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Bahi A. Serotonin transporter knockdown relieves depression-like behavior and ethanol-induced CPP in mice after chronic social defeat stress. Behav Brain Res 2024; 466:114998. [PMID: 38614210 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114998] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Patients with stress-triggered major depression disorders (MDD) can often seek comfort or temporary relief through alcohol consumption, as they may turn to it as a means of self-medication or coping with overwhelming emotions. The use of alcohol as a coping mechanism for stressful events can escalate, fostering a cycle where the temporary relief it provides from depression can deepen into alcohol dependence, exacerbating both conditions. Although, the specific mechanisms involved in stress-triggered alcohol dependence and MDD comorbidities are not well understood, a large body of literature suggests that the serotonin transporter (SERT) plays a critical role in these abnormalities. To further investigate this hypothesis, we used a lentiviral-mediated knockdown approach to examine the role of hippocampal SERT knockdown in social defeat stress-elicited depression like behavior and ethanol-induced place preference (CPP). The results showed that social defeat stress-pro depressant effects were reversed following SERT knockdown demonstrated by increased sucrose preference, shorter latency to feed in the novelty suppressed feeding test, and decreased immobility time in the tail suspension and forced swim tests. Moreover, and most importantly, social stress-induced ethanol-CPP acquisition and reinstatement were significantly reduced following hippocampal SERT knockdown using short hairpin RNA shRNA-expressing lentiviral vectors. Finally, we confirmed that SERT hippocampal mRNA expression correlated with measures of depression- and ethanol-related behaviors by Pearson's correlation analysis. Taken together, our data suggest that hippocampal serotoninergic system is involved in social stress-triggered mood disorders as well as in the acquisition and retrieval of ethanol contextual memory and that blockade of this transporter can decrease ethanol rewarding properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amine Bahi
- College of Medicine, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates; Department of Anatomy, CMHS, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
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2
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Harper KM, Harp SJ, Moy SS. Prenatal stress unmasks behavioral phenotypes in genetic mouse models of neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1271225. [PMID: 37809038 PMCID: PMC10556231 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1271225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are complex conditions characterized by heterogeneous clinical profiles and symptoms that arise in infancy and childhood. NDDs are often attributed to a complicated interaction between genetic risk and environmental factors, suggesting a need for preclinical models reflecting the combined impact of heritable susceptibility and environmental effects. A notable advantage of "two-hit" models is the power to reveal underlying vulnerability that may not be detected in studies employing only genetic or environmental alterations. In this review, we summarize existing literature that investigates detrimental interactions between prenatal stress (PNS) and genes associated with NDDs, with a focus on behavioral phenotyping approaches in mouse models. A challenge in determining the overall role of PNS exposure in genetic models is the diversity of approaches for inducing stress, variability in developmental timepoints for exposure, and differences in phenotyping regimens across laboratories. Identification of optimal stress protocols and critical windows for developmental effects would greatly improve the use of PNS in gene × environment mouse models of NDDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M. Harper
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Samuel J. Harp
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Sheryl S. Moy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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3
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The Modification of Offspring Stress-Related Behavior and the Expression of Drd1, Drd2, and Nr3c1 by a Western-Pattern Diet in Mus Musculus. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169245. [PMID: 36012509 PMCID: PMC9409213 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The impact of early developmental experience on neurobiological pathways that may contribute to the association between diet and behavior have not yet been elucidated. The focus of the current study was to determine whether the impact of prenatal stress (PS) could be mitigated by a diet that stimulates the same neuroendocrine systems influenced by early stress, using a mouse model. Behavioral and genetic approaches were used to assess how a Western-pattern diet (WPD) interacts with PS and sex to impact the expression of anxiety-like behavior in an open-field arena, as well as the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor in the hippocampus, D1 dopamine receptors in the nucleus accumbens, and D2 dopamine receptors in the ventral tegmental area. Overall, the results demonstrated that a prenatal WPD mitigates the effects of maternal stress in dams and offspring. These results help to elucidate the relationship between pre- and post-natal nutrition, gene expression, and behaviors that lead to long-term health effects.
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ADGRL1 haploinsufficiency causes a variable spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders in humans and alters synaptic activity and behavior in a mouse model. Am J Hum Genet 2022; 109:1436-1457. [PMID: 35907405 PMCID: PMC9388395 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
ADGRL1 (latrophilin 1), a well-characterized adhesion G protein-coupled receptor, has been implicated in synaptic development, maturation, and activity. However, the role of ADGRL1 in human disease has been elusive. Here, we describe ten individuals with variable neurodevelopmental features including developmental delay, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity and autism spectrum disorders, and epilepsy, all heterozygous for variants in ADGRL1. In vitro, human ADGRL1 variants expressed in neuroblastoma cells showed faulty ligand-induced regulation of intracellular Ca2+ influx, consistent with haploinsufficiency. In vivo, Adgrl1 was knocked out in mice and studied on two genetic backgrounds. On a non-permissive background, mice carrying a heterozygous Adgrl1 null allele exhibited neurological and developmental abnormalities, while homozygous mice were non-viable. On a permissive background, knockout animals were also born at sub-Mendelian ratios, but many Adgrl1 null mice survived gestation and reached adulthood. Adgrl1-/- mice demonstrated stereotypic behaviors, sexual dysfunction, bimodal extremes of locomotion, augmented startle reflex, and attenuated pre-pulse inhibition, which responded to risperidone. Ex vivo synaptic preparations displayed increased spontaneous exocytosis of dopamine, acetylcholine, and glutamate, but Adgrl1-/- neurons formed synapses in vitro poorly. Overall, our findings demonstrate that ADGRL1 haploinsufficiency leads to consistent developmental, neurological, and behavioral abnormalities in mice and humans.
