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Domin H, Śmiałowska M. The diverse role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and its CRF1 and CRF2 receptors under pathophysiological conditions: Insights into stress/anxiety, depression, and brain injury processes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105748. [PMID: 38857667 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF, corticoliberin) is a neuromodulatory peptide activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, widely distributed in the central nervous system (CNS) in mammals. In addition to its neuroendocrine effects, CRF is essential in regulating many functions under physiological and pathophysiological conditions through CRF1 and CRF2 receptors (CRF1R, CRF2R). This review aims to present selected examples of the diverse and sometimes opposite effects of CRF and its receptor ligands in various pathophysiological states, including stress/anxiety, depression, and processes associated with brain injury. It seems interesting to draw particular attention to the fact that CRF and its receptor ligands exert different effects depending on the brain structures or subregions, likely stemming from the varied distribution of CRFRs in these regions and interactions with other neurotransmitters. CRFR-mediated region-specific effects might also be related to brain site-specific ligand binding and the associated activated signaling pathways. Intriguingly, different types of CRF molecules can also influence the diverse actions of CRF in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Domin
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, 12 Smętna Street, Kraków 31-343, Poland.
| | - Maria Śmiałowska
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, 12 Smętna Street, Kraków 31-343, Poland
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Wee IC, Arulsamy A, Corrigan F, Collins-Praino L. Long-Term Impact of Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury on Neuroinflammation and Catecholaminergic Signaling: Potential Relevance for Parkinson's Disease Risk. Molecules 2024; 29:1470. [PMID: 38611750 PMCID: PMC11013319 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29071470] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD), though the exact mechanisms remain unclear. TBI triggers acute neuroinflammation and catecholamine dysfunction post-injury, both implicated in PD pathophysiology. The long-term impact on these pathways following TBI, however, remains uncertain. In this study, male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent sham surgery or Marmarou's impact acceleration model to induce varying TBI severities: single mild TBI (mTBI), repetitive mild TBI (rmTBI), or moderate-severe TBI (msTBI). At 12 months post-injury, astrocyte reactivity (GFAP) and microglial levels (IBA1) were assessed in the striatum (STR), substantia nigra (SN), and prefrontal cortex (PFC) using immunohistochemistry. Key enzymes and receptors involved in catecholaminergic transmission were measured via Western blot within the same regions. Minimal changes in these markers were observed, regardless of initial injury severity. Following mTBI, elevated protein levels of dopamine D1 receptors (DRD1) were noted in the PFC, while msTBI resulted in increased alpha-2A adrenoceptors (ADRA2A) in the STR and decreased dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DβH) in the SN. Neuroinflammatory changes were subtle, with a reduced number of GFAP+ cells in the SN following msTBI. However, considering the potential for neurodegenerative outcomes to manifest decades after injury, longer post-injury intervals may be necessary to observe PD-relevant alterations within these systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ing Chee Wee
- Cognition, Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Alina Arulsamy
- Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway 47500, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia;
| | - Frances Corrigan
- Head Injury Lab, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
| | - Lyndsey Collins-Praino
- Cognition, Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, School of Biomedicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia;
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Lv SS, Lv XJ, Cai YQ, Hou XY, Zhang ZZ, Wang GH, Chen LQ, Lv N, Zhang YQ. Corticotropin-releasing hormone neurons control trigeminal neuralgia-induced anxiodepression via a hippocampus-to-prefrontal circuit. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj4196. [PMID: 38241377 PMCID: PMC10798562 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Anxiety and depression are frequently observed in patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia (TN), but neural circuits and mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. Here, we identified a dedicated neural circuit from the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) that mediates TN-related anxiodepression. We found that TN caused an increase in excitatory synaptic transmission from vHPCCaMK2A neurons to mPFC inhibitory neurons marked by the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Activation of CRH+ neurons subsequently led to feed-forward inhibition of layer V pyramidal neurons in the mPFC via activation of the CRH receptor 1 (CRHR1). Inhibition of the vHPCCaMK2A-mPFCCRH circuit ameliorated TN-induced anxiodepression, whereas activating this pathway sufficiently produced anxiodepressive-like behaviors. Thus, our studies identified a neural pathway driving pain-related anxiodepression and a molecular target for treating pain-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Su Lv
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xue-Jing Lv
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ya-Qi Cai
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin-Yu Hou
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhi-Zhe Zhang
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Guo-Hong Wang
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Li-Qiang Chen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ning Lv
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Jing’an District Centre Hospital of Shanghai, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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Gozen O, Aypar B, Ozturk Bintepe M, Tuzcu F, Balkan B, Koylu EO, Kanit L, Keser A. Chronic Nicotine Consumption and Withdrawal Regulate Melanocortin Receptor, CRF, and CRF Receptor mRNA Levels in the Rat Brain. Brain Sci 2024; 14:63. [PMID: 38248278 PMCID: PMC10813117 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in the various neuropeptide systems in the mesocorticolimbic circuitry have been implicated in negative effects associated with drug withdrawal. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone are two peptides that may be involved. This study investigated the regulatory effects of chronic nicotine exposure and withdrawal on the mRNA levels of melanocortin receptors (MC3R, MC4R), CRF, and CRF receptors (CRFR1 and CRFR2) expressed in the mesocorticolimbic system. Rats were given drinking water with nicotine or without nicotine (control group) for 12 weeks, after which they continued receiving nicotine (chronic exposure) or were withdrawn from nicotine for 24 or 48 h. The animals were decapitated following behavioral testing for withdrawal signs. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that nicotine exposure (with or without withdrawal) increased levels of CRF and CRFR1 mRNA in the amygdala, CRF mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex, and CRFR1 mRNA in the septum. Nicotine withdrawal also enhanced MC3R and MC4R mRNA levels in different brain regions, while chronic nicotine exposure was associated with increased MC4R mRNA levels in the nucleus accumbens. These results suggest that chronic nicotine exposure and withdrawal regulate CRF and melanocortin signaling in the mesocorticolimbic system, possibly contributing to negative affective state and nicotine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oguz Gozen
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Buket Aypar
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
| | - Meliha Ozturk Bintepe
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
| | - Fulya Tuzcu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
| | - Burcu Balkan
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ersin O. Koylu
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Lutfiye Kanit
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
| | - Aysegul Keser
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey; (O.G.)
