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Joyce MKP, Uchendu S, Arnsten AFT. Stress and Inflammation Target Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Function: Neural Mechanisms Underlying Weakened Cognitive Control. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)01420-3. [PMID: 38944141 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024]
Abstract
Most mental disorders involve dysfunction of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), a recently evolved brain region that subserves working memory, abstraction, and the thoughtful regulation of attention, action, and emotion. For example, schizophrenia, depression, long COVID, and Alzheimer's disease are all associated with dlPFC dysfunction, with neuropathology often being focused in layer III. The dlPFC has extensive top-down projections, e.g., to the posterior association cortices to regulate attention and to the subgenual cingulate cortex via the rostral and medial PFC to regulate emotional responses. However, the dlPFC is particularly dependent on arousal state and is very vulnerable to stress and inflammation, which are etiological and/or exacerbating factors for most mental disorders. The cellular mechanisms by which stress and inflammation impact the dlPFC are a topic of current research and are summarized in this review. For example, the layer III dlPFC circuits that generate working memory-related neuronal firing have unusual neurotransmission, depending on NMDA receptor and nicotinic α7 receptor actions that are blocked under inflammatory conditions by kynurenic acid. These circuits also have unusual neuromodulation, with the molecular machinery to magnify calcium signaling in spines needed to support persistent firing, which must be tightly regulated to prevent toxic calcium actions. Stress rapidly weakens layer III connectivity by driving feedforward calcium-cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) opening of potassium channels on spines. This is regulated by postsynaptic noradrenergic α2A adrenergic receptor and mGluR3 (metabotropic glutamate receptor 3) signaling but dysregulated by inflammation and/or chronic stress exposure, which contribute to spine loss. Treatments that strengthen the dlPFC via pharmacological (the α2A adrenergic receptor agonist, guanfacine) or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation manipulation provide a rational basis for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Kate P Joyce
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Stacy Uchendu
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Amy F T Arnsten
- Department of Neuroscience, Yale Medical School, New Haven, Connecticut.
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2
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Wolter M, Lapointe T, Baidoo N, Mitchnick KA, Wideman C, Winters BD, Leri F. Double dissociation of perirhinal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and dopamine D2 receptors in modulation of object memory consolidation by nicotine, cocaine and their conditioned stimuli. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2023; 72:50-59. [PMID: 37086715 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
There are indications that drug conditioned stimuli (CS) may activate neurochemical systems of memory modulation that are activated by the drugs themselves. To directly test this hypothesis, a cholinergic nicotinic receptor antagonist (mecamylamine; MEC: 0, 10 or 30 µg/side) and a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist (l-741,626: 0, 0.63, 2.5 µg/side) were infused in the perirhinal cortex (PRh) to block modulation of object recognition memory consolidation induced by 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, 20 mg/kg cocaine, or their CSs. To establish these CSs, male Sprague-Dawley rats were confined for 2 h in a chamber, the CS+, after injections of 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, or 20 mg/kg cocaine, and in another chamber, the CS-, after injections of vehicle. This was repeated over 10 days (5 drug/CS+ and 5 vehicle/CS- pairings in total). It was found that the memory enhancing action of post-sample nicotine was blocked by intra-PRh infusions of both MEC doses, and 30 µg/side MEC also blocked the memory enhancing action of the nicotine CS. Interestingly, intra-PRh MEC did not block the memory enhancing effect of cocaine, nor that of the cocaine CS. In contrast, the memory enhancing action of post-sample cocaine administration was blocked by both l-741,626 doses, and 2.5 µg/side also blocked the effect of the cocaine CS, but not the memory effects of nicotine or of the nicotine CS. This functional double dissociation strongly indicates that drug CSs modulate memory consolidation by activating neural systems that are activated by the drugs themselves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wolter
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Specialization, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Thomas Lapointe
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Specialization, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Nana Baidoo
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Specialization, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | | | - Cassidy Wideman
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Specialization, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Specialization, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience Specialization, University of Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada.