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Bodden C, Wewer M, Kästner N, Palme R, Kaiser S, Sachser N, Richter SH. Not all mice are alike: Mixed-strain housing alters social behaviour. Physiol Behav 2020; 228:113220. [PMID: 33122091 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113220] [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: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of millions of mice in scientific studies worldwide emphasises the continuing need for a reduction of sample sizes, however, not at the expense of scientific validity. Split-plot designs have been suggested to enhance statistical power while allowing a reduction of animal numbers in comparison to traditional experimental designs. Recently, a promising approach of a split-plot design has been implemented and proven useful using mixed-strain housing of at least three different mouse strains. However, the impact of co-housing different strains of mice in one cage on animal welfare has still to be defined. This study aimed at comparing the effects of mixed-strain and same-strain housing of female C57BL/6J and DBA/2N mice on welfare and behaviour in two experimental phases. In a first phase, mice were housed in either mixed- or same-strain pairs. Home cage behaviour, activity rhythm, body weight, and faecal corticosterone metabolites were assessed. Furthermore, tests for anxiety-like and exploratory behaviour as well as spatial learning were performed. In a second phase, sociability was investigated in newly formed mixed-strain quartets. Mixed-strain housing did not induce alterations in anxiety, locomotion, learning, stereotypic behaviour, and stress hormone levels. However, changes in social behaviours and activity rhythm were observed. Increased agonistic and decreased socio-positive behaviours might point towards mild impacts on welfare in C57BL/6J mice under co-housing conditions. Altogether, scientific research may greatly benefit from co-housing mice of different strains within the same cages (e.g. for the realisation of a split-plot design), provided that strains are carefully selected for compatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Bodden
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Maximilian Wewer
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Niklas Kästner
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
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Kiser DP, Popp S, Schmitt-Böhrer AG, Strekalova T, van den Hove DL, Lesch KP, Rivero O. Early-life stress impairs developmental programming in Cadherin 13 (CDH13)-deficient mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 89:158-168. [PMID: 30165120 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cadherin-13 (CDH13), a member of the calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecule family, has been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) disorders, but also to depression. In the adult brain, CDH13 expression is restricted e.g. to the presynaptic compartment of inhibitory GABAergic synapses in the hippocampus and Cdh13 knockout mice show an increased inhibitory drive onto hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, leading to a shift in excitatory/inhibitory balance. CDH13 is also moderating migration of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, establishing projections preferentially to the thalamus and cerebellum during brain development. Furthermore, CDH13 is upregulated by chronic stress as well as in depression, suggesting a role in early-life adaptation to stressful experience. Here, we therefore investigated the interaction between Cdh13 variation and neonatal maternal separation (MS) in mice. METHODS Male and female wild-type (Cdh13+/+), heterozygous (Cdh13+/-) and homozygous (Cdh13-/-) knockout mice exposed to MS, or daily handling as control, were subjected to a battery of behavioural tests to assess motor activity, learning and memory as well as anxiety-like behaviour. A transcriptome analysis of the hippocampus was performed in an independent cohort of mice which was exposed to MS or handling, but remained naïve for behavioural testing. RESULTS MS lead to increased anxiety-like behaviour in Cdh13-/- mice compared to the other two MS groups. Cdh13-/- mice showed a context-dependent effect on stress- and anxiety-related behaviour, impaired extinction learning following contextual fear conditioning and decreased impulsivity, as well as a mild decrease in errors in the Barnes maze and reduced risk-taking in the light-dark transition test after MS. We also show sex differences, with increased locomotor activity in female Cdh13-/- mice, but unaltered impulsivity and activity in male Cdh13-/- mice. Transcriptome analysis revealed several pathways associated with cell surface/adhesion molecules to be altered following Cdh13 deficiency, together with an influence on endoplasmic reticulum function. CONCLUSION MS resulted in increased stress resilience, increased exploration and an overall anxiolytic behavioural phenotype in male Cdh13+/+ and Cdh13+/- mice. Cdh13 deficiency, however, obliterated most of the effects caused by early-life stress, with Cdh13-/- mice exhibiting delayed habituation, no reduction of anxiety-like behaviour and decreased fear extinction. Our behavioural findings indicate a role of CDH13 in the programming of and adaptation to early-life stress. Finally, our transcriptomic data support the view of CDH13 as a neuroprotective factor as well as a mediator in cell-cell interactions, with an impact on synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik P Kiser
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sandy Popp
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Germany
| | - Angelika G Schmitt-Böhrer
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tatyana Strekalova
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Germany; Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel L van den Hove
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Germany; Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Germany; Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Olga Rivero
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Germany.