- Center for Brain Research, Ege University, 35100 Izmir, Turkey
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Yang X, Geng F. Corticotropin-releasing factor signaling and its potential role in the prefrontal cortex-dependent regulation of anxiety. J Neurosci Res 2023; 101:1781-1794. [PMID: 37592912 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
A large body of literature has highlighted the significance of the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system in the regulation of neuropsychiatric diseases. Anxiety disorders are among the most common neuropsychiatric disorders. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated that the CRF family mediates and regulates the development and maintenance of anxiety. Thus, the CRF family is considered to be a potential target for the treatment of anxiety disorders. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a role in the occurrence and development of anxiety, and both CRF and CRF-R1 are widely expressed in the PFC. This paper begins by reviewing CRF-related signaling pathways and their different roles in anxiety and related processes. Then, the role of the CRF system in other neuropsychiatric diseases is reviewed and the potential role of PFC CRF signaling in the regulation of anxiety disorders is discussed. Although other signaling pathways are potentially involved in the process of anxiety, CRF in the PFC primarily modulates anxiety disorders through the activation of corticotropin-releasing factor type1 receptors (CRF-R1) and the excitation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway. Moreover, the main signaling pathways of CRF involved in sex differentiation in the PFC appear to be different. In summary, this review suggests that the CRF system in the PFC plays a critical role in the occurrence of anxiety. Thus, CRF signaling is of great significance as a potential target for the treatment of stress-related disorders in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yang
- Department of Physiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fei Geng
- Department of Physiology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
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Patel RR, Wolfe SA, Borgonetti V, Gandhi PJ, Rodriguez L, Snyder AE, D'Ambrosio S, Bajo M, Domissy A, Head S, Contet C, Dayne Mayfield R, Roberts AJ, Roberto M. Ethanol withdrawal-induced adaptations in prefrontal corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1-expressing neurons regulate anxiety and conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3441-3451. [PMID: 35668157 PMCID: PMC9708587 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Prefrontal circuits are thought to underlie aberrant emotion contributing to relapse in abstinence; however, the discrete cell-types and mechanisms remain largely unknown. Corticotropin-releasing factor and its cognate type-1 receptor, a prominent brain stress system, is implicated in anxiety and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Here, we tested the hypothesis that medial prefrontal cortex CRF1-expressing (mPFCCRF1+) neurons comprise a distinct population that exhibits neuroadaptations following withdrawal from chronic ethanol underlying AUD-related behavior. We found that mPFCCRF1+ neurons comprise a glutamatergic population with distinct electrophysiological properties and regulate anxiety and conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol. Notably, mPFCCRF1+ neurons undergo unique neuroadaptations compared to neighboring neurons including a remarkable decrease in excitability and glutamatergic signaling selectively in withdrawal, which is driven in part by the basolateral amygdala. To gain mechanistic insight into these electrophysiological adaptations, we sequenced the transcriptome of mPFCCRF1+ neurons and found that withdrawal leads to an increase in colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) in this population. We found that selective overexpression of CSF1 in mPFCCRF1+ neurons is sufficient to decrease glutamate transmission, heighten anxiety, and abolish ethanol reinforcement, providing mechanistic insight into the observed mPFCCRF1+ synaptic adaptations in withdrawal that drive these behavioral phenotypes. Together, these findings highlight mPFCCRF1+ neurons as a critical site of enduring adaptations that may contribute to the persistent vulnerability to ethanol misuse in abstinence, and CSF1 as a novel target for therapeutic intervention for withdrawal-related negative affect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reesha R Patel
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Sarah A Wolfe
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Vittoria Borgonetti
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
- Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Psicologia, Area del Farmaco e Salute del Bambino, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50139, Firenze (FI), Italy
| | - Pauravi J Gandhi
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Larry Rodriguez
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Angela E Snyder
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Shannon D'Ambrosio
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Michal Bajo
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Alain Domissy
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Steven Head
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Candice Contet
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - R Dayne Mayfield
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Amanda J Roberts
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Marisa Roberto
- The Scripps Research Institute, 10550N. Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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Li LF, Zhang LZ, He ZX, Yuan W, Ma H, Xun YF, Zhang J, Hou WJ, Zhang XN, Cai WQ, Guo QQ, Jia R, Tai FD. CRF-CRFR1 system within the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex are involved in consolation deficits under acute restraint stress in mandarin voles. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105353. [PMID: 34271522 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Consolation is a complex empathic behavior that has recently been observed in some socially living rodents. Despite the growing body of literature suggesting that stress affects some simple form of empathy, the relationship between stress and consolation remains largely understudied. Using monogamous mandarin voles, we found that an acute restraint stress exposure significantly reduced consolation-like behaviors and induced anxiety-like behaviors. Along with these behavioral changes, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and CRF receptor 1 (CRFR1) neurons were activated within the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and prelimbic cortex (PrL) but not within the infralimbic cortex (IL). Chemogenetic activation of CRF neurons in the ACC and PrL, recaptured acute stress-induced behavioral dysfunctions. We further observed that intracellular PKA and PKC signaling pathways mediate CRF-induced behavioral dysfunctions, but they work in a regional-specific, sex-biased manner. Together, these results suggest that the local CRF-CRFR1 system within the ACC and PrL is involved in the consolation deficits and anxiety induced by acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lai-Fu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China; College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, Nanyang Normal University, Nanyang 473061, China
| | - Li-Zi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Zhi-Xiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China; Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Medications, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, China
| | - Huan Ma
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yu-Feng Xun
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wen-Juan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Xue-Ni Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Wen-Qi Cai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Qian-Qian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Fa-Dao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
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Lidhar NK, Darvish-Ghane S, Sivaselvachandran S, Khan S, Wasif F, Turner H, Sivaselvachandran M, Fournier NM, Martin LJ. Prelimbic cortex glucocorticoid receptors regulate the stress-mediated inhibition of pain contagion in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1183-1193. [PMID: 33223518 PMCID: PMC8115346 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00912-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Experiencing pain with a familiar individual can enhance one's own pain sensitivity, a process known as pain contagion. When experiencing pain with an unfamiliar individual, pain contagion is suppressed in males by activating the endocrine stress response. Here, we coupled a histological investigation with pharmacological and behavioral experiments to identify enhanced glucocorticoid receptor activity in the prelimbic subdivision of the medial prefrontal cortex as a candidate mechanism for suppressing pain contagion in stranger mice. Acute inhibition of glucocorticoid receptors in the prelimbic cortex was sufficient to elicit pain contagion in strangers, while their activation prevented pain contagion in cagemate dyads. Slice physiology recordings revealed enhanced excitatory transmission in stranger mice, an effect that was reversed by pre-treating mice with the corticosterone synthesis inhibitor metyrapone. Following removal from dyadic testing, stranger mice displayed enhanced affective-motivational pain behaviors when placed on an inescapable thermal stimulus, which were reversed by metyrapone. Together, our data suggest that the prelimbic cortex may play an integral role in modulating pain behavior within a social context and provide novel evidence towards the neural mechanism underlying the prevention of pain contagion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navdeep K. Lidhar
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Soroush Darvish-Ghane
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6 Canada
| | - Sivaani Sivaselvachandran