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3
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Lapointe T, Francis T, Doray K, Leri F. Enhancement of memory consolidation by an avoidance conditioned stimulus: Modulation by the D3 receptor. Neuropharmacology 2023; 235:109572. [PMID: 37149214 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109572] [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: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Conditioned stimuli (CS) paired with foot-shock can enhance memory consolidation. Because the dopamine D3R has been implicated in mediating various responses to CSs, the current study explored its potential role in modulation of memory consolidation by an avoidance CS. Male Sprague-Dawley rats trained to avoid foot-shocks in a two-way signalled active avoidance task (8 sessions, 30 trials per session, 0.8 mA foot-shock) were pre-treated with the D3R antagonist NGB-2904 (Vehicle, 0.1 or 5 mg/kg) and exposed to the CS immediately after the sample phase of an object recognition memory task. Discrimination ratios were assessed 72 h later. Immediate, but not delayed (6 h), post-sample exposure to the CS enhanced object recognition memory and this effect was dose-dependently blocked by NGB-2904. Control experiments with the beta-noradrenergic receptor antagonist propranolol (10 or 20 mg/kg) and D2R antagonist pimozide (0.2 or 0.6 mg/kg) indicated that NGB-2904 targeted post-training memory consolidation. Exploring the pharmacological selectivity of the D3R effect, it was found that: 1) 5 mg/kg NGB-2904 blocked conditioned memory modulation produced by post-sample exposure to a "weak" CS (one day of avoidance training) and concurrent stimulation of catecholamine activity by 10 mg/kg bupropion; 2) post-sample exposure to a "weak" CS and concurrent administration of the D3R agonist 7-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg) enhanced consolidation of object memory. Finally, because 5 mg/kg NGB-2904 had no effect on modulation by avoidance training in the presence of foot-shocks, the findings herein support the hypothesis that the D3R plays an important role in modulation of memory consolidation by CSs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lapointe
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Travis Francis
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Kamrani Doray
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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4
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Xiong Y, Ye C, Chen Y, Zhong X, Chen H, Sun R, Zhang J, Zhong Z, Huang M. Altered Functional Connectivity of Basal Ganglia in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1555. [PMID: 36421879 PMCID: PMC9688931 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12111555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age-progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects cognitive function, causes changes in the functional connectivity of the default-mode network (DMN). However, the question of whether AD-related changes occur in the functional connectivity of the basal ganglia has rarely been specifically analyzed. This study aimed to measure the changes in basal ganglia functional connectivity among patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in their resting state using the functional connectivity density (FCD) value, the functional connectivity (FC) intensity, and the graph theory index, and to confirm their influence on clinical manifestations. (2) Methods: Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and neuropsychological data from 48 participants in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were used for analyses. The 48 ADNI participants comprised 16 patients with AD, 16 patients with MCI, and 16 normal controls (NCs). The functional connectivity of basal ganglia was evaluated by FCDs, FC strength, and graph theory index. We compared voxel-based FCD values between groups to show specific regions with significant variation and significant connectivity from ROI conduction to ROI analysis. Pearson's correlation analyses between functional connectivity and several simultaneous clinical variables were also conducted. Additionally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses associated with classification were conducted for both FCD values and graph theory indices. (3) Results: The level of FCD in patients with cognitive impairment showed obvious abnormalities (including short-range and long-range FCD). In addition to DMN-related regions, aberrant functional connectivity was also found to be present in the basal ganglia, especially in the caudate and amygdala. The FCD values of the basal ganglia (involving the caudate and amygdala) were closely related to scores from the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ); meanwhile, the graph theory indices (involving global efficiency and degree) of the basal ganglia (involving the caudate, amygdala, and putamen) were also found to be closely correlated with MMSE scores. In ROC analyses of both FCD and graph theory, the amygdala was of the utmost importance in the early-stage detection of MCI; additionally, the caudate nucleus was found to be crucial in the progression of cognitive decline and AD diagnosis. (4) Conclusions: It was systematically confirmed that there is a phenomenon of change in the functional connections in the basal ganglia during cognitive decline. The findings of this study could improve our understanding of AD and MCI pathology in the basal ganglia and make it possible to propose new targets for AD treatment in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xiong
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Chenghui Ye
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ying Chen
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Xiaochun Zhong
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Hongda Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ruxin Sun
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Jiaqi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Zhanhua Zhong
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Min Huang
- Department of Neurology, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
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5
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Gadberry TM, Goodman J, Packard MG. Chronic corticosterone administration in adolescence enhances dorsolateral striatum-dependent learning in adulthood. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:970304. [PMID: 36035016 PMCID: PMC9413048 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.970304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous evidence indicates a link between early life stress (ELS) in humans and a predisposition to psychopathologies that are characterized in part by maladaptive habitual behaviors. Stress and anxiety influence the relative use of mammalian memory systems implicated in these disorders. Specifically, cognitive memory functions of the hippocampus are typically impaired by stress/anxiety, whereas habit memory functions of the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) are enhanced. A stress/anxiety bias toward habit memory has largely been demonstrated in adult rodents and humans, and the effects of ELS on the later use of DLS-dependent habit memory in adult rodents have not been extensively examined. The present study addressed this question by chronically elevating corticosterone (CORT) during adolescence, and investigated the effects of this treatment on DLS-dependent habit learning in adulthood. In experiment 1, adolescent rats received a single daily injection of either CORT (5 mg/kg) or vehicle (cVEH) over 5 days and then matured undisturbed before training as adults in a DLS-dependent water plus-maze task. Rats administered CORT injections during adolescence displayed a strong trend toward enhanced learning during adulthood relative to vehicle-treated rats. Adolescent CORT administration also increased anxiety-like behavior in adulthood in an elevated plus-maze. In experiment 2, adolescent CORT administration enhanced task acquisition in adulthood, and this effect was blocked by concurrent administration of the glucocorticoid antagonist mifepristone (30 mg/kg). Taken together, these findings suggest that chronic elevation of glucocorticoids during adolescence are sufficient to facilitate habit learning in adulthood, and indicate that glucocorticoid function may be a potential underlying mechanism by which ELS influences subsequent habitual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ty M. Gadberry
