural alterations in depression and schizophrenia and on specific molecular systems and/or mechanisms important for the maintenance of proper synaptic function. Specifically, we examine the involvement of the neuroligin system, the local protein translation, and the neurotrophin BDNF by reviewing clinical and preclinical studies, with particular attention to results provided by using animal models based on the role of stress in psychiatric diseases. Finally, we also discuss the impact of pharmacological treatment on these molecular systems/mechanisms. EXPERT OPINION The relevance of synaptic dysfunctions in psychiatric diseases is undoubted and the potential to normalize, ameliorate, and shape such alterations by acting on molecular systems crucial to ensure synaptic function property is fascinating. However, future studies are required to elucidate several open issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- a Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari , Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan , Italy
| | - Marco A Riva
- a Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari , Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan , Italy
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- a Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari , Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan , Italy
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Hall J, Trent S, Thomas KL, O'Donovan MC, Owen MJ. Genetic risk for schizophrenia: convergence on synaptic pathways involved in plasticity. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 77:52-8. [PMID: 25152434 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 202] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Recent large-scale genomic studies have revealed two broad classes of risk alleles for schizophrenia: a polygenic component of risk mediated through multiple common risk variants and rarer more highly penetrant submicroscopic chromosomal deletions and duplications, known as copy number variants. The focus of this review is on the emerging findings from the latter and subsequent exome sequencing data of smaller, deleterious single nucleotide variants and indels. In these studies, schizophrenia patients were found to have enriched de novo mutations in genes belonging to the postsynaptic density at glutamatergic synapses, particularly components of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor signaling complex, including the PSD-95 complex, activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein interactors, the fragile X mental retardation protein complex, voltage-gated calcium channels, and genes implicated in actin cytoskeletal dynamics. The convergence of these implicated genes onto a coherent biological pathway at the synapse, with a specific role in plasticity, provides a significant advance in understanding pathogenesis and points to new targets for biological investigation. We consider the implications of these studies in the context of existing genetic data and the potential need to reassess diagnostic boundaries of neuropsychiatric disorders before discussing ways forward for more directed mechanistic studies to develop stratified, novel therapeutic approaches in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Hall
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics; Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute.
| | - Simon Trent
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute
| | - Kerrie L Thomas
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute; Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michael J Owen
- Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics; Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute
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Todd J, Harms L, Schall U, Michie PT. Mismatch negativity: translating the potential. Front Psychiatry 2013; 4:171. [PMID: 24391602 PMCID: PMC3866657 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2013] [Accepted: 12/04/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The mismatch negativity (MMN) component of the auditory event-related potential has become a valuable tool in cognitive neuroscience. Its reduced size in persons with schizophrenia is of unknown origin but theories proposed include links to problems in experience-dependent plasticity reliant on N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptors. In this review we address the utility of this tool in revealing the nature and time course of problems in perceptual inference in this illness together with its potential for use in translational research testing animal models of schizophrenia-related phenotypes. Specifically, we review the reasons for interest in MMN in schizophrenia, issues pertaining to the measurement of MMN, its use as a vulnerability index for the development of schizophrenia, the pharmacological sensitivity of MMN and the progress in developing animal models of MMN. Within this process we highlight the challenges posed by knowledge gaps pertaining to the tool and the pharmacology of the underlying system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanita Todd
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Lauren Harms
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Ulrich Schall
- Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
- School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
| | - Patricia T. Michie
- School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Brain and Mental Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
- Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