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Sana Khan
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Fatima Wasif
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Holly Turner
- grid.52539.380000 0001 1090 2022Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Canada
| | - Meruba Sivaselvachandran
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada
| | - Neil M. Fournier
- grid.52539.380000 0001 1090 2022Department of Psychology, Trent University, Peterborough, ON K9J 7B8 Canada
| | - Loren J. Martin
- grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6 Canada ,grid.17063.330000 0001 2157 2938Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6 Canada
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Bertagna NB, Dos Santos PGC, Queiroz RM, Fernandes GJD, Cruz FC, Miguel TT. Involvement of the ventral, but not dorsal, hippocampus in anxiety-like behaviors in mice exposed to the elevated plus maze: participation of CRF1 receptor and PKA pathway. Pharmacol Rep 2020; 73:57-72. [PMID: 33175366 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-020-00182-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hippocampus is a limbic structure involved in anxiety-like behaviors. We aimed to evaluate the role of the dorsal (DH) and ventral (VH) hippocampus in anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze (EPM). METHODS We inhibited these brain regions using cobalt chloride (CoCl2: 1.0 nmol) microinjections. We also investigated the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) action and protein kinase A (PKA) pathway using intra-DH and intra-VH microinjections of the CRF1 receptor antagonist CP376395 (0, 3.0, or 6.0 nmol) and the PKA inhibitor H-89 (0, 2.5, or 5.0 nmol). RESULTS The results indicated that intra-VH CoCl2 microinjection increased the percentage of time spent and entries in the open arms. The mice also exhibited fewer stretch attend postures in the protected area and increased percentage of open arm entries. Further, intra-VH injection of 3.0 nmol CP376395 increased time spent in the open arms. Intra-DH injection of 6.0 nmol CP376395 increased the frequency of unprotected head dipping, whereas intra-VH injection of 6 nmol CP376395 increased the frequency of protected head dipping. Intra-VH, but not intra-DH, microinjection of 2.5 nmol H-89 increased the percentages of open arm entries and time spent in the open arms. Microinjection of 2.5 and 5.0 nmol H-89 reduced the frequency of protected head dipping behavior. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that VH modulates anxiety-like behaviors in EPM. Moreover, CRF and the cAMP/PKA pathway seem to modulate these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Bonetti Bertagna
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Paulla Giovanna Cabral Dos Santos
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Rafaella Misael Queiroz
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Juliate Damaceno Fernandes
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil
| | - Fabio Cardoso Cruz
- Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tarciso Tadeu Miguel
- Pharmacology Laboratory, Pharmacology Department, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), Av. Pará, 1720, Bloco 2A, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-320, Brazil.
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Brockway DF, Crowley NA. Turning the 'Tides on Neuropsychiatric Diseases: The Role of Peptides in the Prefrontal Cortex. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:588400. [PMID: 33192369 PMCID: PMC7606924 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.588400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in technology have enabled researchers to probe the brain with the greater region, cell, and receptor specificity. These developments have allowed for a more thorough understanding of how regulation of the neurophysiology within a region is essential for maintaining healthy brain function. Stress has been shown to alter the prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning, and evidence links functional impairments in PFC brain activity with neuropsychiatric disorders. Moreover, a growing body of literature highlights the importance of neuropeptides in the PFC to modulate neural signaling and to influence behavior. The converging evidence outlined in this review indicates that neuropeptides in the PFC are specifically impacted by stress, and are found to be dysregulated in numerous stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders including substance use disorder, major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia. This review explores how neuropeptides in the PFC function to regulate the neural activity, and how genetic and environmental factors, such as stress, lead to dysregulation in neuropeptide systems, which may ultimately contribute to the pathology of neuropsychiatric diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dakota F Brockway
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Neuroscience Curriculum, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States.,The Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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11
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Simpson S, Shankar K, Kimbrough A, George O. Role of corticotropin-releasing factor in alcohol and nicotine addiction. Brain Res 2020; 1740:146850. [PMID: 32330519 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The two most prevalent substance use disorders involve alcohol and nicotine, which are often co-abused. Robust preclinical and translational evidence indicates that individuals initiate drug use for the acute rewarding effects of the substance. The development of negative emotional states is key for the transition from recreational use to substance use disorders as subjects seek the substance to obtain relief from the negative emotional states of acute withdrawal and protracted abstinence. The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) is a major regulator of the brain stress system and key in the development of negative affective states. The present review examines the role of CRF in preclinical models of alcohol and nicotine abuse and explores links between CRF and anxiety-like, dysphoria-like, and other negative affective states. Finally, the present review discusses preclinical models of nicotine and alcohol use with regard to the CRF system, advances in molecular and genetic manipulations of CRF, and the importance of examining both males and females in this field of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra Simpson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Kokila Shankar
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Adam Kimbrough
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States.
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12
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Guo Q, Wang L, Yuan W, Li L, Zhang J, Hou W, Yang Y, Zhang X, Cai W, Ma H, Xun Y, Jia R, He Z, Tai F. Different effects of chronic social defeat on social behavior and the brain CRF system in adult male C57 mice with different susceptibilities. Behav Brain Res 2020; 384:112553. [PMID: 32057826 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) has been found to produce different impacts on anxiety-like behaviors, spatial cognitive function and memory in rodents with different susceptibilities. However, the impacts of chronic social defeat on social behaviors in adult male mice with different susceptibilities to social defeat and the underlying mechanisms in the brain remain unclear. In the present study, we found that ten days of social defeat reduced the tendency of susceptible adult male C57 mice to approach an unfamiliar individual and increased their avoidance of an unfamiliar CD-1 mouse but had no effects on resilient individuals. In addition, CSDS enhanced anxiety-like behavior in susceptible animals, but produced no effects in the resilient group. Meanwhile, CSDS increased the number of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-positive neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and CRF-R2-positive neurons in the accumbens nucleus shell in both resilient and susceptible animals. CSDS increased the number of CRF-R1-positive neurons and CRF-R1 mRNA expression in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) and the number of CRF-R2-positive neurons in the basolateral amygdala, but reduced the number of CRF-R2-positive neurons and mRNA expression in the PrL in susceptible animals. Therefore, the different effects of CSDS on sociability and anxiety-like behavior in mice with different susceptibilities may be associated with region- and type-specific alterations in CRF receptor levels. These findings help us understand the underlying mechanism by which social stress affects emotion and social behavior and provides an important basis for the treatment of disorders of social and emotional behavior caused by social stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Guo
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Limin Wang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Wei Yuan
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Laifu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Xueni Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Wenqi Cai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Huan Ma
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - YuFeng Xun
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Rui Jia
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China; Cognition Neuroscience and Learning Division, Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
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13