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Jarid Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
| | - Mark G. Packard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Mark G. Packard,
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6
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Ammassari-Teule M. Inbred Mice Again at Stake: How the Cognitive Profile of the Wild-Type Mouse Background Discloses Pathogenic Effects of APP Mutations. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:868473. [PMID: 35813596 PMCID: PMC9260142 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.868473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing efforts have been made in the last decades to increase the face validity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) mouse models. Main advancements have consisted in generating AD mutations closer to those identified in humans, enhancing genetic diversity of wild-type backgrounds, and choosing protocols much apt to reveal AD-like cognitive dysfunctions. Nevertheless, two aspects remain less considered: the cognitive specialization of inbred strains used as recipient backgrounds of mutations and the heuristic importance of studying destabilization of memory circuits in pre-symptomatic mice facing cognitive challenges. This article underscores the relevance of these behavioral/experimental aspects by reviewing data which show that (i) inbred mice differ in their innate predisposition to rely on episodic vs. procedural memory, which implicates differential sensitivity to mutations aimed at disrupting temporal lobe-dependent memory, and that (ii) investigating training-driven neural alterations in asymptomatic mutants unveils early synaptic damage, which considerably anticipates detection of AD first signs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martine Ammassari-Teule
- Laboratory of Psychobiology, Department of Experimental Neuroscience, Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- National Research Council, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Martine Ammassari-Teule
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7
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Grant KA, Newman NN, Gonzales SW, Cuzon Carlson VC. Impact of putamen inhibition by DREADDs on schedule-induced drinking in rhesus monkeys. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 117:493-504. [PMID: 35411949 PMCID: PMC9090979 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The putamen is a nucleus within the sensory-motor striatal network that is involved in automatic, habitual actions. Schedule-induced polydipsia (SIP) is highly automated behavior, reliably occurring under intermediate interval schedules of reinforcement. The effect of putamen inhibition in mediating SIP of water and ethanol (4% w/v) under a Fixed Time 5-min (FT-5 min) schedule for food delivery was tested in 12 rhesus monkeys (6 male, 6 female). Water and ethanol SIP sessions ended after set volumes were consumed. Baseline patterns of SIP intake differed between water and ethanol SIP in volume but not in pattern of drinking. Activation of the designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug (DREADD: hM4Di) with deschloroclozapine (DCZ; 300 μg/kg, i.m.) administered 30 min prior to the onset of the SIP session, for four consecutive sessions. DCZ administration increased the postpellet drink volume and reduced the time to drink both water and ethanol. Although the effect of DCZ treatment was similar for increasing SIP with either water or ethanol, post-DCZ return to baseline SIP rates of differed, perhaps highlighting the effect of a state dependency with ethanol SIP. Overall, the study shows that targeting the putamen with the inhibitory DREADD produces a reversible, reproducible and reliable increase in adjunctive drinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A Grant
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton.,Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
| | - Natali N Newman
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton
| | - Steven W Gonzales
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton
| | - Verginia C Cuzon Carlson
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton.,Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland
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8
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Wolter M, Lapointe T, Melanson B, Baidoo N, Francis T, Winters BD, Leri F. Memory enhancing effects of nicotine, cocaine, and their conditioned stimuli; effects of beta-adrenergic and dopamine D2 receptor antagonists. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:2617-2628. [PMID: 34175982 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05884-x] [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: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence that post-training exposure to nicotine, cocaine, and their conditioned stimuli (CS), enhance memory consolidation in rats. The present study assessed the effects of blocking noradrenergic and dopaminergic receptors on nicotine and cocaine unconditioned and conditioned memory modulation. METHODS Males Sprague-Dawley rats tested on the spontaneous object recognition task received post-sample exposure to 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, 20 mg/kg cocaine, or their CSs, in combination with 5-10 mg/kg propranolol (PRO; beta-adrenergic antagonist) or 0.2-0.6 mg/kg pimozide (PIM; dopamine D2 receptor antagonist). The CSs were established by confining rats in a chamber (the CS +) after injections of 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, or 20 mg/kg cocaine, for 2 h and in another chamber (the CS -) after injections of vehicle, repeated over 10 days (5 drug/CS + and 5 vehicle/CS - pairings in total). Object memory was tested 72 h post sample in drug-free animals. RESULTS Co-administration of PRO or PIM blocked the memory-enhancing effects of post-training injections of nicotine, cocaine, and, importantly, exposure to their CSs. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that nicotine, cocaine as well as their conditioned stimuli share actions on overlapping noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems to modulate memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wolter
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Thomas Lapointe
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Brett Melanson
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nana Baidoo
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Travis Francis
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
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9
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Packard MG, Gadberry T, Goodman J. Neural systems and the emotion-memory link. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 185:107503. [PMID: 34418544 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The present brief review for this Special Issue summarizes some of the original research on the emotional modulation of memory. The review begins by highlighting the pioneering research from James L. McGaugh and colleagues demonstrating modulatory effects of post-training drug administration on memory consolidation, in particular the stress hormone epinephrine. The subsequent discovery of a critical role for the basolateral amygdala in emotional modulation of memory is described. Within the context of a multiple systems approach to memory focusing on selective roles for the hippocampus and dorsolateral striatum in cognitive and habit memory, the original studies indicating that robust emotional arousal can bias animals and humans toward the predominant use of habit memory are reviewed. This effect of emotional arousal on the relative use of multiple memory systems depends on a modulatory role of the basolateral amygdala. Finally, we briefly consider how an emotion-induced enhancement of dorsolateral striatal-dependent memory may be relevant to understanding maladaptive habitual behaviors in certain human psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark G Packard
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, United States.