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Abbott PW, Gumusoglu SB, Bittle J, Beversdorf DQ, Stevens HE. Prenatal stress and genetic risk: How prenatal stress interacts with genetics to alter risk for psychiatric illness. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 90:9-21. [PMID: 29407514 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Revised: 01/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Risk for neuropsychiatric disorders is complex and includes an individual's internal genetic endowment and their environmental experiences and exposures. Embryonic development captures a particularly complex period, in which genetic and environmental factors can interact to contribute to risk. These environmental factors are incorporated differently into the embryonic brain than postnatal one. Here, we comprehensively review the human and animal model literature for studies that assess the interaction between genetic risks and one particular environmental exposure with strong and complex associations with neuropsychiatric outcomes-prenatal maternal stress. Gene-environment interaction has been demonstrated for stress occurring during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Additional work demonstrates that prenatal stress risk may be similarly complex. Animal model studies have begun to address some underlying mechanisms, including particular maternal or fetal genetic susceptibilities that interact with stress exposure and those that do not. More specifically, the genetic underpinnings of serotonin and dopamine signaling and stress physiology mechanisms have been shown to be particularly relevant to social, attentional, and internalizing behavioral changes, while other genetic factors have not, including some growth factor and hormone-related genes. Interactions have reflected both the diathesis-stress and differential susceptibility models. Maternal genetic factors have received less attention than those in offspring, but strongly modulate impacts of prenatal stress. Priorities for future research are investigating maternal response to distinct forms of stress and developing whole-genome methods to examine the contributions of genetic variants of both mothers and offspring, particularly including genes involved in neurodevelopment. This is a burgeoning field of research that will ultimately contribute not only to a broad understanding of psychiatric pathophysiology but also to efforts for personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker W Abbott
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
| | - Serena B Gumusoglu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Jada Bittle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - David Q Beversdorf
- Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, Interdisciplinary Intercampus Research Program, Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders, Departments of Radiology, Neurology and Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Hanna E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 1310 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA; Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Iowa, 356 Medical Research Center, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA; Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, 2312 PBDB, 169 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA, 52246, USA.
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Bodden C, Siestrup S, Palme R, Kaiser S, Sachser N, Richter SH. Evidence-based severity assessment: Impact of repeated versus single open-field testing on welfare in C57BL/6J mice. Behav Brain Res 2018; 336:261-268. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Bodden C, van den Hove D, Lesch KP, Sachser N. Impact of varying social experiences during life history on behaviour, gene expression, and vasopressin receptor gene methylation in mice. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8719. [PMID: 28821809 PMCID: PMC5562890 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09292-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Both negative and positive social experiences during sensitive life phases profoundly shape brain and behaviour. Current research is therefore increasingly focusing on mechanisms mediating the interaction between varying life experiences and the epigenome. Here, male mice grew up under either adverse or beneficial conditions until adulthood, when they were subdivided into groups exposed to situations that either matched or mismatched previous conditions. It was investigated whether the resulting four life histories were associated with changes in anxiety-like behaviour, gene expression of selected genes involved in anxiety and stress circuits, and arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (Avpr1a) gene methylation. Varying experiences during life significantly modulated (1) anxiety-like behaviour; (2) hippocampal gene expression of Avpr1a, serotonin receptor 1a (Htr1a), monoamine oxidase A (Maoa), myelin basic protein (Mbp), glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1), growth hormone (Gh); and (3) hippocampal DNA methylation within the Avpr1a gene. Notably, mice experiencing early beneficial and later adverse conditions showed a most pronounced downregulation of Avpr1a expression, accompanied by low anxiety-like behaviour. This decrease in Avpr1a expression may have been, in part, a consequence of increased methylation in the Avpr1a gene. In summary, this study highlights the impact of interactive social experiences throughout life on the hippocampal epigenotype and associated behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Bodden
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany. .,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Daniel van den Hove
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Translational Neuroscience, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.,Department of Translational Neuroscience, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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Jafari Z, Faraji J, Mirza Agha B, Metz GAS, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. The Adverse Effects of Auditory Stress on Mouse Uterus Receptivity and Behaviour. Sci Rep 2017; 7:4720. [PMID: 28680154 PMCID: PMC5498668 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04943-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress during gestation has harmful effects on pregnancy outcome and can lead to spontaneous abortion. Few studies, however, have addressed the impact of gestational stress, particularly auditory stress, on behavioural performance and pregnancy outcome in mice. This study aimed to examine the effect of two types of gestational stress on uterus receptivity and behavioural performance. Pregnant C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to either auditory or physical stress conditions or a control condition from gestational days 12-16. The auditory stress regimen used loud 3000 Hz tone, while the physical stressor consisted of restraint and exposure to an elevated platform. Three behavioural tests were performed in the dams after weaning. Uterine receptivity was investigated by counting the number of sites of implantation and fetal resorption. Also, the offspring survival rates during the early postnatal period were calculated. Auditory stress caused an increase in anxiety-like behaviour, reduced time spent exploring new object/environment, and reduced balance when compared to the physical stress and control groups. Auditory stress also caused higher rates of resorbed embryos and reduction of litter size. Our results suggest that the adverse effect of noise stress is stronger than physical stress for both uterus receptivity and behavioural performance of the dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Science (IUMS), Tehran, Iran
| | - Jamshid Faraji
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
- Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery, Gorgan, Iran
| | - Behroo Mirza Agha
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Gerlinde A S Metz
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Bryan E Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada.