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Victoriano G, Santos-Costa N, Mascarenhas DC, Nunes-de-Souza RL. Inhibition of the left medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) prolongs the social defeat-induced anxiogenesis in mice: Attenuation by NMDA receptor blockade in the right mPFC. Behav Brain Res 2020; 378:112312. [PMID: 31629003 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chemical inhibition and nitrergic stimulation of the left and right medial prefrontal cortex (L and RmPFC), respectively, provoke anxiety in mice. Moreover, LmPFC inhibition immediately followed by a single social defeat stress (SDS) led to anxiogenesis in mice exposed to the elevated plus maze (EPM) 24 h later. Given that glutamate NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors are densely present in the mPFC, we investigated (i) the time course of LmPFC inhibition + SDS-induced anxiogenesis and (ii) the effects of intra-RmPFC injection of AP-7 (a NMDA receptor antagonist) on this long-lasting anxiety. Male Swiss mice received intra-LmPFC injection of CoCl2 (1 mM) and 10 min later were subjected to a single SDS episode and then (i) exposed to the EPM 2, 5, or 10 days later or (ii) 2 days later, received intra-RmPFC injection of AP-7 (0.05 nmol) and were exposed to the EPM to observe the percentage of open arm entries and time (%OE; %OT) and frequency of closed arm entries (CE). Dorsal but not ventral LmPFC inhibition + SDS reduced open arm exploration 2, 5, and 10 days later relative to that of saline-treated or non-defeated mice. Moreover, this effect is not due to locomotor impairment as assessed using the general activity. Intra-RmPFC AP-7 injection 2 days after LmPFC inhibition + SDS prevented this type of anxiogenesis. These results suggest that the integrity of the LmPFC is important for mice to properly cope with SDS, and that NMDA receptor blockade in the RmPFC facilitates resilience to SDS-induced anxiogenesis in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Victoriano
- Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, UFSCar/UNESP - São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Nathália Santos-Costa
- Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, UFSCar/UNESP - São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Diego Cardozo Mascarenhas
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Luiz Nunes-de-Souza
- Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, UFSCar/UNESP - São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
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14
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Faria MP, Laverde CF, Nunes-de-Souza RL. Anxiogenesis induced by social defeat in male mice: Role of nitric oxide, NMDA, and CRF 1 receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex and BNST. Neuropharmacology 2020; 166:107973. [PMID: 32006904 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.107973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) release in the right medial prefrontal cortex (RmPFC) produces anxiogenesis. In the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a region that receives neuronal projections from the mPFC, NO provokes anxiety, an effect that is blocked by local injections of corticotrophin-releasing factor type 1 receptor (CRF1) or n-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) antagonist. Anxiety is also enhanced by social defeat stress, and chronic stress impairs and facilitates, respectively, PFC and BNST roles in modulating behavioral responses to aversive situations. This study investigated whether the (i) chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) increases NO signaling in the mPFC; and/or (ii) anxiogenic effects provoked by the intra-RmPFC injection of NOC-9 (an NO donor) or by CSDS are prevented by intra-BNST injections of AP-7 (0.05 nmol) or CP 376395 (3.0 nmol), respectively, NMDAr and CRF1 antagonists, in male Swiss-Webster mice exposed to the elevated plus-maze (EPM). Results showed that (a) CSDS increased anxiety (i.e., reduced open-arm exploration) and repeatedly activated nNOS-containing neurons, as measured by ΔFosB (a stable nonspecific marker of neural activity) + nNOS double-labeling, in the right (but not left) mPFC, (b) NOC-9 in the RmPFC also increased anxiety, and (c) both CSDS and NOC-9 effects were reversed by injections of AP-7 or CP 376395 into the BNST. These results suggest that NMDA and CRF1 receptors located in BNST play an important role in the modulation of anxiety provoked by NO in the RmPFC, as well as by chronic social defeat in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Faria
- Joint Graduate Program of Physiological Sciences (PIPGCF) UFSCar-UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lab. Pharmacology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - C F Laverde
- Joint Graduate Program of Physiological Sciences (PIPGCF) UFSCar-UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lab. Pharmacology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - R L Nunes-de-Souza
- Joint Graduate Program of Physiological Sciences (PIPGCF) UFSCar-UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lab. Pharmacology, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
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15
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Yarur HE, Vega-Quiroga I, González MP, Noches V, Thomases DR, Andrés ME, Ciruela F, Tseng KY, Gysling K. Inhibitory Control of Basolateral Amygdalar Transmission to the Prefrontal Cortex by Local Corticotrophin Type 2 Receptor. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 23:108-116. [PMID: 31800046 PMCID: PMC7094000 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Basolateral amygdalar projections to the prefrontal cortex play a key role in modulating behavioral responses to stress stimuli. Among the different neuromodulators known to impact basolateral amygdalar-prefrontal cortex transmission, the corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) is of particular interest because of its role in modulating anxiety and stress-associated behaviors. While CRF type 1 receptor (CRFR1) has been involved in prefrontal cortex functioning, the participation of CRF type 2 receptor (CRFR2) in basolateral amygdalar-prefrontal cortex synaptic transmission remains unclear. METHODS Immunofluorescence anatomical studies using rat prefrontal cortex synaptosomes devoid of postsynaptic elements were performed in rats with intra basolateral amygdalar injection of biotinylated dextran amine. In vivo microdialysis and local field potential recordings were used to measure glutamate extracellular levels and changes in long-term potentiation in prefrontal cortex induced by basolateral amygdalar stimulation in the absence or presence of CRF receptor antagonists. RESULTS We found evidence for the presynaptic expression of CRFR2 protein and mRNA in prefrontal cortex synaptic terminals originated from basolateral amygdalar. By means of microdialysis and electrophysiological recordings in combination with an intra-prefrontal cortex infusion of the CRFR2 antagonist antisauvagine-30, we were able to determine that CRFR2 is functionally positioned to limit the strength of basolateral amygdalar transmission to the prefrontal cortex through presynaptic inhibition of glutamate release. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows for the first time to our knowledge that CRFR2 is expressed in basolateral amygdalar afferents projecting to the prefrontal cortex and exerts an inhibitory control of prefrontal cortex responses to basolateral amygdalar inputs. Thus, changes in CRFR2 signaling are likely to disrupt the functional connectivity of the basolateral amygdalar-prefrontal cortex pathway and associated behavioral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector E Yarur
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ignacio Vega-Quiroga
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcela P González
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Verónica Noches
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel R Thomases
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
| | - María E Andrés
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Ciruela
- Unitat de Farmacologia, Departament Patologia i Terapèutica Experimental, Facultat de Medicina, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kuei Y Tseng
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois,Correspondence: Katia Gysling, PhD, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Faculty of Biological Sciences Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150 Santiago, Chile (); Kuei Y. Tseng, PhD, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA ()
| | - Katia Gysling
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile,Correspondence: Katia Gysling, PhD, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology Faculty of Biological Sciences Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150 Santiago, Chile (); Kuei Y. Tseng, PhD, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60612, USA ()
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16
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Corticotropin Releasing Factor Type 1 and 2 Receptor Signaling in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Modulates Binge-Like Ethanol Consumption in C57BL/6J Mice. Brain Sci 2019; 9:brainsci9070171. [PMID: 31330967 PMCID: PMC6680756 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci9070171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) signaling via limbic CRF1 and 2 receptors (CRF1R and CRF2R, respectively) is known to modulate binge-like ethanol consumption in rodents. Though CRF signaling in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been shown to modulate anxiety-like behavior and ethanol seeking, its role in binge ethanol intake is unknown. Here, we used “drinking-in-the-dark” (DID) procedures in male and female C57BL/6J mice to address this gap in the literature. First, the role of CRF1R and CRF2R signaling in the mPFC on ethanol consumption was evaluated through site-directed pharmacology. Next, we evaluated if CRF1R antagonist reduction of binge-intake was modulated in part through CRF2R activation by co-administration of a CRF1R and CRF2R antagonist. Intra-mPFC inhibition of CRF1R and activation of CRF2R resulted in decreased binge-like ethanol intake. Further, the inhibitory effect of the CRF1R antagonist was attenuated by co-administration of a CRF2R antagonist. We provide novel evidence that (1) inhibition of CRF1R or activation of CRF2R in the mPFC reduces binge-like ethanol intake; and (2) the effect of CRF1R antagonism may be mediated via enhanced CRF2R activation. These observations provide the first direct behavioral pharmacological evidence that CRF receptor activity in the mPFC modulates binge-like ethanol consumption.