| | - Ty Gadberry
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, United States
| | - Jarid Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Delaware State University, United States
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10
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Nygaard KR, Swift RG, Glick RM, Wagner RE, Maloney SE, Gould GG, Dougherty JD. Oxytocin receptor activation does not mediate associative fear deficits in a Williams Syndrome model. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2021; 21:e12750. [PMID: 33978321 PMCID: PMC8842878 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Williams Syndrome results in distinct behavioral phenotypes, which include learning deficits, anxiety, increased phobias and hypersociability. While the underlying mechanisms driving this subset of phenotypes is unknown, oxytocin (OT) dysregulation is hypothesized to be involved as some studies have shown elevated blood OT and altered OT receptor expression in patients. A "Complete Deletion" (CD) mouse, modeling the hemizygous deletion in Williams Syndrome, recapitulates many of the phenotypes present in humans. These CD mice also exhibit impaired fear responses in the conditioned fear task. Here, we address whether OT dysregulation is responsible for this impaired associative fear memory response. We show direct delivery of an OT receptor antagonist to the central nervous system did not rescue the attenuated contextual or cued fear memory responses in CD mice. Thus, increased OT signaling is not acutely responsible for this phenotype. We also evaluated OT receptor and serotonin transporter availability in regions related to fear learning, memory and sociability using autoradiography in wild type and CD mice. While no differences withstood correction, we identified regions that may warrant further investigation. There was a nonsignificant decrease in OT receptor expression in the lateral septal nucleus and nonsignificant lowered serotonin transporter availability in the striatum and orbitofrontal cortex. Together, these data suggest the fear conditioning anomalies in the Williams Syndrome mouse model are independent of any alterations in the oxytocinergic system caused by deletion of the Williams locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla R. Nygaard
- Department of GeneticsWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Raylynn G. Swift
- Department of GeneticsWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Rebecca M. Glick
- Department of GeneticsWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Rachael E. Wagner
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Susan E. Maloney
- Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research CenterWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Georgianna G. Gould
- Department of Cellular and Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of Texas Health San AntonioSan AntonioTexasUSA
| | - Joseph D. Dougherty
- Department of GeneticsWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,Department of PsychiatryWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research CenterWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
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11
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Cataldi S, Stanley AT, Miniaci MC, Sulzer D. Interpreting the role of the striatum during multiple phases of motor learning. FEBS J 2021; 289:2263-2281. [PMID: 33977645 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The synaptic pathways in the striatum are central to basal ganglia functions including motor control, learning and organization, action selection, acquisition of motor skills, cognitive function, and emotion. Here, we review the role of the striatum and its connections in motor learning and performance. The development of new techniques to record neuronal activity and animal models of motor disorders using neurotoxin, pharmacological, and genetic manipulations are revealing pathways that underlie motor performance and motor learning, as well as how they are altered by pathophysiological mechanisms. We discuss approaches that can be used to analyze complex motor skills, particularly in rodents, and identify specific questions central to understanding how striatal circuits mediate motor learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Cataldi
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, Pharmacology, Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY, USA
| | - Adrien T Stanley
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, Pharmacology, Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY, USA
| | | | - David Sulzer
- Departments of Psychiatry, Neurology, Pharmacology, Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.,Division of Molecular Therapeutics, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY, USA
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12
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Baidoo N, Wolter M, Holahan MR, Teale T, Winters B, Leri F. The effects of morphine withdrawal and conditioned withdrawal on memory consolidation and c-Fos expression in the central amygdala. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12909. [PMID: 32418296 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The current study tested the hypothesis that drug withdrawal contributes to the addiction cycle in part because of an action on memory consolidation. Hence, four experiments in male Sprague-Dawley rats compared the effects of precipitated morphine withdrawal and conditioned morphine withdrawal on the consolidation of object memory and on activation of c-Fos in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). It was found that immediate, but not 6 h delayed, post sample administration of 3 mg/kg of naltrexone significantly enhanced object memory in rats maintained, or previously maintained, on 10 mg/kg/day of morphine via osmotic minipumps. To establish whether conditioned withdrawal could also alter object memory, a contextual conditioning procedure was employed whereby morphine-maintained (10 mg/kg/day) animals received naltrexone (3 mg/kg) in a distinctive context (CS+) and vehicle in a separate context (CS-) for 10 days. During conditioning in the CS+, naltrexone suppressed locomotor activity, caused a rapid body weight loss and increased frequency of wet dog shakes. Interestingly, confinement to this CS+ immediately, but not 6 h, after the sample phase, also enhanced object memory. Finally, posttraining naltrexone and exposure to the CS+ both induced significant expression of c-Fos in the CeA. Therefore, this study reports for the first time that both acute precipitated withdrawal and conditioned withdrawal can facilitate memory consolidation, possibly through a common neural pathway that involves the central amygdala.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nana Baidoo
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience University of Guelph Guelph Canada
| | - Michael Wolter
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience University of Guelph Guelph Canada
| | | | - Tanisse Teale
- Department of Neuroscience Carleton University Ottawa Canada