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Sacchetti E, Scassellati C, Minelli A, Valsecchi P, Bonvicini C, Pasqualetti P, Galluzzo A, Pioli R, Gennarelli M. Schizophrenia susceptibility and NMDA-receptor mediated signalling: an association study involving 32 tagSNPs of DAO, DAOA, PPP3CC, and DTNBP1 genes. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2013; 14:33. [PMID: 23497497 PMCID: PMC3599832 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2350-14-33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent studies supported associations between four NMDA-receptor-mediated signalling genes (D-amino acid oxidase, DAO; D-amino acid oxidase activator, DAOA; protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit gamma isoform, PPP3CC; dystrobrevin-binding protein 1, DTNBP1) and schizophrenia susceptibility, even though with contrasting results. METHODS In an attempt to replicate these findings for the first time in an Italian population, a panel of 32 tagSNPs was analysed in a representative case-control sample involving 879 subjects. RESULTS An association in the allele frequency was observed for the estimated PPP3CC CAG triplotype in the SNP window rs4872499 T/C-rs11780915 A/G-rs13271367 G/A (pcorrect = 0.001). Similarly, the clustered genotype frequencies of the estimated/phased CAG triplotype differed between cases and controls (p = 0.004), with the carriers having a higher frequency in the control population (p = 0.002, odd ratio OR = 0.59, 95% confident interval CI: 0.43-0.82).Following the phenotypic dissection strategy, the analysis of single SNPs evidenced a protective effect in males of rs11780915 and rs13271367 in PPP3CC gene (pcorrect = 0.02, pcorrect = 0.04 respectively). Moreover the estimated/phased GT diplotype (rs2070586A/G-rs3741775G/T) carriers of the DAO gene were more highly represented in female controls (p = 0.017, OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.37-0.90), as were the estimated/phased CAG triplotype carriers of the PPP3CC gene in females (p = 0.01, OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87). In addition, we performed an interaction analysis, and a 66% (p = 0.003, OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70) lower risk of developing schizophrenia for female (CAG + GT) carriers versus non-CAG or -GT carriers was observed. For DTNBP1, we found a protective effect in males for the rs6459409 (pcorrect = 0.02) and the estimated/phased CT diplotype (rs6459409-rs9476886) carriers (p = 3x10-4, OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30-0.70).In relation to diagnostic subtypes, the estimated/phased DAO GT diplotype and PPP3CC CAG triplotype female carriers were found to show relative risk ratio (RRR) values of 0.52 and 0.54 lower risk for a paranoid phenotype respectively. CONCLUSIONS Although the results are preliminary and needed replication in a larger sample, this study suggests that NMDA receptor-mediated signalling genes (DAO, PPP3CC, DTNBP1) might be involved in schizophrenia pathogenic mechanisms related to gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilio Sacchetti
- Psychiatric Unit, University of Brescia, School of Medicine, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy
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Adams RA, Stephan KE, Brown HR, Frith CD, Friston KJ. The computational anatomy of psychosis. Front Psychiatry 2013; 4:47. [PMID: 23750138 PMCID: PMC3667557 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 443] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper considers psychotic symptoms in terms of false inferences or beliefs. It is based on the notion that the brain is an inference machine that actively constructs hypotheses to explain or predict its sensations. This perspective provides a normative (Bayes-optimal) account of action and perception that emphasizes probabilistic representations; in particular, the confidence or precision of beliefs about the world. We will consider hallucinosis, abnormal eye movements, sensory attenuation deficits, catatonia, and delusions as various expressions of the same core pathology: namely, an aberrant encoding of precision. From a cognitive perspective, this represents a pernicious failure of metacognition (beliefs about beliefs) that can confound perceptual inference. In the embodied setting of active (Bayesian) inference, it can lead to behaviors that are paradoxically more accurate than Bayes-optimal behavior. Crucially, this normative account is accompanied by a neuronally plausible process theory based upon hierarchical predictive coding. In predictive coding, precision is thought to be encoded by the post-synaptic gain of neurons reporting prediction error. This suggests that both pervasive trait abnormalities and florid failures of inference in the psychotic state can be linked to factors controlling post-synaptic gain - such as NMDA receptor function and (dopaminergic) neuromodulation. We illustrate these points using biologically plausible simulations of perceptual synthesis, smooth pursuit eye movements and attribution of agency - that all use the same predictive coding scheme and pathology: namely, a reduction in the precision of prior beliefs, relative to sensory evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rick A Adams
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London , London , UK
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Seese RR, O’Neill J, Hudkins M, Siddarth P, Levitt J, Tseng B, Wu KN, Caplan R. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and thought disorder in childhood schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2011; 133:82-90. [PMID: 21872444 PMCID: PMC3229835 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2011.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2010] [Revised: 07/05/2011] [Accepted: 07/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Although magnetic resonance spectroscopy has identified metabolic abnormalities in adult and childhood schizophrenia, no prior studies have investigated the relationship between neurometabolites and thought disorder. This study examined this association in language-related brain regions using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging ((1)H MRSI). METHOD MRSI was acquired bilaterally from 28 youth with childhood-onset schizophrenia and 34 healthy control subjects in inferior frontal, middle frontal, and superior temporal gyri at 1.5T and short echo time (TR/TE = 1500/30 ms). CSF-corrected "total NAA" (tNAA; N-acetyl-aspartate + N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate), glutamate + glutamine (Glx), creatine + phosphocreatine (Cr + PCr), choline compounds (Cho), and myo-inositol (mI) were assayed in manually drawn regions-of-interest partitioned into gray matter, white matter, and CSF and then coregistered with MRSI. Speech samples of all subjects were coded for thought disorder. RESULTS In the schizophrenia group, the severity of formal thought disorder correlated significantly with tNAA in the left inferior frontal and superior temporal gyri and with Cr + PCr in left superior temporal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS Neurometabolite concentrations in language-related brain regions are associated with thought disorder in childhood-onset schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald R. Seese