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Hupalo S, Bryce CA, Bangasser DA, Berridge CW, Valentino RJ, Floresco SB. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) circuit modulation of cognition and motivation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:50-59. [PMID: 31212019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), is a key modulator of physiological, endocrine, and behavioral responses during stress. Dysfunction of the CRF system has been observed in stress-related affective disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Beyond affective symptoms, these disorders are also characterized by impaired cognition, for which current pharmacological treatments are lacking. Thus, there is a need for pro-cognitive treatments to improve quality of life for individuals suffering from mental illness. In this review, we highlight research demonstrating that CRF elicits potent modulatory effects on higher-order cognition via actions within the prefrontal cortex and subcortical monoaminergic and cholinergic systems. Additionally, we identify questions for future preclinical research on this topic, such as the need to investigate sex differences in the cognitive and microcircuit actions of CRF, and whether CRF may represent a pharmacological target to treat cognitive dysfunction. Addressing these questions will provide new insight into pathophysiology underlying cognitive dysfunction and may lead to improved treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofiya Hupalo
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Courtney A Bryce
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States
| | - Craig W Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Rita J Valentino
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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18
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Activated CRH receptors inhibit autophagy by repressing conversion of LC3BI to LC3BII. Cell Signal 2019; 58:119-130. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Hwa LS, Neira S, Pina MM, Pati D, Calloway R, Kash TL. Predator odor increases avoidance and glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the prelimbic cortex via corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 signaling. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:766-775. [PMID: 30470839 PMCID: PMC6372588 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0279-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Acute exposure to a salient stressor, such as in post-traumatic stress disorder, can have lasting impacts upon an individual and society. To study stress in rodents, some naturalistic methods have included acute exposure to a predator odor, such as the synthetic fox odor 2,4,5, trimethyl-3-thiazoline (TMT). These experiments explore the stress-related behaviors and cortical activity induced by TMT exposure in adult male C57BL/6J mice and the influence of the stress neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) on these responses. Compared to H2O and a novel odorant, vanilla, mice exposed to TMT in the home cage showed increased avoidance and defensive burying indicative of evident stress responses. Consistent with stress-induced activation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), we found that the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) subregions of the mPFC had elevated c-Fos immunolabeling after TMT and vanilla compared to H2O. Slice physiology recordings were performed in layers 2/3 and 5 of the PL and IL, following TMT, vanilla, or H2O exposure. In TMT mice, but not vanilla or H2O mice, PL layers 2/3 showed heightened spontaneous excitatory post-synaptic currents and synaptic drive, suggesting TMT enhanced excitatory transmission. Synaptic drive in PL was increased in both TMT and H2O mice following bath application of 300 nM CRF, but only H2O mice increased excitatory currents with 100 nM CRF, suggesting dose-effect curve shifts in TMT mice. Further, systemic pretreatment with the CRF-R1 antagonist CP154526 and bath application with the CRF-R1 antagonist NBI27914 reduced excitatory transmission in TMT mice, but not H2O mice. CP154526 also reduced stress-reactive behaviors induced by TMT. Taken together, these findings suggest that exposure to TMT leads to CRF-R1 driven changes in behavior and changes in synaptic function in layer 2/3 neurons in the PL, which are consistent with previous findings that CRF-R1 in the mPFC plays an important role in predator odor-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara S Hwa
- Departments of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and the Bowles Alcohol Research Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Sofia Neira
- Departments of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and the Bowles Alcohol Research Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Melanie M Pina
- Departments of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and the Bowles Alcohol Research Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Dipanwita Pati
- Departments of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and the Bowles Alcohol Research Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Rachel Calloway
- Departments of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and the Bowles Alcohol Research Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Departments of Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and the Bowles Alcohol Research Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Prefrontal Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) Neurons Act Locally to Modulate Frontostriatal Cognition and Circuit Function. J Neurosci 2019; 39:2080-2090. [PMID: 30651328 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2701-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The PFC and extended frontostriatal circuitry support higher cognitive processes that guide goal-directed behavior. PFC-dependent cognitive dysfunction is a core feature of multiple psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, a major limiting factor in the development of treatments for PFC cognitive dysfunction is our limited understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying PFC-dependent cognition. We recently demonstrated that activation of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors in the caudal dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC) impairs higher cognitive function, as measured in a working memory task. Currently, there remains much unknown about CRF-dependent regulation of cognition, including the source of CRF for cognition-modulating receptors and the output pathways modulated by these receptors. To address these issues, the current studies used a viral vector-based approach to chemogenetically activate or inhibit PFC CRF neurons in working memory-tested male rats. Chemogenetic activation of caudal, but not rostral, dmPFC CRF neurons potently impaired working memory, whereas inhibition of these neurons improved working memory. Importantly, the cognition-impairing actions of PFC CRF neurons were dependent on local CRF receptors coupled to protein kinase A. Additional electrophysiological recordings demonstrated that chemogenetic activation of caudal dmPFC CRF neurons elicits a robust degradation of task-related coding properties of dmPFC pyramidal neurons and, to a lesser extent, medium spiny neurons in the dorsomedial striatum. Collectively, these results demonstrate that local CRF release within the caudal dmPFC impairs frontostriatal cognitive and circuit function and suggest that CRF may represent a potential target for treating frontostriatal cognitive dysfunction.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dorsomedial PFC and its striatal targets play a critical role in higher cognitive function. PFC-dependent cognitive dysfunction is associated with many psychiatric disorders. Although it has long-been known that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons are prominent within the PFC, their role in cognition has remained unclear. Using a novel chemogenetic viral vector system, the present studies demonstrate that PFC CRF neurons impair working memory via activation of local PKA-coupled CRF receptors, an action associated with robust degradation in task-related frontostriatal neuronal coding. Conversely, suppression of constitutive PFC CRF activity improved working memory. Collectively, these studies provide novel insight into the neurobiology of cognition and suggest that CRF may represent a novel target for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction.