| | - Boyer Winters
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience University of Guelph Guelph Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience University of Guelph Guelph Canada
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13
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Lapointe T, Wolter M, Leri F. Analysis of memory modulation by conditioned stimuli. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 28:87-94. [PMID: 33593927 PMCID: PMC7888238 DOI: 10.1101/lm.052407.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Conditioned stimuli (CS) have multiple psychological functions that can potentially contribute to their effect on memory formation. It is generally believed that CS-induced memory modulation is primarily due to conditioned emotional responses, however, well-learned CSs not only generate the appropriate behavioral and physiological reactions required to best respond to an upcoming unconditioned stimulus (US), but they also serve as signals that the US is about to occur. Therefore, it is possible that CSs can impact memory consolidation even when their ability to elicit conditioned emotional arousal is significantly reduced. To test this, male Sprague–Dawley rats trained on a signaled active avoidance task were divided into “Avoider” and “Non-Avoider” subgroups on the basis of percentage avoidance after 6 d of training. Subgroup differences in responding to the CS complex were maintained during a test carried out in the absence of the US. Moreover, the subgroups displayed significant differences in stress-induced analgesia (hot-plate test) immediately after this test, suggesting significant subgroup differences in conditioned emotionality. Importantly, using the spontaneous object recognition task, it was found that immediate post-sample exposure to the avoidance CS complex had a similar enhancing effect on object memory in the two subgroups. Therefore, to our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that a significant conditioned emotional response is not necessary for the action of a predictive CS on modulation of memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lapointe
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Michael Wolter
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology, Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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14
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Goodman J. Place vs. Response Learning: History, Controversy, and Neurobiology. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:598570. [PMID: 33643005 PMCID: PMC7904695 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.598570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The present article provides a historical review of the place and response learning plus-maze tasks with a focus on the behavioral and neurobiological findings. The article begins by reviewing the conflict between Edward C. Tolman's cognitive view and Clark L. Hull's stimulus-response (S-R) view of learning and how the place and response learning plus-maze tasks were designed to resolve this debate. Cognitive learning theorists predicted that place learning would be acquired faster than response learning, indicating the dominance of cognitive learning, whereas S-R learning theorists predicted that response learning would be acquired faster, indicating the dominance of S-R learning. Here, the evidence is reviewed demonstrating that either place or response learning may be dominant in a given learning situation and that the relative dominance of place and response learning depends on various parametric factors (i.e., amount of training, visual aspects of the learning environment, emotional arousal, et cetera). Next, the neurobiology underlying place and response learning is reviewed, providing strong evidence for the existence of multiple memory systems in the mammalian brain. Research has indicated that place learning is principally mediated by the hippocampus, whereas response learning is mediated by the dorsolateral striatum. Other brain regions implicated in place and response learning are also discussed in this section, including the dorsomedial striatum, amygdala, and medial prefrontal cortex. An exhaustive review of the neurotransmitter systems underlying place and response learning is subsequently provided, indicating important roles for glutamate, dopamine, acetylcholine, cannabinoids, and estrogen. Closing remarks are made emphasizing the historical importance of the place and response learning tasks in resolving problems in learning theory, as well as for examining the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of multiple memory systems. How the place and response learning tasks may be employed in the future for examining extinction, neural circuits of memory, and human psychopathology is also briefly considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarid Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States
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15
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Wolter M, Huff AE, Baidoo N, Jardine KH, Pulles Z, Winters BD, Leri F. Modulation of object memory consolidation by heroin and heroin-conditioned stimuli: Role of opioid and noradrenergic systems. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 33:146-157. [PMID: 32067860 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
There is recent evidence that cocaine, nicotine, and their conditioned stimuli have the ability to enhance memory consolidation. The present study compared the effects of post-training heroin and of a heroin contextual conditioned stimulus (CS+) on consolidation of object recognition memory and investigated the roles of opioid and beta-adrenergic receptors in heroin/CS+ memory modulation by co-administering the respective antagonists, naltrexone (NTX) and propranolol (PRO). Three experiments were performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats demonstrating that immediate, but not delayed, post-sample exposure to heroin (0.3, 1 mg/kg), or exposure (30 min) to a contextual CS+ paired with 1 mg/kg heroin (5 pairings, each 120 min), equally enhanced object memory. Importantly, while the memory enhancing effects of 1 mg/kg heroin and of the contextual CS+ were not altered by post-training co-administration of 3 mg/kg naltrexone, they were blocked by post-training co-administration of 10 mg/kg propranolol. Taken together, these data suggest that a context paired with heroin shares the memory enhancing effect of heroin itself and that these unconditioned and conditioned drug stimuli may modulate memory through the activation of beta-noradrenergic receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wolter
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew E Huff
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Nana Baidoo
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Kristen H Jardine
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Zoey Pulles
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology & Collaborative Neuroscience Program, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, ON, Canada.