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Joseph O’Neill
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Matthew Hudkins
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Prabha Siddarth
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Jennifer Levitt
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Ben Tseng
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Keng Nei Wu
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
| | - Rochelle Caplan
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1759
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O'Neill J, Seese R, Hudkins M, Siddarth P, Levitt J, Tseng PB, Wu KN, Gurbani S, Shields WD, Caplan R. 1H MRSI and social communication deficits in pediatric complex partial seizures. Epilepsia 2011; 52:1705-14. [PMID: 21635240 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03114.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate relationships between regional brain metabolites, social communication deficits, and seizure frequency in children and adolescents with cryptogenic epilepsy with complex partial seizures (CPS). METHODS In 12 children and adolescents with CPS and 23 age- and gender-matched healthy controls, we acquired proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 1.5 T and 30 ms echo-time from bilateral inferior frontal and superior temporal gyri, regions associated with social communication deficits. Videotaped speech samples of all the subjects were coded for social communication deficits and parents provided information on seizure frequency. KEY FINDINGS Four MRSI findings emerged in right inferior frontal gyrus. N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) plus N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG)--together called "tNAA"--was 11.4% lower in patients with CPS than in controls. Choline-compounds (Cho) were 15.4% lower in CPS than in controls. Within CPS, higher tNAA was associated with more frequent seizures and abnormal social communication. SIGNIFICANCE Localization of findings to right inferior frontal cortex supports the involvement of this area in social communication deficits and may be related to atypical lateralization of expressive language in pediatric epilepsy. Lower levels of tNAA and Cho may indicate local neuronal or glial damage or underpopulation due to excitotoxicity or other causes. The sensitivity of tNAA to seizure frequency suggests effects of ongoing CPS on neuronal and glial function in this brain region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph O'Neill
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UCLA Semel Institute for Neurosciences, Los Angeles, California 90024-1759, USA.
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Gradin VB, Kumar P, Waiter G, Ahearn T, Stickle C, Milders M, Reid I, Hall J, Steele JD. Expected value and prediction error abnormalities in depression and schizophrenia. Brain 2011; 134:1751-64. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awr059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 346] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Abstract
The Ras family GTPases (Ras, Rap1, and Rap2) and their downstream mitogen-activated protein kinases (ERK, JNK, and p38MAPK) and PI3K signaling cascades control various physiological processes. In neuronal cells, recent studies have shown that these parallel cascades signal distinct forms of AMPA-sensitive glutamate receptor trafficking during experience-dependent synaptic plasticity and adaptive behavior. Interestingly, both hypo- and hyperactivation of Ras/ Rap signaling impair the capacity of synaptic plasticity, underscoring the importance of a "happy-medium" dynamic regulation of the signaling. Moreover, accumulating reports have linked various genetic defects that either up- or down-regulate Ras/Rap signaling with several mental disorders associated with learning disability (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Angelman syndrome, autism, cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome, Coffin-Lowry syndrome, Costello syndrome, Cowden and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndromes, fragile X syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, Noonan syndrome, schizophrenia, tuberous sclerosis, and X-linked mental retardation), highlighting the necessity of happy-medium dynamic regulation of Ras/Rap signaling in learning behavior. Thus, the recent advances in understanding of neuronal Ras/Rap signaling provide a useful guide for developing novel treatments for mental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth L Stornetta
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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O'Connell G, Lawrie SM, McIntosh AM, Hall J. Schizophrenia risk genes: Implications for future drug development and discovery. Biochem Pharmacol 2010; 81:1367-73. [PMID: 21093417 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2010.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2010] [Revised: 11/07/2010] [Accepted: 11/08/2010] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Present-day development of improved treatments for schizophrenia is hindered by uncertain models of disease, inter-individual response variability in clinical trials and a paucity of sensitive measures of treatment effects. Findings from genetic research emphasize the potential for schizophrenia risk genes to help develop focused treatments, discover new drug targets and provide markers of clinical subtypes. Advances in genetic technologies also provide novel modes of drug discovery in schizophrenia such as transcriptomics, epigenetics and transgenic animal models. In this review, we discuss proven and proposed ways risk genes can be used to enhance the development and discovery of treatments for schizophrenia and highlight key studies in these approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garret O'Connell