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Lalonde R, Strazielle C. Neuroanatomical pathways underlying the effects of hypothalamo-hypophysial-adrenal hormones on exploratory activity. Rev Neurosci 2018; 28:617-648. [PMID: 28609296 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2016-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
When injected via the intracerebroventricular route, corticosterone-releasing hormone (CRH) reduced exploration in the elevated plus-maze, the center region of the open-field, and the large chamber in the defensive withdrawal test. The anxiogenic action of CRH in the elevated plus-maze also occurred when infused in the basolateral amygdala, ventral hippocampus, lateral septum, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, nucleus accumbens, periaqueductal grey, and medial frontal cortex. The anxiogenic action of CRH in the defensive withdrawal test was reproduced when injected in the locus coeruleus, while the amygdala, hippocampus, lateral septum, nucleus accumbens, and lateral globus pallidus contribute to center zone exploration in the open-field. In addition to elevated plus-maze and open-field tests, the amygdala appears as a target region for CRH-mediated anxiety in the elevated T-maze. Thus, the amygdala is the principal brain region identified with these three tests, and further research must identify the neural circuits underlying this form of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Strazielle
- , Laboratoire 'Stress, Immunité, Pathogènes' EA 7300 and Service de Microscopie Electronique, Faculté de Médecine
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22
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Spinieli RL, Leite-Panissi CRA. Similar effect of CRF 1 and CRF 2 receptor in the basolateral or central nuclei of the amygdala on tonic immobility behavior. Brain Res Bull 2017; 137:187-196. [PMID: 29246866 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Studies have used paradigms based on animal models to understand human emotional behavior because they appear to be correlated with fear- and anxiety-related defensive patterns in non-human mammals. In this context, tonic immobility (TI) behavior is an innate response associated with extreme threat situations, such as predator attack. Some reports have demonstrated the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in regulation of the endocrine system, defensive behaviors and behavioral responses to stress. Particularly, a previous study showed that the activation of CRF receptors in the basolateral (BLA) or central (CeA) nuclei of the amygdala increased TI responses, whereas treatment with a non-selective CRF antagonist, alpha-helical-CRF9-41, decreased this innate fear response. However, while CRF1 receptors have pronounced effects in stress-induced anxiety, CRF2 receptors appear be involved in the expression of both stress-induced anxiety and spontaneous anxiety behavior. In this study, we investigated the effects of specific CRF receptors, CRF1 and CRF2, in the BLA and CeA on the duration of TI in guinea pigs. The results show that blockade of CRF1 and CRF2 receptors in the BLA and CeA produces a decrease in fear and/or anxiety, as suggested by a decrease in TI duration in the guinea pigs. Additionally, the specific antagonists for CRF1 and CRF2 receptors were able to prevent the increase in TI duration induced by CRF administration at the same sites. These results suggest that the modulation of fear and anxiety by the CRF system in the BLA and CeA occurs through concomitant effects on CRF1 and CRF2 receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Leandro Spinieli
- Psychobiology Graduation Program, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Christie Ramos Andrade Leite-Panissi
- Psychobiology Graduation Program, School of Philosophy, Science and Literature of Ribeirão Preto of the University of São Paulo, 14040-901 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Morphology, Physiology and Basic Pathology, Ribeirão Preto Dentistry School of the University of São Paulo, 14040-904 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Bernardi RE, Broccoli L, Hirth N, Justice NJ, Deussing JM, Hansson AC, Spanagel R. Dissociable Role of Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Receptor Subtype 1 on Dopaminergic and D1 Dopaminoceptive Neurons in Cocaine Seeking Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:221. [PMID: 29180955 PMCID: PMC5693884 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability of many drugs of abuse, including cocaine, to mediate reinforcement and drug-seeking behaviors is in part mediated by the corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) system, in which CRH exerts its effects partly via the CRH receptor subtype 1 (CRHR1) in extra-hypothalamic areas. In fact, CRHR1 expressed in regions of the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system have been demonstrated to modify cocaine-induced DA release and alter cocaine-mediated behaviors. Here we examined the role of neuronal selectivity of CRHR1 within the mesolimbic system on cocaine-induced behaviors. First we used a transgenic mouse line expressing GFP under the control of the Crhr1 promoter for double fluorescence immunohistochemistry to demonstrate the cellular location of CRHR1 in both dopaminergic and D1 dopaminoceptive neurons. We then studied cocaine sensitization, self-administration, and reinstatement in inducible CRHR1 knockouts using the CreERT2/loxP in either dopamine transporter (DAT)-containing neurons (DAT-Crhr1) or dopamine receptor 1 (D1)-containing neurons (D1-Crhr1). For sensitization testing, mice received five daily injections of cocaine (15 mg/kg IP). For self-administration, mice received eight daily 2 h cocaine (0.5 mg/kg per infusion) self-administration sessions followed by extinction and reinstatement testing. There were no differences in the acute or sensitized locomotor response to cocaine in DAT-Crhr1 or D1-Crhr1 mice and their respective controls. Furthermore, both DAT-Crhr1 and D1-Crhr1 mice reliably self-administered cocaine at the level of controls. However, DAT-Crhr1 mice demonstrated a significant increase in cue-induced reinstatement relative to controls, whereas D1-Crhr1 mice demonstrated a significant decrease in cue-induced reinstatement relative to controls. These data demonstrate the involvement of CRHR1 in cue-induced reinstatement following cocaine self-administration, and implicate a bi-directional role of CRHR1 for cocaine craving.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rick E Bernardi
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Laura Broccoli
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Natalie Hirth
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Nicholas J Justice
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jan M Deussing
- Molecular Neurogenetics, Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Anita C Hansson
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Rainer Spanagel
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
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The CRF System as a Therapeutic Target for Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2016; 37:1045-1054. [PMID: 27717506 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The major neuropsychiatric disorders are devastating illnesses that are only modestly responsive to treatment. Improving the treatment of these conditions will require innovative new strategies that depart from previously focused-on pharmacological mechanisms. Considerable preclinical and clinical data indicate corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) signaling as a target for new psychotropic drug development. Here we review alterations in the CRF system reported in several psychiatric conditions. We also examine the preclinical work that has dissected the distinctive roles of CRF receptors in specific circuits relevant to these disorders. We further describe the clinical trials of CRF1 receptor antagonists that have been conducted. Although these clinical trials have thus far met with limited therapeutic success, the unfolding complexity of the CRF system promises many future directions for studying its role in the etiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric conditions.