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16
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Goodman J, McClay M, Dunsmoor JE. Threat-induced modulation of hippocampal and striatal memory systems during navigation of a virtual environment. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 168:107160. [PMID: 31918021 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The brain is composed of multiple memory systems that mediate distinct types of navigation. The hippocampus is important for encoding and retrieving allocentric spatial cognitive maps, while the dorsal striatum mediates procedural memories based on stimulus-response (S-R) associations. These memory systems are differentially affected by emotional arousal. In particular, rodent studies show that stress typically impairs hippocampal spatial memory while it spares or sometimes enhances striatal S-R memory. The influence of emotional arousal on these separate navigational memory systems has received less attention in human subjects. We investigated the effect of dynamic changes in anticipatory anxiety on hippocampal spatial and dorsal striatal S-R memory systems while participants attempted to solve a virtual eight-arm radial maze. In Experiment 1, participants completed a hippocampus-dependent spatial version of the eight-arm radial maze that required allocentric spatial memory to successfully navigate the environment. In Experiment 2, participants completed a dorsal striatal S-R version of the maze where no allocentric spatial cues were present, requiring the use of S-R navigation. Anticipatory anxiety was modulated via threat of receiving an unpleasant electrical shock to the wrist during memory retrieval. Results showed that threat of shock was associated with more errors and increased use of non-spatial navigational strategies in the hippocampal spatial task, but did not influence memory performance in the striatal S-R task. Findings indicate a dissociation regarding the influence of anticipatory anxiety on memory systems that has implications for understanding how fear and anxiety contribute to memory-related symptoms in human psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarid Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, United States.
| | - Mason McClay
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, United States
| | - Joseph E Dunsmoor
- Department of Psychiatry, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, United States.
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17
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Jiang S, Postovit L, Cattaneo A, Binder EB, Aitchison KJ. Epigenetic Modifications in Stress Response Genes Associated With Childhood Trauma. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:808. [PMID: 31780969 PMCID: PMC6857662 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may be referred to by other terms (e.g., early life adversity or stress and childhood trauma) and have a lifelong impact on mental and physical health. For example, childhood trauma has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The heritability of ACE-related phenotypes such as PTSD, depression, and resilience is low to moderate, and, moreover, is very variable for a given phenotype, which implies that gene by environment interactions (such as through epigenetic modifications) may be involved in the onset of these phenotypes. Currently, there is increasing interest in the investigation of epigenetic contributions to ACE-induced differential health outcomes. Although there are a number of studies in this field, there are still research gaps. In this review, the basic concepts of epigenetic modifications (such as methylation) and the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the stress response are outlined. Examples of specific genes undergoing methylation in association with ACE-induced differential health outcomes are provided. Limitations in this field, e.g., uncertain clinical diagnosis, conceptual inconsistencies, and technical drawbacks, are reviewed, with suggestions for advances using new technologies and novel research directions. We thereby provide a platform on which the field of ACE-induced phenotypes in mental health may build.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shui Jiang
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Lynne Postovit
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatric Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Katherine J. Aitchison
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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18
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Gowrishankar R, Bruchas MR. Defining circuit-specific roles for G protein-coupled receptors in aversive learning. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2019; 26:146-156. [PMID: 32855999 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The encoding of negative valence in response to noxious stimuli/experiences and in turn, the behavioral representation of negative affective states is essential for survival. Recent advances in neuroscience have determined multiple sites of neural plasticity and key circuits of connectivity across these regions in mediating aversive behavior. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), owing to their neuromodulatory role, are especially important to refining our understanding of the molecular substrates involved in these circuits. In this review, we will focus on recent, contemporary findings that explore neural circuit-specific roles for neurotransmitter/peptide GPCRs and the importance of using novel approaches to illuminate the molecular mechanisms central to aversive learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raajaram Gowrishankar
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
| | - Michael R Bruchas
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.,Department of Pharmacology, Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.,Pain and Emotion, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
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19
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Wolter M, Huff E, Speigel T, Winters BD, Leri F. Cocaine, nicotine, and their conditioned contexts enhance consolidation of object memory in rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:46-55. [PMID: 30651377 PMCID: PMC6340119 DOI: 10.1101/lm.048579.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
To test the hypothesis that drugs of abuse and their conditioned stimuli (CSs) enhance memory consolidation, the effects of post-training exposure to cocaine and nicotine were compared to the effects of post-training exposure to contextual stimuli that were paired with the effects of these drugs. Using the object recognition (OR) task, it was first demonstrated that both 10 and 20 mg/kg cocaine, and 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, enhanced recognition memory when administered immediately after, but not 6 h after the sample phase. To establish the drug CSs, rats were confined for 2 h in a chamber (the CS+) after injections of 20 mg/kg cocaine, or 0.4 mg/kg nicotine, and in another chamber (the CS−) after injections of vehicle. This was repeated over 10 d (5 drug/CS+ and 5 vehicle/CS− pairings in total). At the end of this conditioning period, when tested in a drug-free state, rats displayed conditioned hyperactivity in the CS+ relative to the CS−. More important, immediate, but not delayed, post-sample exposure to the cocaine CS+, or nicotine CS+, enhanced OR memory. Therefore, this study reports for the first time that contextual stimuli paired with cocaine and nicotine, like the drugs themselves, have the ability to enhance memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Wolter
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ethan Huff
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Talia Speigel
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Boyer D Winters
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Francesco Leri
- Department of Psychology and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
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20