- Division of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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Corlett PR, Taylor JR, Wang XJ, Fletcher PC, Krystal JH. Toward a neurobiology of delusions. Prog Neurobiol 2010; 92:345-69. [PMID: 20558235 PMCID: PMC3676875 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2010.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 251] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2010] [Revised: 05/06/2010] [Accepted: 06/08/2010] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Delusions are the false and often incorrigible beliefs that can cause severe suffering in mental illness. We cannot yet explain them in terms of underlying neurobiological abnormalities. However, by drawing on recent advances in the biological, computational and psychological processes of reinforcement learning, memory, and perception it may be feasible to account for delusions in terms of cognition and brain function. The account focuses on a particular parameter, prediction error--the mismatch between expectation and experience--that provides a computational mechanism common to cortical hierarchies, fronto-striatal circuits and the amygdala as well as parietal cortices. We suggest that delusions result from aberrations in how brain circuits specify hierarchical predictions, and how they compute and respond to prediction errors. Defects in these fundamental brain mechanisms can vitiate perception, memory, bodily agency and social learning such that individuals with delusions experience an internal and external world that healthy individuals would find difficult to comprehend. The present model attempts to provide a framework through which we can build a mechanistic and translational understanding of these puzzling symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- P R Corlett
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Centre, Abraham Ribicoff Research Facility, 34 Park Street, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
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Buonanno A. The neuregulin signaling pathway and schizophrenia: from genes to synapses and neural circuits. Brain Res Bull 2010; 83:122-31. [PMID: 20688137 PMCID: PMC2958213 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2010.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2010] [Revised: 07/14/2010] [Accepted: 07/20/2010] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Numerous genetic linkage and association studies implicate members of the Neuregulin-ErbB receptor (NRG-ErbB) signaling pathway as schizophrenia "at risk" genes. An emphasis of this review is to propose plausible neurobiological mechanisms, regulated by the Neuregulin-ErbB signaling network, that may be altered in schizophrenia and contribute to its etiology. To this end, the distinct neurotransmitter pathways, neuronal subtypes and neural network systems altered in schizophrenia are initially discussed. Next, the review focuses on the possible significance of genetic studies associating NRG1 and ErbB4 with schizophrenia, in light of the functional role of this signaling pathway in regulating glutamatergic, GABAergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission, as well as modulating synaptic plasticity and gamma oscillations. The importance of restricted ErbB4 receptor expression in GABAergic interneurons is emphasized, particularly their expression at glutamatergic synapses of parvalbumin-positive fast-spiking interneurons where modulation of inhibitory drive could account for the dramatic effects of NRG-ErbB signaling on gamma oscillations and pyramidal neuron output. A case is made for reasons that the NRG-ErbB signaling pathway constitutes a "biologically plausible" system for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms that may underlie the complex array of positive, negative and cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Buonanno
- National Institutes of Health, Eunice Shriver Kennedy NICHD, Section on Molecular Neurobiology, Program of Developmental Neurobiology, 35 Lincoln Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-3714, USA.
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Abstract
Synaptopathy is an increasingly popular term used to define key features of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disease. It implies that disruptions in synaptic structure and function are potentially the major determinant of such brain diseases. The Synaptopathies: Dysfunction of Synaptic Function Biochemical Society Focused Meeting brought together several invited speakers, supplemented with short communications from young scientists, who addressed this possibility. The talks spanned the full gamut of approaches that brought molecular, cellular, systems and whole-animal experimentation together to address how fundamental synaptic biology was increasingly informing on dysfunction in disease. The disease and models thereof discussed included Alzheimer's disease, prions, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia and autism. The audience were asked to reflect on whether synaptopathy, although attractive and conceptually useful, provided a significant explanation as the cause of these major diseases. The breadth of the meeting reinforced the complexity of these brain diseases, supported the significance of synaptic dysfunction in disease, but left open the issue as to whether the prime cause of these disorders could be resolved as simple synaptic dysfunction. Thus, despite revealing a value of synaptopathy, further investigation will be required to reveal its balance in the cause and effect in each of the major brain diseases.
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