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25
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Working Memory Impairing Actions of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) Neurotransmission in the Prefrontal Cortex. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2733-40. [PMID: 27272767 PMCID: PMC5026742 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates cognitive processes critical for goal-directed behavior. PFC cognitive dysfunction is implicated in multiple psychopathologies, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although it has long been known that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and CRF receptors are prominent in the PFC, the cognitive effects of CRF action within the PFC are poorly understood. The current studies examined whether CRF receptor activation in the PFC modulates cognitive function in rats as measured in a delayed response task of spatial working memory. CRF dose-dependently impaired working memory performance when administered either intracerebroventricularly (ICV) or directly into the PFC. The working memory actions of CRF in the PFC were topographically organized, with impairment observed only following CRF infusions into the caudal dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC). Additional studies examined whether endogenous CRF modulates working memory. Both ICV and intra-dmPFC administration of the nonselective CRF antagonist, D-Phe-CRF, dose-dependently improved working memory performance. To better assess the translational potential of CRF antagonists, we examined the cognitive effects of systemic administration of the CRF1 receptor selective antagonist, NBI 35965. Similar procognitive actions were observed in these studies. These results are the first to demonstrate that CRF acts in the PFC to regulate PFC-dependent cognition. Importantly, the ability of CRF antagonists to improve working memory is identical to that seen with all approved treatments for ADHD. These observations suggest that CRF antagonists may represent a novel approach for the treatment of ADHD and other disorders associated with dysregulated prefrontal cognitive function.
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Costa N, Vicente M, Cipriano A, Miguel T, Nunes-de-Souza R. Functional lateralization of the medial prefrontal cortex in the modulation of anxiety in mice: Left or right? Neuropharmacology 2016; 108:82-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2015] [Revised: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Schreiber AL, Lu YL, Baynes BB, Richardson HN, Gilpin NW. Corticotropin-releasing factor in ventromedial prefrontal cortex mediates avoidance of a traumatic stress-paired context. Neuropharmacology 2016; 113:323-330. [PMID: 27235163 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects 7.7 million Americans. One diagnostic criterion for PTSD is avoidance of stimuli that are related to the traumatic stress. Using a predator odor stress conditioned place aversion (CPA) model, rats can be divided into groups based on stress reactivity, as measured by avoidance of the odor-paired context. Avoider rats, which show high stress reactivity, exhibit persistent avoidance of stress-paired context and escalated alcohol drinking. Here, we examined the potential role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), a neuropeptide that promotes anxiety-like behavior in mediating avoidance and escalated alcohol drinking after stress. CRF is expressed in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The dorsal and ventral sub-regions of the mPFC (dmPFC and vmPFC) have opposing roles in stress reactivity and alcohol drinking. We hypothesized that vmPFC CRF-CRFR1 signaling contributes functionally to stress-induced avoidance and escalated alcohol self-administration. In Experiment 1, adult male Wistar rats were exposed to predator odor stress in a CPA paradigm, indexed for avoidance of odor-paired context, and brains processed for CRF-immunoreactive cell density in vmPFC and dmPFC. Post-stress, Avoiders exhibited higher CRF cell density in vmPFC, but not the dmPFC. In Experiment 2, rats were tested for avoidance of a context repeatedly paired with intra-vmPFC CRF infusions. In Experiment 3, rats were stressed and indexed, then tested for the effects of intra-vmPFC CRFR1 antagonism on avoidance and alcohol self-administration. Intra-vmPFC CRF infusion produced avoidance of a paired context, and intra-vmPFC CRFR1 antagonism reversed avoidance of a stress-paired context, but did not alter post-stress alcohol self-administration. These findings suggest that vmPFC CRF-CRFR1 signaling mediates avoidance of stimuli paired with traumatic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson L Schreiber
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Yi-Ling Lu
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Brittni B Baynes
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Heather N Richardson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA, 70112, USA.
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Cipriano AC, Gomes KS, Nunes-de-Souza RL. CRF receptor type 1 (but not type 2) located within the amygdala plays a role in the modulation of anxiety in mice exposed to the elevated plus maze. Horm Behav 2016; 81:59-67. [PMID: 27060334 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/18/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The amygdala (Amy) is an important center that processes threatening stimuli. Among the neurotransmitters implicated in the control of emotional states, the corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) is an important modulator, acting at CRF1 and CRF2 receptors. Few studies have investigated the role of CRF and its receptors in the Amy on anxiety in mice. Here, we investigated the effects of intra-Amy (aimed at the basolateral nucleus) injections of CRF (37.5 and 75pmol/0.1μl), urocortin 3 (UCn3, a selective CRF2 agonist; 4, 8, 16 or 24pmol/0.1μl), CP376395 (a selective CRF1 antagonist; 0.375, 0.75 or 1.5nmol/0.1μl), antisauvagine-30 (ASV-30, a selective CRF2 antagonist; 1 or 3nmol/0.1μl) on the behavior of mice exposed to the elevated plus maze (EPM). Both spatiotemporal (e.g., percentage of open-arm entries and percentage of open-arm time; %OE and %OT) and complementary [e.g., frequency of protected and unprotected stretched attend postures (pSAP and uSAP) and head dips (pHD and uHD); frequency and time spent on open arm end exploration (OAEE)] measures were recorded during a 5-min test in the EPM. While intra-Amy injections of CRF decreased %OE, %OT and OAEE, suggesting an anxiogenic-like action, UCn3 (all doses) did not change any behavior. In contrast, injections of CP376395 (0.75nmol) produced an anxiolytic-like effect, by increasing %OT and OAEE and decreasing pSAP and pHD. Neither spatiotemporal nor complementary measures were changed by intra-Amy ASV-30. These results suggest that CRF plays a marked anxiogenic role at CRF1 receptors in the amygdala of mice exposed to the EPM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Cláudia Cipriano
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, UFSCar/UNESP, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil.
| | - Karina Santos Gomes
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ricardo Luiz Nunes-de-Souza
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Univ. Estadual Paulista - UNESP, 14800-903, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, UFSCar/UNESP, São Carlos, SP 13565-905, Brazil.
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Sustained glucocorticoid exposure recruits cortico-limbic CRH signaling to modulate endocannabinoid function. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 66:151-8. [PMID: 26821211 PMCID: PMC4788523 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Revised: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Sustained exposure to stress or corticosteroids is known to cause changes in brain endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling, such that tissue contents of the eCBs N-arachidonylethanolamine (AEA) are generally reduced while 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) levels increase. These changes in eCB signaling are important for many of the aspects of chronic stress, such as anxiety, reward sensitivity and stress adaptation, yet the mechanisms mediating these changes are not fully understood. We have recently found that the stress-related neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), acting through the CRH type 1 receptor (CRHR1), can reduce AEA content by increasing its hydrolysis by the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) as well as increase 2-AG contents. As extra-hypothalamic CRH is upregulated by chronic corticosteroid or stress exposure, we hypothesized that increased CRH signaling through CRHR1 contributes to the effects of chronic corticosteroid exposure on the eCB system within the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Male rats were exposed to 7 days of systemic corticosterone capsules, with or without concurrent exposure to a CRHR1 antagonist, after which we examined eCB content. Consistent with previous studies in the amygdala, sustained corticosterone exposure increases CRH mRNA in the prefrontal cortex. As was shown previously, FAAH activity was increased and AEA contents were reduced within the amygdala and prefrontal cortex following chronic corticosterone exposure. Chronic corticosterone exposure also elevated 2-AG content in the prefrontal cortex but not the amygdala. These corticosteroid-driven changes were all blocked by systemic CRHR1 antagonism. Consistent with these data indicating sustained increases in CRH signaling can mediate the effects of chronic elevations in corticosteroids, CRH overexpressing mice also exhibited increased FAAH-mediated AEA hydrolysis in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex compared to wild type. CRH overexpression increased 2-AG content in the amygdala, but not the prefrontal cortex. These data indicate that chronic elevations in CRH signaling, as is seen following exposure to chronic elevations in corticosterone or stress, drive persistent changes in eCB function. As reductions in AEA signaling mediate the effects of CRH and chronic stress on anxiety, these data provide a mechanism linking these processes.