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Houwing DJ, Buwalda B, van der Zee EA, de Boer SF, Olivier JDA. The Serotonin Transporter and Early Life Stress: Translational Perspectives. Front Cell Neurosci 2017; 11:117. [PMID: 28491024 PMCID: PMC5405142 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2017.00117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the serotonin transporter (SERT) linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) and adverse early life stressing (ELS) events is associated with enhanced stress susceptibility and risk to develop mental disorders like major depression, anxiety, and aggressiveness. In particular, human short allele carriers are at increased risk. This 5-HTTLPR polymorphism is absent in the rodent SERT gene, but heterozygous SERT knockout rodents (SERT+/−) show several similarities to the human S-allele carrier, therefore creating an animal model of the human situation. Many rodent studies investigated ELS interactions in SERT knockout rodents combined with ELS. However, underlying neuromolecular mechanisms of the (mal)adaptive responses to adversity displayed by SERT rodents remain to be elucidated. Here, we provide a comprehensive review including studies describing mechanisms underlying SERT variation × ELS interactions in rodents. Alterations at the level of translation and transcription but also epigenetic alterations considerably contribute to underlying mechanisms of SERT variation × ELS interactions. In particular, SERT+/− rodents exposed to adverse early rearing environment may be of high translational and predictive value to the more stress sensitive human short-allele carrier, considering the similarity in neurochemical alterations. Therefore, SERT+/− rodents are highly relevant in research that aims to unravel the complex psychopathology of mental disorders. So far, most studies fail to show solid evidence for increased vulnerability to develop affective-like behavior after ELS in SERT+/− rodents. Several reasons may underlie these failures, e.g., (1) stressors used might not be optimal or severe enough to induce maladaptations, (2) effects in females are not sufficiently studied, and (3) few studies include both behavioral manifestations and molecular correlates of ELS-induced effects in SERT+/− rodents. Of course, one should not exclude the (although unlikely) possibility of SERT+/− rodents not being sensitive to ELS. In conclusion, future studies addressing ELS-induced effects in the SERT+/− rodents should extensively study both long-term behavioral and (epi)genetic aspects in both sexes. Finally, further research is warranted using more severe stressors in animal models. From there on, we should be able to draw solid conclusions whether the SERT+/− exposed to ELS is a suitable translational animal model for studying 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and stress interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Houwing
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Bauke Buwalda
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Eddy A van der Zee
- Unit Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Sietse F de Boer
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
| | - Jocelien D A Olivier
- Unit Behavioral Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of GroningenGroningen, Netherlands
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Richter SH, Kästner N, Loddenkemper DH, Kaiser S, Sachser N. A Time to Wean? Impact of Weaning Age on Anxiety-Like Behaviour and Stability of Behavioural Traits in Full Adulthood. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0167652. [PMID: 27930688 PMCID: PMC5145172 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, weaning constitutes an important phase in the progression to adulthood. It comprises the termination of suckling and is characterized by several changes in the behaviour of both mother and offspring. Furthermore, numerous studies in rodents have shown that the time point of weaning shapes the behavioural profile of the young. Most of these studies, however, have focused on ‘early weaning’, while relatively little work has been done to study ‘late weaning’ effects. The aim of the present study was therefore to explore behavioural effects of ‘late weaning’, and furthermore to gain insights into modulating effects of weaning age on the consistency of behavioural expressions over time. In total, 25 male and 20 female C57BL/6J mice, weaned after three (W3) or four (W4) weeks of age, were subjected to a series of behavioural paradigms widely used to assess anxiety-like behaviour, exploratory locomotion, and nest building performance. Behavioural testing took place with the mice reaching an age of 20 weeks and was repeated eight weeks later to investigate the stability of behavioural expressions over time. At the group level, W4 mice behaved less anxious and more explorative than W3 animals in the Open Field and Novel Cage, while anxiety-like behaviour on the Elevated Plus Maze was modulated by a weaning-age-by-sex interaction. Furthermore, weaning age shaped the degree of behavioural stability over time in a sex-specific way. While W3 females and W4 males displayed a remarkable degree of behavioural stability over time, no such patterns were observed in W3 males and W4 females. Adding to the existing literature, we could thus confirm that effects of weaning age do indeed exist when prolonging this phase, and were furthermore able to provide first evidence for the impact of weaning age and sex on the consistency of behavioural expressions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Niklas Kästner
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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13
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Remmes J, Bodden C, Richter SH, Lesting J, Sachser N, Pape HC, Seidenbecher T. Impact of Life History on Fear Memory and Extinction. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:185. [PMID: 27757077 PMCID: PMC5047906 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral profiles are strongly shaped by an individual's whole life experience. The accumulation of negative experiences over lifetime is thought to promote anxiety-like behavior in adulthood (“allostatic load hypothesis”). In contrast, the “mismatch hypothesis” of psychiatric disease suggests that high levels of anxiety-like behavior are the result of a discrepancy between early and late environment. The aim of the present study was to investigate how different life histories shape the expression of anxiety-like behavior and modulate fear memory. In addition, we aimed to clarify which of the two hypotheses can better explain the modulation of anxiety and fear. For this purpose, male mice grew up under either adverse or beneficial conditions during early phase of life. In adulthood they were further subdivided in groups that either matched or mismatched the condition experienced before, resulting in four different life histories. The main results were: (i) Early life benefit followed by late life adversity caused decreased levels of anxiety-like behavior. (ii) Accumulation of adversity throughout life history led to impaired fear extinction learning. Late life adversity as compared to late life benefit mainly affected extinction training, while early life adversity as compared to early life benefit interfered with extinction recall. Concerning anxiety-like behavior, the results do neither support the allostatic load nor the mismatch hypothesis, but rather indicate an anxiolytic effect of a mismatched early beneficial and later adverse life history. In contrast, fear memory was strongly affected by the accumulation of adverse experiences over the lifetime, therefore supporting allostatic load hypothesis. In summary, this study highlights that anxiety-like behavior and fear memory are differently affected by specific combinations of adverse or beneficial events experienced throughout life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Remmes
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany
| | - Carina Bodden
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany; Department of Behavioural Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University Münster, Germany
| | - Jörg Lesting