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Robinson S, Christ CC, Cahill MM, Aldrich SJ, Taylor-Yeremeeva E. Voluntary exercise or systemic propranolol ameliorates stress-related maladaptive behaviors in female rats. Physiol Behav 2018; 198:120-133. [PMID: 30336229 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 10/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, with up to 20% developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or PTSD-like symptoms. In addition, the likelihood that females will develop PTSD after trauma is more than twice that of males. Despite its prevalence, current treatment strategies for trauma victims are limited and substantial portions of affected individuals remain resistant to treatment, suggesting that additional interventions are necessary. Using an animal model of traumatic stress, the present studies tested the hypothesis that either voluntary exercise and/or administration of the adrenergic beta-receptor antagonist propranolol, would ameliorate stress-related maladaptive behaviors. In Study 1 four groups of female rats were exposed to a sequence of stressors that included anesthesia, restraint, forced swim, exposure to predator scent and fear conditioning. Rats then underwent re-exposure sessions in which stress-related conditioned stimuli were presented. In addition to re-exposure, stressed rats were treated with propranolol (10 mg/kg) and/or given the opportunity to engage in voluntary wheel running intermittently for 4 weeks. Stress-associated maladaptive behavior was assessed using the elevated plus and open field mazes and fear memory tests. Cognitive ability was assessed using a novel odor recognition task. A main effect of exercise on behaviors related to anxiety and resilience was observed, but neither a main effect of propranolol nor a synergistic effect of propranolol and exercise were observed. Neither stress induction nor treatment influenced recognition memory. In contrast, in Study 2 in which the timing and dosage of propranolol (0.25-2.0 mg/kg), and the number and timing of re-exposure sessions were adjusted, propranolol produced both a reduction in anxiety-like behaviors as well as resilience to a subsequent stressor. These results are consistent with the notion that combining re-exposure therapy with additional interventions is beneficial for female trauma victims. Furthermore, the findings support the view that in pre-clinical models, voluntary exercise, which bolsters hippocampal function and propranolol, which affects amygdala-dependent memory reconsolidation and peripheral noradrenergic signaling, can ameliorate stress-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siobhan Robinson
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, United States.
| | - Christa C Christ
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg, SC 29303, United States
| | - Margaret M Cahill
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, United States
| | - Sara J Aldrich
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, United States
| | - Elisa Taylor-Yeremeeva
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Hamilton College, Clinton, NY 13323, United States
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21
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Roebuck AJ, Liu MC, Lins BR, Scott GA, Howland JG. Acute stress, but not corticosterone, facilitates acquisition of paired associates learning in rats using touchscreen-equipped operant conditioning chambers. Behav Brain Res 2018; 348:139-149. [PMID: 29684470 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Acute stress influences learning and memory in humans and rodents, enhancing performance in some tasks while impairing it in others. Typically, subjects preferentially employ striatal-mediated stimulus-response strategies in spatial memory tasks following stress, making use of fewer hippocampal-based strategies which may be more cognitively demanding. Previous research demonstrated that the acquisition of rodent paired associates learning (PAL) relies primarily on the striatum, while task performance after extensive training is impaired by hippocampal disruption. Therefore, we sought to explore whether the acquisition of PAL, an operant conditioning task involving spatial stimuli, could be enhanced by acute stress. Male Long-Evans rats were trained to a predefined criterion in PAL and then subjected to either a single session of restraint stress (30 min) or injection of corticosterone (CORT; 3 mg/kg). Subsequent task performance was monitored for one week. We found that rats subjected to restraint stress, but not those rats injected with CORT, performed with higher accuracy and efficiency, when compared to untreated controls. These results suggest that while acute stress enhances the acquisition of PAL, CORT alone does not. This dissociation may be due to differences between these treatments and their ability to produce sufficient catecholamine release in the amygdala, a requirement for stress effects on memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Roebuck
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Max C Liu
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Brittney R Lins
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Gavin A Scott
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - John G Howland
- Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
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22
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Packard MG, Goodman J, Ressler RL. Emotional modulation of habit memory: neural mechanisms and implications for psychopathology. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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23
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Xiao LY, Wang XR, Yang JW, Ye Y, Zhu W, Cao Y, Ma SM, Liu CZ. Acupuncture Prevents the Impairment of Hippocampal LTP Through β1-AR in Vascular Dementia Rats. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 55:7677-7690. [PMID: 29435917 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-0943-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that the synaptic dysfunction and synapse loss contribute to the cognitive deficits of vascular dementia (VD) patients. We have previously reported that acupuncture improved cognitive function in rats with VD. However, the mechanisms involved in acupuncture improving cognitive ability remain to be elucidated. The present study aims to investigate the pathways and molecules involved in the neuroprotective effect of acupuncture. We assessed the effects of acupuncture on hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), the most prominent cellular model of memory formation. Acupuncture enhanced LTP and norepinephrine (NE) levels in the hippocampus. Inhibition of the β-adrenergic receptor (AR), but not the α-AR, was able to block the effects of acupuncture on hippocampal LTP. Furthermore, inhibition of β1-AR, not β2-AR, abolished the enhanced LTP induced by acupuncture. The expression analysis revealed a significant upregulation of β1-AR and unchanged β2-AR with acupuncture, which supported the above findings. Specifically, increased β1-ARs in the dentate gyrus were expressed on neurons exclusively. Taken together, the present data supports a beneficial role of acupuncture in synaptic plasticity challenged with VD. A likely mechanism is the increase of NE and activation of β1-AR in the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Yong Xiao
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China.,Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 6 Fangxingyuan 1st Block, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100078, China
| | - Xue-Rui Wang
- Beijing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Jing-Wen Yang
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Ye
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 6 Fangxingyuan 1st Block, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100078, China
| | - Wen Zhu
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Cao
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Si-Ming Ma
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated to Capital Medical University, 23 Meishuguanhou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
| | - Cun-Zhi Liu
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongfang Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 6 Fangxingyuan 1st Block, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100078, China.