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Faria MP, Miguel TT, Gomes KS, Nunes-de-Souza RL. Anxiety-like responses induced by nitric oxide within the BNST in mice: Role of CRF1 and NMDA receptors. Horm Behav 2016; 79:74-83. [PMID: 26774463 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2015] [Revised: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 01/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
It has been shown that the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) of rats contains nitrergic neurons, which are activated during animal exposure to aversive stimuli. The BNST is also populated by glutamatergic and corticotrophin releasing factor (CRFergic) neurons, which in turn are activated under stressful situations. Here we investigated the anxiogenic-like effects of intra-BNST injections of a nitric oxide (NO) donor, NOC-9 in mice. The role of CRFergic and glutamatergic systems on defensive behavior induced by NOC-9 was investigated with previous intra-BNST infusion of different doses of CP376395, a CRF type 1 receptor antagonist (CRF1), or AP-7, an NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor antagonist. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed immediately and 5 min after intra-BNST drug injection, exposing mice to a novel arena and to the elevated plus-maze (EPM; an anxiogenic situation). Results showed that NOC-9 provoked a short period (≈ 150 s) of freezing behavior in the novel arena and increased anxiety in the EPM. Both CP and AP-7 attenuated the anxiogenic-like effects of NOC-9 in the EPM without changing freezing behavior in the novel arena. When given alone (i.e. without prior intra-BNST injection of NOC-9), AP-7 (0.20 nmol), but not CP (0.75, 1.50, or 3.00 nmol), attenuated anxiety in mice exposed to the EPM. These results suggest that CRF1 and NMDA receptors located within the BNST differentially modulate aversive effects induced by NO production in this limbic forebrain structure.
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MESH Headings
- Aminopyridines/pharmacology
- Animals
- Anxiety/chemically induced
- Anxiety/metabolism
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/metabolism
- Freezing Reaction, Cataleptic/drug effects
- Male
- Maze Learning/drug effects
- Mice
- Neurons/drug effects
- Neurons/metabolism
- Neurons/pathology
- Nitric Oxide/pharmacology
- Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/antagonists & inhibitors
- Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/metabolism
- Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/physiology
- Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/metabolism
- Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/physiology
- Septal Nuclei/drug effects
- Stress, Psychological/chemically induced
- Stress, Psychological/metabolism
- Stress, Psychological/psychology
- Triazenes/pharmacology
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Faria
- Programa Interinstitucional de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de São Carlos and Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - T T Miguel
- Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - K S Gomes
- Laboratório de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - R L Nunes-de-Souza
- Programa Interinstitucional de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de São Carlos and Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araraquara, SP, Brazil; Laboratório de Farmacologia, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 14800-903 Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
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Yang L, Shi LJ, Yu J, Zhang YQ. Activation of protein kinase A in the amygdala modulates anxiety-like behaviors in social defeat exposed mice. Mol Brain 2016; 9:3. [PMID: 26747511 PMCID: PMC4706664 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-015-0181-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Social defeat (SD) stress induces social avoidance and anxiety-like phenotypes. Amygdala is recognized as an emotion-related brain region such as fear, aversion and anxiety. It is conceivable to hypothesize that activation of amygdala is involved in SD-dependent behavioral defects. Results SD model was established using C57BL/6J mice that were physically defeated by different CD-1 mice for 10 days. Stressed mice exhibited decreased social interaction level in social interaction test and significant anxiety-like behaviors in elevated plus maze and open field tests. Meanwhile, a higher phosphorylation of PKA and CREB with a mutually linear correlation, and increased Fos labeled cells in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) were observed. Activation of PKA in the BLA by 8-Br-cAMP, a PKA activitor, significantly upregulated pCREB and Fos expression. To address the role of PKA activation on SD stress-induced social avoidance and anxiety-like behaviors, 8-Br-cAMP or H-89, a PKA inhibitor, was continuously administered into the bilateral BLA by a micro-osmotic pump system during the 10-day SD period. Neither H-89 nor 8-Br-cAMP affected the social behavior. Differently, 8-Br-cAMP significantly relieved anxiety-like behaviors in both general and moderate SD protocols. H-89 per se did not have anxiogenic effect in naïve mice, but aggravated moderate SD stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors. The antidepressant clomipramine reduced SD-induced anxiety and up-regulated pPKA level in the BLA. Conclusions These results suggest that SD-driven PKA activation in the basolateral amygdala is actually a compensatory rather than pathogenic response in the homeostasis, and modulating amygdaloid PKA may exhibit potency in the therapy of social derived disorders. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13041-015-0181-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Yang
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, 1202 Mingdao Building, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Li-Jun Shi
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, 1202 Mingdao Building, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Jin Yu
- Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Yu-Qiu Zhang
- Institute of Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, 1202 Mingdao Building, 131 Dong An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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Keil MF, Briassoulis G, Stratakis CA. The Role of Protein Kinase A in Anxiety Behaviors. Neuroendocrinology 2016; 103:625-39. [PMID: 26939049 DOI: 10.1159/000444880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
This review focuses on the genetic and other evidence supporting the notion that the cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling pathway and its mediator, the protein kinase A (PKA) enzyme, which respond to environmental stressors and regulate stress responses, are central to the pathogenesis of disorders related to anxiety. We describe the PKA pathway and review in vitro animal studies (mouse) and other evidence that support the importance of PKA in regulating behaviors that lead to anxiety. Since cAMP signaling and PKA have been pharmacologically exploited since the 1940s (even before the identification of cAMP as a second messenger with PKA as its mediator) for a number of disorders from asthma to cardiovascular diseases, there is ample opportunity to develop therapies using this new knowledge about cAMP, PKA, and anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret F Keil
- Section on Endocrinology and Genetics, Program in Developmental Endocrinology and Genetics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md., USA
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Ren QG, Wang YJ, Gong WG, Xu L, Zhang ZJ. Escitalopram Ameliorates Tau Hyperphosphorylation and Spatial Memory Deficits Induced by Protein Kinase A Activation in Sprague Dawley Rats. J Alzheimers Dis 2015; 47:61-71. [PMID: 26402755 DOI: 10.3233/jad-143012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Guo Ren
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan-Juan Wang
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei-Gang Gong
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lin Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Models and Human Disease Mechanisms, Chinese Academy of Sciences & Yunnan Province, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Zhang
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Affiliated ZhongDa Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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