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany; Department of Behavioural Biology, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany
| | - Hans-Christian Pape
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany
| | - Thomas Seidenbecher
- Institute of Physiology I, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Westfälische Wilhelms-UniversityMünster, Germany
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14
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Meyer N, Richter SH, Schreiber RS, Kloke V, Kaiser S, Lesch KP, Sachser N. The Unexpected Effects of Beneficial and Adverse Social Experiences during Adolescence on Anxiety and Aggression and Their Modulation by Genotype. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:97. [PMID: 27303275 PMCID: PMC4880570 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety and aggression are part of the behavioral repertoire of humans and animals. However, in their exaggerated form both can become maladaptive and result in psychiatric disorders. On the one hand, genetic predisposition has been shown to play a crucial modulatory role in anxiety and aggression. On the other hand, social experiences have been implicated in the modulation of these traits. However, so far, mainly experiences in early life phases have been considered crucial for shaping anxiety-like and aggressive behavior, while the phase of adolescence has largely been neglected. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to elucidate how levels of anxiety-like and aggressive behavior are shaped by social experiences during adolescence and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotype. For this purpose, male mice of a 5-HTT knockout mouse model including all three genotypes (wildtype, heterozygous and homozygous 5-HTT knockout mice) were either exposed to an adverse social situation or a beneficial social environment during adolescence. This was accomplished in a custom-made cage system where mice experiencing the adverse environment were repeatedly introduced to the territory of a dominant opponent but had the possibility to escape to a refuge cage. Mice encountering beneficial social conditions had free access to a female mating partner. Afterwards, anxiety-like and aggressive behavior was assessed in a battery of tests. Surprisingly, unfavorable conditions during adolescence led to a decrease in anxiety-like behavior and an increase in exploratory locomotion. Additionally, aggressive behavior was augmented in animals that experienced social adversity. Concerning genotype, homozygous 5-HTT knockout mice were more anxious and less aggressive than heterozygous 5-HTT knockout and wildtype mice. In summary, adolescence is clearly an important phase in which anxiety-like and aggressive behavior can be shaped. Furthermore, it seems that having to cope with challenge during adolescence instead of experiencing throughout beneficial social conditions leads to reduced levels of anxiety-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neele Meyer
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany; Muenster Graduate School of Evolution, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | | | - Vanessa Kloke
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany; Muenster Graduate School of Evolution, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany; Muenster Graduate School of Evolution, University of MuensterMuenster, Germany
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15
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Brust V, Schindler PM, Lewejohann L. Lifetime development of behavioural phenotype in the house mouse (Mus musculus). Front Zool 2015; 12 Suppl 1:S17. [PMID: 26816516 PMCID: PMC4722345 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-12-s1-s17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
With each trajectory taken during the ontogeny of an individual, the number of optional behavioural phenotypes that can be expressed across its life span is reduced. The initial range of phenotypic plasticity is largely determined by the genetic material/composition of the gametes whereas interacting with the given environment shapes individuals to adapt to/cope with specific demands. In mammalian species, the phenotype is shaped as the foetus grows, depending on the environment in the uterus, which in turn depends on the outer environment the mother experiences during pregnancy. After birth, a complex interaction between innate constitution and environmental conditions shapes individual lifetime trajectories, bringing about a wide range of diversity among individual subjects. In laboratory mice inbreeding has been systematically induced in order to reduce the genetic variability between experimental subjects. In addition, within most laboratories conducting behavioural phenotyping with mice, breeding and housing conditions are highly standardised. Despite such standardisation efforts a considerable amount of variability persists in the behaviour of mice. There is good evidence that phenotypic variation is not merely random but might involve individual specific behavioural patterns consistent over time. In order to understand the mechanisms and the possible adaptive value of the maintenance of individuality we review the emergence of behavioural phenotypes over the course of the life of (laboratory) mice. We present a literature review summarizing developmental stages of behavioural development of mice along with three illustrative case studies. We conclude that the accumulation of environmental differences and experiences lead to a “mouse individuality” that becomes increasingly stable over the lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Brust
- Behavioral Biology, University of Osnabrueck, Barbarastrasse 11, 49076 Osnabrueck, Germany
| | - Philipp M Schindler
- Behavioral Biology, University of Osnabrueck, Barbarastrasse 11, 49076 Osnabrueck, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- Behavioral Biology, University of Osnabrueck, Barbarastrasse 11, 49076 Osnabrueck, Germany
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16
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Abstract
The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of pen size and parity on maternal behaviour of twin-bearing Small-Tail Han ewes. A total of 24 ewes were allocated to a 2×2 design (six per pen), with parity (primiparous or multiparous) and pen size (large: 6.0×3.0 m; small: 6.0×1.5 m) as main effects at Linyi University, Shandong Province, China. Behaviour was observed from after parturition until weaning. All ewes were observed for 6 h every 5 days from 0700 to1000 h and from 1400 to 1700 h. Continuous focal animal sampling was used to quantify the duration of maternal behaviours: sucking, grooming and following as well as the frequency of udder accepting, udder refusing and low-pitched bleating. Oestradiol and cortisol concentrations in the faeces (collected in the morning every 5 days) were detected using EIA kits. All lambs were weighed 24 h after parturition and again at weaning at 35 days of age. The small pen size significantly reduced following (P<0.005), grooming (P<0.001) and suckling durations (P<0.05), as well as the frequency of udder refusals (P<0.001). However, there was a significant interaction with ewe parity, with decreased grooming and suckling in the small pen largely seen in the multiparous ewes (P<0.001). Independent of pen size, multiparous ewes accepted more sucking attempts by their lambs (P<0.05) and made more low-pitched bleats than primiparous ewes (P<0.001). Multiparous ewes had higher faecal oestradiol concentrations than primiparous ewes (P<0.001), and ewes in small pens had higher faecal cortisol levels compared with ewes in larger pens (P<0.001). As lambs increased in age, the duration of maternal grooming, following and suckling as well as frequency of udder acceptance and low-pitched bleating all declined, and the frequency of udder refusing increased (P<0.001 for all). Ewe parity, but not pen size, affected lamb weight gain during the period of observation (P<0.001). This is the first study to show that pen size, interacting with parity, can affect the expression of maternal behaviour in sheep during lactation. The study is also the first to report on the maternal behaviour of Chinese native sheep breeds (Small-Tail Han sheep), with implications for the production of sheep in China.