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25
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Goodman J, McIntyre CK. Impaired Spatial Memory and Enhanced Habit Memory in a Rat Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Front Pharmacol 2017; 8:663. [PMID: 29018340 PMCID: PMC5614977 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
High levels of emotional arousal can impair spatial memory mediated by the hippocampus, and enhance stimulus-response (S-R) habit memory mediated by the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). The present study was conducted to determine whether these memory systems may be similarly affected in an animal model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a “single-prolonged stress” (SPS) procedure and 1 week later received training in one of two distinct versions of the plus-maze: a hippocampus-dependent place learning task or a DLS-dependent response learning task. Results indicated that, relative to non-stressed control rats, SPS rats displayed slower acquisition in the place learning task and faster acquisition in the response learning task. In addition, extinction of place learning and response learning was impaired in rats exposed to SPS, relative to non-stressed controls. The influence of SPS on hippocampal spatial memory and DLS habit memory observed in the present study may be relevant to understanding some common features of PTSD, including hippocampal memory deficits, habit-like avoidance responses to trauma-related stimuli, and greater likelihood of developing drug addiction and alcoholism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarid Goodman
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, RichardsonTX, United States
| | - Christa K McIntyre
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, RichardsonTX, United States
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26
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Goldfarb EV, Mendelevich Y, Phelps EA. Acute Stress Time-dependently Modulates Multiple Memory Systems. J Cogn Neurosci 2017; 29:1877-1894. [PMID: 28699809 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Acute stress has been shown to modulate the engagement of different memory systems, leading to preferential expression of stimulus-response (SR) rather than episodic context memory when both types of memory can be used. However, questions remain regarding the cognitive mechanism that underlies this bias in humans-specifically, how each form of memory is individually influenced by stress in order for SR memory to be dominant. Here we separately measured context and SR memory and investigated how each was influenced by acute stress after learning (Experiment 1) and before retrieval (Experiment 2). We found that postlearning stress, in tandem with increased adrenergic activity during learning, impaired consolidation of context memory and led to preferential expression of SR rather than context memory. Preretrieval stress also impaired context memory, albeit transiently. Neither postlearning nor preretrieval stress changed the expression of SR memory. However, individual differences in cortisol reactivity immediately after learning were associated with variability in initial SR learning. These results reveal novel cognitive mechanisms by which stress can modulate multiple memory systems.
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27
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Abstract
The view that anatomically distinct memory systems differentially contribute to the development of drug addiction and relapse has received extensive support. The present brief review revisits this hypothesis as it was originally proposed 20 years ago (1) and highlights several recent developments. Extensive research employing a variety of animal learning paradigms indicates that dissociable neural systems mediate distinct types of learning and memory. Each memory system potentially contributes unique components to the learned behavior supporting drug addiction and relapse. In particular, the shift from recreational drug use to compulsive drug abuse may reflect a neuroanatomical shift from cognitive control of behavior mediated by the hippocampus/dorsomedial striatum toward habitual control of behavior mediated by the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). In addition, stress/anxiety may constitute a cofactor that facilitates DLS-dependent memory, and this may serve as a neurobehavioral mechanism underlying the increased drug use and relapse in humans following stressful life events. Evidence supporting the multiple systems view of drug addiction comes predominantly from studies of learning and memory that have employed as reinforcers addictive substances often considered within the context of drug addiction research, including cocaine, alcohol, and amphetamines. In addition, recent evidence suggests that the memory systems approach may also be helpful for understanding topical sources of addiction that reflect emerging health concerns, including marijuana use, high-fat diet, and video game playing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarid Goodman
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX , USA
| | - Mark G Packard
- Department of Psychology, Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience, Texas A&M University , College Station, TX , USA
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