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Bodden C, Richter SH, Schreiber RS, Kloke V, Gerß J, Palme R, Lesch KP, Lewejohann L, Kaiser S, Sachser N. Benefits of adversity?! How life history affects the behavioral profile of mice varying in serotonin transporter genotype. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:47. [PMID: 25784864 PMCID: PMC4347490 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral profiles are influenced by both positive and negative experiences as well as the genetic disposition. Traditionally, accumulating adversity over lifetime is considered to predict increased anxiety-like behavior (“allostatic load”). The alternative “mismatch hypothesis” suggests increased levels of anxiety if the early environment differs from the later-life environment. Thus, there is a need for a whole-life history approach to gain a deeper understanding of how behavioral profiles are shaped. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of life history on the behavioral profile of mice varying in serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotype, an established mouse model of increased anxiety-like behavior. For this purpose, mice grew up under either adverse or beneficial conditions during early phases of life. In adulthood, they were further subdivided so as to face a situation that either matched or mismatched the condition experienced so far, resulting in four different life histories. Subsequently, mice were tested for their anxiety-like and exploratory behavior. The main results were: (1) Life history profoundly modulated the behavioral profile. Surprisingly, mice that experienced early beneficial and later escapable adverse conditions showed less anxiety-like and more exploratory behavior compared to mice of other life histories. (2) Genotype significantly influenced the behavioral profile, with homozygous 5-HTT knockout mice displaying highest levels of anxiety-like and lowest levels of exploratory behavior. Our findings concerning life history indicate that the absence of adversity does not necessarily cause lower levels of anxiety than accumulating adversity. Rather, some adversity may be beneficial, particularly when following positive events. Altogether, we conclude that for an understanding of behavioral profiles, it is not sufficient to look at experiences during single phases of life, but the whole life history has to be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Bodden
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - S Helene Richter
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - Rebecca S Schreiber
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - Vanessa Kloke
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - Joachim Gerß
- Institute of Biostatistics and Clinical Research, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany ; Department of Behavioral Biology, University of Osnabrueck Germany
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
| | - Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany ; Otto Creutzfeldt Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Muenster Muenster, Germany
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18
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Donaldson ZR, Hen R. From psychiatric disorders to animal models: a bidirectional and dimensional approach. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 77:15-21. [PMID: 24650688 PMCID: PMC4135025 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2013] [Revised: 01/27/2014] [Accepted: 02/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric genetics research is bidirectional in nature, with human and animal studies becoming more closely integrated as techniques for genetic manipulations allow for more subtle exploration of disease phenotypes. This synergy highlights the importance of considering the way in which we approach the genotype-phenotype relationship. In particular, the nosologic divide of psychiatric illness, although clinically relevant, is not directly translatable in animal models. For instance, mice will never fully recapitulate the broad criteria for many psychiatric disorders; additionally, mice will never have guilty ruminations, suicidal thoughts, or rapid speech. Instead, animal models have been and continue to provide a means to explore dimensions of psychiatric disorders to identify neural circuits and mechanisms underlying disease-relevant phenotypes. The genetic investigation of psychiatric illness can yield the greatest insights if efforts continue to identify and use biologically valid phenotypes across species. This review discusses the progress to date and the future efforts that will enhance translation between human and animal studies, including the identification of intermediate phenotypes that can be studied across species and the importance of refined modeling of human disease-associated genetic variation in mice and other animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - René Hen
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Columbia University, and Division of Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York.
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19
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van der Doelen RHA, Deschamps W, D'Annibale C, Peeters D, Wevers RA, Zelena D, Homberg JR, Kozicz T. Early life adversity and serotonin transporter gene variation interact at the level of the adrenal gland to affect the adult hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. Transl Psychiatry 2014; 4:e409. [PMID: 25004389 PMCID: PMC4119224 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2014.57] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2014] [Revised: 05/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The short allelic variant of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) promoter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been associated with the etiology of major depression by interaction with early life stress (ELS). Furthermore, 5-HTTLPR has been associated with abnormal functioning of the stress-responsive hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Here, we examined if, and at what level, the HPA-axis is affected in an animal model for ELS × 5-HTTLPR interactions. Heterozygous and homozygous 5-HTT knockout rats and their wild-type littermates were exposed daily at postnatal days 2-14 to 3 h of maternal separation. When grown to adulthood, plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and the major rat glucocorticoid, corticosterone (CORT), were measured. Furthermore, the gene expression of key HPA-axis players at the level of the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands was assessed. No 5-HTT genotype × ELS interaction effects on gene expression were observed at the level of the hypothalamus or pituitary. However, we found significant 5-HTT genotype × ELS interaction effects for plasma CORT levels and adrenal mRNA levels of the ACTH receptor, such that 5-HTT deficiency was associated under control conditions with increased, but after ELS with decreased basal HPA-axis activity. With the use of an in vitro adrenal assay, naïve 5-HTT knockout rats were furthermore shown to display increased adrenal ACTH sensitivity. Therefore, we conclude that basal HPA-axis activity is affected by the interaction of 5-HTT genotype and ELS, and is programmed, within the axis itself, predominantly at the level of the adrenal gland. This study therefore emphasizes the importance of the adrenal gland for HPA-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- R H A van der Doelen
- Department of Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Department of Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 21 (route 126), 6525 EZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands. E-mail:
| | - W Deschamps
- Department of Cellular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - C D'Annibale
- Department of Cellular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - D Peeters
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands,Department of Cellular Animal Physiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - R A Wevers
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - D Zelena
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - J R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - T Kozicz
- Department of Anatomy, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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20
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Spinelli S, Müller T, Friedel M, Sigrist H, Lesch KP, Henkelman M, Rudin M, Seifritz E, Pryce CR. Effects of repeated adolescent stress and serotonin transporter gene partial knockout in mice on behaviors and brain structures relevant to major depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:215. [PMID: 24427124 PMCID: PMC3876674 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, exposure to stress during development is associated with structural and functional alterations of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala (AMY), and hippocampus (HC) and their circuits of connectivity, and with an increased risk for developing major depressive disorder particularly in carriers of the short (s) variant of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). Although changes in these regions are found in carriers of the s allele and/or in depressed patients, evidence for a specific genotype × developmental stress effect on brain structure and function is limited. Here, we investigated the effect of repeated stress exposure during adolescence in mice with partial knockout of the 5-HTT gene (HET) vs. wildtype (WT) on early-adulthood behavioral measures and brain structure [using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] relevant to human major depression. Behaviorally, adolescent stress (AS) increased anxiety and decreased activity and did so to a similar degree in HET and WT. In a probabilistic reversal learning task, HET-AS mice achieved fewer reversals than did HET-No-AS mice. 5-HTT genotype and AS were without effect on corticosterone stress response. In terms of structural brain differences, AS reduced the volume of two long-range white matter tracts, the optic tract (OT) and the cerebral peduncle (CP), in WT mice specifically. In a region-of-interest analysis, AS was associated with increased HC volume and HET genotype with a decreased frontal lobe volume. In conclusion, we found that 5-HTT and AS genotype exerted long-term effects on behavior and development of brain regions relevant to human depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Spinelli
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tanja Müller
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miriam Friedel
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Canada
| | - Hannes Sigrist
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Canada
| | - Markus Rudin
- Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher R Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
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21
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How the cerebral serotonin homeostasis predicts environmental changes: a model to explain seasonal changes of brain 5-HTT as intermediate phenotype of the 5-HTTLPR. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 230:333-43. [PMID: 24150247 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3308-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Molecular imaging studies with positron emission tomography have revealed that the availability of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in the human brain fluctuates over the course of the year. This effect is most pronounced in carriers of the short allele of the 5-HTT promoter region (5-HTTLPR), which has in several previous studies been linked to an increased risk to develop mood disorders. We argue that long-lasting fluctuations in the cerebral serotonin transmission, which is regulated via the 5-HTT, are responsible for mediating responses to environmental changes based on an assessment of the expected "safety" of the environment; this response is obtained in part through serotonergic modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We posit that the intermediate phenotype of the s-allele may properly be understood as mediating a trade-off, wherein increased responsiveness of cerebral serotonin transmission to seasonal and other forms of environmental change imparts greater behavioral flexibility, at the expense of increased vulnerability to stress. This model may explain the somewhat higher prevalence of the s-allele in some human populations dwelling at geographic latitudes with pronounced seasonal climatic changes, while this hypothesis does not rule out that genetic drift plays an additional or even exclusive role. We argue that s-allele manifests as an intermediate phenotype in terms of an increased responsiveness of the 5-HTT expression to number of daylight hours, which may serve as a stable surrogate marker of other environmental factors, such as availability of food and safety of the environment in populations that live closer to the geographic poles.
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22
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Dobson SD, Brent LJN. On the evolution of the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in primates. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:588. [PMID: 24312034 PMCID: PMC3832783 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Some allelic variants of the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) result in lower levels of expression of the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4). These low-expressing (LE) alleles are associated with mental-health disorders in a minority of humans that carry them. Humans are not the only primates that exhibit this polymorphism; other species, including some monkeys, also have LE and high-expressing (HE) variants of 5-HTTLPR. We propose a behavioral genetic framework to explain the adaptive evolution of this polymorphism in primates, including humans. We hypothesize that both LE and HE alleles are maintained by balancing selection in species characterized by short-term fluctuations in social competition levels. More specifically, we propose that LE carriers benefit from their hypervigilant tendencies during periods of elevated competition, whereas HE homozygotes cope best when competition levels do not deviate from the norm. Thus, both alleles have long-term benefits when competition levels tend to vary substantially over relatively short timescales within a social group. We describe this hypothesis in detail and outline a series of predictions to test it. Some of these predictions are supported by findings in the current literature, while others remain areas of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth D Dobson
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College Hanover, NH, USA
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Sachser N, Kaiser S, Hennessy MB. Behavioural profiles are shaped by social experience: when, how and why. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 368:20120344. [PMID: 23569292 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The comprehensive understanding of individual variation in behavioural profiles is a current and timely topic not only in behavioural ecology, but also in biopsychological and biomedical research. This study focuses on the shaping of behavioural profiles by the social environment in mammals. We review evidence that the shaping of behavioural profiles occurs from the prenatal phase through adolescence and beyond. We focus specifically on adolescence, a sensitive phase during which environmental stimuli have distinctive effects on the modulation of behavioural profiles. We discuss causation, in particular, how behavioural profiles are shaped by social stimuli through behavioural and neuroendocrine processes. We postulate a central role for maternal hormones during the prenatal phase, for maternal behaviour during lactation and for the interaction of testosterone and stress hormones during adolescence. We refer to evolutionary history and attempt to place developmental shaping into broader evolutionary historical trends. Finally, we address survival value. We argue that the shaping of behavioural profiles by environmental stimuli from the prenatal phase through adolescence represents an effective mechanism for repeated and rapid adaptation during the lifetime. Notably, the adolescent phase may provide a last chance for correction if the future environment deviates from that predicted in earlier phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Sachser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Muenster, Badestrasse 13, 48149 Muenster, Germany.
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Schradin C. Intraspecific variation in social organization by genetic variation, developmental plasticity, social flexibility or entirely extrinsic factors. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 368:20120346. [PMID: 23569294 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2012.0346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, it was widely believed that each species has a specific social organization, but we know now that many species show intraspecific variation in their social organization. Four different processes can lead to intraspecific variation in social organization: (i) genetic variation between individuals owing to local adaptation (between populations) or evolutionarily stable strategies within populations; (ii) developmental plasticity evolved in long-term (more than one generation) unpredictable and short-term (one generation) predictable environments, which is mediated by organizational physiological effects during early ontogeny; (iii) social flexibility evolved in highly unpredictable environments, which is mediated by activational physiological effects in adults; (iv) entirely extrinsic factors such as the death of a dominant breeder. Variation in social behaviour occurs between individuals in the case of genetic variation and developmental plasticity, but within individuals in the case of social flexibility. It is important to study intraspecific variation in social organization to understand the social systems of species because it reveals the mechanisms by which species can adapt to changing environments, offers a useful tool to study the ultimate and proximate causes of sociality, and is an interesting phenomenon by itself that needs scientific explanation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carsten Schradin
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC-DEPE, 23 rue Becquerel, Strasbourg 67087, France.
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Kloke V, Heiming RS, Bölting S, Kaiser S, Lewejohann L, Lesch KP, Sachser N. Unexpected effects of early-life adversity and social enrichment on the anxiety profile of mice varying in serotonin transporter genotype. Behav Brain Res 2013; 247:248-58. [PMID: 23567893 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2013] [Revised: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Developmental mechanisms that shape behaviour are under environmental as well as genetic influence, commonly referred to as gene-by-environment interaction (GxE). Here, we compared the role of different early environments - adverse, standard, and enriched - for the modulation of the anxiety profile in mice varying in serotonin transporter (5-HTT) genotype. Early-life adversity was simulated by exposing lactating 5-HTT +/- dams to soiled bedding of unfamiliar males (UMB), signalling the danger of infanticide. An enriched early environment was established by communal nesting (CN). 5-HTT +/- females of a third group were housed under standard nesting conditions (SN) of individual nesting. The offspring (5-HTT +/+, 5-HTT +/-, and 5-HTT -/-) were analyzed for anxiety-like and exploratory behaviour in a battery of tests. The main findings were: (1) Maternal care was reduced in UMB compared to CN dams. (2) There was no significant variation in state anxiety levels between UMB, SN, and CN offspring. (3) UMB offspring showed significantly lower levels of trait anxiety compared to CN offspring, while SN offspring were intermediate. (4) There was a significant main effect of genotype, with highest levels of state and trait anxiety in 5-HTT -/- mice. The findings corroborate that anxiety profiles in mice can be affected by both early environmental conditions and 5-HTT genotype. Notably, state and trait anxiety of an individual can independently be affected by the early environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Kloke
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Germany.
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Effects of chronic stress during pregnancy on maternal performance in the guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus). Behav Processes 2012; 94:83-8. [PMID: 23287615 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2012.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2012] [Revised: 12/12/2012] [Accepted: 12/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Stress experienced during pregnancy can have persistent impact on the female's physiology and behaviour not only during but even beyond pregnancy. The present study aimed to evaluate such long-term effects of stress in terms of repeated strobe light exposure during early to mid gestation on behavioural aspects of mothering activities and lactational effort in lactating guinea pigs. We found that maternal behaviour was negatively affected by stress experience during pregnancy with treatment females developing a higher level of offspring-directed aggression than controls. In addition, our measure of lactational performances showed tendencies of lowered milk supply and longer pup suckling durations in stressed females. We suggest that this may represent a strategy to advance infant weaning following demanding conditions caused by chronic stress experience during pregnancy.
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Homberg JR, van den Hove DL. The serotonin transporter gene and functional and pathological adaptation to environmental variation across the life span. Prog Neurobiol 2012; 99:117-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2012] [Revised: 08/03/2012] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Del Giudice M. Fetal programming by maternal stress: Insights from a conflict perspective. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2012; 37:1614-29. [PMID: 22694951 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2012.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2012] [Revised: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/22/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Maternal stress during pregnancy has pervasive effects on the offspring's physiology and behavior, including the development of anxious, reactive temperament and increased stress responsivity. These outcomes can be seen as the result of adaptive developmental plasticity: maternal stress hormones carry useful information about the state of the external world, which can be used by the developing fetus to match its phenotype to the predicted environment. This account, however, neglects the inherent conflict of interest between mother and fetus about the outcomes of fetal programming. The aim of this paper is to extend the adaptive model of prenatal stress by framing mother-fetus interactions in an evolutionary conflict perspective. In the paper, I show how a conflict perspective provides many new insights in the functions and mechanisms of fetal programming, with particular emphasis on human pregnancy. I then take advantage of those insights to make sense of some puzzling features of maternal and fetal physiology and generate novel empirical predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Del Giudice
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Po 14, 10123 Torino, Italy.
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The stress-coping (mis)match hypothesis for nature×nurture interactions. Brain Res 2012; 1432:114-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.11.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2011] [Accepted: 11/17/2011] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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